Thread: what marketing works

Originally Posted by NICK NELLOS

Buy some good marketing books from the bookstore.

How do you know which one is good? what is good for you may not be good for the next guy....just like SFS.

True Nick,

With a newspaper you can learn the formula on how to design an ad and other marketing tactics.

Marketing ideas are all around if you every day if just look for it.

Also, Marketing doesn't have to cost much.

My best marketing doesn't cost me a dime, printing, postage or time. Like I said before It produces well over $1000 in new clients eack week.

That is because I planted the seeds to make it happen.

That is the way I like to market where you simply have to plant some seeds and it continues to grow all by itself. While you just have enjoy the fruit.


Everyone needs to find marketing that works for them, their service area and their desired customer base.

Some do well paying several grand for marketing. Some get burnt.

Choose wise grasshopper!

Are you guys saying the Super Bowl Commercials don't work?

Learning is never a waste.

But, learning through the college of hard knocks can be a waste of your hard earned marketing dollar and your time.

Time is important because your company may have been able to get years of a better return on your marketing dollar and company growth.

Rather that the opposite that can happen from using the "I hope this works this time " marketing approach.

Think of all the posible mistakes out there:

Phone bookcovers
Maps
Large Yp ads.
Ads on sales slips
Shotgun advertising
Most direct mail
Not having a webpage
Not contacting previous clients regularly
Web directory advertising
Not having a plan
Marketing just because everyone else does it.

The list can go on forever.........

LOL. If you had Carpet Cleaning Companies sending you $999.99 for some information that's valued at 47,000.00 you could afford more advertisement also

Nick, it sounds like you're implying all formal training has no value? Instead, get all your knowledge from books? Hmmmm.....

That may be a perfect way for you to learn. But for most, learning requires multiple avenues. People learn better by reading the message, hearing the message, seeing the message, and putting the message into a real life situation.

Yes, books are great. I've learned MUCH from reading. And yes, at times I've learned more from reading than attending a seminar.

But there's no way I could know all I know today if it weren't for coaching programs and formal training events.

John Braun

Well, Hello everyone! My name is Nick and it's my first post. I just could not resist the urge to say something about
Google AdWords in response to some nay Sayers about Internet Marketing. IT WORKS.... LIKE MAGIC! Why? Because unlike many other businesses out there that sell electronics, apparel, and even carpet cleaning equipment itself, we as Carpet Cleaners, don't have such an enormous world wide competition. When people shop on internet they shop for price, but when people shop on internet to clean their carpets they shop local almost by default. So, even if the guy in PA cleans for $20/room(lol just an example) and another guy in NY cleans for $49/room the customer from NY is not going to call PA , neither PA cleaner will come to NY for practical reasons. The carpet cleaning business is almost like a niche business in itself as it forces our clients to stick to local offers, and this in turn, reduces the strong competition that might exist in other industries. I am NEW to CC. Having experience in HTML, CSS and graphic design I put together my web site and signed up for Ad Words. Also, made a per click ad through Google(cheap) and put the company name into local listing on online Superpages, Yahoo! Mkt. Solutions(yahoo! alt. of AdWords). And guess what?! I was about 1.5 mo. in doing back testing process making sure my site works as it should when I started to get phone calls to clean carpets! That's just internet; no flyers, biz. crads, door to door or any kind of soliciting! In fact, I don't even have my equipment yet! I apologized politely with a smile(something I learned from working at Front Desk Marriott Hotel) explained that the company is just starting out and offered my future clients 1/2 off if they decide to comeback. I only got 5 calls so to me it's not a loss but in fact a marketing deal. I admit I did not expect ANY calls at all and it was very awkward for me to explain the situation. The site is suspended for now and is unsearchable until I get my equipment together. I will be getting a used van and a HydraMaster Boxxer 427 in about a month if things go as planed. Anyway, just wanted to tell some of your out there thinking about Internet to just DO IT! It's cheap (about $150/year) and it's almost a must these days. As a matter of fact, we at Marriott use Google exclusively to provide our guests with directions and addresses for local businesses. So if some one wants to get a hair cut we search for..... barbershop 12550(our zip code) AND when my General Manager wants to clean carpets(as she did 3 weeks ago) in our Hotel's rooms she searches.... carpet cleaning 12550. Well, hope I won't get eaten alive for my factual 2 cents. Cheers Nick.

I agree with Dave. No point spending money on labour saving luxuries when you haven't got any work.

Most cleaners have time or money or possibly both. Either way there are hundreds of ways to get a ROI the key is doing it.

Most people I speak to tried a 'method' once. They say tried that, didn't work. Rarely will something work out the box because invariably you have not got it right, you haven't got it right for your market and the real money is optimising a system that multiplies out with everything else.

Back to the original thread. What works? All of them in the right market so track your numbers. I also believe in canvasing a neighborhood. Start in a neighborhood with a Yellow Flier or a bright paper with why your company is good or a great offer. Put several testimonials and make a great offer for the first two clients who respond. Capture a testimonial form each and then send a letter with the testimonial attached and a new offer. We actually did this in Erie CO. and a neighborhood with 20 new clients. We also put up yard signs that had our name with a happy client of "Carpet Masters." I think we had 6 neighborhood signs up. We sent a total of three letters to the neighborhood.

Free advertising is also king. Google and Yahoo maps.

Reminders are fantastic. If you Wowed them the first time they will use you again. 6,12,18 month post cards. Well worth the investment.

Your ROI is the key. Successive mailers can work since they keep seeing your name and new testimonials especially if they are neighbors they know. Best of luck

The point is that almost everything works if you take action.

You also, have to have numerous marketing tactics that all becomes a part of your marketing pie.

Marketing can also be somewhat regional.

What works in one area my not work as well in an other.

Here is the guts:

As what has been said over and over again "Marketing is about forming relationships"

What is the best way to do that?

Think about how you form other relationships in your life.

What do you think would be the better way to find and make a friend?

1. Sending a card to a total stranger

2. Hope that they read an advetisment hidden in the newspaper or yellow pages,saying "would you be my friend?

3. Sending random e-mails to strangers.saying "would you be my friend?

4. Sticking a flier in a stranger's door saying "would you be my friend?

You can see this approach wouldn't be very effective.

These tactics almost would seem kind of ridiculous to most people.

So, WHY DO YOU TRY TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS USING THESE SAME TACTICS?

Or wouldn't it make more sense to form a relationship :

By first being introduced to them from a friend, neighbor, co-worker or member of a group or association that they belong to?

After breaking the ice this way marketing becomes much easier.

You can then use a mix of media to directly target and cultivate this warm relationship.

These prospects will be more attentive to your marketing.

They won't be as price sensitive. You'll be able to raise your rates.

You will save marketing dollars. You don't have to waste marketing dollars using the "shotgun" approach.

They will find you based on the recommendation from their friend. You don't necessarily have to go looking for them.

This is why referral marketing works if you know how to develop it.

Good post Dave I like the analogy.