Contractor 20/20 gives You Direction on your Marketing an Promotion
For a small sales shortage, ask Contractor 20/20 about many promotion programs. Our lawn sign program and water heater service program can give you an immediate boost in sales. For longer term needs, consider our direct mail solutions. Please note – ultimately, companies that have the best positive top of mind name recognition win the branding battle. In the long term, nothing builds brand (the value people place on your company’s reputation) more cost effectively than the internet, radio and television in most markets. For immediate results nothing beats direct mail. Once you have chosen and tested the best direct mail ad design for your area, there are three factors that affect direct mail results:
1. Targeting – target the age of the homeowner, the age of the home, the value of the home and the lifestyle of the home you choose to mail.
2. Positive top of mind awareness – the more that consumers like your company and know your company before they receive your mailers, the better your response will be.
3. Your average ticket – direct mail is like any other promotion – once you have the lead, it’s your job to maximize the sale.
Note: All direct mail programs net only about 50% of their total result in the first eight weeks after the mailing. The rest of the result will come in over an extended period of time.
Five – Fold Plan:
1. Thank You cards to recent customers – with the right card, the normal sales return is $25 to $50 for every dollar invested.
2. Reminder cards to prior customers – we recommend mailing 20 to 33% of your base each month, except December. Normal sales are $8 to $16 for every dollar invested and you maximize customer retention also.
3. Neighbor mailers – mail the neighbors of your customers one week from the service date. Normal sales are $6 to $10 for every dollar invested. It’s simple – your most likely best new customer lives right next door to your current best customers.
4. Newsletters – they are a great way to build warm feelings and customer retention. While public relations returns are hard to measure, we have been able to get direct results using coupons that have been tested most effective for this medium.
5. General Public Mailings – with very strict targeting and the right mailer, you can expect $3 to $7 for every dollar invested, which is a much better return than most yellow page new customer costs. And, the new customer established from the general public starts the whole cycle where you’ll be using the Thank You cards, the neighbor cards and other mailers, introducing you to a new circle of friends.
Summary:
Using the right cards, letters, and targets, we have been able to achieve success over 80% of the time. Success means that these companies can now grow their businesses as fast as they can staff them, and they can enjoy maximum profits given the correct pricing and cost analysis strategies we also provide.
For each of our five Direct Mail Programs, we have direct mail pieces that are designed and tailored to the kind of people who live in your area. In some areas, glossy colorful cards work better than single-color cards. With minimal testing, we can determine which cards will work best for your area. It has taken us seven years and over four million dollars to perfect this program. In fact, for every successful card we’ve developed, we have endured five failed ones – and all of that experience is just one phone call away.
ELECTRONIC MEDIA PROMOTIONS
Radio, TV, cable advertising and public relations build your company’s positive name recognition. Your company’s positive name recognition affects everything else you do. The seeds of goodwill you plant by building up your name and reputation will make your yellow page, direct mail advertising and referral work prosper.
Nothing is more effective to build company image than radio, television and cable advertising. In most markets, you can reach a consumer on the radio and on TV twenty to thirty times for the same cost as reaching them once by direct mail. But it’s not just all about image. With the right elements your electronic ads can pull direct results also. Even $3 to $5 for every dollar invested, with immediate response, can be tracked to your electronic advertising, given the right message. The right message often utilizes customer testimonials or announcer endorsements. The right message always has a call to action; it gives the reason for the consumer to buy now.
Here’s the key – don’t overpay. You must choose stations and programs that reach the best consumer cost effectively. For all practical purposes, only a professional advertising agency can do this.
In summary: The secret to radio, television and cable advertising success is straight forward. Deliver the right message, to the right target customer, the right number of times, at a price low enough to make a profit, with a target big enough to make a difference, and you’ll have advertising success.
Contact Contractor 20/20 for all your marketing and advertising needs. We can design a personalized program tailored to your needs.
