Hometown Marketing

GoodPainter

Hi Everyone,

I just moved back to my hometown where I grew up in. I'd like to get some business here, so it is local.

I have been thinking of mailing a letter to all of the residents pop of 4500 and about 1500 homes/letters. I am almost finish with my letter and it states me being back in town and offering my Painting Services to help keep the town beautiful inside and out.
Also, the letter states that all residents will recieve 20%off any job int/ext and as always 10% for seniors.
Added with a business card and maybe a pic of me and maybe my family??

Now, I was planing on mailing them out with my return addy printed on and their addy hand addressed, with the letter printed and my hand signature.
But, I keep hearing that I can save money on stamps by just putting them in the doors of the homes.

I dont have any problem either way, but putting them in/on the doors to me may seem intrusive and just a waste of time. I could lose their trust and appreiciation of a small town--Even thought about walking n knocking with my 2 yr old daughter but that kinda pastd on--too much time and trouble but could land some jobs?
But on the otherhand, mailing them out would cost about $500-600--I would be mailing about 300 to start then 200/wk there after.

My questions are:
Will mailing them out be more responsive or
Will posting them on doors be to easy and cheapo or
Will knocking on doors be too aggressive

I dont hav a prob of being known in my town(I plan on doing discounted Commercial work and volenteer and sponsoring)

Any comments of how I should do this the neighbor but job worthy way appreciated

Thanx,
Robert

ps Also will send out a similar letter to the businesses here in town im thinking offering not a % discount but just saying Commercial done at Residential Rates??

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Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

Chris G

I would think in a small market, mailing might work best. I think it would make you look more professional.

It's pretty easy for someone to walk around town and hand deliver flyers to 1500 homes. Going the mail route might just set you apart from everyone else.

The letter and business card are good idea as well. It creates a "package" (or brand), which helps to establish your company as a professional outfit. This will result in more solid leads with clients who are serious about having work done. Let the other guys with the weaker branding and profile, (the guys with the ugly flyers) lure the cheap clients.

You might want to follow up your mailings one week later with a wander through the neighbourhood one weekend. You could knock on doors. Or if you see people outside on any given street, you could walk over and say: "hey, just letting you know that if you need any painting, or you know of anyone who needs some painting, that I'm around. Do you want a card?" Or something like that.

Sometimes it's nice to ask if "you know anyone who needs some painting done". This takes the "sales" pressure off of your conversation. And if this person has a friend that needs some painting, he will pre-screen you for his friend. He might say,"umm, I might know someone, how long you been in business?" And then you can tell him about yourself and, and after a couple of minutes he'll say, "okay, well let me get you my friend's number, tell him I told you to call".

People LOVE to refer their contractors / mechanics / dentists / to other people. It's like they're letting them in on a secret. Or it's a bit of "my contractor is the best, and that makes me the best"!

As for the picture of your family. Maybe, maybe not.

Mike Finley

Go down to the local dairy queen and open an account and buy everybody in town a soft serve. Tell em there's plenty more where that came from, and give em a wink.

Elaine

I agree with Chris on mailing. You can present a very professional image with very little expense. I would suggest checking out online printers like vistaprint.com where you can get inexpensive, but nicely-designed biz cards, letterhead and/or flyers.

Most importantly, get someone to check your grammar and spelling before you print or distribute your marketing material. You don't want your high school English teacher sending your letter back to you with red marks.

And let me know if you get a Dairy Queen account. I'll drive over.

GoodPainter

Hey thanks,

Elaine n Chris very helpful,

Mike that actually sounds like an awesome idea, maybe throwing in a coupon for a free cone or something. Have to call dairy Queen see if they wanna do some biz. Or have friends that own a dominos here?? huh huh actually maybe not that might be too mush after giving them large discount and something special after completing job....gotta talk to some biz anyway for a setup deal with gift cards or something.

Elaine actually got my biz cards from vista they are great cards and $25 for 1000 holy cow but flyers and letterheads i do so cheap on my printer--they look professional and i refill my own ink for like .25 a cart.

im buying blank magnets from ebay to put my card on them too

Thanks again,

Robert

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Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

bigchaz

Are you making a business off of just those 1500 homes? Or is this just a segment of your market? If you go with the letter I would make it sound like the people in this town are getting something special because its your hometown. Even if its the only market you have, word it so they get the impression that you dont offer the discount to everyone.

Thats a mad small town by the way. Theres 1500 homes in some subdivisions around here. Good luck to you

GoodPainter

Yeah in this town(zip code) it's small but its the suburbs of the east coast which is nothing but suburbs. Its actually " AMISH " land if ya ever heard of it Lancaster PA. It is constantly growing and expanding here and the farm land will be non-exsisting soon from Pittsburg to the ocean is all suburban area and FL to maine same

But no this isnt my only market just like you said im giving my hometown something special and its just happy marketing

Thanx,
Robert

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Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

Chris G

Oh I forgot to comment on the discount.

In all honesty, I wouldn't offer it. I don't think you need to. You do good work, no? And what happens when the discount is over. It's hard to get anyone to pay full price once they've gotten used to 20% off.

And, guess what? Most people are skeptical of service businesses that offer discounts. They just assume that you will mark up your quote by the amount your offering as a discount. It's not like you're selling a hard good that is known to normally sell for $10 and is now $8. People will believe that to be a real discount. You're offering a discount to something that doesn't have a price yet, (a price that you are going to set by the way), people smell a con. I know that is NOT your intention, but that WILL be the perception.

GoodPainter

Chris, that makes all good sense. actually, I thought earlier today that I shouldn't offer that--My father had told me the same about offering discount and they assume you just jack up your prices.

What i'm am thinking now is just sending letter w/ biz card to inform so any leads will be worthy enough.
Then when I give an estimate I can let them know about any offers say..gift certif to their choice like $50 to Italian Rest. and give them magnet and get the job.
Then after completing job, offer referral discount or something and let them know about my monthly drawing for $100 or 2 for their choice of heating oil or gas or dinner.

Something to that effect, but I will just start simple so I dont lure in the wrong people and waste time giving 1000 estimates only to get one job....with a simple letter offering my services they should only call if they need the work!!

Thanx guys,
Robert

ps I will let you know how the marketing mailing goes!

__________________
Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

Elaine

Keep in mind that successful direct mail campaigns bring in around a 6% response rate. Not sales, just a ringing telephone. Good luck.

Mike Finley

6%, damn I've never been successful then.

bigchaz

Dang, if 6% the case, Ill send out 10,000 letters asap. Is that your personal experiance number or something you read?

Elaine

I haven't hit 6% on a direct mail, either. For my business, I prefer to measure whether or not the mailing pulled in the actual dollar amount of work I was aiming for.

George Z

Anything over 1% would be worth celebrating.
Unless you are doing proximity mailing.

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GoodPainter

JUST AN UPDATE..........

I decided my letter should not offer % discount but $50 of any Interior and $100 off any exterior

And I am hand delivering them not mailing

I started Wed and got 50 out in a half hour -pretty amazing since the house here are big lots and all(no row homes what so ever)
Did 50 on thurs.
Ring-Ring got a call already from lady for estimate of all 1st floor
That was with only 100 letters and the very nest day! It sounds like a good lead Tue i will est.
Did 100 more letters today 50 w/ my family

Hope to get out all 1200-1500 in next 3-4 weeks then.....

Da Dat Da.. I will send a Post Card to all 1500 for the repetativeness
and run an ad in coupon pack and/or newspapers

Thanx for support people,
Robert

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Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

GoodPainter

Well it has been 12 days

8-16 now 8-28

I hand delivered 450 since starting
144 of them were today monday

Still only got one call from them (the first 100 read above post)

the 144 were to a new development with 40-50 more houses to do yet

I am still workin it, keeping busy w/ it and busi with work

But fall season is coming with more work ahead

Just like to repeat what someone said earlier.......

"Don't advertise or market when you are slow-Do it when you are busy so you are always busy"

That is such great advise--Thanx

Robert

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Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com

TonyD

For the guy's who do mass mailings:
How do you get addresses for mass mailings? Do you drive down the street and write down every address? and just label them to the current resident? I think I could get together a nice package but need help on how to get it out.

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Debookkeeper

Check with your local post office - I think they may be able to help or lead you in the right direction

Debookkeeper

Just a thought - my sister moved into a new development in PA a few years ago, and the interiors were just a standard 1coat primer 1 coat of flat paint.. maybe you could reference this to the new developments about the benefits of having a paint with washable finish? Just an idea.

GoodPainter

Yeah thats a very great idea,
I am testing the Ceramic paint out there now and will be doing some postcards/letters to the same houses i'm doing now.--I will add that

Thinkin about it...a very high % of homes had dogs/pets that im sure track in dirt and mud!

Thanx
Robert

__________________
Robert Good
It's Your Life-Make Fun Of It!
http://www.robertgoodpainting.com