We talked about the first step for those just starting out in a window cleaning business earlier in the week, but now let’s talk about what you can do with direct mail when you have a little more cash on hand.
You have two options: direct mail postcards or those coupon books/envelopes/packets.
Personally, I never liked RECEIVING the booklets. Maybe its just me, but I always tossed them right in the trash. The one time I got talked into it, not one single person called. Direct mail postcards, on the other hand, always rocked for our window cleaning business. There are a few things to remember, though …
1) Go big or go home. As in, buy the biggest postcards they sell. This used to be 6″ x 9″, but now everyone sends out that size. If you can get it, go for the newer 6″ x 11″ size or larger. Little, old school 3″ x 5″ postcards get lost in the shuffle of junk mail, bills and grocery fliers and end up right in the trash. Your goal is to stand out from the crowd.
2) Full color. Both sides. Enough said.
3) You can buy addresses by zip code, demographics or any combination of factors. We tried that once, and it worked ok. We knew our coverage area really well, though. We lived there; we grew up there. Therefore, we always picked several select subdivisions that we wanted to dominate. You need to decide what’s best for you. Try both ways and see what works.
4) Timing is everything. This is going out third class bulk, which means even though its just going down the street, it can take up to a week to arrive. Try not to have it hit on a holiday; it will just get tossed aside. If you need to, wait.
5) It takes a person 17 times of seeing your flier/postcard/truck/business card before they remember who you are and what you do. SEVENTEEN TIMES! What does this mean to you? Well, it means that you should try to send your direct mail postcard more than once. We took the subdivisions that we wanted each year and mailed to them every two weeks, starting in June. We were always slammed in April and May and waited until later in the season on purpose. Generally, we had a 7-8% rate of response.