[Zeebo]

I am going through a little bit of a slow period these days and have thought about advertising using flyer distribution. What has been your success using flyers ?? Have any of you used a flyer with a catchy phrase "save 15% on painting" ??? This is my first year at painting on my own, running my own business, and I am trying to build my client base with referrals, etc. Thought I would try advertising. I have to try everything.

Have any of you tried flyers dristributed in a local community magazine?? Does the "save 15% on painting" work (?) or does it make me look cheesy and desparate??

I can have the flyers delivered to 15,000 homes, inserted into a community paper. Or I can have it delivered to 25,000 homes, inserted in a "discount envelope" that has probably 10 other vendors trying to sell their goods. About the same price. But do people really open up those discount envelopes???In your experience, which is best??

Thanks for your response

Zeebo

 

[Mike Finley]

I would go with the community paper hands down over the discount envelope without a question.

Giving a discount is great as long as it is attached to a call to action. Such as

-The first 20 people to call get a 15% discount
-15% discount on all jobs booked by Oct 15th

Also don't forget to qualify the discount unless it is a blanket discount. 15% off on all jobs over $1000

 

[Zeebo]

I would go with the community paper hands down over the discount envelope without a question.

Giving a discount is great as long as it is attached to a call to action. Such as

-The first 20 people to call get a 15% discount
-15% discount on all jobs booked by Oct 15th

Also don't forget to qualify the discount unless it is a blanket discount. 15% off on all jobs over $1000

Excellent ideas coming from a pro ....thanks

 

[George Z]

I tried flyers extensively, including inserts in the local papers.
A few thousand dollars later the result was nothing.
Targeted direct marketing (not the distribution routes of the paper)
or flooding with flyers the area you work in, is slightly better.
The times of having to write a message on a piece of paper and
delivering it to remotely possible prospects, one at a time hoping
something happens are over.
That's an observation based not only on our experience but
many others' in the Toronto area as well.
If you still think it's a good idea, these guys are the best
in the area

http://www.printingquotes.biz/printing.html

 

[Grumpy]

The first guy I worked for would drive slowly down a street and if he saw some gutters or whatever that needed to be repalced he would leave a quote in their mail box. I always thought it was insulting to the home owners, especially when there really wasn't any major flaws, but it did land him a few jobs.

 

[profinish]

Ive been in business ten yrs have tried flyers but not worth the effort..Face to Face contact is the best

 

[Ranger Rohland]

Flyers have been "berry berry goot" to me.

Try this technique.

Choose an area(s) in which you want to work.

Pass out flyers, cards, door hangers, etc.

Repeat process in the same area every quarter.

Year round.

Brand recognition.

Slowly but surely your name will be recognized.

The leads will come.

When you get your first job in that area or any area for that matter, plant your sign in the front yard and saturate the surrounding area with another flyer notifying the neighbors that "you're proud to be sprucing up a part of their neighborhood and maybe you can put a fresh coat on their house too".

Persistance!

Tom
Ranger Painting & Pressure Cleaning, Inc.

 

[Zeebo]

Thanks for all replies....helpful.

Zeebo Painting

 

[Mike Finley]

Choose an area(s) in which you want to work.

Pass out flyers, cards, door hangers, etc.

Repeat process in the same area every quarter.

Year round.

Brand recognition.

Slowly but surely your name will be recognized.

The leads will come.

Worth it's weight in gold.:thumbsup:

I really hope none of my local competition ever starts reading the posts here at this forum.

 

[ProWallGuy]

Giving a discount is great as long as it is attached to a call to action. Such as

-The first 20 people to call get a 15% discount
-15% discount on all jobs booked by Oct 15th

Mike, good ideas, but how do you handle the 'first 20 people to call' part.

Do you ever tell anybody, sorry, you are #23, or is everybody the 20th caller?

 

[Mike Finley]

Mike, good ideas, but how do you handle the 'first 20 people to call' part.

Do you ever tell anybody, sorry, you are #23, or is everybody the 20th caller?

No, I certainly wouldn't treat everybody as the 20th caller. I would be more inclined to treat everybody as the 1st through 19th caller. Honestly I wouldn't care if somebody was the 19th or 30th caller, I would still probably honor it since if you had 30 callers you would be farting through silk at that time wouldn't you?

 

[Humble Abode]

you would be farting through silk at that time wouldn't you?

GAH... why the would you wanna do that, silk is expensive.

 

[Zeebo]

GAH... why the would you wanna do that, silk is expensive.

How would you clean that??? Is that water base or oil? would varsol take out the stain??

Thanks again gentlemen!

Zeebo Painting

 

[Mike Finley]

GAH... why the would you wanna do that, silk is expensive.

Exactly! That's why it would be a good thing then wouldn't it? When you can afford silk undewear you must be doing something right!