doorhangers vs. direct mail

[kalyeah]

Can anyone tell me there response rate for doorhangers vs. direct mail. I've done the doorhangers with pretty good success, but hate having to walk all over town. I know the direct mail costs more. I'm just wondering if it gets better results, or if the results are about the same. Thanks in advance.

[drsogr]

I found that direct mail seemed to work better for me. I would imagine it would depend mostly on the area you are in and such. I hated handing out doorhangers...in fact I have about 4000 in my closet. If you do direct mailing look on the USPS website. There are ways that you can get that 37 cent stamp down to about 12 cents.

[walker-talker]

There are ways that you can get that 37 cent stamp down to about 12 cents. 12 cents is pretty damn cheap!!! In the spring I mail out 5000 postcards and it cost me .20 cents and I thought that was good....normally .23 if its a postcard measuring 4.25" x 6". I have actually had a better respose rate with doorhangers. I hate walking also, so I paid some guys to do it for me. Next year I will probably have my nieces and nephews help me out or check into hiring the boyscouts. I am also checking into flyers inserted into neighborhood newsletters.

When comparing expenses....5000 postcards cost me about $1000 where I can send 15,000 flyers for about $600 or so.

[drsogr]

There are a bunch of hoops that you have to jump through to get down to 12 cents..but its worth it. The USPS website has a whole page dedicated to this stuff.

Discount Mail USPS (http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm200/discount.htm)

[Team Gopher]

Hi Walker-Talker,

Next year I will probably have my nieces and nephews help me out or check into hiring the boyscouts.

That is a good idea with the boyscouts. Or even maybe a local little league team in return for you sponsoring their team? If you make this happen let us know.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

I think I will look in to that this spring we bought 5000 stamps at once and my god does that get expencive.

[drsogr]

I hope you got the pre-licked ones....that could turn into an episode of seinfield if you didn't!

[walker-talker]

I think I will look in to that this spring we bought 5000 stamps at once and my god does that get expencive.
No doubt. As forementioned, that .20 cents included the print of the postage on the postcard as well as the target name and address on the postcard...it was all part of the package. It would of cost me more to have the mailing address lables, the purchase of the stamps and not to mention the tremendous amout of time that it would take to apply all those lables and stamps.....that would take hours!!!

[Frontier-Lawn]

here y i like direct mail, say you want to work in a certain area in say on Any street, in any town. just go down the street and write down the first and last # of the street and send them out addressed to current resident. thats how i plan to do it or do a property tax look up on the street name and bam you got names and addresess http://sarasotataxcollector.governmax.com/collectmax/collect30.asp

[Mark McC]

I see a lot of good suggestions on this page, but I'd like to pose a question. Would you get more calls if you sent mailers to 5,000 homes or two mailers each to 2,500 homes?

I have no idea if two mailers to 2,500 homes would do me better than one mailer to 5,000 homes, but it occurs to me that it might. Same cost, in most cases, I hope. Does anyone have any idea what the response numbers work out like?

Also, we might bear in mind that mailers backed by flyers might garner some pretty impressive numbers.

[walker-talker]

Would you get more calls if you sent mailers to 5,000 homes or two mailers each to 2,500 homes?That's a good question. I went to a seminar on marketing that was sponsored by the local SBA. This guy that had been in marketing for 25-30 years said you will have much better response if you hit the same person 3 or more times rather than just once. This year I am going to insert flyers in neighborhood association newsletters. The flyers are going to doubles sided, full color and glossy. I am going to hit 5000 homes three times each. I hope I have a beter ROI than the 5000 postcards that I sent out in the spring.

[drsogr]

That's a good question. I went to a seminar on marketing that was sponsored by the local SBA. This guy that had been in marketing for 25-30 years said you will have much better response if you hit the same person 3 or more times rather than just once. This year I am going to insert flyers in neighborhood association newsletters. The flyers are going to doubles sided, full color and glossy. I am going to hit 5000 homes three times each. I hope I have a beter ROI than the 5000 postcards that I sent out in the spring.

I would think if nothing else hitting it 3 times would get you name recognition. If I got mail from someone 3 times I would at least recognize the name when I was throwing it away the 3rd time. And then when I was looking for that service, I would look through the phone book and notice that name. Just a thought. Or if I was actually looking for that service at that time, it would make me think that they really want my business. I think if you were to send it three time, I would go with 3 different offers or specials...maybe one of them would entice me enough to call.

BTW I have heard of neighborhood association newsletters, but have never seen them...how do you even get in one of them, and is the cost reasonable?

[walker-talker]

BTW I have heard of neighborhood association newsletters, but have never seen them...how do you even get in one of them, and is the cost reasonable?I actually get one here. There is one guy that advertises in it year round and usually goes with larger ads in the spring. He has a flyer insert, but is usually on color paper with black ink. So I think a full color, glossy ad should get some business. He would not advertise in this newsletter year round for the last 3 years if it hasn't been working for him. As far as finding the newsletters, it's not all that easy. Like I said, one is from my neighborhood, another was found floating in a lawn I service....the others are ones that other people told me about.

On top of hitting them 3 times with the flyers, I am planning on hitting the same homes with a doorhanger and some...around 500 or so, I am going to mail a postcard to....for those 500 that receive a postcard...that will be a total of 5 times I hit them...so that has to make an impression.

As far as prices...yes..I feel they are reasonable. The newsletter that hit 600-700 households will cost me $50...the ones with 1700-2000 households run around $75. I have figured the 15,000 flyers, hitting 5000 homes 3X is cost about $2K and that includes the design of flyer. If I am going to spend this kind of money, I am willing to pay $175 for the design by a professional. The doorhangers and postcards will cost me around $900 for everything. I am hoping to pick up at least 20 mowing customers and would be happy with the same amount of chep app customers. I am sure I will at least that in one-time service customers.

We'll see!!!

[drsogr]

Well I hope it work out for you. I am sure it couldn't hurt. From what I have seen it seems you have tried every method possible, and you do it all in a professional manner. Good luck to you.