Promotional Idea Yea or Nay

BigChevMan · 12-20-07, 02:45

I have been tossing around this idea in my head to supply a promotional folder/booklet in the cars of higher end clients I detail.

The booklet itself would be high quality printed stock with some pages of text detailing the detailing process and procedures used, reasons why it's important to continue to use the services and pictures of some of the higher end cars that have been detailed by me. Something like "Welcome and thank you for choosing to be part of an exclusive group of people who have decided to partake in services provided by XXXXXX company" on the first page. Also included in the booklet would be a smaller, say 10"x10" microfiber and in the back pocket would be business cards with a message stating that referrals are the highest form of compliment to our business and asking them to pass the cards along to friends and family who would benefit from the services provided by my company.

Since my select market appeal is going to be higher end clients with a median income of over 100k a year and I intend to price my services accordingly I think I could get out for $5-7 per booklet cost including microfiber which would not be too bad a hit on the advertising budget.

Does this sound like something that you think would work? I don't want to be cheesy and just hand them some business cards and expect them to do my advertising for me.

I'll try and create a sample so you guys can see what I'm talking about if your interested.

JoshVette · 12-20-07, 03:19

Will it work to actually produce business for you?? That's a toughy, everybody is different, even though I think it's a great idea, I don't know if it will get someone to actually use your services?

How do you plan on distributing them?

todd@bsaw · 12-20-07, 05:46

I did something similar that was a great hit with my maintenance plan clients. It was set up as a "goody bag" or "care envelope" in custom black booklet envelopes. They had slots for business cards on the flap, our logo and contact info in gold, and made of sturdy textured black plastic.

Inside I put:
Our Trifold, a care trifold for general maintenance between details, a prepaid and addressed post card appointment mailer with the next recommended detail date on it for scheduling (20% off next detail if returned by that date), a microfiber, three referral postcards (10% off next detail, use within a year) with the original clients account number for reference, and a personal thank you card, and their detailed invoice.

I can't for the life of me find where they were made because I'd like to use them again in the future. Clients loved using the post cards to schedule their appointments as we received many of them back within 6 months. Most of the vehicles even had the envelopes still in their glove box. Some clients returned the envelope with their own business cards in the slot.

Very professional and effective marketing if used correctly.

hockeyplaya13 · 12-22-07, 04:36

It sounds like a good plan and looks good on paper, but will it actually work? My advice is to try it out in a Bellwhether district (a small section that will respond in a similar way to the whole area). If the median is 100k (I know you said your target is higher, but roll with me here), you don't want to try it out in a small neighborhood where the medain income is 200k. Try it out where there is much diversity, but the average is still the 100k. If it goes well, then go ahead and apply it to your whole city or whatever you target area is. If it only works with a certain group of people then find out why it didn't grab the others. Make sense? If not I'll try to be more clear.

BigChevMan · 12-22-07, 08:41

Guys..this isn't something I'm passing out to just anyone. Just the higher end cars that I've detailed. I'm not using for anything other than a thank you and a nice way to get referrals from those that are happy with my services. I just think it sounds like a high class way to go about it instead of just handing out a bunch of business cards. That seems tacky to give my customers 10 business cards by themselves. At least with the booklet and the microfiber they feel like I appreciate them.

hockeyplaya13 · 12-23-07, 06:34

Oh, gotcha. I thought you were trying to expand your customer base. My bad.

southpactire · 12-23-07, 10:30

We have envelopes with service information for our tire customers. The invoice, rotation schedule, pressure recommendations and warranty information goes in them. Most customers just leave them in the glove box and don't look at them again. If they remember to come back for rotations, or are in for other service work it gets noted on the envelope in the space provided. We also have the static cling for the inside windshield to remind them, but it's possible that your high end clients don't want the interior cluttered up with stickers for oil, tires & detailing. My dentists office has me fill out a postcard at the end of a cleaning and they mail it to me two weeks before my next scheduled cleaning as a reminder. I think some kind of reminder system for all clients makes it easier on them, we just haven't implemented it at the tire store...guess that could be one of my 2008 goals.

PROServices · 12-27-07, 11:10

Umm....since we are on topic... I was thinking about giving out a punchcard with the purchase of a full detail. Every time they come back for a basic exterior hand wash they get the card punched.. if they get 10 or so EHW in 6 months they get $25 off their next full detail ( I figure im not cleaning as much, they get a nice coupon, and its incentive to keep them out of the swirl-o-matics)... or maybe 5 hand wash and 5 interior vacuume... something like that....