Holiday Greeting Cards

I

imported_mirrorfinishman

New member
Now is the time for professional detailing business owners to start thinking about holiday greeting cards. This year I am going to include a small magnetic calendar in with every card. The calendars are custom imprinted with my business name, phone number, etc. In previous years I have always included a little tree air freshener. However, I like the idea of the calendars because they will be a great reminder of my business month after month throughout the new year.



Anyone else doing anything special in regard to sending your customers holiday greeting cards?
 
I normally include a picture of their car if I have one. Just a subtle way of reminding them how nice their car looks freshly detailed.
 
Frank, just consider the actual use those calendars will get. =)

Seriously, i dont know about the rest of you, i get them from ins companies that ive done/do business with or dentists etc. I just find them a little too small for most needs, and they end up along with the envelope, in the trash.
 
I throw away all of those calenders, Redskins season calenders, local high school sports teams, tons of real estate agents. I am sure those calenders are not cheap, either. I like scottwax's idea. For my personal training clients, I print a season's greetings card (not everyone celebrates christmas, but everyone has a winter holiday) with me, my wife, and my dog. Puts a human side to the stories they hear about my wife and dog.
 
Where do you get the magnets printed? I've been putting business cards on magnets that I get from Walmart for about 20 cents each but it's a pita to stick 200 business cards on magnets.
 
I come from an advertising approach that says "assume you'll get 1% of your return or 1 customer for every thousand, and you'll be fine."



so if we look at mirror's site... and purchase 500 magnets at a cost of $265..



Depending on how much you charge, you'd have to detail about 3 cars to get that investment back, which is 6% unit return on the distrubuted method.



But lets also consider that advertising is all about staying on the customer's surface thoughts whenever possible. Yes, they drive their car everyday, but if they're not a 'car person' then they are less likely to actually care about the appearance and more likely to care about cleaning it as a matter of investment and convenience.



A magnet calender is a great way to make sure your flier stays relevant for longer than most people give their attention to a greeting card or a coupon.



Translation, if you give out a yearlong calender, its usefulness means you could be getting a return on that calender for an entire year to come, instead of ONLY the moment they look at a greeting card or a coupon. :)



I'd combine that with Scott's photo idea if possible to make it very relevant to the customer, if its in your ablity to do so.
 
Kanchou said:
I come from an advertising approach that says "assume you'll get 1% of your return or 1 customer for every thousand, and you'll be fine."
Click to expand...





Wouldn't 1% of your return equal 10 customers for every thousand?



For example;

1% of your return or 1 customer for every hundred

1% of your return or 10 customers for every thousand
 
see what would be good. A reminder on the last day of every month for example to get it detailed. Or second month. say for january "Get exterior detailed" and for febuary "Get interior detailed and exterior washed and waxed"



Not in so many words but would this work do you think?
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Wouldn't 1% of your return equal 10 customers for every thousand?



For example;

1% of your return or 1 customer for every hundred

1% of your return or 10 customers for every thousand
Click to expand...



yes, its an either or situation. I was listing 2 different, not one. ;p (probably didn't type it very well)



If its something like mass media, radio, tv, phonebook, billboard, I say 1%



if its something you distribute yourself i say 1 in 1000.
 
Kanchou,



My original intention of this topic was about sharing information about sending current paying customers a Holiday Greeting Card. I am simply including a small calendar in with the card as a useful gift that could also remind my current paying customers of my business throughout the new year.



At various times in the past I have also given current customers other promotion items, such as custom pens, business card magnets, air fresheners, hand wipes and New Jersey state road maps.



In summary, I only give out promotional items to current customers. I do not use promotional items as a way of advertising for new customers.
 
The peel and stick calendars are actually very effictive. Effective enough in fact, that I will be ordering some for myself tomorrow. And what's my business?? Promotional Products! Yes, I have the knowledge (15 years in the business), choices, discounts, etc. to do what ever product I want. And my clients that are billed in December will receive peel & stick calendars with my name on them (not my only gift, but one of them).



Will everyone use them? No. Will enough people use them to make them cost effective? Most likely.



I just met with the rep from the company that manufacturers them on Tuesday. Peel & Sticks are thier #1 repeat order. They work. I can't find it now, but their CPE (Cost per exposure) is in the 1000ths of a cent.



Business card magnets are also very good-and the 4-color process ones are coming down in price. Great for photos or multi-color logos.
 
kompressornsc,



Thank you very much for that good information.



The calendars that I ordered to be included in the holiday greeting cards, have a magnetic business card attached. They are the 'American Spirit' series and the design matches the same patriotic series that I use for my custom pens and company business cards.



When it comes to using promotional products, I like the idea of staying with the same theme for a while. Even the free New Jersey state roadmaps that I hand out to my customers have an American Flag on the front cover.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Kanchou,





In summary, I only give out promotional items to current customers. I do not use promotional items as a way of advertising for new customers.
Click to expand...



Ahh.



Well, since you use it for such a specific purpose, would you care to share what your returns (in customer detail jobs) amount to vs. your give out?:bounce
 
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