How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/mailers

[B&BGaryC]

Please submit this information:

How many trucks
One or two man crew
How much of what for existing customers
How much of what for new customers
What is your return?

What do you use to supplement your mailers?

 

[Doug Cox]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

1
1
0
0
0

 

[AshleyMckendree]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

$0
I have been referral only for years now (except website jobs)

1.5 trucks

Currently have more work than I can handle, and this is my slowest time of year... NOT looking forward to spring.

Need to raise prices again and fire some clients.

 

[Brian R]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

$1.25 per customer every 3 months or so.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

Brian, round up a posse and wrangle all of those "Mail seven things to your customers every month so they can't forget you" guys and get them to answer this for me.

Thanks.

 

[GeneMiller]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

1 2 000

gene

 

[Royal Man]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

I spend about $200 every month (except Jan and Feb) on postcards to existing clients

(It is the largest marketing expense I have)

It always pays for itself many times over.

It also, aids to improve client repetition, encourages referrals and improves client retention.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

Postage on 600 post cards is almost two hundred dollars. How many post cards are you sending?

 

[Royal Man]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

Postage on 600 post cards is almost two hundred dollars. How many post cards are you sending?

I usually send 800 per month.

Print them myself. I have developed a lot of different templates.

How can I lose?

one job usually more than pays for the entire mailing.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

how do you print them and mail them for less than the postage cost?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

I read on the BB intronet that a decent postcard can have around a 25% return...not sure if thats true./\

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

how do you print them and mail them for less than the postage cost?

Postage on 800 post cards is only $224 , but Dave is spending more then that. He has post card cost and labels unless he his printing address's right on the cards.

 

[Royal Man]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

I print the cards myself so it is just some ink and 110 lb cardstock.(about 50 bucks)

Just merge your data base to avoid having to use labels.

THe main thing is that if you can generate as little as 3 jobs or retain more clients down the road you more than pay for the entire mailing.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

I print the cards myself so it is just some ink and 110 lb cardstock.(about 50 bucks)

Just merge your data base to avoid having to use labels.

THe main thing is that if you can generate as little as 3 jobs or retain more clients down the road you more than pay for the entire mailing.

We do the same as you Dave, sent out 728 today.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

So your cost is closer to $300.

That was my point.

I can get 600 full color post cards done by a local printer for $62.00

Then I have to put the labels on myself.

And stick all of the stamps.

 

[Ken Snow]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

So your cost is a little less than Dave's, big deal. What was the point of asking people questions and then attacking them. Maybe you should have just said what you pay and gone "nah nah nah I pay less than you do".

For the 150,000 we print at a time I pay a fraction of what you pay so nah, nah, nah yourself :-)

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

Ken, you can't be so eager to tell me I'm a twit.

Sometime's I'm just communicating poorly.

I am pretty sure I pay more for my postcards than he does.

I was trying to get information on how successful companies run post card campaigns so that I can emulate those advertising efforts and become successful like they are.

The information I need is total cost, postage and print. If you want to separate it, fine, but I need the whole amount. Once I have this social proof, I can put the information together that X, Y, and Z marketing experts say postcards are the way for A, B, and C reason, and also these fine successful companies on average have a budget of D, E, and F for postcards which they supplement with (fill in the blank) other marketing efforts to get a total gain of G%.

Then I have submitted a report to the company owner with a logical request for a budget so I don't have to approve each and every mailer. Sometimes waiting for his approval causes me to miss my mail out date or not mail as frequently as I should thus giving diminishing returns.

I have freedom to do whatever I want as long as it doesn't cost money. As soon as I start spending money I get micro-managed. This usually halts whatever marketing efforts I am working on before they produce fruit but after they have cost us money. This has proven to the company owner that I am good at wasting money. I figure if I submit my marketing request as reports and get a regular budget this will allow me to fully execute my marketing efforts and either help me be successful or finally prove without a doubt that I should not be allowed to vote on our advertising.

 

[FB7777]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

[quote="B&BGaryC":3mrhysve]Postage on 600 post cards is almost two hundred dollars. How many post cards are you sending?

I usually send 800 per month.

Print them myself. I have developed a lot of different templates.

How can I lose?

one job usually more than pays for the entire mailing.[/quote:3mrhysve]

Do you roughly track your success rate on the monthly mailings Dave?

Are these 800 cards to previous customers?

Would you mind telling me what software you are using to merge your list? I had cards done by Wayne and have to label and stamp.

I've been a once a year reminder mailer so its not been an issue but if we go monthly or even bi-monthly, I'm gonna want an easier way to mail 800-1000 pieces

To Gary's original question My cost per card including everything is somewhere between 45-50 cents per card, all to previous customers but that excludes the labor of getting that many cards ready to send (labels and stamps)

I haven't tracked the success rate , but I see my reminder cards in the homes a few times each week.

I've been a complete jackwagon for not mailing with any sort of consistency... that ends this year :mrgreen:

 

[Royal Man]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

Do you roughly track your success rate on the monthly mailings Dave?
I don't keep that close of a track. Often the card promotes them to call but they don't mention the card.
The mailing has never failed to pay for itself and more. Success depends on your list, graphics, offer , call to action and other factors.
Are these 800 cards to previous customers?

Mainly previous clients, Quarterly Also, mail to qualified prospects that are members of groups I prospect and they have a met me personally and said they need carpet cleaned (About 300 each quarter)
Would you mind telling me what software you are using to merge your list? I had cards done by Wayne and have to label and stamp.
I use publisher 4 up run them through a second time in my data base (Cha-ching) and print the address and return address.
I've been a once a year reminder mailer so its not been an issue but if we go monthly or even bi-monthly, I'm gonna want an easier way to mail 800-1000 pieces

To Gary's original question My cost per card including everything is somewhere between 45-50 cents per card, all to previous customers but that excludes the labor of getting that many cards ready to send (labels and stamps)

I haven't tracked the success rate , but I see my reminder cards in the homes a few times each week.

I've been a complete jackwagon for not mailing with any sort of consistency... that ends this year :mrgreen:

Consistency helps. The client looks forward to them. I haven't mailed this winter because the web has been so good. Several client called me to see why they didn't get their card.

Gary,

If you are trying to pitch the value of having frequent contact with previous clients every marketer will say it's a proven sure thing.

Even if the mailing doesn't produce the results you want you have to remember that it also keeps client from drifting away and forgetting your company. Many won't even mention the marketing piece. If you work them right mail pieces can also increase referral and add to your on-line client reviews.

If cost is a factor start collecting e-mail address and send permissive e-mail with specials, cleaning tips, and fun stuff to make reading and sharing them with their friends worth while.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Re: How much $$$ do you spend each month on post-cards/maile

For the 150,000 we print at a time I pay a fraction of what you pay so nah, nah, nah yourself :-)

:shock:

Gary we are at .42 a card for cost. That does not figure in my time for stamping and labeling.