My Marketing Plan

[CNS-southwest]

First off, apologies for being so erm anal in my questions, if you don't know by now, I like to be well prepared.

Thanks for answering all my posts which ultimately helped me figure out my marketing plan which will begin at the end of January (this is due to my current work situation, as this is the earliest I can begin)

So for anyone who needs ideas, please read below at my strategy:

Firstly, the key point is getting your name out there so people recognize the name.

Firstly did this with a catchy name and slogan and a good logo that's simple yet visible (big thanks to dodger for this)

Name: clean n simple

Slogan: If it's not clean, it's simple, call us today for a free quote!!

Now firstly remember I'm investing in a laser printer which I believe will pay for its self quickly, this idea was take. From another member on here, sadly I can't remember who it was.

So firstly all my "flyers" which go through letter boxes will all be half an A4, there will be a separate one for commercial and domestic.

There will also be a different flyer with a "sorry we missed you" type message for when I am canvassing and there not in.

There will be an A4 and postcard sized flyer for shop windows, bulletin boards etc.

There will be a sign written van, eventually. And whilst I am slowly moving over and still working at my 9-5 I will pay for parking so that I can park it in the busy high street whilst I'm at the office job. (About£6 for the day)

I will be ordering 4 giant banners and contacting some local people who own some property where I would like to put them up, I will negotiate rates for a 3 month term to begin with.

I will also be getting some smaller banners and speaking to some local scaffolding companies and agree a rate for that to be put on there scaffolding.

I have my website which will be seo.

Along with canvassing.

I will also try handing out leaflets in the town centre, I will try it once, if it doesn't work, I won't do it again.

Ill also be giving local window fitters and conservatory specialist some cards to hand out on there jobs etc

So there you have it, I think that's everything!!!

Thanks for reading

Dave

 

[Extremecleansussex]

To be honest Dave, whilst I admire your enthusiasm, I wouldn't bother with all that. In my experience (and others will no doubt say if their experiences are different), the best way to get new business is to canvas. I've tried ads in shop windows without success, banners are expensive and if you think about it how many times have you bought something or given someone a job from a banner?

In my opinion you only need one A5 flier to give to people or leave in their letterbox. I also use business cards but that's it. I also advertise in a local "Tradecatcher" magazine but that's pretty slow.

Just sign your can and canvass and save all the additional expense.

Cheers

Dave

 

[CNS-southwest]

I will canvass, but as anyone with marketing experience knows, canvassing and flyers work even better if people already recognizes the name of the company, I don't expect a single job from the banners,

What the banners are doin is putting my company name in the consumers head, so that when I do go canvassing (which will be my main method of gaining work) and I say hi my names David from clean n simple, I automatically clicks that the they heard of the name before, it doesn't matter if they don't know where from, they fact the recognize the name and I'm standing there with my signed van in the background and my printed clothing and business I'd, all that together increases there confidence in me being able to do my job, even though they never seen me work before.

If you like, in a way, its a mind game, its physiology.

If you needed insurance on a car, where will you go first???? Compare the market?? Because they drum it into your brain.

Another example is: I know if news a window then I go to ashford glass, Ido this because they have a big banner near a main road near me that I go past every day!!

Hope that makes sense /emoticons/smile.png

 

[M.K Cleaners.co.uk]

I did the banner idea too, I put 2 up when I first started. Ive still got one left If it never had vista image on it. I would use it.

I agree though, get your name out there anyway you can. I spent an fortune on advertisement.(still do) It works, you just need to keep an eye on it and dicth the stuff that doesnt. Stay away from Yell.com. Ive had a few jobs from it, good paying ones. Ive not had a call in months from there, am tied in to a contract as well /emoticons/wacko.png

 

[laddergarder]

I say forget all that and just door knock as many hours as you can stomach. If I was in your shoes, I would buy a load of business cards off vista print, then knock doors every night of the week and sunday afternoons as well and just take saturday off. Like ... aka MK says, both can work, but this is just what I feel works best and it would cost you next to nothing.

 

[CNS-southwest]

I hear what your saying about wasting money, but just because you can't directly monitor its effects doesn't mean it's not working.

And too clarify, I will still be doing as much canvassing regardless of how many posters I put up or banners I put up. I'm looking to boost my results from canvassing for the same amount of time.

 

[Extremecleansussex]

It's your money and I wish you every success. I know the benefits are unquantifiable and hear what you're saying about getting your name out there. It's just that I wouldn't.

Best of luck

Dave

 

[deno]

Dave, just a quick question, can you clean windows?

Because if you dont do a first class job right off the bat, then having your name recognizable in your area could work against you.

Clean n simple, "yeah i know them, dont really know how to clean windows properly"

If however you can clean windows properly, then all your've mentioned is good.

But remember it doesn't matter how well prepared you are re all you mention above. It's how prepared you are for being super good at backing up what you say that counts, ie make sure you put more effort in learning the trade.

Good Luck Dave

I wish you much success /emoticons/smile.png

 

[CNS-southwest]

Dave, just a quick question, can you clean windows?
Because if you dont do a first class job right off the bat, then having your name recognizable in your area could work against you.

Clean n simple, "yeah i know them, dont really know how to clean windows properly"

If however you can clean windows properly, then all your've mentioned is good.

But remember it doesn't matter how well prepared you are re all you mention above. It's how prepared you are for being super good at backing up what you say that counts, ie make sure you put more effort in learning the trade.

Good Luck Dave

I wish you much success /emoticons/smile.png

Hi mate,

Appreciate your comments, i practice each evening on my own and been doing some family members windows, using ecover an white vinigar mix, they come out really clean /emoticons/smile.png just working on the speed now /emoticons/smile.png

 

[laddergarder]

I want to give you a parable here that may help, especially if you take from it, if not the nothing gain nothing lost.

One year when was a bit younger I got into a bit of a fitness kick, as you do, I went straight in there, 5 days a week at the gym, reading all the books, eating nothing but red meat and rice for weeks. 12 weeks in I was seeing good results, but I couldn't live with the routine, and packed it in. 6 months later I was even heavier and felt even worse about my physique. So I joined a boxing gym 3 nights a week. Cut down a little but still had my takeout at the weekend. I kept it that for a good few years until I got too busy with work, and I was in the shape of my life with it.

Moral of the story... Enthusiasm is great, but its often short lived, setting sensible goals and routines that are manageable that will get you through the times when you don't have that enthusiasm.

View attachment 695

 

[deno]

Hi mate,

Appreciate your comments, i practice each evening on my own and been doing some family members windows, using ecover an white vinigar mix, they come out really clean /emoticons/smile.png just working on the speed now /emoticons/smile.png

Hi Dave.
Thats great, dont worry too much about speed, that will come, make sure you do a good job and you will get referrals.

I look forward to hearing about your progress, but for what it's worth i think your going about it the right way.

Good luck

 

[GMcleaning]

To be honest Dave, whilst I admire your enthusiasm, I wouldn't bother with all that. In my experience (and others will no doubt say if their experiences are different), the best way to get new business is to canvas. I've tried ads in shop windows without success, banners are expensive and if you think about it how many times have you bought something or given someone a job from a banner?

In my opinion you only need one A5 flier to give to people or leave in their letterbox. I also use business cards but that's it. I also advertise in a local "Tradecatcher" magazine but that's pretty slow.

Just sign your can and canvass and save all the additional expense.

Cheers

Dave

this!

 

[Dodger]

I want to give you a parable here that may help, especially if you take from it, if not the nothing gain nothing lost.

One year when was a bit younger I got into a bit of a fitness kick, as you do, I went straight in there, 5 days a week at the gym, reading all the books, eating nothing but red meat and rice for weeks. 12 weeks in I was seeing good results, but I couldn't live with the routine, and packed it in. 6 months later I was even heavier and felt even worse about my physique. So I joined a boxing gym 3 nights a week. Cut down a little but still had my takeout at the weekend. I kept it that for a good few years until I got too busy with work, and I was in the shape of my life with it.

Moral of the story... Enthusiasm is great, but its often short lived, setting sensible goals and routines that are manageable that will get you through the times when you don't have that enthusiasm.

He's right mate, thanks for the credit though lol.

 

[CNS-southwest]

I want to give you a parable here that may help, especially if you take from it, if not the nothing gain nothing lost.
One year when was a bit younger I got into a bit of a fitness kick, as you do, I went straight in there, 5 days a week at the gym, reading all the books, eating nothing but red meat and rice for weeks. 12 weeks in I was seeing good results, but I couldn't live with the routine, and packed it in. 6 months later I was even heavier and felt even worse about my physique. So I joined a boxing gym 3 nights a week. Cut down a little but still had my takeout at the weekend. I kept it that for a good few years until I got too busy with work, and I was in the shape of my life with it.

Moral of the story... Enthusiasm is great, but its often short lived, setting sensible goals and routines that are manageable that will get you through the times when you don't have that enthusiasm.

I completely understand what your saying mate.

I need to set out some realistic goals n routines along with getting everything else sorted out.

 

[Iain]

As above all good advice here. Try to set yourself some reasonable goals. Set your sights on where you want to be in 12 months time and focus on that.

 

[crystalview]

I started off January this year by buying 100 customers and set myself a 200 customer goal by December this year .. but with hard determination and a lot of canvassing I have superceeded that goal and now have close to 400 ..

Basically you get what you put in the harder you work and the great results you leave with the customers the more you profit.

I advertise all over the Internet and directories ect but get very few hits a week compared to face to face canvassing were you place that seed in the customers head and let it grow .. Moral of the story GET CANVASSING IT REALLY DOES PAY OFF

 

[Honestcleaning]

Nice one Crystaview. looks like your doing really well.

I agree canvassing is the best way for residential. It also ensures you keep your round compact as you decide where to knock.

Do you do your 400 customers 4 weekly?

Superb effort! : )

 

[CNS-southwest]

I appreciate what your saying, but get the feeling people haven't ready everything I've posted.

Canvassing will be my main sales pitch, but I'm just Gona plant the seed before I canvas which equals even better results when canvassing......

Simples /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Honestcleaning]

Yip, you're right with that. I did Marketing @ Uni. Planting the seed is deffo a good way of people thinking..... oh yeah, I know you..... when really they dont....

What I would also do is, then you go canvassing, had a pad or clip board or something with you logo on the back of it, so as soon as people open the door, the first thing they will look it is your logo. Instantly they will switch on if they have seen it somewhere before. Just print it out A4 or A5 size and tape it to the back, then the door opens and boooom! Its in their face..... Then start your happy smiley sales pitch /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[CNS-southwest]

Yip, you're right with that. I did Marketing @ Uni. Planting the seed is deffo a good way of people thinking..... oh yeah, I know you..... when really they dont....
What I would also do is, then you go canvassing, had a pad or clip board or something with you logo on the back of it, so as soon as people open the door, the first thing they will look it is your logo. Instantly they will switch on if they have seen it somewhere before. Just print it out A4 or A5 size and tape it to the back, then the door opens and boooom! Its in their face..... Then start your happy smiley sales pitch /emoticons/biggrin.png

Ideal because I was Gona use a clipboard for my quote sheets (decided to scrap using the tablet in front of people)

 

[harunh]

door knock mate its the wway forward /emoticons/smile.png trust me ! u got to door knock /emoticons/smile.png