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Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

The Business Process From Cleaning to Growth

jcstomper · Jan 14, 2013

our plan went and still goes like this:

not telling in a public forum there is a few local competitors that do not post on here, but i do know they are members...

but you can message me for details.. we did over our goal this year and were really happy witht the results.

-- Edited by jcstomper on Monday 14th of January 2013 07:32:26 PM

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

Last year about this time, I was reading until my eyes started to bleed, on how to actually clean a roof. I have never heard of, or done it before. After this past season I finished just shy of my first year goal, but I learned how to clean a shingle roof with moss, lichen and algae. I also expanded to cleaning siding, gutters and some pressure washing. So far this off season I have been working with Keith on some new things. I am looking to develop a sure fire marketing campaign for my 2nd year of business. I did market last year, but was I wasting money on advertising that didn't work sure, but I was learning. I wanted to thank everyone who has helped get my business off the ground. But now I would like to take it a step further and become profecient in my marketing campaign not just in cleaning roofs.

Currently I want to setup a process like this

1. EDDM Postcard

2.Yard Sign (after the roof has been cleaned)

3. Door Hangers on 20 houses in the area

4. Door to Door with IPad with demonstration and videos ( Approx within 1 week of door hangers)

5. Local newspaper week advertising.

6. Referral program

I would like to have a TV commercial for the prime times Spring and mother's day. Also I would not do a Radio Ad, I didn't really see the return.

If anyone has hired a marketer, what roles/responsibilities do they play?

To a prosperous new year,

Dan

Liberty SoftWash · Jan 15, 2013

I did EDDM they sucked
We are throwing them this yr
Yard signs we are putting about 500 everywhere and at house
Never did door hanger
Some people don't like door to door salesmen
We did great with newspaper

Guest

We had a really good return on eddm and with rock flyers. Yard signs also helped but internet is king. What is everyone doing about there Google places page? Did you get it back and if you did what did you do?

Liberty SoftWash · Jan 15, 2013

I went to my google + page and reverified it and they sent another pin code, when I got it and put it in I was back on the next day!

Liberty SoftWash · Jan 15, 2013

You need any help with web site call me.

Mr Maintenance · Jan 15, 2013

Dan I did 5000 eddm cards and not one call. I forced myself to do door hangers and I wont do them ever again. Internet and local papers got me all of my buisness. I will try some new things and try to think outside of my comfort zone.

Liberty SoftWash · Jan 15, 2013

Throwing post cards seems to work the best for me, I got 10 off one post card thar we threw. We did the whole family and some friends.

waxman18324 · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute Of America

Dan,

As you know, I have continued our newspaper advertising through winter in an effort to generate awareness and business. I can say without reservation that it has been successful, as we have lined up work for the spring down in the Slate Belt and parts of the Lehigh Valley.

Like you, I will be doing EDDM in the gated/secured communities up here, as it is the only way to get the word to these homeowners. Most of these communities only have a central mailbox (es) at their clubhouse. Contractors caught doing rock flyers will be arrested for trespassing. We will also advertise in their HOA newspaper or website. We will provide free demos and lecture to the HOA membership if requested.

We will continue with our rock flyer program, to accessible homes, as it has paid dividends in the past.

Yes, I am finally going to shoot the lock off my wallet and get a website done by the Divas.

We use various forms of signage at key intersections, where my friends own businesses, to generate awareness/business.

I am joining Business Network International, which will allow me one on one access to our most successful business and property owners. In addition, I am joining the local chamber of commerce.

The bottom line is I am going to be hitting the consumers from every side. Most individuals have to see your ad several times before they act on it. As Sy Syms said, “An educated consumer is our best customer".

Hank (A saint I aint, a star I are)

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Hank, we get a pretty far amount Of business from HOA newsletters!

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

Brian why such a bad experience with door hangers? My above list is in order for a reason. I believe randomly putting door hangers won't do much work. BUT if you can clean a home in the neighborhood, but a yard sign out. Get the customer to recognize the sign. Then allow them to see your door hanger. Then do a little door to door. By the time you get to the door, they have seen your EDDM, they have seen your sign, they have seen your truck and now they see your beautiful face, how could they say no? I am trying to develop a step by step system not just forms of advertising.

Liberty SoftWash · Jan 15, 2013

We are doing two shows next month, I love them. We get so much work from them, I take my iPad and give a price right there and we sign a contract.

-- Edited by Roof Cleaning By A&E on Tuesday 15th of January 2013 11:43:50 AM

Mr Maintenance · Jan 15, 2013

Apex Roof Cleaning wrote:
Brian why such a bad experience with door hangers? My above list is in order for a reason. I believe randomly putting door hangers won't do much work. BUT if you can clean a home in the neighborhood, but a yard sign out. Get the customer to recognize the sign. Then allow them to see your door hanger. Then do a little door to door. By the time you get to the door, they have seen your EDDM, they have seen your sign, they have seen your truck and now they see your beautiful face, how could they say no? I am trying to develop a step by step system not just forms of advertising.

Dan not sure why I had such a bad experience with the door hangers. I'm not a pushy person and I don't come across as an aggressive or arrogant person. But I did this twice and both times I had a negative experience. I cleaned a roof for a customer next to a detached condo area, so I figured I would go park my truck n trailer in the condo place and walk the property doing the door hangers. Well I had one woman track me down as I was walking and give me the door hangers back and said she didn't want it and to not leave it on her door again. In the same property I had a guy tell me to move my truck n trailer or he would call to have it towed. Truckn n trailer was parked in the visitor parking an was not in the way of anyone or anything. A few days later I swallowed my pride and stepped outside my comfort zone and after cleaning a roof in a beautiful area of homes and they were a group of dead end roads with only one road to get out. I put my lawn signs out after I was finished and I grabbed a handful of door hangers and off I went. On the 1st road I was walking up a driveway and the homeowner was outside and he met me halfway up his driveway, He instantly said what ever I was selling he wasn't interested and to get off his property. I finished the road to feel like I didnt quit but I will never do it again. It is not worth the aggravation. But I suggest you try it because you may get a different result.

MJ · Jan 15, 2013

We have put out over 250 door hangers over the last year, we had one call from it for gutter protection when the owner went to our website. It was kind of like, I know I'm over fat and I need to loose weight, mind your own business. I don't get it, if I had a fever blister the size of a penny on my lip and somebody came up to me and said try putting this on it I would consider it, one time we sent a mailer out to a HO that had a bad case of stains and he called and said, well, you know I got them or you would not have sent me a card, how much? 750 k house, I think we bid it at 899, less 100 and he told me to never contact him again. We get about 1-2% from direct mail, our direct mail is targeted to only homes that have visible roof stains, we don't do the mass bulk mailings. Personally, I don't like people on my property around my front door and I get tired of picking stuff off my mailbox.

When a HO calls from the internet, we quote them, if they call us back in 4-5 days, we book 90% of them, if we call them to follow up, we get about 60%. Our insight is that if they call back, they want it and are ready.

The most motivated property owners should be the homes that are for sale and we find those owners difficult to sell sometimes. Put logic in the crapper and flush. We spend little time trying to figure people out, we do spend a lot of time try to figure the market out.

We do well at home improvement shows. Last year we bid about 120 k from shows leads. We hope for more HO insurance cancellation letters, that gets HO's off dead center.

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

All great points MJ, I haven't done any shows yet, maybe this is something I should look to incorporate. Also I'm glad you brought up the insurance cancellation letters. I may spend the next few months calling Home Inspectors and insurance companies. And I totally agree about flushing logic down the drain.

@Brian
Some people just suck, but there are two sides to every coin. There are some completely miserable people out there, then again you have some people who offer us food and beverages while we are on the job and are so grateful once their roof has been cleaned. I had a woman call me an angel because I plowed her driveway for $40. I have tough skin and I do my best to focus on the positive.

For you EDDM guys, when did you release your flyers? I think this is very important.

candrinsulation · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

I did eddm 5000 not 1 phone call. not 1 job..

Mr Maintenance · Jan 15, 2013

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Door Hangers....
I built my business in the beginning on Door Hangers. I was so broke, I really couldn't afford anything else. They were the tool that helped us to get the ball rolling. Now, when things get slow, I have the crews drop 30 or so in whatever neighborhood they are in.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

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