How I use offline and online marketing for my business.

6 replies
Hi all,
I have been researching and reading the forum for about 2 or so hours a day since I came on board and have to admit there is a lot of info here.
I thought I would add a post about my personal experience with how I use offline and online marketing for my business.

First off, I own a cleaning company in my local area, the funny thing is that with cleaning companies the first 2 or 3 months you really spend alot of money and time on advertising to get your name out there, things like radio, television and a few small little coffe shop weekly's. After I set all of my offline adds up I gave each add a different phone number (to track) and always asked people where they heard of us from. To be honest after spending roughly $3,000.00 I didn't get my money back and I was really disappointed.

I figured that this wasn't working so I got discouraged, shocking right?
Well, I ended up getting a nice evening contract that paid me about $1,100.00 per month after overhead and because I was working nights I totally forgot to cancel my offline adds, you see I was so upset about spending the $3,000 and not at least getting my investment back that I just couldn't justify the ad spend. Man, was I glad I forgot.

I made a typical mistake. I thought that by running one add for a month on several advertising mediums I would become the newest, bestest darned cleaning company out there. WRONG That is a flawed way of thinking:

I am the new guy in town.

Noone has heard of me. (YET)

I have no customers for new customers to call up and confirm we do great work.

I haven't got anything that screams out "Hire Me"

After my third month of advertising and getting 3 rather large contracts and several smaller contracts my phone started to ring regularly, nothing over the top, maybe 3 or 4 calls a day. Which when you are only in business a few months and your only employee other than you is your step daughter, believe me 3 or 4 calls a day is plenty.

I then set up a silly little blogger site (since deleted) and actually got 5 calls from the USA. I was in shock!! What the heck was I getting calls from the USA for? As it turns out, we have alot of business here that have Property Managers located in the States so when they needed a clean up done, we got a call for a quote. Out of the 5 calls I landed 2 jobs. Simple cash for us. Plus we made a couple more friends. Friend in any business is such an important word it is scary.

Once we gained several friends, we now had a way to prove ourselves.
I set up a small pamphlet, cost me about $200.00 bucks, and started going door to door and just putting the pamphlet in mailboxes to businesses, I stay away from house cleaning because that is just a nightmare, in my experience.

The pamphlet had a little bit about who we were, our insurance level, bondability and quotes from friends.

I personally don't like the word "Testimonial" I find it too basic for my business, no offence. When we added the title "Quotes from Friends" which explained how happy they were, we started to get noticed and take on more clients. We were now "proven".

One day a competing company called me up and asked me how busy I was....I got suspicious and replied with "Busy enough, why what's up?" The owner was swamped and needed some help on a big project he didn't have the manpower for and wanted to see if I could and would help him out, I believe that is sort of like a Joint Venture in online marketing or at least similar. So I agreed to help. My step daughter got mad because I was helping the competition. I asked her why she was mad .... Never ever fight your competition, that's not good business. We made a friend, we helped out, that business owner will never forget that. It's a win - win.
Sorry, I am all over the place here.

My point is that when you start out in any business remember :
Success, at least not long term success, does not happen overnight.
You must prove yourself before you start to see real profit.
Always make friends and talk to people, just because one business owner or person doesn't need or want your services, doesn't mean that they don't know someone who does.

Never fight your competition, if you help them out of a jam, you will reap the rewards later. I gaurantee it.

Advertising takes time, you need to get your name out there. It doesn't cost alot of money either, if you are broke print off something from your computer and put up posters or signs, you get the idea.

You can succeed if you are willing to put in the time, effort and education.

Always learn.

People laugh at me when I say I am always learning my business. They are shocked I am learning in the cleaning industry.

There are always new products, new machines, new rules, new laws...etc..etc.

All business changes, all products and rules change.
Keep up to date with the times and always be one step ahead.

I wish us all success.

Thanks for taking the time to read my first post, I hope it added some value or insight.

Warmest Regards.


#business #marketing #offline #online
  • Profile picture of the author SendCards
    Some good lessons here for everyone. Thanks for posting.

    Cheers!

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Seantrepreneur
    Great post!

    Joint Ventures are one of the best ways to really get started as a new business. If you can aline yourself with a respected business you will instantly be looked at as respected as well.
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    • Profile picture of the author NorthernCanadian
      Thanks Seantrepreneur,

      The funny thing is that at the time, I wasn't even aware of the term Joint Venture. I just remembered an old rule my father always taught us growing up:

      "People always remember when you help them"

      It amazes me how Karma works!
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  • Profile picture of the author limecellular
    Great post. The emphasis on Friends in business is compelling and touches the heart. We all need Friends, and especially in business to help us out when tough times surface or peak over the horizon.

    It's good to build a network of support because no matter what at times, we all need help.

    It's good to communicate if and when you can not just to maintain contact and keep the lines open, but as a constant exercise of your ability to do so, not just when you have to, but when you have an impulse or an idea that can only gain traction with its relay and the feedback associated.

    The more we communicate, the less confusing the world is. Some of us may be annoyed that others are so verbal and may even say, "They never shut up," but the truth of the matter is, somewhere within us lies a jealousy of their ability to put themselves out there.

    Regarding alliances, many of us say, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." With that, for some it is a political move to label others as "friends". For some, and it seems natural to NorthernCanadian, that competitors could be friends and that we all have a symbiotic tendency to help and at the same time to reap something for ourselves. Cohabitation, coexistence, the idea that there is plenty for everyone, this is not often but should be an applied ethic in Business.
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    • Profile picture of the author NorthernCanadian
      What a kind reply limecellular.

      Many good points indeed:

      "It's good to build a network of support because no matter what at times, we all need help."

      So very true, it may be from my network of volunteer work that I do, that compels me to help others.

      "The more we communicate, the less confusing the world is"

      What a wonderful thing it would be, if we all communicated more!

      "Cohabitation, coexistence, the idea that there is plenty for everyone, this is not often but should be an applied ethic in Business. "

      I couldn't agree more.

      Maybe since my community is so small, and we all help each other out, that is why I strongly believe in helping when and where I can, from what I have been reading it is obvious that WF members have the same view.

      Cheers!
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