posted flyers....for business advertisement

[toyotaguy]

not flyers that you would hand out to everyone, or even place on cars....I am talking about ones that would be pinned to a bulletin board with all your info on it....good idea or waste of time....anyone have any experience with it??? How did it work out for you, what kind of areas did you do it in?

I was thinking about posting flyers up in park areas, recreation areas, apartment areas, etc...talking to the business owners and getting approval first if I am in a business complex with an outside bulletin board...or do you think it would be a waste of time just like handing out cards on cars....

I figure with it posted, only those really interested could take down the number rather than me hand out 1000 cards to people who dont even care for their car let alone getting it detailed....but on the other hand, placing cards on cars could lead to them giving it to their husband or wife or friends who might be interested....any thoughts???

I am in the process of coming up with a proposal that I would take to business complexes and business owners...not a just a sales pitch, but a combination of that and notification that there is someone in the area wanting to keep their car clean for them while they are at work, etc....

[doged]

Originally Posted by toyotaguy

not flyers that you would hand out to everyone, or even place on cars....I am talking about ones that would be pinned to a bulletin board with all your info on it....good idea or waste of time....anyone have any experience with it??? How did it work out for you, what kind of areas did you do it in?

I was thinking about posting flyers up in park areas, recreation areas, apartment areas, etc...talking to the business owners and getting approval first if I am in a business complex with an outside bulletin board...or do you think it would be a waste of time just like handing out cards on cars....

I figure with it posted, only those really interested could take down the number rather than me hand out 1000 cards to people who dont even care for their car let alone getting it detailed....but on the other hand, placing cards on cars could lead to them giving it to their husband or wife or friends who might be interested....any thoughts???

I am in the process of coming up with a proposal that I would take to business complexes and business owners...not a just a sales pitch, but a combination of that and notification that there is someone in the area wanting to keep their car clean for them while they are at work, etc....

This is the Dinosaur marketing I was referring to. What kind of business does this marketing and who are you finding already on the board? Lost dog, cat, room mate, washer dryer for sale, etc, etc? What’s going to happen to your flyer after a day or two? The best way to market a office complex is to detail a vehicle in the parking lot. Do a free detail for someone in the office complex. This way everyone will see you in action and it adds credibility. I don’t want to discourage anyone but trying to get to a business owner is like pulling teeth. Do you have any idea how many professional sales people are calling on a business owners with proposals?

[mirrorfinishman]

Originally Posted by doged

The best way to market a office complex is to detail a vehicle in the parking lot. Do a free detail for someone in the office complex. This way everyone will see you in action and it adds credibility.

This is very good advice. Go out there and talk directly with people you think would have an interest in the services you have to offer. Do a few free details just to give people a chance to get to see your good work.

You may find that bulletin board idea could also yield some results. It's the kind of thing you could do to supplement other marketing activities. Hey, it never hurts to carry some of those flyers and business cards with you for those times when you spot an appropriate bulletin board. It will work. It's just that the return may not be very high.

[Scottwax]

Like Frank said, it may not yield a lot of customers but you will probaby get a few. Always worth getting your name out.

[doged]

Originally Posted by Scottwax

Like Frank said, it may not yield a lot of customers but you will probaby get a few. Always worth getting your name out.

If your positioning yourself as a “high end” car care specialist NO.
Now if your positioning yourself as a “low end” car wash / detailer then Frank is correct.
You want to catch a big fish with a little hook? Once in a while you may get lucky but this is generally the case. I don't market that way!!!

I thought everyone was looking for nice cars and big checks?

[Joshua312]

Originally Posted by doged

I thought everyone was looking for nice cars and big checks?

Looking for nice cars to detail? Whats wrong with detailing cars that aren't a BMW or Lambo? Detailing is for everyone, not just BMW owners. And big checks can come from people who dont live in a $500,000 home or drive a luxury automobile. Prices do not vary based on someone's income. As I have said in a post before, I simply discussed mobile detailing before in front of a business class I am in and my passion for it for a project...I have 5 people who want their car detailed. Mind you these are college students who dont have that much disposable income..wouldn't you think posting a sign could be just as helpful? Just because you post a sign or market yourself to people who aren't living it large..doesnt mean you cant make those checks you are counting on. I say it cant hurt you to make the sign..I dont think someone is going to look at it and go "wow they are marketing in a way which makes them look unprofessional - their services must be lowsy" As long as the sign looks professional and isn't thrown together in word I think it's a good idea...All my opinion of course - Good luck!

By the way Doged...not trying to ramp over your ideas...because frankly I think doing a free detail in an office complex for others to see is a great idea, and I cant wait to try it out!

[doged]

“What’s wrong with detailing cars that aren't a BMW or Lambo”?

Nothing at all, I believe you missed my point. You will receive (business) what you position yourself in marketing for. What was asked recently and implied most frequently on this forum is, what does it take to get (remuneration) for the time (detailing)? The answer is they are out there but you have to find them. Yes, I also agreed expensive cars and houses doesn’t qualify for a expensive detail but the percentages say they do? My market % consist of high end SUV’s and I wouldn’t turn them down for $275. That’s a nice car for good money in my book.

“I say it cant hurt you to make the sign..I dont think someone is going to look at it and go "wow they are marketing in a way which makes them look unprofessional - their services must be lowsy" As long as the sign looks professional and isn't thrown together in word I think it's a good idea”.

It won’t hurt “much” !!! Like I said, if you want the desired results then it’s the cost of doing business. If your young going to school and running a hobby business, then who cares. Professional advertising is for professional business.

“By the way Doged...not trying to ramp over your ideas...because frankly I think doing a free detail in an office complex for others to see is a great idea, and I cant wait to try it out!”

Many avenues of successful marketing are available for those who look with openness. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective, just different.

[Joshua312]

Thanks for all the clarification

[livinlowkey]

From my experience with fliers if you get a 2% return youre doing pretty good. It could be my fliers I dont know but even if it is only 2 details out of 100 fliers if your detail is $130 you made $260 - paper and priniting costs. So be selective in chossing you market.

[doged]

Originally Posted by livinlowkey

From my experience with fliers if you get a 2% return youre doing pretty good. It could be my fliers I dont know but even if it is only 2 details out of 100 fliers if your detail is $130 you made $260 - paper and priniting costs. So be selective in chossing you market.

Ok, a productive exercise for you fliers and sign guy’s who do your own marketing.

Doged, that’s me, had a bright idea to do a full page Company Profile Article ( ad) in a prestigious local magazine. I had a professional photographer take a picture of me with a car on top of a 6 story open parking garage building. The background of the car and me are some nice looking buildings and a story, why my company is so great in 200 words. I did this for a kind of preseason market branding thing. The professional photographer did a fantastic job making me look bigger then life. The perfect photo for a magazine that is exuberant of wealth in my city. The whole think cost me $100 for the photo and the my wife (copywriter) did the wording. The profile was a big hit and the calls I received was along the lines of, “can” you detail my car, do you have time to detail my car, how many days are you booked. Not once did anyone question price and all full details. Does that help you understand the power of marketing spin? This is just one of my stories and I have many. No, I don't do the fliers!!!

[RTexasF]

Originally Posted by doged

Ok, a productive exercise for you fliers and sign guy’s who do your own marketing.

Doged, that’s me, had a bright idea to do a full page Company Profile Article ( ad) in a prestigious local magazine. I had a professional photographer take a picture of me with a car on top of a 6 story open parking garage building. The background of the car and me are some nice looking buildings and a story, why my company is so great in 200 words. I did this for a kind of preseason market branding thing. The professional photographer did a fantastic job making me look bigger then life. The perfect photo for a magazine that is exuberant of wealth in my city. The whole think cost me $100 for the photo and the my wife (copywriter) did the wording. The profile was a big hit and the calls I received was along the lines of, “can” you detail my car, do you have time to detail my car, how many days are you booked. Not once did anyone question price and all full details. Does that help you understand the power of marketing spin? This is just one of my stories and I have many. No, I don't do the fliers!!!

Brilliant, simply brilliant!

[Scottwax]

Originally Posted by doged

If your positioning yourself as a “high end” car care specialist NO.
Now if your positioning yourself as a “low end” car wash / detailer then Frank is correct.
You want to catch a big fish with a little hook? Once in a while you may get lucky but this is generally the case. I don't market that way!!!

I thought everyone was looking for nice cars and big checks?

I got a ton of high end customers with flyers. I put out flyers in the high end neighborhoods every day that I didn't have any details to do when I first started out. Take a look at my website, I have detailed a lot of $80,000 and up cars.

Oh, and by the way, I no longer do any direct marketing anymore. All passive now, website, a listing in the yellow pages but mostly, I let my customers do my advertising. Word of mouth is #1 in our business. I wouldn't have the client base I have though without the flyers I put out. They weren't cheap looking either.

Little things add up, like placing a business card on the driver's window of a car. I have one customer who has been a regular for more than 10 years now and all I did was leave a card on his wife's car. A professional looking sign on your work vehicle. That is how I got the customer with the Rolls. Been doing his cars and some of his employees cars for more than 12 years now. A $35 sign has made me more than $80,000 over 12 years just from one person seeing it. That doesn't include the customers I picked up from them seeing me clean his stuff either.

The point is, as long as what you are doing has a professional look to it, you can get business from it.