Do you use YOUR family, kids, pets in your marketing? Why/why not?

[jcooper]

I'm generally looking for a direction to head as I'm going to start mailing to previous clients(postcards).

I believe a previous client should have some type of memory about us just from seeing our name(on the postcard). However, I've been told MANY times, people remember faces much more than names or numbers. An example would be a Realtor with their photo on a biz card.

Thinking about somehow using the kids and myself in the card(previous clients), just not sure how?

Any ideas/themes for mailing a client the first time?
I'm thinking something just telling them about other services. Not necessarily specials/discounts. We're your carpet cleaner - we do tile now(been doing it for years, lol)!

How much kids/family is too much? How about kids and the net/websites?

Only reason I can think of for NOT using family is wanting to convey a larger biz image. Which isn't a bad thing, but these people know who we are.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I like how Russ "uses" his family in his marketing. I think if you did something similar it will convey family, honesty and wholesome. Russ???

http://www.thegreatcleanmachine.com/

 

[PrimaDonna]

YES we do! Made a huge difference when we went from John posing in front of the truck to the whole family. We have clients that post the pictures on their fridge! And ones that always comment from year to year when we up date them about how big the kids are getting. And some that even give John money for the kids bank accounts every time he cleans.

People love seeing that we are a family operated business....and that their $ is going to a family (to pay for baseball and dance classes, you get the idea).

 

[Desk Jockey]

Good looking family!

Such cute little guys at the window!

 

[billyeadon]

Studies show that people process visuals 60,000 times faster than words. So yes I believe in using pictures as long as they aren't the standard wand download from google.

 

[Mikey P]

Case by case basis.



Some of you people make me look like Brad Pitt.

 

[Russ T.]

I like how Russ "uses" his family in his marketing. I think if you did something similar it will convey family, honesty and wholesome. Russ???

http://www.thegreatcleanmachine.com/

It's important for any business to be AUTHENTIC. I don't want to pretend to be Stanlet Steemer or ZeroRez, or anyone else. It will only disappoint people when they find out who we REALLY are.

I believe in us and our business so why not show US off? We are DIFFERENT from a lot of the others and I want to SCREAM that when someone visits our web site or FB Page, or any kind of print they would see about us.

Do it Jerry. Most of your posts tell me we are A LOT alike, business wise.

We are trying to develop lasting business relationships with people that stops just shy of a friendship (bigger guys might disagree). Our best customers are looking for a company they can trust. I honestly believe they can and SHOULD trust us if they want to take the best care of their stuff (carpet, floors, upholstery).

I did some work for a couple who will be filming a commercial for us (for the website) and taking updated pictures from the website.

We should all define who we are for our customers. I hope they find us to be well defined through the pics. I'll prob get our dogs in the next pics. Got some beauties on this vacation to FL and the Carribean!

We are not WalMart or McDonalds or Coke or Nike...or a big corporate CC company. We shouldn't attempt to try to appear that way. There's nothing wrong with the big guys. When Brian H (from Hagopian) chimes in, my ears perk up. It's a great business and I can learn SO MUCH from a guy like him. But my biz is quite different in a lot of ways and I'm not doing myself or my family any favors by not understanding who we are and what direction I want to go.

...a little humbled that anyone gives a rip what we are doing with our small family biz in central Iowa. Super thankful for those who so clearly do!

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think its smart to sell yourself for who you, a family business.

You have a lot to be proud of, you're offering superior service to your market and your clients recognize it. Congrats!

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I have a picture of my family on my website. I get people telling me that they called because of it.

 

[Willy P]

Case by case basis.



Some of you people make me look like Brad Pitt.

No- that's Brad's pits.

 

[AshleyMckendree]

No, because I know what I think when I see other peoples family's. They're stupid looking.
It's also incredibly lame.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL Ashley tell us how you really feel.

 

[Mikey P]

Ashley looks likes hes 16 years old and working his first patch of facial hair....

I can see why he would refrain

 

[Ivan Turner]

Richard, no offense intended, bit you have a face for radio. So you might have your much younger, better looking brother Dan do the picture.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

I would normally throw a shot back at ya but being that you're from the "not so great" state of Missery I can say anything worse than that!

 

[Mark Saiger]

Yes we do.

Grandson, the puppies, the cat....

Son in Law is in the pics with me too for recognition as well.

We are in a smaller service area, so everyone knows the ads....even asks "is that the Saiger's Baby?"

Pups help out at home shows too....

Grandson and puppies have been Money!

 

[jcooper]

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Yes we do.
Grandson, the puppies, the cat....

Thanks Mark, very helpful.

 

[hydracat]

I had a customer get nervous when we pulled up because my helper ( brother) was driving. He looks like a bum but has good personality. I look like perry como and the customer was relieved when I walked around the truck. He said his first thought was "oh crap, this isn't the guy in the picture".

 

[Desk Jockey]

I had to Google Perry Como.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Its a great angle to take.

Just not for me, never has worked out whenever i use that theme.
Have always used more of a corporate theme, think its a matter of how I am hardwired.

Gotta have conviction in whatever you are selling, whatever it is.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I actually think it works better in smaller communities. Coming from small town USA I can't speak to whether it would or wouldn't work in larger cities.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I actually think it works better in smaller communities. Coming from small town USA I can't speak to whether it would or wouldn't work in larger cities.

Small town people like that. Take your kid to work with you and then tell the customer that he is in the Boise State Marching band and then see them give the kid a big tip. Customers love seeing a family business.

 

[rwcarpet]

No, because I know what I think when I see other peoples family's. They're stupid looking.
It's also incredibly lame.

Whether Ashley is being sarcastic or not, it is lame. I personally will not buy any product that uses kids for advertising. And I have 6 (grown) kids. It's flakey. Unless you're advertising for a daycare center.

 

[dgardner]

Most of the replies have been from males. I wonder how your wives would answer? Aren't the majority of our residential customers female?

 

[Shane Deubell]

I actually think it works better in smaller communities. Coming from small town USA I can't speak to whether it would or wouldn't work in larger cities.

Kinda put you in the corporate category too.

 

[FB7777]

Most of the replies have been from males. I wonder how your wives would answer? Aren't the majority of our residential customers female?

And it's free advice .... From carpet cleaners hanging out on a bulletin board in the middle of the day

 

[Desk Jockey]

When Lockhart first visited he commented on how Topeka had a small town feel to it. We do some things that might be considered corny by the big city sophisticated crowd but still work for us.

I feel we are both small town marketers to the residential crowd but also corporate to the facilities crowd.

 

[jcooper]

I personally will not buy any product that uses kids for advertising. And I have 6 (grown) kids. It's flakey.

Sooo, no Mcdonalds, Burger king, Kraft, Gerber, Sears, Kohls, Walmart, Target, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, etc, etc and so on. The list is endless, everyone uses kids in advertising.

 

[A.J.]

I actually think it works better in smaller communities. Coming from small town USA I can't speak to whether it would or wouldn't work in larger cities.

I live in the same town a John Mellencamp lol

I jokingly told my GF I'm afraid to put her on my website if we got married because she's half mexican. 'Babe if you were blonde hair blue eyed that be one thing but..."

We uses to have a carpet cleaning biz around here named:
Karles
Karpet
Kare

I kid you not.

 

[Desk Jockey]

jimmy lived there?