An email received recently:

Hi Steve,

Just wanted to say thanks again for all the help you have given Laura and I.  Things are looking up here.  We are up to 186 customers now and growing!!  I sent out 5000 postcards last week and when I read your window blog (about the person who was frustrated with low return from fliers) I thought I would let you know how this has been. 

We have received 6 phone calls for estimates so far.  But, it seems like everyday someone is calling from the mailing.  I did get all 6 of those jobs, so that more than pays for the mailing already.  Plus, we are sending out two more mailings to those houses – all mailings are 3 weeks apart.  I think this should make the fall months pretty busy. 

The one comment I would make about not being frustrated with slow returns from fliers is that when you get a customer, if you do a good job, you will be back there every 6 months.  This isn’t just a one-time deal – it is residual.  Looking at it from that angle, those 6 jobs I got will pay me around $2500 a year!!  I just thought that would be useful to help keep people motivated.  Thanks again for all the help!

Tony

My Response:

Hi Tony:

That is just great, great news.  Excellent.  186 customers is perfectamundo.  :o ) 

And thanks for your comments on your postcard mailing.  The postcards do clearly work, but sometimes it takes a little time to see the response rate where we want it.  Ideally it would be great if most folks called within 24 to 48 hours, but as you know, it doesn’t always work like that. 

Wow….closing.6 jobs out of 6 calls?  Now that’s cool.  As you said, your mailing is now paid for.  Everything else coming in is gravy.  Your plan is perfect as far as mailing out 2 more mailings 3 weeks apart to the exact same neighborhoods.  And the beauty of it is that these mailings are hitting at the perfect time-heading into the Fall.  July and August do tend to dip a little bit, but it really starts moving full steam ahead as we go into the Fall.  Kids are back in school, homeowners will stop taking vacations, etc. etc. 

And you’re exactly right as far as thinking of it in repeat terms.  Let’s say that we distribute 1000 flyers.  The numbers dictate we’ll get 10 calls over time.  But let’s say we only get 6.  Is that such a bad thing?  People need to remember that this is a repeat business.   So if correct follow up procedures are implemented (The Customer Factor), then it stands to reason that you should do those 6 jobs again and again, right? 

Now it doesn’t always work out like that obviously regardless how good someone might be in following up.  But even if just 4 jobs came back, that’s great.  And since they came back a 2nd time, there is an excellent chance that you’ll be doing those jobs over and over again for a long, long, long time. 

They’re generally sold on you and having clean glass if they come back for a 2nd service.  And all this from a 1000 flyer distribution that might cost $110 max ($50 for the cost of flyers and $20 each for 3 kids who do the distributing).  Not a bad return on investment, huh?  :o )

Keep it up Tony.  Things are moving onward and upward for your business.  Congratulations and I’ll talk to you soon.

Regards,

Steve
256-546-2446

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