I want to get into more high End ? Advertising

[ErikG]

Any help here would be appricated. So from what I read here is for high end homes is to do direct mailers with post cards . Also I understand to spend money on say 100-200 spoters bottles and fill them up and place with a flyr and magnet maybe some pens or note pads.
How Do get your high end??

 

[Brian R]

Market to the high end customers with HIGH END material.
You will have to spend some money to get it done right.
Talk to Wayne.

don't let your prices get too low and lose value.

Step up your image while in their home or office or you won't get referrals from them.
Don't use a porty.

You can target any square footage you want when you buy mailing lists.
Or you can pick zipcodes or just areas you know that are high end.

 

[Brian R]

:roll:

High end become High end for a reason.

They have money and they know how to keep having money.
Sure some are quick money that are no where to be found now but still.

Give the same amount of money to everyone in the world and what happens?

After a year, the people who had money will have it again and the people who didn't have money won't have it again.

 

[Mikey P]

I cater to every end of the financial spectrum a 200 million dollar home in the AM and a 40 year old single wide in the PM) so take my advice for what its worth.

If you want really high end work you'll have to gain the trust of decorators/ designers, fabric protector applicators, upholsterers and rug and carpet retailers.


Truly high end people dont read their own mail, let alone look for fliers under the windshield wipers on their Bugattis.



Now if by High End you mean folks with two cars and 3 bath rooms, then by all means spend a few week ends walking the neighbor hoods you want and talk to them while their out mowing the lawns and waxing their Hondas.

Dress nice, brush your teeth, have some free spotters, a card with a discount on it and learn to walk the talk.

 

[hogjowl]

Does brushing your teeth really make that much difference?

 

[Cameron1]

I cater to every end of the financial spectrum a 200 million dollar home in the AM and a 40 year old single wide in the PM) so take my advice for what its worth.

If you want really high end work you'll have to gain the trust of decorators/ designers, fabric protector applicators, upholsterers and rug and carpet retailers.


Truly high end

Now if by High End you mean folks with two cars and 3 bath rooms, then by all means spend a few week ends walking the neighbor hoods you want and talk to them while their out mowing the lawns and waxing their Hondas.

Dress nice, brush your teeth, have some free spotters, a card with a discount on it and learn to walk the talk.

people dont read their own mail, let alone look for fliers under the windshield wipers on their Bugattis.



We are set up much like big bird in that we cover all levels of incomes. I have found that you really do not need so called High end materials, but you better have a flawless reputation. You need to be well above average in your appearance,(uniform,etc.) and above average in your ability to clean.( it helps to have wit and charm). If you are, then everything else will take care of its self. A good follow-up marketing system will help keep your name around, but only if you give em a reason to remember you.

There are plenty of good ideas around on this subject but realize that you build High end business one client at a time.

 

[Wayne Miller]

How do you define "high-end?"

We usually find "high-end" clients in middle to upper-middle class neighborhoods. We find them in blue collar and million dollar neighborhoods, too. "High-end" to me is someone who values quality and service over price, and values you as someone they want to call.

How you advertise is part of it. It's simply how you get your message in front of them. It's fair to say 75 to 85% of your business is repeat and referral so I think there's a strong argument that how you conduct yourself on the job is even more important.

Just MHO, but one way to attract them is to appeal to what they want: quality, service, value, safety, trust, reliability, professionalism and so on. Dress professionally, shave, don't smoke, arrive on time, call if you're late, look them in the eye, don't eyeball them, their kids or their stuff, talk about your wife, kids, family and pets, do the things you'd want from any guy who's gonna have the run of your house while you're out earning your keep. From the moment you arrive do things to put them at ease.

Everybody has a comfortable maximum they believe they can charge. Or, more correctly, what they think Mrs. Piffleton will happily pay. If you're like most of us it's based where you started and regulated by the fear of asking for more. One of the bigger things about attracting "high-end" customers, IMHO, is your own perception what your service is worth. When you allow yourself to charge what you perceive are truly "high-end" prices and sincerely see the value in what you do, the more your customers will value you.

 

[hogjowl]

I like what you're saying Wayne. Since we are allowed to discuss openly here, tell me, what do you have to offer me? I am a single operator, doing just what you describe. I need a plan and someone to help me execute it.

Are you the man?

How much?

 

[Wayne Miller]

First thing you need is a tie, http://solidcolorneckties.com. Might I suggest the two inch wide polyester in either black, blue or swine as the perfect compliment to a crisp, white oxford.

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

I am trying to root out the term "high end" from my vocabulary. If are determined to target "high end" you are doomed to failure and you will end up selling your Recoil to Rickie.

"High end" is NOT a demographic. You may as well be targeting anyone that breaths air. Understanding your demographic should have been your first step in starting a business.

Think more about the kind of customer you want, get specific. What do you perceive your ideal "high end" customer is like? If you don't know then you can never begin to understand what is important to them.

Your perfect or ideal customers have already chosen to do business with you (or not) long before they even heard about you.

 

[Jose Smith]

As mentioned above, be sure you have defined "high end".

Wikipedia defines it as, "services targeted at high income consumers".

yourdictionary.com defines it as, "expensive and of very high quality".

Merriam-Webster defines it as, "upscale" and "of superior quality or sophistication and usually high in price".

To market to this demographic (income is a demographic), forget conventional advertising. It may pick up a few high end customers, but won't be a great ROI. The absolute best marketing is Word Of Mouth. Create a buzz in these communities. Do things that these customers are use to seeing when serviced (think Macy's, Four Seasons, Lexus, etc).

I have transformed my company to a "white glove" or "concierge" service. This creates something that is referrable in these communities.

There are many marketing tricks that go along with this. But one thing you can do is what Mikey said; market to the companies where these people shop (designers, home furnishing retailers, carpet retailers, realtors, etc).


Jose Smith

 

[GRHeacock]

Like the above posters, who are VERY successful, take their advice.

YOU decide who your customers are.

The ones you go after become your customers.

Part is how you look, dress, act, vehicle, equipment, cleaning products, etc.

If you dress like a low class workman with a dirty shirt, pants, ratty sneakers, crappy dented van, you will get customers like you.

If you wear a suit, white shirt, tie, polished leather shoes, have nice business cards and other literature to hand out, You will get customers like you.

Do NOT market directly to the potential customers- like Mikey sez, a pink flyer under the wiper on their Bugatti will not get the attention you desire.

Instead, market to the shops and services these customers use.

When THEY refer you to THEIR customers, you are a shoo in.

For instance, clean for free, the top beauty salon where these ladies go, in order to leave your cards or brochure.

Believe me, ladies talk about lots of stuff, and the odds of you coming into the conversation is much better than a flier on their windshield.

Get the idea?

Worked for me too.

Gary

 

[Guest]

Its funny,
the last time I check a $ 20 bill, their all green!

Some one who lives in a $100k house, Their green!
Some one who lives in a $900k house, Their green!

 

[Jose Smith]

Very true Steve, but one must have a proper marketing strategy. Without a good marketing strategy, you will never have a focus on who your customer is or who you should pursue with your marketing dollar.

Part of a marketing strategy is understanding your customers demographics. If you try to make everyone your customer, you will become nothing but a commodity.

I applaud anyone on this board who has a true specialty, niche or target market and who has a clear plan on how they should target this client through marketing. Whether the customer is a property management company who manages apartments or a high end client.


Jose Smith

 

[Brian R]

My Definition of "High End"
Not the booty girls in the hood...good lord

Seriously,

A well taken care of house around other well taken care of houses, has money and will spend it wisely but not a cheap skate, Once they know your service they trust you whole heartedly and refer you too their friends and use you on a regular basis. They also use you at their place of business.

Any one time job (just about) I wouldn't nec call it high end.
I would think you would have to make over $500.00 on one job to even consider it.

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

My best customers are women age 25-40 with small children, baby or pets. It doesn't matter if they are so-called "high end" or "medium end." I really hate those labels. They mean nothing. They are the ones that appreciate my services and I love working for them. They are nice people who have a need and I fill that need.

I my opinion, the most comfortable business model is to not be the cheapest nor the most expensive, just strive to be the best and treat everyone the same.

 

[Royal Man]

I target the groups upper middle clients hang out at.

Upper middles take pride in their homes and know they likely will be living there for quite some time. So, they clean them on a regular basis.

In order to modify my approach to market to the high end I will have to wear a clip on bow tie and booties. But, I still don't think I can cross the bridge over to Knee pads or safari clothing.

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

But, I still don't think I can cross the bridge over to Knee pads or safari clothing.

LOL