Marketing your services though a similar service business. Any one doing it and what

[Desk Jockey]

Marketing your services though a similar service business. Any one doing it and what have your results been?

We are planning to cross market with a non competing service business that has similar clientele. It will start off slow but if it works we will continue to expand the network of similar companies.

It all sounds good on paper but wondered how it has worked for others.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Sounds Great!

How extensive is it?
Are you trading customer info or just referring each other?

 

[Shane Deubell]

Tried it once with a maid franchise but they ended up buying some portable and doing it themselves, i just laughed at them and said good luck....

 

[Desk Jockey]

Referring at this point but we just had lunch today. I'd give them a portable if they want one but I'm afraid it could put them out of business. ; )

We've cleaned for the owner for several years now. We approached them, they have referred us, so we thought we should reciprocate.

 

[ruff]

If your companies share a similar business philosophy and positive client perception, it is a very good idea.

It could help both companies, as long as you are not potential competitors.

 

[GCCLee]

Seems to be working rather well. We hooked up with a cleaning company back a few months ago and the referalls back and forth are going crazy banannas right now.

Especially on the new move in side of things : )

 

[ruff]

Call me crazy, but me thinketh Crazy Banannas marketing works better than Piranha.

 

[FredC]

No...but I've considered "offering" several implementations of the idea............of course a few have been done........the most F"N EPIC idea I just can't figure out how to log/track........

but...back when I was cleaning carpet....given the low cost of printing and design these days...at places like http://vistaprint.com & http://gotprint.com .....along with bulk mail........I envisioned splitting the cost with "neighborhood" businesses to put out a flyer/coupon book/postcard pack....


by "splitting" I mean finding folks to pay for my marketing

but never did anything with it................

 

[EDS]

I did it with some moving companies and real estate agents (not similar). The real estate agent contact has paid off but moving companies has not. I have a painter that has thrown me some business but the last time I saw him he invited me to his BNI group and also mentioned that he was going start a CC business. Have not talked to him since.

 

[FredC]

after reading EDS' response and the OP again my idea wasn't necessarily targeting "similar" businesses........as it pertains to just this one idea......but developing a "keeper" peice to be sent out with a variety of businesses.............the neighborhood non-branded pizza joint for example......

The idea being they might review/keep the piece that appealed to a broader audience.......valuepak...except I got to pick who was in it.......................and I was the only CC


again...never passed the idea phase so no real world stats......................but still interested

 

[Steve Toburen]

Marketing your services though a similar service business. Any one doing it and what have your results been? ...It all sounds good on paper but wondered how it has worked for others.

Exactly, Richard. The "fly in the ointment" on this stuff has always been two things: 1) Getting others (especially employees) to actually follow thorough with referrals since things can get lop-sided real fast. and 2) easily tracking results.

Steve

PS Let us know how it goes.

 

[EDS]

I gave my card to my local pizza guy (i order at least once every 2 weeks) when I received one of his flyers (big menu with coupons) that had a glasses place advertised on the front bottom cover of his flyer.

 

[FredC]

franchise or unbranded? Just curious...

Haven't seen that yet here...unless you count register receipts.

My "goal"/idea* was to "prey" or at least piggyback/leech of businesses in a similar situation....startups, unbranded, neighborhood....with LOW advertising budgets


giving equal or almost equal exposure on the peice


cool that you noticed the eyeglass ad at the bottom though

*of course I can see the virtues of an equal split too...but they aren't putting it together

 

[Desk Jockey]

The idea being they might review/keep the piece that appealed to a broader audience.......valuepak...except I got to pick who was in it.......................and I was the only CC

Yes that is Dan's plan to add more companies with like target markets and philosophies. Plumbers, Drycleaners, Maids, Electricians, Appliance repair, HVAC, Roofers...etc

 

[Royal Man]

I did it with 11 other service companies. They were each supposed to hand out a marketing piece with all the other companies listing specials to every client they serviced. It seemed like I was the only one handing them out and it fell through. It depends on active participation from ALL involved or it won't work.

 

[GCCLee]

We just keep plenty of each others business cards to hand out. Simplicity wins and a simple $ .03 card eliminates any forced feelings of pressure toward either party including the customer.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Dan would like to keep it to 4-5 at most but you're right Dave if they don't follow though then your benefit goes way down. The good thing is we are committed to an envelope stuffer and leave behind packet anyway so it's not much more effort on our part. Should one of the partners not hold up to their end, then we just find another that will.

Sounds easy!

I'm sure it won't be.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Coldwell Banker several years back had a great idea with their Concierge Services program but the local agency really didn't follow it though very well. Instead of taking the best of the home services companies, they took anyone willing to put down money. Kind of screwed the whole idea of the program.

So I think it does have some merit, it also has weak points as Dave mentioned.

 

[Shane Deubell]

OK now i see what you are trying to do better, a co op.

 

[Denal]

It is a good idea but if companies do so then there will be a one man show. We know that customer only gets benefits if competition exists in the market. No doubt it is good idea for companies but point is that what will happen with customers?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Trot that by me one more time....can you phrase that please.

 

[EDS]

Pizza Factory up here in Canada. Probably is a franchise. He wanted 700 for my add to be in 50,000 flyers. After my dismal results with my own mailer (postcard) it does not seem like a bad idea.

I just cant get google out of my head. I like the idea of advertising to someone who is looking for the service. I tried to ppc and had so many double clicks and competitors clicks. And they were expensive. 10-15 bucks a click.

 

[Hoody]

Richard,

Sounds like you're basically forming your own group like a BNI ? I've been involved in a few businesses that have tried to do this as well as piggyback off of what I think Fred was mentioning. A mailed piece of literature( at every 3-4 months) with all companies in the group featured with their own 'ad space'. Some of them had good success with it, while others it was a flop.The biggest issue was to ensure each member of the group is doing their part, and that every one is a giver and much as receiver. When one person in the group doesn't put effort it fails pretty quickly.

I think Denal was assuming that you'd be working with other carpet cleaning and restoration companies, and not service based business with the same target audience, business practices ect.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Pizza Factory up here in Canada. Probably is a franchise. He wanted 700 for my add to be in 50,000 flyers. After my dismal results with my own mailer (postcard) it does not seem like a bad idea.

I just cant get google out of my head. I like the idea of advertising to someone who is looking for the service. I tried to ppc and had so many double clicks and competitors clicks. And they were expensive. 10-15 bucks a click.

Years ago I did advertising with a flyer on pizza boxes , for the next month we were taking nothing but pizza orders , we have a Hungry Howies pizza place that will send my flyers out on each pizza box if I want with no charge to me, I just have to print up the flyers.

As far as google goes, try it. Google gave me $150 to start with just to see if it worked and it did.