Yes, definitely.

But also a reason for the action and a time limit.

"Because work is slow now, we are offering 2 rooms cleaned for $99. We can only provide this service to the next 20 callers. So call xxx-xxx right now!."

Any advertising or marketing without a call to action is wasted money. The purpose of it (at least it SHOULD be) is to actually generate some work.

You can add a call to action and a SENSE OF URGENCY, by stating the first 15 HOMEOWNERS to call XXX and mention this commercial get our XYZ offer. Or one free room of cleaning.

After you get the first 15 or 10... you can give everyone else 10% off. You decide.

Regardless, everytime it plays, and you get calls asking about the TV offer - you know its from your ad - so its trackable. Every marketing effort MUST be trackable.

Hope that helps,

Lisa

Absolutely have a call to action! You're wasting your ad dollars otherwise.

When was the last time you wrote down a phone number from a TV ad? It's rare. But to make it happen you need to give them a VERY specific offer and make a strong call to action. In fact, you may want most of the commercial to be a call to action.

Most of the time the companies that do fairly well with TV are large companies because they are spending ad dollars on an additional media. When they see the TV commercial, the prospect goes, "Hey, these are the guys in the newspaper." But if you don't have a huge ad budget with an additional major ad campaign, you really have to call them to action right then on the spot.

Like Lisa said, a simple call to action would be the first XX callers get XX offer. But make the offer VERY simple and specific.

John Braun

What about the "DEAL". how do you not end up sounding like a coupon carpet cleaner or make a mess of past clients that paid $65 a room before Christmas???

I dont think you'll make a mess by being cheaper now than before Christmas. Everything is more expensive before Christmas...you didn't get upset at stores for lowering prices on all those gifts you purchased this year, did you? People understand that...and if they don't, then just offer them the same deal if they want their carpets cleaned again.

I would just keep it consistent and simple. Rather than limiting it to the first 20 callers, I would just say time slots are limited, so schedule your cleaning now. This helps especially if you're running the ad when your office is closed (evening commercial for example). I think it gives you a little more credibility...because really, who believes that you're only offering it to the first 20 callers when your ad runs 3x per day everyday?

It's important to NOT limit what your offer can be. Your offer does NOT have to be $XX off or XX% off. In fact, I recommend you stay away from those type offers.