Marketing to Women

[steve frasier]

I had a women watching me like a hawk the other day when I was cleaning her couch

I pulled a Mikey line that I heard him use on Dee Dee

I new she was watching me, I glanced up, kind of acted like I was startled a little, wink at her and said, " not sure which looks better, this nice clean emerald green sofa or your green eyes."

she was butter after that

 

[rhyde]

The worst thing I've ever heard a cleaner say to a female client "maybe i should talk to your husband about this" the woman's response is well, too brutal to post here


I've always marketed to women like anyone else most are not air heads if you are good at what you do you really don't need gimmicks. I like dealing with women they are generally better listeners & communicators if i had to single out one key to this business it's communication/ pre-qualifying clients

 

[Al]

Our News letter rocks! It's different than all the others. We get comment's and calls from the ladies saying, they love the News Letter.

Most news letters have the same boring look.

Scott from BRC and his daughter came up with a new twist on the Old News letter program!

AL

 

[The Cleaning Artist]

I always use LARGE graphics and never EXAGGERATE. When I'm done, I can tell by the look on her face she is happy.

 

[XTREME1]

Bump, everyone needs to read this thread

 

[bobrog]

But Lisa, I then send in Gigi as the tech and she defeats all of your marketing efforts. But they always ask for her again and again.

 

[truckmount girl]

Believe me Bob, as a female O/O for 18 years, 16 of those by myself, I know the power of having a female on the job....especially if she works by herself or with another woman.

I never used "woman owned and operated" in my marketing though, I was afraid my business would be "pre-judged" and I wanted to be judged on my own merits, not just my gender. I thought there was a segment of people who might feel a woman wasn't strong enough to do a good job or handle machinery, and that they might not be willing to sweat and work hard.

I liked the surprise when I would show up and they would look over my shoulder to see where the guy was....then seeing the hesitancy when they realized I was alone....then wowing the shit out of them with with the job I did. I loved seeing the doubt...then seeing it replaced with amazement.

They were always so jazzed and it wasn't long before they were on the phone with their friends telling them about this awesome new carpet cleaner they found..."and guess what, she's a woman! Yeah, it's so cool!"

The hardest thing was getting my customers to accept Greenie when he started working with me.

You guys have no idea how easily a female O/O with some knowledge, good equipment, and a willingness to work hard would turn your residential market upside down.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[bobrog]

I guess Greenie is a little hard to take.

 

[apexgigi]

Lisa,
LOL at BOB, I had a repeat customer that I cleaned for today............it was a riot at the initial clean in Feb (had DOG, has KID kinda messy) but the first time I showed up the guy answered the door.....and literally said "Where is the guy?" I could not help myself and I turned around and then laughed..........he (AND his wife) said it was the best damn clean they had seen!!!!!!!!!!!!! The wierd thing, in 6 years that was the first time ever that comment was SAID. Hope to have more in the future tho, it was almost as funny as the constant questioning of "Who did your hair weave?" And NO, I dont have a damn hair weave!!!!!!!!!

G

 

[Mike Brummett]

WHO DO we "market to" - anymore?

Who makes the decision to pick up the phone and call us?

Most of my calls are from women, but I have a fair amount of men call as well.

I don't think it is all that simple. Marketing to women is ONE facet, but men often participate in the buying decision as well.

Let's not forget the gay and lesbian community, either. I don't condone their lifestyle, but I'll sure take their money, and most of them have plenty of it.

I must admit that I agree with Lisa on many points. I hate all the fear tactics and WARNING crap. If you do that, just change your name to Sleazy-Clean, because that's what you are.

Any advertising that focuses on how bad and dis-honest everyone else but them is, or uses fear rather than intelligent information, is sleazy.


Personally, I believe that warm family scenes are used to capture attention to get the person to read the rest of the ad, and lot's of times it works.
For some damn reason, Chem-Lawn puts pictures of DOGS on their trucks. Again, I think it is just to get your attention. Aside from pooping on the lawn, dogs have little or nothing to do with the lawn service that Chem-Lawn sells.
Apparently, for them, it works.
Do what you have to do to stand out and get noticed.

Magnets are great. No one EVER gets rid of them. I know because about 5 years ago we changed our phone number and I STILL get people calling the old number sometimes.

Uniforms convey professionalism, and you don't have to look like a German SS officer. Heck, Steve Toburen wore one with a bow-tie at SFS and I kept thinking of Pee-Wee Herman!



The BEST advertising is, and always will be, to get people TALKING about what super-fantastic results and reliability that your company consistently delivers.


I think that Yeadon and Lisa should settle this by mud-wrestling at Summerfest.

MIKE

 

[JeffC]

They both certainly made some very good arguments. I think Lisa has a slight edge over Bill in mud-wrestling though.
Of course the real marketing question is, if Bill wore pink spandex would it draw a larger female audience?

On second thought maybe a friendly game of music trivia would be better.
Jeff

 

[Steve Toburen]

Heck, to see Yeadon mud wrestling ANYBODY I would fly in from the Dominican Republic. To see him and Lisa get down in the literal mud (instead of just taking potshots at each other on the internet) I would travel from Mars.

This entire thread has been both thought provoking and fun. Nice to see two intelligent people with wildly opposing viewpoints posting without insults or nasty jabs and at the end of the day still being friends.

Steve

PS Brummet, one more crack about Pee-Wee Herman and me and you are in big trouble, soldier. I know, speaking of soldiers we'll just make Sgt. John Cowles your permanent SFS roomie!

 

[harryhides]

Bill has a dream which brings out a side of him never seen before.

 

[J Scott W]

I never used "woman owned and operated" in my marketing though, I was afraid my business would be "pre-judged" and I wanted to be judged on my own merits, not just my gender.
Lisa

I remember a tag line for one female owned carpet cleaning business -"Run by women who care!"

I think it was Bill who modified it to read "Run by women. Who cares?"

Scott Warrington

 

[Steve Toburen]

Scott,

If you had read the post below about "Big Billy" Yeadon you would not mess with him ...

Yeadon - Toburen Fist Fight!!
Posted By Mike B. on 3/29/2007 at 9:34 PM
Wow!

What a day at SFS!

I am probably gonna get banned from ICS and thrown out of SFS for this, but it is too good to NOT tell....

Steve T. is sailing along teaching and Bill Yeadon wants to interject a comment from the back of the room. Steve says, "Bill, we really don't have time for this...-But Yeadon just ignores him and keeps talking. Steve waits, but it's like Bill will NOT stop, he just keeps rambling.

Finally Steve says to the class:
"By show of hands, How many here would like Bill to SHUT his YAP - so we can get on with our class?" At which time most of us raise our hands because Bill really is kinda "goin' south" with things.
Then Bill REALLY gets irritated and starts yelling at the top of his lungs and getting all red in the face, and walking towards Steve. Several Jon-Don staff people walk in from outside wondering what all the commotion is about.
One of the staff says to Bill, "Did you remember to take your meds today Mr. Yeadon?"
Next thing you know, Yeadon charges Toburen and both guys are on the floor kicking and spitting and rolling around, and then FINALLY, several of the bigger guys manage to wrench them apart.




Like I said ....WOW!










Of course absolutely NONE of this is true, but Strategies HAS been pretty EXCITING.

To put it in the best way I know how:

I am SO glad that my competition is NOT here!


LOL!

MIKE

OK, Scott, maybe you can get away with it. But remember that it is those little "yappy" dogs that are the most treacherous.

Steve

PS You've been warned.

 

[harryhides]

I remember a tag line for one female owned carpet cleaning business -"Run by women who care!"

I think it was Bill who modified it to read "Run by women. Who cares?"
Scott Warrington

Wasn't that the Company run by Ginger and Ruth Travis ??

I may not have this quite right but doesn't Bill have 11 sisters, could explain his attitude on this subject........