Marketing Idea -Discount/Punch Cards

Jonathan,
I think is a great idea, you will need to figure out if somebody can trick you with that.

We have a system that sends things out automatic when the refer their friends!!
Works AWESOME!!

I'm brand new to this so I'm learning new things daily. It might work but the problem I see with it is that the customer will have to hang onto the punch card for years before it can typically be redeemed.

Personally I don't think I would hang onto a promotion that didn't pay off for four or five years. Even if I did hang onto it, I doubt I'd get a carpet cleaning any sooner because I had it. I think people want something now or in the very near future. Might have moved or died by the time they can have enough carpet cleaned to use the card.

Most people will use you again if you offer a punch card or not providing that you are good to them. Talk to them, care about them (or pretend to). Listen to their little jokes or stories and it will make them happy. Try not to act like they're holding you up by telling you about their grandson in the third grade.

I try to take ten minutes at the end of every job to talk to the customers. Sometimes it turns into thirty minutes but I promise you that if you spend thirty minutes with someone, you're going to get their friends and family's business as well.

We've been cleaning carpet for six weeks after work at our regular jobs. We haven't spent a penny in advertising except for business cards. We're not in the phone book and don't have any signs on the van yet (will finally get it done this week). So far everything has been word of mouth and we have 18 jobs scheduled for October. We should get at least one referral from each of those jobs so by next September I should be able to turn these 18 into at least 36 jobs.

Good luck. I hope what ever you try works out for you. Just remember, when all else fails, slow down and take the time to be nice to people.

I bet if you just jump in and do it you'll find it easier to find work than you think.

We have a fantastic follow up system that is personal and clients love. They wouldnt think of hiring the competition. It is incredible for keeping customers loyal. No this is not something that I am selling. If you would like to know more I would be happy to share. Just write to me and I'll help anyone interested.

Mike

We too have an awesome follow up system for not only clients but for people we meet that are either a decision maker (or very close to the decision maker). It has gotten us jobs that will in a twelve month period make us as much as 10k from one client.

In our first six months we did about 45k. A lot of it is from constant connection to our clients. Like the above post, our clients don't have to think about who to call for service. Feel free to contact me and I will help you set up the same system. By the way, very little of our business comes from people we have known. We wanted to build our business the tough way but the more permanent way.

Nope, no free stuff. I did my own house for free for my wife but didn't really enjoy it. She's not even going to give me a referral probably.

My business partner had to go out and ask for jobs. It wasn't fun and it's not easy for me but it got us started.

I remember one time we were trying to get work with a property management company. I thought we were going to be talking the the manager but it turned out to be the property managers.

This was when we still hadn't ever done a job but wanted to make sure we could get work when we needed to. We were in front of 15-18 people trying to tell how we are the ones they should use while we knew absolutely nothing about the business.

Everyone in that room managed at minimum 300 units with the top ones at 450 units. We got one person to start calling us and through him we have received over a dozen jobs in six weeks so far.

I mailed him a thank-you gift. A $30 gift card to Olive Garden and a $20 gift card to Cinemark Theaters. ( I suppose you can call that advertising). Within a week of sending the gift cards someone else from that office sent me a job and another sent an email asking if it would be OK if she sent some jobs over to me.

In two weeks I have a meeting with the owner of another property management company. I talked to him over the phone and asked for their business. He said they are already happy with their vendors. I told him I have an idea I'd like to share with him and talked to him about it a little bit. He's going to be flying out here in almost two weeks and hopefully we can get that business.

The beautiful thing about property management's business is they let you know when they need you almost a week in advance usually. When it's not in an apartment complex we go door to door and offer discounts as we will be in the neighborhood on the date of the scheduled appointment.

Also, when I get approached from a stranger about how much it costs to have their carpet cleaned and if they can get a business card, I always tell them I don't have my cards with me.

I try to schedule them right then or ask for their phone number. Try not to leave it up to them to call you. They already need your service or they wouldn't have asked about it. Don't let yourself be one of their options if you can help it.

I know I probably didn't answer you very well but that's kind of what's been happening with us.

Aaron

Nice Aaron, sounds like you are off and running congrats on that, i liked the idea of he olive garden and the movie gift cards, thanks for the ideas....