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Roof Cleaning Severna Park MD · guest

Potential client angered by baggy/rock/postcard combination.

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

How about marshmallows instead of rocks? LOL. Soft washing and soft advertising.....
hmm... might that work?

That call stinks Phil.

Kim R

Roof Cleaning Cleveland (216) 323-0552 · Nov 23, 2010

Seems like a good way to cover ground fast. To me it's littering; but if it works I could change my mind. How many do you normally pass out? How much work does it generate? If that is your only complaint and you've passed out thousands I wouldn't worry too much.

Roof Cleaning Severna Park MD · guest

I've probably gotten out 750 (I try to do at least 125 whenever delivering) or so and had 1 complaint and one customer said it was weird (but called and got his roof cleaned anyway). Others who called and became customers did not mind. I'm able to get them out at least 5 times faster, honestly. I just wonder how many people are ticked off and aren't actually calling to yell at me.

Good call, Kim! It would hurt the distance with the marshmallows, though! :)

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Some people are just angry people and dealing with them will involve nothing but pain. Consider it a blessing that you identified this person before you began work doing any work for him.

Guest

ACE wrote:

Seems like a good way to cover ground fast. To me it's littering; but if it works I could change my mind. How many do you normally pass out? How much work does it generate? If that is your only complaint and you've passed out thousands I wouldn't worry too much.

I'm with Bob / ACE, primarily because of the area I'm in. (A lengthy and 'animated' thread on this topic is somewhere on the other side. I searched briefly but couldn't find it.)

Phil, I think the only way to know if that approach is causing one to miss out on potential clients, is to do some case studies, tracking calls and lead sources.

I'm not suggesting that one approach is right and another is wrong (lots of ways to skin that cat as I begin to say over and over). Being a new company, I'm trying to combine hunter sales with farmer sales tactics. If I were to carpet bomb the McMansion subdivisions with gravels bags and torque the owners off, I may never reel them in as clients.

Plus I attempt to present this unique service as high end and charge accordingly

(One in a while I even feel a bit guilty about it!)

If one person called to gripe, I wonder how many mumbled and grumbled under their breath as they bent over to pick it up and chuck it in the garbage? Not judging by any means.

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

The problem is that you will NEVER know how many of them MIGHT have been future customers. Chances are you probably would have never even hit him with any other kind of advertisement so he never would have known you existed or that this service was available. Also, he won't remember in 6 months which company he got the flyer from, but at least now he knows it can be done. And if you're company is easily found online, IF he is ever to be a roof cleaning client and looks to get it done, he will find you.

There are 2 functions of the rock flyers. 1. To get business now. 2. To educate the populace for future sales.

We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

Guest

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

The problem is that you will NEVER know how many of them MIGHT have been future customers. Chances are you probably would have never even hit him with any other kind of advertisement so he never would have known you existed or that this service was available. Also, he won't remember in 6 months which company he got the flyer from, but at least now he knows it can be done. And if you're company is easily found online, IF he is ever to be a roof cleaning client and looks to get it done, he will find you.

There are 2 functions of the rock flyers. 1. To get business now. 2. To educate the populace for future sales.

We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

Very good points Scott. Looks like I need to do some experimenting this Spring.

Roof Cleaning Cleveland (216) 323-0552 · Nov 23, 2010

Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

The problem is that you will NEVER know how many of them MIGHT have been future customers. Chances are you probably would have never even hit him with any other kind of advertisement so he never would have known you existed or that this service was available. Also, he won't remember in 6 months which company he got the flyer from, but at least now he knows it can be done. And if you're company is easily found online, IF he is ever to be a roof cleaning client and looks to get it done, he will find you.

There are 2 functions of the rock flyers. 1. To get business now. 2. To educate the populace for future sales.

We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

Very good points Scott. Looks like I need to do some experimenting this Spring.

I may give it a shot as well. Thanks guys!

Nov 23, 2010

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

The problem is that you will NEVER know how many of them MIGHT have been future customers. Chances are you probably would have never even hit him with any other kind of advertisement so he never would have known you existed or that this service was available. Also, he won't remember in 6 months which company he got the flyer from, but at least now he knows it can be done. And if you're company is easily found online, IF he is ever to be a roof cleaning client and looks to get it done, he will find you.

There are 2 functions of the rock flyers. 1. To get business now. 2. To educate the populace for future sales.

We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

Excellent Scott, congrats on 3 times the business in Nov. compared to last year.

Like AC told us in Tampa, it might take 30 flyers, but it works.

Roof Cleaning Katy Texas (281) 392-2304 · Nov 23, 2010

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:
We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

I have not thrown any rock flyers yet as most upscale gated neighborhoods in my neighborhood will ban you if you do for littering...

My sales this November are way up from last year. I attribute it to the economy.

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

It may be Marcus, but a lot of our sales were from the rock flyers.

Ugly Shingles LLC · Nov 23, 2010

Big or Small I hit them all....

-- Edited by Ugly Shingles on Tuesday 23rd of November 2010 11:23:42 PM

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Bob
Where are you getting your post cards at, $125.00 is a better number than I just paid for. I got hit for 1000 cards @ $120.00 argg..
KIM R

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 · Roof Cleaning Institute of America Premium Member/MODERATOR

After 33 years in the remodeling business I find there are 3 different groups of customers/clients. The ones like the guy you mention that want to do nothing but complain and if you did the job he would have found something wrong, even if you didn't get close to it. The next group are the ones who don't say a word but at the end, want something for nothing and finally, the great people who are happy for the service. Fortunately, the latter group prevails! In my younger years I would do work for people like that and it ALWAYS came back to bite me. I learned to say I'm booked or anything to get me out. He did you a favor because working for him would have cost you money.

Fliers take longer but I get to meet people and answer their questions. I got one this week by walking. That was good pay for 1 1/2 hours of exercise! Out to walk some more today. The weather gurus say we will have above average temps this winter with swings into the 60's!

Off The Top Roof Cleaning · Guest

I plan on employing the same method. I have my rocks ready! I'm just gonna aim low as to not hit any cars or windows!

Roof Cleaning Severna Park MD · guest

Good info in here guys..

Also, I hear you loud and clear about the exercise!

Ugly Shingles LLC · Nov 24, 2010

Presidential Pressure Washing wrote:

Bob
Where are you getting your post cards at, $125.00 is a better number than I just paid for. I got hit for 1000 cards @ $120.00 argg..
KIM R

We ordered them from GotPrint 2 sided UV coated...

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Thanks Bob

gutterdog · Nov 24, 2010

ACE wrote:

Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

The problem is that you will NEVER know how many of them MIGHT have been future customers. Chances are you probably would have never even hit him with any other kind of advertisement so he never would have known you existed or that this service was available. Also, he won't remember in 6 months which company he got the flyer from, but at least now he knows it can be done. And if you're company is easily found online, IF he is ever to be a roof cleaning client and looks to get it done, he will find you.

There are 2 functions of the rock flyers. 1. To get business now. 2. To educate the populace for future sales.

We did 3 times the business this november that we did in November last year. A lot of that attributed to the rock flyers.

Very good points Scott. Looks like I need to do some experimenting this Spring.

I may give it a shot as well. Thanks guys!

Yea I may try it next spring as well! The flyer will be a brochure. One that can double in a portfolio!!

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"