Bob Foster
Member
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- Oct 8, 2006
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- 8,870
Top 5 advertising mistakes are.........
Top 5 advertising mistakes
- Thread starter Bob Foster
- Start date
G
Guest
Guest
Re: OK George, school is in
For most of you guys,I would have to say a self portrait
Kevin
For most of you guys,I would have to say a self portrait
Kevin
Mikey P
Administrator
Re: OK George, school is in
Would anyone mind if I shut off Ricky's smiley privilege?
rjfdube said:
Would anyone mind if I shut off Ricky's smiley privilege?
bob vawter
Grassy Knoller
Re: OK George, school is in
doooooooo it :wink:
doooooooo it :wink:
Re: OK George, school is in
#1. not sticking to something or giving up too soon.
#2.Too lazy to get out of bed.
#3.Thinking a simple listing is going to get them more then one job a year.
#4.not implementing flyers in paper boxes every time someone cancels.
thats all i got
#1. not sticking to something or giving up too soon.
#2.Too lazy to get out of bed.
#3.Thinking a simple listing is going to get them more then one job a year.
#4.not implementing flyers in paper boxes every time someone cancels.
thats all i got
Bob Foster
Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 8,870
Re: OK George, school is in
The post was started when Crazy George was briefly here. I was trying to ask God's Gift to Carpet Cleaning for his answer. God if I knew that I would be rich.
The post was started when Crazy George was briefly here. I was trying to ask God's Gift to Carpet Cleaning for his answer. God if I knew that I would be rich.
Fon Johnson
Member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2006
- Messages
- 1,066
Re: OK George, school is in
I would say one of the biggies is not branding your business with everything you do. But on the other hand, I'm not George..
I'm not Rickie Fontenot either. :mrgreen: :roll: 8) :!:
I would say one of the biggies is not branding your business with everything you do. But on the other hand, I'm not George..
I'm not Rickie Fontenot either. :mrgreen: :roll: 8) :!:
Re: OK George, school is in
Simple signage that is READABLE.
Just this morning we saw a familiar van, familiar cause we see him about once a week at the corner gas station...and...you can NOT read the name of his company easily even though it's 40" tall on the side of his van. Your logo or company Font may look good as a tatoo, but that doesn't mean you should do up your van that way...or your business card etc...
I second that with the newspaper guys, if the side of your van or your YP ad looks like a classified ad with 23 lines, ditch it.
Most people are gonna see one or two main services you offer and maybe one more add on service...if that, so make the best of it, if 80% of your work is Carpet, list that and keep it simple.
JoeBob's carpet repair cleaning dyeing scotchgarding restretching and installation and home repairs looks like crap on the van and doesn't actually get you much additional work.
Be memorable, I can't count the people who called cause they saw the 6' Spot on ol' Moby from 1/4 mile away.
Simple signage that is READABLE.
Just this morning we saw a familiar van, familiar cause we see him about once a week at the corner gas station...and...you can NOT read the name of his company easily even though it's 40" tall on the side of his van. Your logo or company Font may look good as a tatoo, but that doesn't mean you should do up your van that way...or your business card etc...
I second that with the newspaper guys, if the side of your van or your YP ad looks like a classified ad with 23 lines, ditch it.
Most people are gonna see one or two main services you offer and maybe one more add on service...if that, so make the best of it, if 80% of your work is Carpet, list that and keep it simple.
JoeBob's carpet repair cleaning dyeing scotchgarding restretching and installation and home repairs looks like crap on the van and doesn't actually get you much additional work.
Be memorable, I can't count the people who called cause they saw the 6' Spot on ol' Moby from 1/4 mile away.
Brian R
Member
Re: OK George, school is in
Haven't I been saying that?
#2 have someone else do your logo unless you went to school to be a graphic designer (if that is the case, why are you carpet cleaning?? Because you suck at graphic design)
#3 not targeting your market and not knowing what they want to read
I'll get back to you later. I gotta get outa here.
Greenie said:
Haven't I been saying that?
#2 have someone else do your logo unless you went to school to be a graphic designer (if that is the case, why are you carpet cleaning?? Because you suck at graphic design)
#3 not targeting your market and not knowing what they want to read
I'll get back to you later. I gotta get outa here.
hogjowl
Idiot™
Re: OK George, school is in
"Saying that?"
Heck, I've been LIVING that for 20 years!
All I have on my van is "Marty Sutley." It's on my two front doors.
Enuf said ....
"Saying that?"
Heck, I've been LIVING that for 20 years!
All I have on my van is "Marty Sutley." It's on my two front doors.
Enuf said ....
billyeadon
Supportive Member
Re: OK George, school is in
Thinking of ourselves as the customer. Believing if we like the ad our customer will like the ad. For example the ad last week with the dog taking a dump on the carpet. Most of us thought it was funny but does your target customer think so?
Talking too much and listening too little.
Fixating on our equipment instead of the customers overall experience.
Believing that there is only one correct way to clean carpet.
Focusing on price as opposed to perceived value.
Thinking of ourselves as the customer. Believing if we like the ad our customer will like the ad. For example the ad last week with the dog taking a dump on the carpet. Most of us thought it was funny but does your target customer think so?
Talking too much and listening too little.
Fixating on our equipment instead of the customers overall experience.
Believing that there is only one correct way to clean carpet.
Focusing on price as opposed to perceived value.
Captain Morgan
Supportive Member
Re: OK George, school is in
Well said, Mr. Yeadon! Can you share what things you do to help benefit the customers overall experience? When someone calls for a price quote, what do you respond back? Do you have a small/simple script you follow that you can share or PM me?
Too often get caught off guard by the "price and what do you charge" question and it gets me off my game. Before I can recover the customer is off the phone in a split second and all they know about me is what I charge p/sq/ft and nothing else.
Thanks so much
Well said, Mr. Yeadon! Can you share what things you do to help benefit the customers overall experience? When someone calls for a price quote, what do you respond back? Do you have a small/simple script you follow that you can share or PM me?
Too often get caught off guard by the "price and what do you charge" question and it gets me off my game. Before I can recover the customer is off the phone in a split second and all they know about me is what I charge p/sq/ft and nothing else.
Thanks so much
hogjowl
Idiot™
Re: OK George, school is in
Speaking of talking too much ...
Where's that Jon-Don postcard program?
Speaking of talking too much ...
Where's that Jon-Don postcard program?
Steve Toburen
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,912
- Name
- Steve Toburen
"Too often get caught off guard by the "price and what do you charge" question and it gets me off my game. Before I can recover the customer is off the phone in a split second and all they know about me is what I charge p/sq/ft and nothing else."
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Bill. Happens thousands of times every day and it is so sad because it is so unnecessary. When the caller hits you with the old "how much" question, instead of stumbling and stammering around like it has never been asked before, here are your two Magic Phrases:
1. "I can help you with that." This reassures the customer that instead of getting the old blah-blah-blah run around (like they've gotten from every other carpet cleaner they have called" YOU are going to personally help them.
2. "May I ask you a few questions?" Given #1 this is a very logical request since how can you possible "help them" without interviewing them? This phrase allows you to take charge since they will 99.9% of the time reply "sure" thereby giving you permission to proceed and take charge of the conversation in a professional way. Most carpet cleaners don't give the customer control up front because they get defensive and they suffer accordingly.
OK, now you just interview the customer using pre-scripted Valid Business Questions. This customer interview accomplishes three things:
1. As you talk with the home owner you are building a professional relationship by displaying an "attitude of care and concern". You know what I mean. Commiserating with the caller about their dog peeing on the carpet, their husband that barfed in the family room after his 18th Super Bowl beer, the kids tracking grass stains through the house, etc. Bill, none of your competitors that she has called have even remotely done this.
2. You are learning about about the job.
3. Most importantly, the caller is subtly (or is it "Sutley") being forced to spend time with you on the phone. Numerous studies have shown that the longer the customer spends on the phone answering Valud Business Questions the more likely it is that they will book the job. This is all based on the principle of "return on investment" and it works with time as well as money.
Try these tips, Bill. If you (or anyone else) want our entire SFS phone script (which works whether you want to do a pre-inspection or price over the phone) just write me at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com and I'll e-mail you a copy. No charge, no spam, no pressure- just please give it a try. It does work.
Island Boy
PS Now don't get upset, Marty. But Jon-Don's "My Easy Marketing" post card program will be available "soon" in all states except Alabama. I went all the way to the top fighting for my Alabamer buddy but the response as to when the program would get all the way down south was "when pigs fly". (Maybe if you had treated our Atlanta branch manager, Cara, better last year during SFS. My guess is she didn't care for all your comments about how should she should get back in the kitchen instead of being out front selling truck mounts to the mens!)
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Bill. Happens thousands of times every day and it is so sad because it is so unnecessary. When the caller hits you with the old "how much" question, instead of stumbling and stammering around like it has never been asked before, here are your two Magic Phrases:
1. "I can help you with that." This reassures the customer that instead of getting the old blah-blah-blah run around (like they've gotten from every other carpet cleaner they have called" YOU are going to personally help them.
2. "May I ask you a few questions?" Given #1 this is a very logical request since how can you possible "help them" without interviewing them? This phrase allows you to take charge since they will 99.9% of the time reply "sure" thereby giving you permission to proceed and take charge of the conversation in a professional way. Most carpet cleaners don't give the customer control up front because they get defensive and they suffer accordingly.
OK, now you just interview the customer using pre-scripted Valid Business Questions. This customer interview accomplishes three things:
1. As you talk with the home owner you are building a professional relationship by displaying an "attitude of care and concern". You know what I mean. Commiserating with the caller about their dog peeing on the carpet, their husband that barfed in the family room after his 18th Super Bowl beer, the kids tracking grass stains through the house, etc. Bill, none of your competitors that she has called have even remotely done this.
2. You are learning about about the job.
3. Most importantly, the caller is subtly (or is it "Sutley") being forced to spend time with you on the phone. Numerous studies have shown that the longer the customer spends on the phone answering Valud Business Questions the more likely it is that they will book the job. This is all based on the principle of "return on investment" and it works with time as well as money.
Try these tips, Bill. If you (or anyone else) want our entire SFS phone script (which works whether you want to do a pre-inspection or price over the phone) just write me at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com and I'll e-mail you a copy. No charge, no spam, no pressure- just please give it a try. It does work.
Island Boy
PS Now don't get upset, Marty. But Jon-Don's "My Easy Marketing" post card program will be available "soon" in all states except Alabama. I went all the way to the top fighting for my Alabamer buddy but the response as to when the program would get all the way down south was "when pigs fly". (Maybe if you had treated our Atlanta branch manager, Cara, better last year during SFS. My guess is she didn't care for all your comments about how should she should get back in the kitchen instead of being out front selling truck mounts to the mens!)
steve g
Member
Re: OK George, school is in
billyeadon said:
Brian R
Member
Re: OK George, school is in
Haven't I been saying that all along. Get the carpet clean, yes but the customer cares about the service. That's why I call my company
Service 1
steve g said:
Haven't I been saying that all along. Get the carpet clean, yes but the customer cares about the service. That's why I call my company
Service 1
Desk Jockey
Member
Sir William hit it on the head!
Not focusing on the customers overall experience (see my new marketing program SFC, Stratigies For Carpet Cleaners due out next year :roll: ).
You have to look at it the way the customers see's it, I call it using the customers Goggles. :roll:
Ok, so I may have borrowed a few ideas (all) from our resident Island Boy...... can I help if he has good ideas!
:mrgreen:
Steve Toburen
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,912
- Name
- Steve Toburen
Clean up your act, Chavez, or I am telling Big Dan just how much time you spend on the internet. 
Island Boy
PS "Customer goggles"? I like it! Would you give me PERMISSION to use this idea??? And "SFC"? Would that be related to KFC?
Island Boy
PS "Customer goggles"? I like it! Would you give me PERMISSION to use this idea??? And "SFC"? Would that be related to KFC?
Desk Jockey
Member
Geezzzz you're easily excited.....I was just kidding! :mrgreen:
No, you cannot, it's mine!
No, you cannot, it's mine!
Brian R
Member
and esplainin the carpet cleaning proccess in detail is a sure fire way to make the custy snore.
Explain the end result and why the price.
This is just when you are talking to them.
Some people put the whole proccess on their van and ads..good lord. :roll:
Explain the end result and why the price.
This is just when you are talking to them.
Some people put the whole proccess on their van and ads..good lord. :roll:
Heathrow
Member
Bob Foster said:
No1 would have to be not finding out where the customer found you. If you don't know where the enquiries are coming from you have no way of knowing whether the advertising is working or not.
"so, where did you hear about us???"
Brian R
Member
Not following up on your customers.
Leave a magnent, cards, brochures, whatever. Call them, mail them, telegraph them every 6 months. Even if they move out get ahold of the new tenent letting them know why their carpet is so damn clean.
Leave a magnent, cards, brochures, whatever. Call them, mail them, telegraph them every 6 months. Even if they move out get ahold of the new tenent letting them know why their carpet is so damn clean.
