Marketing... ad size vs quantity

[bcg]

Yellow Pages are a waste, nobody uses them anymore.

On things where prices are fixed, always put prices in your ads, it weeds out the price shoppers for you and will get people to call you over the guy that doesn't give a price. People like to know what to expect.

Repetition is more important than quantity (as long as you're targeting a good area). When we do direct mail, we'll hit the same area 3 to 4 times, just a couple of weeks apart. You'd think response rates would go down like this but actually, they go up for mailings 2 and 3 then level back off for mailing 4. Fair warning though, unless you've timed a mailing with unbelievable precision, you're going to measure response in x per thousand. We usually get anywhere from 2 - 5 per thousand (or .2 to .5 percent) sold response on mailings.

I've had very limited success with magazine ads, even when doing them for 4 to 6 months. I think those are something you need to be in for years and just be something that people see all the time for them to be effective.

[Mike Leary]

No one, yet, has accused you of being a low baller, so back off a tad. Have you ever winterized, do you own a compressor, are you familiar with backflow preventors in basements?

[Wet_Boots]

Y pages are only important as a sort of imprimatur of your pro status (and if you really are named aaron a. aardvark, they will bring in enough service to justify the expense for a smallest listing)

[Mike Leary]

I had a Y page listing, very small, for years, and as Boots described, just as a imprimatur. I did get some work, service, from it, but mostly tire-kickers.

[FIMCO-MEISTER]

Depressing is seeing clicks per posting on internet ads. At least you only pay when clicked on. My last email campaign got 13.1% opens which I understand isn't that bad. Frankly I hate doing email campaigns. I'd rather just mail a card.

[FIMCO-MEISTER]

Does anybody get emails from these people? They just pound away.
http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe631...7d610278721673

How can they state this with any real honesty? Its the old trick of using an odd digit one point less than the next ten to seem accurate.

Using the proven WeatherTRAK water-saving technologies, Jelly Belly Candy Company will reduce outdoor water use by 29%.

[BD79]

I don't have an ad in YP because of all the recomendations against it. My brother in law, that I used worked for, said that he had good response from these magazines and none from YP. I do have a compressor (2005 Sullair) and have winterized before and have never encountered a backflow in a basement. I've been in the business for 10 years on and off, so they must not be that common here.

What are you guy's paying for these targeted ads? Spending thousands to pick up a few dollars in winterizations doesn't sound like a wise investment. Now in the spring where I can make it back in repairs is another story.

[Mike Leary]

Winterize is not just winterize; it's the time to inspect every head for flow-by, clogged nozzles and leakage, plus air has a nice habit of exposing broken laterals, etc. A properly done winterize will give you lots of winter/spring service work. Buy a remote if you're serious.

[BD79]

That is a very good point Mike, but I do want / need to pull in some revenue for this year.

[Mike Leary]

Good for you, let us know how it works out.