joburnet said:
Basically since I'm new I don't have a lot of repeat business yet and I'm trying to keep myself and my employee's busy. The only way for me to do that is to get a lot of new customers which I'm finding can be difficult and expensive.
When I mentioned that you may be confusing your customers, what I meant was that although you are delivering a top quality job, your customers may begin to get the impression that you are too focused on price and not on quality. Now when you stop and think about exactly who are your customers and why those customers need what you are offering you will begin to realized that you can't be all things to all people. It's a lot easier when you are first starting out to get a very clear picture of the business and the type of customers that you intend to attract to your new business. That's what marketing is all about.
If you don't understand your target market, then you may be aiming your message at the completely wrong market altogether. Without knowing it, you may be aiming at the people who are only interested in getting a low price. Not the people who are truely interested in getting a high quality job at a much higher price. Basically, when you aim at the wrong target market you are leaving money on the table. Sure you're keeping yourself busy, put at what price? Remember, it's not about staying busy, it's about making a reasonable profit and staying in business.
So the first thing to do is make sure the you have a basic understanding of the following; Who is the customer? Why does the customer need your detailing service? Answering those questions will be the first step to understanding the target market that you are ultimately trying to reach. They are the good customers you need in order to successfully grow your detailing business. Once you have established your approach to your target market, then you will be much better prepared to focus on improving and establishing better methods of advertising. In order to become successful, you will need to make certain that you are delivering the right message to the right market. It's really that simple.
The best returns for your advertising efforts will come from your ability to give someone the opportunity to discover your business. That’s what advertising is all about. It’s about all of the things that you will do to give someone a chance to discover your business. You will know your advertising efforts are working when a new customer feels good about discovering your detailing business. That feeling of discovery goes a long way in establishing a good customer.
Here are a few basic components of a good print advertisement.
1– Stop the prospect.
2– Hold the prospect.
3– Create buying desire.
4– Prove the price is right.
5– Prove it is a value.
6– Make it easy to take action.
7– Give the prospect reasons to take action now.
The single most effective advertising method that I use are padded, tear-off coupons. Tear-off coupons are like mini-billboards. A tear-off coupon is about the size of the average discount coupon. Measuring about two and three quarters inches by four inches. This size allows the master sheet to be eight and one-half by eleven. With eight coupons per sheet, one thousand sheets yields eight thousand coupons. You can then have your print shop cut the coupons to size and glue the backings making them into tear-off pads. Then separate them into one-half inch high pads.
What makes these coupons unique is the fact that THEY ARE NOT PRICE DISCOUNT COUPONS. They are made to look very similar to discount coupons. That’s probably why most people notice them and take one. The information on the coupon, should be much the same as that of a business card, with your name, phone number, etc. As with any good print advertisement, you should have a catch phase in order to stop and hold the prospect. Outlined in the center of the coupon, you could use a phrase such as; “Finally, Somebody’s Got It Right�. I use this catch phrase on all tear-off coupons.
Once you have the tear-off coupons designed and printed you’ll want to place the padded tear-off coupons in strategic business locations where you know your targeted market will see them. Make a list of businesses in your area such as; News Shops, Tanning Salons, Deli’s and Hair & Nail Salons, where you think your potential customers visits regularly. Dry Cleaners are at the top of my list. That’s because the type of person who has their clothes professionally cleaned, are most times also interested in having their cars professionally cleaned. You must ask for permission to put your padded tear-off coupons on their counter. Remember to keep a note of the businesses that you visit. You’ll want to follow-up with a return visit at least every month or so.
It has been my experience that the person who takes a tear-off coupons and calls for an appointment is not as price sensitive as someone who is responding to a discount coupon, newspaper or yellow pages advertisement. It could be because of that feeling of discovery.
