Mailed out 1000 postcards no calls

[humble1]

So the weather if funky up here it can go from snow to rain almost 50 then down to the low 30s. I always try to get a feel for my mailings if its too early it gets thrown in the round circular file in the corner, if im too late they get someone else. So i sent out 1000 for last mon i thought id get some calls, i got zero. Then I wonder if its talk of recession in the news and high prices. Maybe im just too early.:confused::confused::confused::confused:

[DBL]

it hasnt even been a week id give it a few days...say the post card company sent them monday and the earliest they were getting where they got to go is tuesday...most likely wed, thurs, and even friday so wait a few more days

[LIBERTYLANDSCAPING]

I just sent 2,500 plus another ~300...NO CALLS yet:confused:

I thought I was early, but got the scotts & tgcl crap in the mail yesterday. If there is anything they know, it's marketing, so I feel a little better. Postcards always seem to work better in the first few weeks of April, but we're too busy to mess much with new business by then:cry:

[rcreech]

I am not an expert by any means, but there are so many variables that work for or against lawncare marketing.

TIMING being the biggest.

Did you SELECT who you were sending your cards to or just do a mass mailing.

Last year....I could tell you to the day when my post card hit. Maybe it will be different this year.

Don't give up, maybe they will call in the next week or two.

I would send out another 1000 if you don't hear much in the next week.

Right now, we have 12" of snow on the ground and if my post card would have hit this week I would be crying! I think timing is more important then anything.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

As rcreech said - send out another batch...maybe do this when your weather forecast is predicting above average temps 3-5 days in the future. Have the cards hit right when people are getting spring fever!

[Whitey4]

I don't know Humble. I've put out about 800 door hangers and picked up 10... maybe 11 new customers. I got the Scotts marketing package last week, and they are signing at least some people up right now. It could be worse... you could have the flu! :cry:

[Green Dreams]

People will hold on to your stuff til they are ready as well.

I hope that happens alot for y'all.

[Team-Green L&L]

Welcome to the grim reality of marketing. I remember pulling hair out during our "initial branding" thinking everything I did was wrong:

RSVP (100 yr old direct mail coop) : $3500.00 investment = $0 in ROI
Clear Channel Radio (2 stations) : $3200.00 investment = $0 in ROI
5000 Jumbo Postcards (mailed to targeted addresses) : $1700.00 = $1500 in ROI
Yellow Pages (first ad) : $2000.00 investment = $0 in ROI

The crazy thing is that, due to the amount we spent then (2 years ago) we have:

Closed at a much higher rate
Been recognized by fellow contractors
Secured credit accounts that we would not have
Gotten involved in networks that we would not have

and essentially ended up with a dependable income in an undependable industry.

I always thought that was the goal. Don't get down...just keep pressing on in advertising. It does work, but will drive you to your last dime on the way.

[Frank Fescue]

So the weather if funky up here it can go from snow to rain almost 50 then down to the low 30s. I always try to get a feel for my mailings if its too early it gets thrown in the round circular file in the corner, if im too late they get someone else. So i sent out 1000 for last mon i thought id get some calls, i got zero. Then I wonder if its talk of recession in the news and high prices. Maybe im just too early.:confused::confused::confused::confused:


Yeah that sounds about right. I'd say 995 of those are in the trash by now. Hopefully someone calls you, but not likely if its been a week.

[Mr.GreenJeans89]

hey humble 1,are you just sending out those for advertising or are they letters to your last year customers to resign up this year.I send letters to my customers from last year saynig we appreciated their business in 07 as we do in 08 and we will go ahead and sign you up to receive the same services as last year.That leaves it up to them to tell me they dont want treatments this year and we go back in on the yards in spring unless we hear otherwise.How do you do it?

[Turfdoctor1]

Yeah that sounds about right. I'd say 995 of those are in the trash by now. Hopefully someone calls you, but not likely if its been a week.

i completely disagree.

humble. i am in the same situation. 7000 door hangers out, and not anywhere near 1% return on them. But, guess what, 7 calls today. My door hangers have been out for close to a month in some areas, and I'm still getting calls from the ones that have been out there awhile. Don't give up. People hold onto that stuff. It just has to be in the right hands, and if they are interested in the service, they will call when they think they need it.

[humble1]

hey humble 1,are you just sending out those for advertising or are they letters to your last year customers to resign up this year.I send letters to my customers from last year saynig we appreciated their business in 07 as we do in 08 and we will go ahead and sign you up to receive the same services as last year.That leaves it up to them to tell me they dont want treatments this year and we go back in on the yards in spring unless we hear otherwise.How do you do it?


They are for new accounts targeted at million plus dollar homes, 250k plus income confirmed address in most cases.

I wonder how you will make out with that auto resign, i would watch it, if you had to go to court. To have a contract you have to have a meeting of the minds. They have to agree to a service for a price and a time frame. You dont have 2 of the three criteria. You have no timeframe as your service cant carry over unless they previously agreed to those terms. If you show up without an agreement to a price you miss that one too.

[LIBERTYLANDSCAPING]

Well, I'm getting some insight into the lack of response... At least from the ones the direct mail company sent out. (The ones I personally sent out have been the only resonse I have gotten)

The postcards the direct mail company sent out targeting people who fit these criteria:

1) In homes above $175,000
2)Confirmed address

I have been getting TONS of postcards returned to me that people had moved. These mostly have been addressed to people living in trailer parks, and in the ghetto;) I recieved one today that was addressed to a friend of mine at an adress he moved from 4 years ago!

Be carefull of who you trust with your advertising dollar....:cry:

Glad I didn't send anymore;)

[GreenN'Clean]

Most people are cutting out lawn services this year due to the mortgage melt down and high rise of prices on gas,food,mortgage and there going to be cutting out a lot of services and sorry to say but lawn service is one of them.... My brother just called a lot of his old clients and over half said they didn't need his services because they were going to do there own lawns to save money.... And to all these people thinking because someone has a huge house worth money can afford to pay for lawn services think again... Most of them got into those big homes on teaser rates and now there using credit cards to help pay there mortgages.. Its going to be a bumpy ride this year...

[naughty62]

Most people are cutting out lawn services this year due to the mortgage melt down and high rise of prices on gas,food,mortgage and there going to be cutting out a lot of services and sorry to say but lawn service is one of them.... My brother just called a lot of his old clients and over half said they didn't need his services because they were going to do there own lawns to save money.... And to all these people thinking because someone has a huge house worth money can afford to pay for lawn services think again... Most of them got into those big homes on teaser rates and now there using credit cards to help pay there mortgages.. Its going to be a bumpy ride this year...

Yep!, a lot of small business owners asleep at the wheel.Some people can not read the writing on the wall.Fill up your car,go to grocery store,then hit a few local shops and see who is taking these week end part time jobs.There's a lot of simple common sense indicators right in front of our eyes.giant gas sucking monsters lining car lots ,more scrubs buying new push mowers.go to an couple auction sales .The gov, financial analysts,economists,tell us the cost of duing business has gone up or cost of is living is gone up 3-5% in the last year. Where in hell do they get their stats.more like 30% . This bushel for a barrel mentality is not helping either.L.O.L.

[Dunlaps LawnCare]

we got are own adresses and mailed them out are self's cost more. 500 mailed and 500 filers and hardley any calls

[ATVracer]

we got are own adresses and mailed them out are self's cost more. 500 mailed and 500 filers and hardley any calls


If your flyers had the same spelling and puntcuation as what you typed here, it isn't hard to figure out why you're not getting any calls.

[humble1]

Yeah that sounds about right. I'd say 995 of those are in the trash by now. Hopefully someone calls you, but not likely if its been a week.

actually 997 are in the trash, i have only had 3 calls one of which hasnt returned my message. so 2 estimates done. Return on investment zero.

[humble1]

Well, I'm getting some insight into the lack of response... At least from the ones the direct mail company sent out. (The ones I personally sent out have been the only resonse I have gotten)

The postcards the direct mail company sent out targeting people who fit these criteria:

1) In homes above $175,000
2)Confirmed address

I have been getting TONS of postcards returned to me that people had moved. These mostly have been addressed to people living in trailer parks, and in the ghetto;) I recieved one today that was addressed to a friend of mine at an adress he moved from 4 years ago!


Be carefull of who you trust with your advertising dollar....:cry:

Glad I didn't send anymore;)

can you pm me who you used?

[humble1]

If your flyers had the same spelling and puntcuation as what you typed here, it isn't hard to figure out why you're not getting any calls.

ouch :laugh::laugh:

[Dunlaps LawnCare]

wife did them

[bigw]

I think your weathe is affecting you, dont give up hope you will get calls when you least expect it. My cards have come through big time but i have also advertised in other ways too.

[Atlantic Lawn]

Advertising is such an intangible until it pays off, keep at it, just don't blow your entire seasons budget in the spring.

[Frank Fescue]

we got are own adresses and mailed them out are self's cost more. 500 mailed and 500 filers and hardley any calls

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Our you having good success since this point? :laugh:

[GreenN'Clean]

Yep!, a lot of small business owners asleep at the wheel.Some people can not read the writing on the wall.Fill up your car,go to grocery store,then hit a few local shops and see who is taking these week end part time jobs.There's a lot of simple common sense indicators right in front of our eyes.giant gas sucking monsters lining car lots ,more scrubs buying new push mowers.go to an couple auction sales .The gov, financial analysts,economists,tell us the cost of duing business has gone up or cost of is living is gone up 3-5% in the last year. Where in hell do they get their stats.more like 30% . This bushel for a barrel mentality is not helping either.L.O.L.

I see other businesses going out of business this year as well as lawn care. A bakery who has been in business for over 30 years closed there doors because of the cost of wheat raising like it has the past 6 months. They said they couldn't keep up with the demand because they had to place there orders a week in advance just to get there order because wheat has gotten scarce. Farmers have stopped growing wheat and all turned to corn to deal with the ethanol to run cars because there making more profit from that then wheat.. The Owner of the bakery said he is a larger sized business and everyone thought he could make it but he said the cost of everything has put him from making a profit into loosing money and pulling money out of his own pocket to try to make it and said he had to close up... I drove around this weekend and I noticed so many stores that have closed and many more who say there going out of business and all along this big eared Moron of a president keeps telling people that were not in a recession? What friggin planet is this guy on because I seen it with my own eyes this past weekend. I also seen a lot of people at the home depot buying up push mowers left and right and I spoke to a few and they said there cutting out there lawn service and doing it themselves to save money. I see things getting worse before they will get better. Bumpy ass ride this year thanks to George Worthless Bush

[humble1]

I see other businesses going out of business this year as well as lawn care. A bakery who has been in business for over 30 years closed there doors because of the cost of wheat raising like it has the past 6 months. They said they couldn't keep up with the demand because they had to place there orders a week in advance just to get there order because wheat has gotten scarce. Farmers have stopped growing wheat and all turned to corn to deal with the ethanol to run cars because there making more profit from that then wheat.. The Owner of the bakery said he is a larger sized business and everyone thought he could make it but he said the cost of everything has put him from making a profit into loosing money and pulling money out of his own pocket to try to make it and said he had to close up... I drove around this weekend and I noticed so many stores that have closed and many more who say there going out of business and all along this big eared Moron of a president keeps telling people that were not in a recession? What friggin planet is this guy on because I seen it with my own eyes this past weekend. I also seen a lot of people at the home depot buying up push mowers left and right and I spoke to a few and they said there cutting out there lawn service and doing it themselves to save money. I see things getting worse before they will get better. Bumpy ass ride this year thanks to George Worthless Bush

America is the only country that would consider turning our food ino something we could burn, makes no sense to me, but seeing you are a raging democrat you can actually write a thankyou letter to jimmy carter, you see your facts are wrong its his fault not bushes, wait i can back it up. You see there hasnt been a new oil refinery built in the USA since carter put all his enviromental crap into law this makes the cost per gallon thru the roof, some of his enviromental protection was also including making it off limits to drill in some of our federal forest, anwar, off the coast. We have more oil in this country than in the middle east. I would drill right thru a cariboos head if my gas would be cheaper.

[LIBERTYLANDSCAPING]

America is the only country that would consider turning our food ino something we could burn, makes no sense to me, but seeing you are a raging democrat you can actually write a thankyou letter to jimmy carter, you see your facts are wrong its his fault not bushes, wait i can back it up. You see there hasnt been a new oil refinery built in the USA since carter put all his enviromental crap into law this makes the cost per gallon thru the roof, some of his enviromental protection was also including making it off limits to drill in some of our federal forest, anwar, off the coast. We have more oil in this country than in the middle east. I would drill right thru a cariboos head if my gas would be cheaper.

:clapping::clapping::clapping: Amen brother!

[Rayholio]

Bush hasn't exactly been my knight in shining armor.. but I love how 9 times outta 10, the only evidence of his failure is that 'he looks, acts, or is stupid' LOL gimmie a break.. and if you think that there's anyone better running (even including those that allready lost) than you're diluted. They're all the same guys.. democrats, republicans.. they're all sailing us down the same river.

[Russ]

if you think that there's anyone better running (even including those that allready lost) than you're diluted. They're all the same guys.. democrats, republicans.. they're all sailing us down the same river. I could not agree more.

[humble1]

I wasnt saying there were any great choices, i was pointing out the original trouble child that has caused a great propblem in this country. I wonder as i read thru the threads would we be in this economic mess if gas was cheaper, i know my $6-700 a month oil bill wouldnt be so hard to write if we were more self sufficient. Drill oil here, refine it here, keep the profits here. In regards to the election i was watching something on the history channel. It seems that they tracked presidential campaigns back to Lincoln. They found that the winner of EVERY SINGLE election was directly related tohow much they spent in their campaign. So who ever spends the most got the win. Thats what is so sad about elections, because the best canidate for the country might not have the most money.

[humble1]

Yeah I got another 2 phonecalls from my first round, i think ill wait till next week and mail out a few more thousand.

[Russ]

I wasnt saying there were any great choices, i was pointing out the original trouble child that has caused a great propblem . most money. I think you could go back a little further to LBJ to find the problem child. His "Great Society" began the social entitlement programs that plague our nation. If the government views the price of fuel as having a significant impact on the economy, I wonder why they haven't coincided the state and federal taxes on fuel???????

[Rayholio]

The degrigation of our governement started the moment people discovered that they could vote themselfs into less responsibilities.. and the moment that polititions discovered that their higher level votes could be sold. Which was not too long after our union started.

By design, our government will fail. The founding fathers called this the great experiment.. and they also believed that government needed drastic changes every so often so that the people could retain their power..

so in my opinion, our government started its death the day it was born... just like us.

[redbuckcavs]

I had 4000 inserts in yesterdays newspaper. woiuld you believe the stuck my inserts INSIDE a Home dEPOT INSERT (Im sure nobody noticed mine)

[Atlantic Lawn]

Bein' in the HD insert is not a total loss, people do read those and most could be your target customer.

[bflower]

while plowing 6 inches of snow on saturday i found it comical to hear ashton richey of the wonderful scotts company preaching to go pick up a bag of halts and get it down this weekend! Yeah, i lost a couple hundred marketing dollars compared to their millions, but all those radio ads comforted me knowing i wasnt the only one losing due to the unpredictable ohio weather.

[mikesturf]

I see other businesses going out of business this year as well as lawn care. A bakery who has been in business for over 30 years closed there doors because of the cost of wheat raising like it has the past 6 months. They said they couldn't keep up with the demand because they had to place there orders a week in advance just to get there order because wheat has gotten scarce. Farmers have stopped growing wheat and all turned to corn to deal with the ethanol to run cars because there making more profit from that then wheat.. The Owner of the bakery said he is a larger sized business and everyone thought he could make it but he said the cost of everything has put him from making a profit into loosing money and pulling money out of his own pocket to try to make it and said he had to close up... I drove around this weekend and I noticed so many stores that have closed and many more who say there going out of business and all along this big eared Moron of a president keeps telling people that were not in a recession? What friggin planet is this guy on because I seen it with my own eyes this past weekend. I also seen a lot of people at the home depot buying up push mowers left and right and I spoke to a few and they said there cutting out there lawn service and doing it themselves to save money. I see things getting worse before they will get better. Bumpy ass ride this year thanks to George Worthless Bush

It was probably "George Worthless Bush" that took all of Humble 1's postcards out of the prospective customer's mailboxes.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

lets keep this thread non political now, shouldn't we?

[Rayholio]

LOL Too late for that!

[humble1]

hey humble 1,are you just sending out those for advertising or are they letters to your last year customers to resign up this year.I send letters to my customers from last year saynig we appreciated their business in 07 as we do in 08 and we will go ahead and sign you up to receive the same services as last year.That leaves it up to them to tell me they dont want treatments this year and we go back in on the yards in spring unless we hear otherwise.How do you do it?

4x6 postcards full color with $20 off this and that specials etc.

[humble1]

It was probably "George Worthless Bush" that took all of Humble 1's postcards out of the prospective customer's mailboxes.

Dont forget that how important change is and if you ask a supporter of obama why they are going to vote for him, its because of that exact change that you mentioned prior. You see Bush took em, while Hillary was taking sniper fire on the tarmac, and chelsey was returning cover fire so they could run off the airfield while dragging 7 wounded marines to safety. But when questioned she mispoke, no no she was lying.

[humble1]

oh got one more call and closed 2 new ones signed on so, lets see im up to like 5 or 6 out of the first 1000 6/10th of a percent return. Hopefully it will get warm soon.

[ArizPestWeed]

I'm having 50K printed right now , I'll let you know how it works out