Direct mail... Successful Failure???

10 years ago

We don't know who rec'd this, you say it was "given to"...whom? how? why?

The response was great, if you intended a laugh fest.

TOTAL fail for leads.

Humor is hard to get right, 99% of the Direct Response solicitations should avoid it.

Also, we don't know what the offer was.

It appears to be a cute and clever effort without any salesmanship to it.

gjabiz

Originally Posted by DaveTheSinister

I am just curious to see what others think of this flyer I put together for a lawn care service. The response was great. Most if not all found it quite amusing and I was told that all of the people it was given to would laugh and spark up conversation for the client passing them out. But here is the rub, not one single lead was produced from it.

I no longer work with the client and am in no immediate rush to try and come up with solutions, but I am very curious what some more experienced marketers would believe the issue was regarding the lack of follow up.

http://i61.tinypic.com/4ut0l4.png

Thanks in advance for your time
D

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1 reply

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DaveTheSinister

10 years ago

Originally Posted by gjabiz

We don't know who rec'd this, you say it was "given to"...whom? how? why?

The response was great, if you intended a laugh fest.

TOTAL fail for leads.

Humor is hard to get right, 99% of the Direct Response solicitations should avoid it.

Also, we don't know what the offer was.

It appears to be a cute and clever effort without any salesmanship to it.

gjabiz

Forgive me, fairly new to exactly how the forum works, was meant to have a second picture.

These were postcards and the other side is also contained at the bottom of the door hanger in this post. I wasnt involved with the passing out of the postcards and door hangers. So I cant be sure the specific groups targeted. Truth be told, I believe even with the postcards the client went door to door himself.

On the otherside:

I went with humor because of other local and small businesses. Figured if that was the approach others were using, it must be successful.

Your last comment struck a cord though. You are right, there is nothing for the intended customer to want to call.

Thanks for that!
D

Thanks
2 replies

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DABK

10 years ago

Now that you added the other side:
the reasons given are not powerful: everybody does free estimates, competitive pricing is meaningless (I'll give you x at $50 less than whatever offer you got last week).
Flexible scheduling? It's lawn care, I don't have to be home. You come in, you leave a little yellow flag on my front lawn every time you come. If my lawn looks good, I don't need to ever see you do your thing.

Power washing too takes away from the rest.
There were a couple of posts last year about flyers for lawn maintenance. Ewanmack posted images of a really good postcard. Look that up (it's psot 24 or 42 in this thread:http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...-critique.html).

Originally Posted by DaveTheSinister

Forgive me, fairly new to exactly how the forum works, was meant to have a second picture.

These were postcards and the other side is also contained at the bottom of the door hanger in this post. I wasnt involved with the passing out of the postcards and door hangers. So I cant be sure the specific groups targeted. Truth be told, I believe even with the postcards the client went door to door himself.

On the otherside:

I went with humor because of other local and small businesses. Figured if that was the approach others were using, it must be successful.

Your last comment struck a cord though. You are right, there is nothing for the intended customer to want to call.

Thanks for that!
D

[ 2 ] Thanks

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Claude Whitacre 10 years ago

Originally Posted by DaveTheSinister

I went with humor because of other local and small businesses. Figured if that was the approach others were using, it must be successful.

Dave;

You'll learn that most business owners have no idea how to advertise effectively. Humor is the default position.

Nearly every intelligent person, creating an ad...makes this mistake. Humor feels like it should get results. But if it's taking the place of a good offer, it's a mistake.

If you create an ad (or flyer) and show it around, and they say, "My, that's very clever"....you are not getting the right result. "Clever" doesn't translate into buying. You want people saying, "Can I really get this?".

I can't tell you how many thousands of dollars, and years of wasted advertising, it took me to learn this.
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- savidge4 10 years ago
  
  if you use the words "I speak Spanish" in a piece... I believe it should be said in Spanish no?
  
  There is a "Rule" in visual design that helps in ensuring the message you want seen is in the correct place to see. Not so much the words of the message but the message as a whole. here is an article to explain that better: Proportion, Golden Ratio and Rule of Thirds
  
  when you use terms like "Gotcha" you want to make sure they are in context to what you are saying. would you really say "lawn I got you overheated"? or "lawn I understand you overheated"? The term really doesn't fit the need in this case. it sounds and feels forced.
  
  I really didn't find the piece humorous. well I did, but not in the manor you were hoping. An image of the Grim Reaper asking if doing the lawn is killing you may have been funny... Goes to show that often funny is not so universal. whats funny to you, may not be funny to others.
  
  The best part here is you tried, you got paid, and you lost the client probably for life... but you live and learn and move on.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Success is an ACT not an idea
  
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  marciayudkin 10 years ago
  
  Hi Dave,
  
  If you want to be successful in marketing, you have to adjust your criteria.
  
  The response was great.
  
  But here is the rub, not one single lead was produced from it.
  
  Actually, the response was abysmal! It literally couldn't have been worse.
  
  If you are doing stand-up comedy, laughs are the response you want.
  
  If you are doing marketing, the only response that counts is people taking action because of what you created - i.e. inquiries or sales.
  
  All best,
  Marcia Yudkin
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
  
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DABK

10 years ago

Just because I hate taking care of the lawn doesn't mean I'm in a position to hire a landscaping company or that I want to.

If I was in the position (and wanted) to hire a landscaper, why would I choose you? Your postcard doesn't give any reason.

To the west of where I live, people don't hire landscapers because they're tired of cutting the grass themselves, they do it because they have better things to do with their time. If they work, they make more per hour than it costs to get the best landscaper to take care of it.

To the east of where I live, not too far, there are people who could afford a landscaper now but could not have done so a year or two ago... Your ad, with proper copy, would work on some of them.

And in my neighborhood, we have landscaped lawns because wives want more symmetry and more of the manicured look than most husbands can deliver by themselves.

Originally Posted by DaveTheSinister

I am just curious to see what others think of this flyer I put together for a lawn care service. The response was great. Most if not all found it quite amusing and I was told that all of the people it was given to would laugh and spark up conversation for the client passing them out. But here is the rub, not one single lead was produced from it.

I no longer work with the client and am in no immediate rush to try and come up with solutions, but I am very curious what some more experienced marketers would believe the issue was regarding the lack of follow up.

http://i61.tinypic.com/4ut0l4.png

Thanks in advance for your time
D

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

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DaveTheSinister 10 years ago

Originally Posted by DABK

Just because I hate taking care of the lawn doesn't mean I'm in a position to hire a landscaping company or that I want to.

Truth! I guess it was my lack of selling the benefit on this one.

Thanks for taking the time to reply and help give me some perspective!
D
- Thanks
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Freebiequeen1999

10 years ago

It depends.....I think there should have been a call to action

a popular air conditioning ad where I live - south Florida
where air con is important and imperative - has been the same for years...."Your wife is hot"....

you see their ads everywhere...and some twists and copy cats..at one point they were in a big lawsuit with a rival company over this

Thanks
1 reply

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DaveTheSinister

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Freebiequeen1999

It depends.....I think there should have been a call to action

a popular air conditioning ad where I live - south Florida
where air con is important and imperative - has been the same for years...."Your wife is hot"....

you see their ads everywhere...and some twists and copy cats..at one point they were in a big lawsuit with a rival company over this

Lol, Air Around the Clock. I know a couple people who work for them. Amazing sales team in that company.

You are totally correct. No call to action. I cant believe just how much it was staring me in the face! Well, it was a great learning experience.

D

Thanks

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Barry Unruh

10 years ago

Dave,

Here is another suggestion you might want for the future.

If possible, produce at least two flyers with differing messages. Test and see which one gets the most response...

You can split test flyers almost as easily as split testing online ads.

Keep the best, replace the worst, keep testing..

You just need to make sure your client understands that is what you are doing, and WHY it is a good idea.

In your case, you could have tested your funny ad against a serious flyer listing benefits. You would have quickly known which one made the phone ring.

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clockface

10 years ago

I can't understand why you think humour would swing the decision?

I liike facts only. No B*S*, no hype, no humour needed. Just give me your offer, and if i want it i'll contact you. It's as simple as that really.

Thanks
2 replies

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DaveTheSinister

10 years ago

Originally Posted by clockface

I can't understand why you think humour would swing the decision?

I liike facts only. No B*S*, no hype, no humour needed. Just give me your offer, and if i want it i'll contact you. It's as simple as that really.

Well, after competitive research I saw a lot of lawcare companies using humor. If it works for them why wouldnt it work for me? I see where you are coming from, but I have found humor to be very endearing and usually helps a prospect to be more willing to lend an ear. The issue was following up the humor with a USP that would separate the clients business and force action.

As Les Brown says: You have to fail your way to success.

One more "no" down, getting closer to that "yes!"

Thanks for the input
D

Thanks
1 reply

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misterme 10 years ago

Originally Posted by DaveTheSinister

Well, after competitive research I saw a lot of lawcare companies using humor. If it works for them why wouldnt it work for me?
D

Because the humor's not the effective ingredient in the mix for them, if at all, as you found out.
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- DaveTheSinister 10 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by misterme
  
  Because the humor's not the effective ingredient in the mix for them, if at all, as you found out.
  
  Very true, guess it was one lesson I had to learn the hard way
  
  Thanks
  
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Freebiequeen1999

10 years ago

Originally Posted by clockface

I can't understand why you think humour would swing the decision?

I liike facts only. No B*S*, no hype, no humor needed. Just give me your offer, and if i want it i'll contact you. It's as simple as that really.

Since he is in South Florida...so am I....humor might work

One thing I have seen is ...a lot of the generic "lead sites" simply do not work here

I "fixed" a local landscape company website because someone (elsewhere) made them a nice wordpress site with generic stock landscape pics...but...we do not have splitlevel brick houses here...pine trees....big apple trees...hills....the pictures looked like Pennsylvania LOL

I have seen "generic" biz sites...but people here do NOT wear suits and ties, long sleeves, womens suits with white shirts ....they just don't. Maybe for a funeral, or a court hearing. You don't see brick, heavy old wood, the "law library" look....you just don't see it
Stock photos often look "weird" for ads here.

You have to know your market. I know of cafe that (closed) had a cool site - very Brooklyn Hipster - Seattle grunge....Parralax site - grey, grainy....dismal....hipster looking....except...we don't have gray days, old gray buildings....people like to sit in the sunshine under bright umbrellas or chill in the air conditioning inside
'
The site looked cool but I think the whole "image" ...and even the food was wrong for here. It was located near the cruiseports....convention area....people come down from the cold or gray days they don't want to choose gray cafe....LOL. As for locals...it was like ..what?

Think Global...Act Local

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Freebiequeen1999

10 years ago

LOL....se habla yes should insert a nice little graphic there complete with the accent mark

very popular here - (no I don't speak Spanish)

Thanks
1 reply

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DABK 10 years ago

And make sure it's 'se habla' not 'hablamos.' I don't speak Spanish, either.

Originally Posted by Freebiequeen1999

LOL....se habla yes should insert a nice little graphic there complete with the accent mark

very popular here - (no I don't speak Spanish)
- Thanks
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PennyBurgess

10 years ago

There is no true failure in direct response world, just buying more valuable data, there are people who just drop 5 figures to test the waters!

Thanks

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Rickeydt

10 years ago

I stress the use of craigslist considering the success I and others I know have had with it either selling something, testing a market or idea. I recommend creating a few small classifieds and post them in the free sections under services offered and see which one gets the best response... you could use a unique discount code on each to see track results. Take the highest converting ad try testing in a few more places online and if the conversions are good online it is likely to convert high offline. You can even use newspaper classifieds which can be really cost effective and highly profitable... just test online to minimize financial risk and you can tap into a pool of potential customers for free or at low cost, then take it offline.

Note: A mix of on/offline is always a good idea
Just as well as free and paid ads

Hope that helps

Thanks

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Direct mail... Successful Failure???

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