Low Cost Marketing with business cards

[Guido]

I was thinking of an idea tonight, kinda sounds original to me at least, maybe you guys already do something similiar, but I figured I would post it here to see what you guys think about it.

What if you drew up a short letter that said some stuff to the point that my business is looking to add on more clients like you since your soo good, blah blah blah. We would appreciate if you would give this business card to someone and reccomend our quality service. We will be enclosing one business card a month with your invoice, try to pass our company along during your travels.

Drop a business card in every invoice you send out. It won't cost much at all, you only have to put the letter in the first time you do it. What do you think??

It's low cost, and if you hit the right type of clients with it I think it could work.

[GrassMaster]

Hello Everybody:

I sent out business cards to all my customers when I was in business & it worked Great!

Also any kind of small notes I had to leave was normally left on a business card stuck in the door!

I left my business cards everywhere I could think of. I really felt like it did a lot of Good! LOL, I even enclosed them with all my monthly bills that I had to pay locally.

My Outdoor Power Equipment Dealership got several a month. I got quite a few Nice Jobs doing that over the years!

[Guido]

Thanks Dave!

I'm reposting because all our posts on these threads were lost during the server change I guess.

To clear up a few questions some of you had:

This isn't really blunt sloicitation, they have to open their bill and a business card won't kill them.

And yes, there should be an incentive offered to the current customer depending on what type of contract / work was earned directly because of the referral.

Any other ideas like this one?

[MATTHEW]

Some guys won't do it, but I offer one free visit to any customer who refers my service to another(who signs up). What's the big deal to lose 20 minutes of time or $7.00 in chemicals to gain hundreds-maybe thousands in the future?

[Guido]

Originally posted by MATTHEW
What's the big deal to lose 20 minutes of time or $7.00 in chemicals to gain hundreds-maybe thousands in the future?
There isn't one! Thats the great part! Even if at first its just a mowing client, you can upsell other services to them and make more money. Now you have a happy client who is going to refer you to 5 more a year!

Its win win!

[KDJ]

When it comes to business cards, I put them everywhere and anywhere 1000 cards will last me 60 days. I workes for me.
Just never know when the cell will ring with the jackpot.

[walker-talker]

Good idea with the business cards. Next spring I am going to offer a free winterizing to all new customers and a free winterizing to all old customers with new referalls. Last spring I made some sweet business cards for my mowing clients. Made the cards on the computer, bought some magnet sheet cut to the same size as cards and bought a laminator. They look good and are handy for people to refer to because they stick to the refridge.

[cos]

Offer $10.00 or $20.00 to a new referal. I would set guidlines though, like they must be a customer for atleast a month. They can refer people,but if they plan on working with someone to get a referal then they will send you to 20 different people.

[mattingly]

KDJ
You mentioned 1000 business cards will last you 60 days. I know this is a little stupid but where, besides everywhere, do you dish out this many business cards? Do you just drop off b cards left and right? I have also found out that the old business card thing is a learning process. It seems every time I get new ones made I realize something else I shoulda put on there to make it better. Oh well

[Guido]

Originally posted by mattingly
KDJ
You mentioned 1000 business cards will last you 60 days. I know this is a little stupid but where, besides everywhere, do you dish out this many business cards? Do you just drop off b cards left and right? I have also found out that the old business card thing is a learning process. It seems every time I get new ones made I realize something else I shoulda put on there to make it better. Oh well

Anywhere and Everywhere and to everyo0ne you can give them too if your not to picky about who your clients will be. Your prices should weed them out if not.

As long as it clearly has a name and number to contact, your okay! You want your name to float around as much as possible until eventuall they relate lawn care with Mattingly like ear swabs with Q-tips!:blob3:

[walker-talker]

Like Kleenex with facial tissue and Coke with soda pop. Nice analogy Guido.
Matt

[Stonehenge]

There are also other, slightly corny, very inexpensive (or free) things that can be done to promote your corporate awareness in the community.


When I'd go to the store I'd park right by the road, usually the furthest spot from the store. People seemed to think we had trucks everywhere. Had numerous comments about that, even when I was the sole employee. Sounds goofy, but when you have no budget, but still have to market the biz, you gotta do something.

Y'know what? I think there's a thread in here somewhere that has loads of ideas like that in it. Search for Guerilla Marketing, either in title or in the posts. JAA shared some great info, as did many others. I think I also detail in there how for $100 in materials and a few hours of my time I got on the evening news and had a 2-page, full color story done in the local paper.