Marketing programs (thread of the week)

[Lonny]

Back again lads!
I am planning on getting started with my business in October. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a marketing plan. I realize that Joe Polish is not terribly popular here, nor it seems Howard Partridge. I realize that everyone has to get started somewhere, and I would rather 'stand on the shoulders off giants' than reinvent the wheel, with that in mind,where does one go for good ideas/templates for flyers, etc?
Thank-you much!

 

[J Scott W]

Re: Marketing programs

Joe and Howard both have programs that can help get your business started. Some folks will like one over the other. Others find both have helpful information. We sell some marketing programs as well. The real key is implementing the ideas. The books, tapes and so forth won't get you one customer until you put it into practice.

For help with implementation, add other experts. Wayne Miller and John Braun are good places to start for designing advertising.

Whatever you decide to do, start small. Dip your toes in the water. Make a test. See what programs you feel comfortable with. See what works in your market.

Don't commit to a year or more of on-going programs until you are convinced what is being sold will work for you. Don't invest large amounts of money until you proved the value of that expense. Don't automatically beleive every ad you pitch that comes your way. This applies to the marketing gurus and to the companies selling ads (Yellow pages, etc.).

But scepticism needs to be balanced. Doing nothing won't grow your business either.

There are many cleaners who will tell you that you don't need the experts advice. Those folks have had years to get to the size business they have now and are happy with those results. Good for them. But if you want to shave a lot of time off the learning curve, take advantage of the help that is available.

Scott Warrington

 

[Greg Loe]

Re: Marketing programs

If I was starting over, the first thing I would do would be to attend an SFS class. Strategies For Success by Jon-Don

 

[Lonny]

Re: Marketing programs

I am starting out, with 25 commercial accounts- I am interested in not only sound marketing advice, but also templates for-hangers, websites, etc that work for residential. I understand that it does take time and money for any venture to become a solid business. I am not adverse to do the work, but must be realistic about the amount of time I have before this needs to be profitable. Just a bit apprehensive about the residential market. I have a month or two before I need to have a beginning customer base going. I am going to start with the employees of the businesses I clean for now, and work from there. Thanks-you again!
Lonny

 

[Steve Toburen]

Re: Marketing programs

SFS and the marketing programs mentioned above are literally apples and oranges- two very different animals. In the five day SFS program only one day is completely dedicated to teaching marketing principles. (Delivered by the inimitable Big Billy Yeadon who has in my opinion overly developed his feminine side- think of the movie "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson as a little Irish gnome)

The other four days are focused on giving you templates (over 1,000 pages) for finances, hiring, training and orientation, evaluations and yes, sadly, firing and terminating weird, loser, flake, zipperhead employees. We also cover in depth selling and producing contract commercial work, fire and water damage restoration and residential maintenance contracts. Plus step by step how to DELIVER the work in the customer's home.

So SFS functions, as Greg mentions above, as a great orientation if you are new to the industry. If you are an old-timer it just might remind you of some things you once did and then over the years complacency crept into your operation and you quit them. OR it will also "validate" things you have always instinctively done but never really knew why.

Scott hit the nail as he almost always does in his post above. (The only thing he "forgot" was to recommend SFS but I will overlook his sin.) You can learn and benefit from any program IF you implement it. Even better if you use the best from them all.

So Big Billy and I don't view SFS as competing with any marketing program or franchise in the marketplace. We would like to think we complement any of them.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve

PS The simplest way to learn just what the heck SFS is to watch our free 30 minute orientation DVD on the management principles behind Strategies for Success. Just e-mail me your mailing address to stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com Don't worry, I am much too busy to spam you!

 

[alazo1]

Re: Marketing programs

I hear Mikey's got a killer program.

Albert

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Re: Marketing programs

On a budget?

1. Make sure you ASK for referrals and reward them.
2. Join a BNI or LeTip group
3. Mail postcards every 3 weeks to the same addresses at least 4 times, then see #1 when you score a job.

Also Paul Douglas' Plan of Action comes to mind.....I'll repost it below:

Alright here is a plan of action for everyone, that needs
new clients now.
1. Put out 1000 of your most productive flyers every
week per tech.
2. Mail 100 sales letters to commercial prospects per
week. Restaurants, lawyers, doctors. Whatever, your
choice. But do it once a week.
3. Follow up the mailing 7-10 days with a phone call.
4. Contact ither business owners. Swap customer lists.
Contact 100 bew prospects from each list every week.
Send a sales letter first. Then follow up with a phone
call.
5. Offer these same business owners gift certificates to
give away as prremiums to their clients.
6. Give gift certificates away at every Real Estate
Office in town for every realtor working in that office
every week.
7. Contact 15 prior clients every day. Let them know
you are still alive.
8. Contact 30 cold prospects every day, in the market
area you want to work in.
9. When completing a job, go to the neighbor and
knock on the door, introduce yourself. Give them a
business card. Give them a flyer. Tell then you want to
be their cleaner of choice as well and hope they will
consider you when they need the work.
10. Offer a cash reward or cleaning creddit to anyone
that gives you a referral now.
11. Offer a strong incentive to use your services now.
It will be too late in April. A discount, a contest,
whatever, be creative.
12. Join a service club or your local chamber of
commerce. Attend the meetings, do the service and
volunteer work. Great networking opportunity.
13. Whatever other great idea that might come to your
head.

Now here is the biggest key. Don't do one at a time.
Don't just do the ones you like and ignore the rest. Do
them all right now. Not tomorrow, not next week, NOW.
This is the success law of taking massive action. It
doesn't matter which success guru you subscribe to,
they all tell you to take action. Massive action yeilds
massive results. Don't think about it, DO IT NOW!

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Re: Marketing programs

A bottle of Tuaca would be preferred.

Good Luck!

 

[Able 1]

Re: Marketing programs

Merc,

Great post!! If your on a really really tight budget... Have Wayne make you a flyer and get 100,000 then stuff boxes like you actually want to be successful! Can't say this enough you can build on flyers alone!! Just have to want it!!

Keith

 

[hogjowl]

Re: Marketing programs

I keep hearing SFS referred to in the same sentence as marketing programs, but I see no actual program.

I heard a lot of talk and hype about a marketing program while at SFS, but ... where's the beef?

 

[Dominick Cassano]

Re: Marketing programs

Look up John Braun in Pensacola FLA.
www.hitmanadvertising.com

 

[Dominick Cassano]

Re: Marketing programs

Look up John Braun in Pensacola FLA.
www.hitmanadvertising.com

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

Re: Marketing programs

I am a bit old fashioned and just read books.

If you understand some basics you can make your own marketing program that will work because people respond to sincerity.

Start with the E-Myth by Gerber, some like the newer version, the E-myth Revisited but I still prefer the older one. Another one that has about 50% really good content is Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port. Even just those two books will teach you enough to get started.

Also, a must read is the article: Ethical marketing in the 21st century – by Jim Pemberton. Short, but enough priceless. I read it every month and even gave it to the marketing department of the Carpet Retailer I work with to make sure we are on the same page.

 

[MicahR]

Re: Marketing programs

A lot of good names already mentioned.

I think the best bang for your buck would be Doug Heiferman's. It runs about 249.00 and is really quite powerful. Especially for a newbie.

Check out his site

www.dhseminars.net

Doug was a very successful businessman before he went into carpet cleaning. You can learn a lot about running a profitable business, which is key.

Don't just get by with your business. Look to make a very comfortable living.

 

[Lonny]

Re: Marketing programs

Wow, I leave for a few hours and go play with my kids, and look what happens!
Marc, and the rest, what can I say-excellent ideas one and all. I very much appreciate it, dunno what else to say but thank-you!
I am waffling with a name for my carpet cleaning business right now... seems somewhat trivial, but I really liked the names of my other cleaning businesses, and want this one to be just right also. As soon as I get that down I am ordering cards and fliers/coupons/gift certificates and get my booty out there.
I have read the E-myth, good book I really should re-read it (with all my spare time it is a bit difficult), nevertheless.
Dang, I am barely a few days old on this forum, and already indebted......

 

[Chris Muetterties]

If you want Templets then go look up Wayne Miller on this BB. I would also look up Rick Gelinas (sp) and order his CD for commercial great stuff

 

[MarkE]

Anyone have any feed-back on BRC systems?

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Again...if you're on a budget...

I just dug up some old CD's that have worked wonderfully for me in the past. Randy Rovang, of Big Bang Marketing Group, has great newsletters,....CD is only $199 and is in MS Publisher and can probably do this from home

http://www.bigbangmg.com/Newsletters_for_Cleaners_CD.htm

Also, there is a link for him to print them for you after you tweak with your company info...

http://www.bigbangmg.com/printing_&_mailing_services.htm

Also, Randy Rovang purchased Squid Marketing, another CD collection of ready to tweak forms, letters and such for $199. Order that CD an it comes with another CD with 60 or so postcards.

http://www.bigbangmg.com/marketing_Forms.htm

Another Randy, Randy Grosse, of Randy Grosse Marketing, has some great stuff, too. This PDF explains about postcard mailings. Randy's CD costs $249 and is MS Publisher ready to be tweaked. I couldn't find a samples page, though. I'll try to get in touch with him later.

http://www.randygrosse.com/PostCD Saleslet.pdf

Hope these links help those on a budget. I know I was at one time and each of these CD's have helped me build my business.

PS - When you get up and running, I believe Steve Toburen, Wayne Miller, Scott Rendall and Mark & Andrechelle Cermak all will carry you through to the finish line.

http://www.jondon.com/trained/sfs.htm

http://www.pdqpostcards.com/

http://www.brcsystems.com/

http://www.andrechelle.com/

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Lonny

Do not buy any program until you go through Marc's list. The problem with free information is that you don't have much motivation to use it, versus having spent hundreds or thousands for a packaged program.

If you have any difficulty implementing his suggestions, send Marc 500.00. You'll be ahead financially, and then you'll have more motivation to get to work on those ideas.

Do a search through all topics that involve marketing here on Mikeysboard. There is great information here.

 

[MarkCermak]

OCIBR.com - Over 900 shared marketing pieces in the OCIBR Marketing Club Library (not to mention all the helpful articles, live help chatroom, etc).

Plenty of marketing material to get you started and wont break your budget.



[iframe:1n4sr4ic]http://www.ocibr.com/marketing.htm[/iframe:1n4sr4ic]
[iframe:1n4sr4ic]http://www.ocibr.com[/iframe:1n4sr4ic]

 

[Doug Cox]

Brevick- You're one funny dude.

 

[nickreal]

BRC ALL THE WAY!

Perfect for a startup. Way more than just marketing there. Why reinvent the wheel. Their stuff works. Spend your money here before anything else. I'm sure SFS is great too but who's got time to wait around for one of their classes halfway across the country. If you're starting right away get the BRC stuff. You'll have it in your hot little hands nearly immediately. Then sign up for SFS and you might get in within 6 months or so.

 

[John Buxton]

All the polished (excuse the term) marketing material in the world may not get you a dollar in profit.

People like to do business with someone they like and trust. Referrals are the lifeblood of a service company. The best and cheapest way to start is to knock on doors. Have a thousand business cards in your truck, along with 500 magnets (my favorite) and go to;

1) The 25 commercial accounts you already have. Offer a good price, excellent service, money back warranty.

2) Every carpet retailer should get a free demo.

3) Get more commercial business now, once X-Mas trees go up the residential slacks off.

4) Property Managers can be a good source of income. Go online and send each and every one an email outlining your services and prices.

5) I dont do it but a great place to find business is a large church. Have a clean lettered van with plenty of business cards. I wouldn't say anything unless your asked first, let your van do the advertising.

Remember, Rome wasnt built in a day. Be patient and stay at it. If your not cleaning, you should be making contacts, the worst that can happen is you'll be too busy to worry about being slow.

 

[Bob Foster]

Lonny you mentioned you had a bunch of commercial accounts to start with. Contact Rick Gelinias of Excellent Supply. He has a program on a CD that is not expensive about how to develop a commercial CC business that others have said was quite good.

http://www.excellent-supply.com/

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Also, Lonny, work something out where you advertise in an employee or company newsletter and offer your services discounted to them. Then repeat #1, ASK FOR REFERRALS.

 

[Royal Man]

Lonnie or anybody else.

To find some good advertising opportunities in your community.

Google:

Your town/state/ associations

your town/ state/newsletters



Also, join your chamber of commerce. When I search their business directory no carpet cleaners show up.


These are some low cost ways to niche advertise so you don't have to advertise with your competition.


Dave-

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Good advice, Dave. That reminds me....I advertise monthly in a 660 home 55+ community for $80/mo. full page ad. My ad includes a picture of me so the elderly know who coming to their door. Works better and more cost effective than postcards. Just don't do 1 ad...gotta commit at least 6mos to reap benefits, then its a no-brainer to continue the ad always.

 

[Royal Man]

Most associations will also post back issues on-line.

Even a one time ad can live on for years.

There are tons of better way to advertise!



Turn over a few rocks online and find places where you can stealthily advertise, competition free, through out your entire community, for free or a very low cost.

 

[davegillfishing]

after attending sfs i can tell ya that anyone that has not gone yet is missing out..that would be the FIRST thing i would do.
it will change the way you would have done business from day 1. you will be starting out on the right foot..
dave

 

[Doug D]

am at SFS right now in Roselle and can tell you after 7 years in business that I am going to go back and first of FIRE myself!! :shock: Start over and rebuild the company!! Thanks to Jon Don, Steve, Billy and Chuck giving me the tools to do it!! Just wished I would have done this years ago!!!