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The question is, if you’ve advertised in the YPA before, did it get you results that justify it being run? If you get an ad in for $2k and it brings in $20k of business then it’s worth it. Consider the lifetime value of a client in accounting. Even a $5k ad that brings in $5k worth of work is easy to justify when you remember how many years you keep that customer.
Also, with everyone getting out of the yellowpages, competition is less and this could well work to your advantage.
Up0Have they proven that the money was transferred incorrectly? Of do you know for sure it was?
Otherwise, how do you know?
If not, you can’t trust they’re telling the truth, and if they can’t prove it (which is THEIR job, not yours since they made the mistake) then they’re unlikely to launch legal action over $100.
Up0I ran a campaign last week, and a similar one about 4 months ago.
4 months ago I was getting clicks for 53c. Now they’re $4.50. I cut the limit back to 60c and I’m getting very few clicks. So I know what you mean.
Up0Hey there Erik,
Just wanted to throw my suggestions in, just in case you throw in the towel (I’ve seen your threads on your bad customer service experience).
Anyway, I’ll confirm what we already know.
Your strategy appears to be lower fees and higher service. This means your target audience must be high end rentals, because you wouldn’t be able to have the margin otherwise. It also means you can afford to offer a higher, more proactive service.
This being the case, you are best to develop a list of all investment property owners who own properties in expensive suburbs. This is difficult, and the only way might be to get a list of people who live in these suburbs and own investment properties, working on the (perhaps flawed) assumption that they may own property close by. Or at least, assuming that people without much money can’t afford these types of investment properties.
I do get mail at times from a real estate agent who wants to manage a specific property of mine, so maybe you know a way to get this info.
Then write them a letter offering them something of value. I suggest a Suburb Report on that suburb, or something on managing the challenges that come with being the landlord of a very large house. The report would be a sales letter of sorts to sell your services. Or it could be a checklist on how to make sure your tenants don’t ruin your investment. It plays to the fear angle of the tenant from hell, but this language wouldn’t work int his market.
Once they respond, start sending them things on a regular basis, particularly anything from the media that might be relevant. I’d keep an eye on anything to do with high end rentals, bad tenants in high end properties or even structural problems with larger and older houses. Send them audio interviews that you do (with transcripts), personal letters, even stories from your own clients.
Another approach might be an audit of their rental property. Go through everything from the correct rent to be charging, and all the things most property managers miss on high end properties (like dumb waiters for example, the management systems for large pools or the operational status of their security system etc). These challenges are unique to large properties. It is worth testing whether you should charge for this to make sure you’re targeting serious players only but I suspect not.
Present the report in a nice format. NOT EMAIL. Bound in an expensive folder, and include a gift of some sort with it. Include in it your offer, and a sales letter merged in with the audit results so you can promote why you are the best company to deal with these types of issues. You could also do a deal with a building inspector who understands the value of doing an inspection for free if there’s a good chance they get some work from it.
The biggest challenge is finding the information about the owners.
Hugh
Up0Deep breath Erik…
In their defense the mods and owners of this forum probably have better things to do with their time and money than be dragged into a legal s&*t fight.
They probably want to spend more time on building the site, or at home with their kids.
Yeah it probably sucks that they deleted it but getting involved in this kind of stuff is not productive for them. For you, yeah I understand it’s personal and bad customer service SHOULD be rooted out and exposed. But other people won’t want to be dragged down as a result.
Up0Of course, when they go out of business it will be the ECONOMY’S fault!
Up0I was just about to add something to this, but LemonChip has pretty much nailed it.
I totally agree that you are definitely targeting the wrong people. You shouldn’t be trying to convince people that $300 is a good deal.
Besides, it’s not price that’s important. It’s value. People think $300 is too much because they don’t see $300 worth of value. Go looking for how you can add value and then find people who want it.
I think targeting businesses the way LemonChip has suggested is brilliant. You will need to brush up your selling skills however, but when you’re in business you need to develop these anyway. It’s your ability to sell yourself and your services, NOT your technical abilities that will make you or break you.
Hugh
Up0yourvirtualboard, post: 43369 wrote:Also as good as newsletters are I’d be curious as to how many people actually read the whole thing and the more frequently you get one from the same source I think this number will go down – I’m making this point because as you know (or will find out) it takes a bit of time and effort to put a decent newsletter together and this is all time and effort away from other activities that need to be done as soloists or micro businesses.Seriously? Is there any more productive marketing activity as developing a strong relationship with your customers?
yourvirtualboard, post: 43369 wrote:I’ve read that as long as you keep in touch every 90 days people will remember you.Yeah, I’ve read all sorts of rubbish too. I hope you ignored it.
Up0Life Coach, post: 43143 wrote:Will the customer know that?Just a thought
They will know it’s a tagline. It doesn’t answer the question, why buy from you over anyone else, including doing nothing. “Your security is our business” does not tell them why they should do that. It’s just a tagline.
Up0Life Coach, post: 43121 wrote:“Your security is our Business”BUZZ. Sorry David, it’s a tagline, not a USP.
Up0Here’s a thought…
Why not use realestate.com.au to find houses that have just sold, then send them a nice package in the mail offering to move them to their new house?
Giddyup.
Up0Get on the phone and ask the receptionist.
Start with a letter with an irresistable offer, then follow up with a phone call.
And don’t do all at once. Test in small groups because you don’t want to send out something to all 200 which misses the mark.
Up0Sorry Rowan but those aren’t USPs. They’re catchy jingles, nothing more.
A USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. It answers this question:
“Why should someone do business with me, instead of my competitors, or instead of doing nothing at all?”You’ve simply come up and said you’re cheap. But so does every other removalist so instantly you fail the Uniqueness test.
Another point, don’t compete on price. Compete on value. If you think you’re going to make more money by charging less then so will the next removalist, followed by the next one. Pretty soon all you’ll have is an unprofitable business. You have to compete on value. Charge higher prices but give them something they want.
Why not ask your family and friends what they hated most last time they hired a removalist.
Better yet, why not ask the people on here. Then work out how you’re going to avoid doing those things, and tell people.
Hugh
