Post by Kevin on Mar 11, 2009 10:33:52 GMT -5
Lets say your morning starts off at the gas station, you have three choices for gas, now some stations still give you the choice, self serve or full serve. Now you might have decided to pay at the pump or go inside and pay which is another choice.
Let`s say you head inside, now you might need a pack of cigs if your like me (cough, cough) your brand is out, there are 40 other packs to pick from. Now you want a lottery ticket, because today might be your lucky day. About 30 different gambling options available. Now you have to pay, will that be cash or credit sir. Another choice.
Throughout your travels of the day, choices everywhere. Let`s say grocery shopping which every consumer has to do. Make your selection a cart or a basket. Let`s say hot dogs are for dinner, about eight different packets of hot dogs to decide on. Now some buns. You will find five to six selections of hot dog buns. You need some ketchup, take your pick of about 12. How about a onion to dice up. You will find 4-5 different types of onions. You want a side salad to go with the dogs and need some dressing. How about 130 different types of dressing and 40 of them being ranch. Want some beans to complete the dish. Make your pick of about 20 different cans in all types of sizes. Time to pay, cash or credit, will that be plastic or paper?
Most service owners that I observe simply forget the common factor to American living, we want choice.
Now when it comes to advertising you service, most service owners make a common mistake.
Now here is a very common flyer, just something quick I found on google: Click here
I`ll bet you a nickel to a dime when this service owner made this flyer up, they thought it was the next best thing since sliced bread.
I say what choice does it offer? Lets say this service owner decided to make a thousand flyers up and place them on everyones door. Forgetting Americans like choice, all they did is wet the lips of the consumer to look further into hiring a service. Now more than likely, the consumer knows someone who cleans there friends house or business and if at all interested in having a cleaning service will follow their friends advice, and will interview and hire the same service. So the flyer on the door routine, just produced your competition getting a job. Now let`s say the consumer has no friends who have a service, they will probably turn to the internet to research that company flyer, which the service flyer listed does not have a website, so more than likely they loose out their to. The consumer will turn to the INTERNET and research many services in the area.
Ok with that said: looking at the flyer again Click here
Would you hire a service and let them into you home or business that does not have a physical location. This is one of the business mistakes made by all service owners. Don`t use a PO box, use your home address or get a office, can`t afford a office get a temp office or have other contractors go in on it and split a office space. In today`s times. Terrorists, freaks on the street, crooked thiefs. American`s want to know where to find you, no address, no big job! Now in some cases this can be worked around. Customer asks you where your office is? You say I work from home, taking care of the kids, my personal address is on the proposal. Might work for you, might not.
One thing that always amazes me are so called well to do contractors who bid on a job, have the nicest looking materials, handouts, etc. But no office. I had a contractor come to my office last week, needed some new counter tops and was getting ready to upgrade the kitchen. Got several estimates, saw several proposals and the one I`m going with has a physical location. A location where I can drop of my advance payment of $3500 at their office. One of the reasons I went with this contractor, not only the good references which I checked on, is I know where to find them. So a really good question to ask yourself, before you get involved in any advertising campaign is: Would You Hire Yourself? If you can not honestly say YES, it is time to make changes there first.
Now back to choice. You would do better knocking on doors asking " Hello, Chuck from Choosy Cleaning here, we are doing cleaning estimates in your area today, would you like a free estimate on........."
Than leaving or mailing a flyer like the one described. You would do better going to the local grocery store and getting there coupon page flyer, putting your ad at the bottom making copies and placing them on everyones door. Why! Choice! The consumer will look at the coupons on the grocery flyer, more than likely the store they shop at, and then see your 3x7 ad at the bottom and in their mind relate to you being a successful company that can afford advertising at a local business that they have a commonality with.
You would do better getting 5 or 6 contractors together, making a flyer that says support local business and all your ads are on there, than your sole flyer. Once again Americans like to choose.
Your marketing program needs to offer choice, and stability. Cold calling in person customers will always be better than any form of advertisement, web or mailer. Concentrate on that to start with, schedule your time accordingly to make as many in person visits as possible.
Now with that said, lets look at in person cold calls. Let`s say you are going door to door selling window washing.
You walk into a commercial store, or in a residential district knocking on doors. "Hello Sir or Ma'am, Chuck from Choosy Cleaning, we are offering a window washing special today! $3 per window, would you like your windows washed?
Consumer: NO!
Well at Choosy Cleaning we also do carpet cleaning, floor care, housecleaning.............
Would you be interested in any of those services?"
Once again your offering choice.
This selling technique is no different when you go to your Chamber or other networking meetings, you are offering choice of services. If you concentrate on offering choice and stability of your company, something that fits the needs of all consumers. Concentrate on that when you make any marketing or advertising decision. You will do very well. As posted before though, first concentrate on : Would You Hire Yourself?
if the answer is no, make corrections where needed.
Let`s say you head inside, now you might need a pack of cigs if your like me (cough, cough) your brand is out, there are 40 other packs to pick from. Now you want a lottery ticket, because today might be your lucky day. About 30 different gambling options available. Now you have to pay, will that be cash or credit sir. Another choice.
Throughout your travels of the day, choices everywhere. Let`s say grocery shopping which every consumer has to do. Make your selection a cart or a basket. Let`s say hot dogs are for dinner, about eight different packets of hot dogs to decide on. Now some buns. You will find five to six selections of hot dog buns. You need some ketchup, take your pick of about 12. How about a onion to dice up. You will find 4-5 different types of onions. You want a side salad to go with the dogs and need some dressing. How about 130 different types of dressing and 40 of them being ranch. Want some beans to complete the dish. Make your pick of about 20 different cans in all types of sizes. Time to pay, cash or credit, will that be plastic or paper?
Most service owners that I observe simply forget the common factor to American living, we want choice.
Now when it comes to advertising you service, most service owners make a common mistake.
Now here is a very common flyer, just something quick I found on google: Click here
I`ll bet you a nickel to a dime when this service owner made this flyer up, they thought it was the next best thing since sliced bread.
I say what choice does it offer? Lets say this service owner decided to make a thousand flyers up and place them on everyones door. Forgetting Americans like choice, all they did is wet the lips of the consumer to look further into hiring a service. Now more than likely, the consumer knows someone who cleans there friends house or business and if at all interested in having a cleaning service will follow their friends advice, and will interview and hire the same service. So the flyer on the door routine, just produced your competition getting a job. Now let`s say the consumer has no friends who have a service, they will probably turn to the internet to research that company flyer, which the service flyer listed does not have a website, so more than likely they loose out their to. The consumer will turn to the INTERNET and research many services in the area.
Ok with that said: looking at the flyer again Click here
Would you hire a service and let them into you home or business that does not have a physical location. This is one of the business mistakes made by all service owners. Don`t use a PO box, use your home address or get a office, can`t afford a office get a temp office or have other contractors go in on it and split a office space. In today`s times. Terrorists, freaks on the street, crooked thiefs. American`s want to know where to find you, no address, no big job! Now in some cases this can be worked around. Customer asks you where your office is? You say I work from home, taking care of the kids, my personal address is on the proposal. Might work for you, might not.
One thing that always amazes me are so called well to do contractors who bid on a job, have the nicest looking materials, handouts, etc. But no office. I had a contractor come to my office last week, needed some new counter tops and was getting ready to upgrade the kitchen. Got several estimates, saw several proposals and the one I`m going with has a physical location. A location where I can drop of my advance payment of $3500 at their office. One of the reasons I went with this contractor, not only the good references which I checked on, is I know where to find them. So a really good question to ask yourself, before you get involved in any advertising campaign is: Would You Hire Yourself? If you can not honestly say YES, it is time to make changes there first.
Now back to choice. You would do better knocking on doors asking " Hello, Chuck from Choosy Cleaning here, we are doing cleaning estimates in your area today, would you like a free estimate on........."
Than leaving or mailing a flyer like the one described. You would do better going to the local grocery store and getting there coupon page flyer, putting your ad at the bottom making copies and placing them on everyones door. Why! Choice! The consumer will look at the coupons on the grocery flyer, more than likely the store they shop at, and then see your 3x7 ad at the bottom and in their mind relate to you being a successful company that can afford advertising at a local business that they have a commonality with.
You would do better getting 5 or 6 contractors together, making a flyer that says support local business and all your ads are on there, than your sole flyer. Once again Americans like to choose.
Your marketing program needs to offer choice, and stability. Cold calling in person customers will always be better than any form of advertisement, web or mailer. Concentrate on that to start with, schedule your time accordingly to make as many in person visits as possible.
Now with that said, lets look at in person cold calls. Let`s say you are going door to door selling window washing.
You walk into a commercial store, or in a residential district knocking on doors. "Hello Sir or Ma'am, Chuck from Choosy Cleaning, we are offering a window washing special today! $3 per window, would you like your windows washed?
Consumer: NO!
Well at Choosy Cleaning we also do carpet cleaning, floor care, housecleaning.............
Would you be interested in any of those services?"
Once again your offering choice.
This selling technique is no different when you go to your Chamber or other networking meetings, you are offering choice of services. If you concentrate on offering choice and stability of your company, something that fits the needs of all consumers. Concentrate on that when you make any marketing or advertising decision. You will do very well. As posted before though, first concentrate on : Would You Hire Yourself?
if the answer is no, make corrections where needed.
