who to target with your Post Card?

I personally try to get out and meet my target market (or an influential person in the target market). When I was focusing directly on Property Managers, I copied the page out of the phone book and went to meet each of them as I was in the area. I also would stop by apartment complexes and meet their managers. It would be better to post who your target market is and we could probably all come up with some great ideas. Or maybe someone has penetrated that market already and could give you pointers on it. I am currently working on the allergy market. My plan (since I suffered until I treated my own home) is to talk to my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor about it. It will take a while this way but if a doctor told you he knew of a way to help you with the allergens in your own home, would you try it? You would if it were offered to you guaranteed or your money back!

Here I go again about the insurance biz again but I taught a class called "Target Marketing" in the business (FOR FREE) and all I did was open the floor for target markets people wanted to work and had the students work together on it. It not only helped those with the question but it also taught those without great marketing skills how to develop a plan. I will tell you if you want to be known as the best in the business to your target market, it is best to talk to those that work in the market like me talking to the doctor. Always try to figure out how to meet the person at the top of the ladder. We called them "centers of influence". Be fore warned: you better do your homework. If you approach this person and can't talk THEIR talk, it will be frustrating for both. DO NOT approach them as a know it all!!! You must let them be the expert! You only know enough to interest them in talking to you further.

More to come I'm sure,

Tom

Tom,
You didn't say who was your target customer. If you are doing residential cleaning I presume you mean a woman 40+. If so before you print and send a bunch of cards did you show the design to several people who are your "target"
Remember if we design a card for what we (men) like it may not be what are target audience likes.

Start with a small sampling and divide an A&B sample with different headlines or different offers but not both. Once you get your results send another batch A&B and continue until you have a great card. Try to design different messages for different people in other words pets, t&G, leather upholstery, rugs.

Good luck.

Three words Bill , MY EASY MARKETING!!, LOL
Come on, I had to say it!

Tom, I'll give you a call in a couple of days! Just a thought on your post cards. I met a lady a while back that distributes a "magazine". It is actually full of advertisements! Thing is, she puts out 20k to 25k per quarter. she puts them in every Md's office and gives one to each employee. She also has gained access to the hospital and puts one in each employees mailbox. Also in all the schools. Anyway it's currently the only advertisement we run. The reason I did it was because it is the only one I have ever seen that gives everyone a chance to see you. Ours states the different services we offer and we will run some sort of basic cleaning special. Great thing is a half page only cost $450. And it goes to places EVERYONE goes.... the doctor, dentist, specialist, etc. You may want to see if there is something like that in the doctors offices in your city. One deal we got paid for the ad. We are still getting calls on it now and the new one comes out in two weeks. Just a thought!

There are websites out there (sorry I can't remember them right now) that if you put in an address you can tell it the distance from there you want others. You then DL the list. Each name cost you like .05 cents or something. I was going to try it with our card system and lost the site before I tried it. One of my centers of influence that lives in a higher end neighborhood. I asked him if he would write something and let me put his name on a card to send to his neighbors (which he will). The card is going to be from him to his naieghbors telling them about the GREAT service we gave his family. With the automated card system we use, once I create the card and download the list, it will send them to all of his neighbors automatically! If I could only find that website.....

Tom,

Craig Jasper had said that it don't work tring to talk to doctors about allergy cleaning, because they feel you would be cutting in on there business. No allergy problems no need for the Doc. :wheelchair:

Has anyone had any luck marketing to high rises? If so what worked for you, I want to put my portable to work more:lifting:

Best of Luck

Dirt-B-Gone
John

P.S. You can usually find Craig over at the pro cleaners network on Tue. nights

Bill I am talking start up marketing. I realize you need to target but when I start I will need to broadcast a little more. How many homes do you think it will take to support a truck? Typically PC's return 1-2% so if that holds true and I set the card up right and I send to 5000 homes monthly for a year is it fare to say I could expect 50-60 responses each month? If that is true at the end of 12 months I would have a list of 400-500 customers to do target marketing to? I plan to target a 15,000 home area and rotate in 3 geographic zones of5000 at a time. Each home would get 4 mailings or one time per quarter. Would it be better to just do 10 k and 2 zones?[/QUOTE]

Tom,
I didn't realize I was talking with another Hoosier. I live at 80th and Keystone.

As for the 1-2% booking rate, if the message is appropriate and the list is good then maybe. It has been my experience that we are never overwhelmed by responses regardless of the quality of the pc.

Seeing that you live in an expensive community along with Carmel and Fishers you have a good economic base. I would look to join a BNI network in that area and look at the Chamber in Zionsville. After all how many communities can boast of a Roll Royce dealership.

You may also want to take a booth at the Zionsville Farmers Market on Saturdays to meet people and if your budget can stand it offer free spotters with your name and logo. Business is about relationships.

Good luck.

Bill, You Da Man!!, Great Advise!

Zionsville

Sure Tom.

Bill Weigand (Unsmoke Instructor) and I were at the Friendly Tavern last night in beautiful downtown Zionsville.

I will be gone for 2 weeks In Vancouver and Chicago but I will touch base when I return.

Keep working at building the business.

Bill