[Ajpick]

Hi,
Do any of you use customer reminder letters. What I mean is a letter saying along the lines of "your carpets where cleaned x months ago do you want them cleaning again" (but worded better!)

If so are the successfull, and does any on have one I could take a look at?

Kind Regards

[Colin Day]

Hi,
Do any of you use customer reminder letters. What I mean is a letter saying along the lines of "your carpets where cleaned x months ago do you want them cleaning again" (but worded better!)

If so are the successfull, and does any on have one I could take a look at?

Kind Regards

There is another way.... PM me....

[Kev Loomes]

Letters are an excellent way of comunicating with your existing clients - but so are newsletters, postcards, magnets etc. It seems that you are clearly aware of the importance of doing this to retain the clients that who you have worked hard to get - and dont want to lose to your competitors through their own marketing material. And quite right too.

Its critical that the content isnt bashing them over the head to 'buy' though and should really be more about things they are interested in. This keeps their attention, and then by simply inserting an 'offer' seperately will pay big dividends in the end (this is for newsletters).

Slightly off topic:- Its always easy to presume that because you did such a wonderful job for a client that they will keep your number forever - and never use anyone else. The sad fact is that clients lose your contact information - and genuinly forget who you are called! They want to use you but because they cant find you - do the next best thing and try to find you on the internet or YP etc. They end up not finding you and then like the look of someone else and book them instead - afterall, they have no choice.

But why make it hard for them? or lose them? Constant contact is pretty much the same importance as gaining new clients, otherwise its money left on the table. And dont forget the other referrals you'll keep getting too from your existing clients - so it all has a knock on effect.

Anyway, I'll see if I have something you could peek at.

Cheers

Kev

[Linda - Payatrader]

You could build a customer database and send them offers by email.
That would save you the cost of postage etc.

[Kev Loomes]

I agree with Linda.

E mail marketing has it uses with especially with any good customer database program worth its salt - but so does traditional marketing material. Ok it costs more but the response rate is higher, as people tend to 'junk mail' e mails they cant be bothered to read or if it clutters up ther inbox.

Cheers

Kev

[Ian Gourlay]

I find that people are reluctant to give email addresses as they live in fear of spam and virus infection.

And it can happen about a year ago a hacker got into one my accountants and sent out an email telling eveyyone what wonderful results I have had with Viagra.  As it went to some top draw people in the area I found it very embarrassing. Another friend had a similar instance and they sent out emails saying he had been mugged in Spain  had no money and would I wire him funds . Fourtantley I was I able to check his whereabouts ie he was at home.

[Allan Simmons]

Hi Ian,

There is a very subtle way to collect emails in a very soft way which defuses that issue AND is a massive marketing opportunity.

We use email confirmations for both quotes and jobs.  When we add a quote booking into the diary on our system we can directly from the diary in just a few clicks use the built in email editor to send a fully mailmerged email with their name, date of appointment, time of appointment, what they have asked us to quote for and who will be quoting.  We can choose which email copy to send and send one specifically related to what the client has enquired about AND that email contains links back to the website, those links are to custom landing pages where we can measure how many people are looking at those pages.

Asking for the email address becomes a natural part of the process and is rarely refused.  We just say "That's great Mr Gourlay, we're booked for This Friday afternoon the 2nd MArch, Can I just send you an email to confirm that, what is your email address please..."  TA DA!  very few refuse.

This has done several things, firstly easily collected an email address, secondly added a level of professionalism very few others do, thirdly sent an email which sells your service (which means when you turn up to do the quote they are already asking for the protector or healthy home option so no selling required) and thirdly you can monitor what people are looking at so can see what potential clients think is important, not what we think they want to know about.

We do the same when a job is booked, send an mailmerged email direct from the system, this email is targeted at what they have and haven't booked from what we have quoted.  So, for example if they have only booked clean only we can include a short scentence to suggest they look at the benefits of protector, and again a link to a custom landing page on the website with the benifits explained.  We get people call in later to say they have looked at the website and would like to add the protector please.  If they have booked the protector, we include a link about the stain warranty if they buy a spot remover, and the perfect care program.  If they haven't booked everything we can send an email with an offer to add the other items if they act quickly.  You can have allthese set up as templates just to click to choose the one you want.  Targeteted NICHE marketing is where it's at, gone are the days of bog standard mailings / and bulk generic emails.

If no job is booked we send a mailmerged targeted email confirming the details of the quote.  Our system allows us to track why the client may not have booked the quote and choose an email which addresses those possible concerns.  So if it's price the email talks about value etc and we include links to the website where we've posted specific comments from clients about value for money, worth every penny etc etc.  Again very targeted.  We get people call and comment on that is what swung the decission, it was a bit more than they expected but have decided to give us a try.

Letters do have their place, it's about a good marketing mix.  I'll see if I can attach or upload a sample of our time specific letter.

Al.

[Linda - Payatrader]

You can also ask for payment by email with an embedded link that the customer clicks to pay you.

As it's relevant to the thread, I think I'm safe to mention that the Payatrader card acceptance service includes a facility where you can build a customer database and send payment requests for work undertaken. When it's received the customer just clicks the link to pay by card. This is useful for regular customers or to save the time & expense of invoicing. And, I suspect its quicker than waiting for cheques to arrive in the post!

Anyway you've given me an idea now & I'm going to ask our IT dept whether this payment request service can be subtly extended to include offer emails too!

Best

Linda

[Allan Simmons]

Linda, can you call me on 01405 813665 or 07870 230 761 as I'd like to discuss how we "integrate" your system into our database marketing system.

Allan.

[Ian Gourlay]

Thanks Al

I remember you mentioning it when I failed to fire walk just outside Peter borough

Do you have a separate computer for enquirers, as it seems to take my wife hours to come out of what she is doing I then get impatient and start throwing pens around etc.And thinking yet another laptop could be the answer

I am long term sick at present with Cancer so having time in between treatments to think.

[Allan Simmons]

Hi,
Do any of you use customer reminder letters. What I mean is a letter saying along the lines of "your carpets where cleaned x months ago do you want them cleaning again" (but worded better!)

If so are the successfull, and does any on have one I could take a look at?

Kind Regards

Here's a sample of the sort of thing we do.  I can't upload the file but the text is below...

What we do is have the offer headline on the "above the fold" bit of the letter at the top.  Whatever offer you want, 3 for 2, BOGOF Clean and Protect, Free Spotter, whatever. then the body of the letter is, in our system, very targeted to what they have previously have done and talks about that but also mentions other services we offer.  To make it a bit more generic for you if you don't have that ability you could try something like below, which tries to take what we have found to be the best "triggers" and makes them more generic.  It also needs to be season specific...


Dear «NameTitle» «NameLast»,

Last time we visited you was «LastJobDate», about a year ago!  Can you believe it, doesn’t time fly!  

Having your carpets and upholstery properly maintained keeps soiling and staining under control, but did you know it also contributes to better indoor air quality?  When we professionally clean your carpets and upholstery with our patented carbonating technology we don’t just restore that fresh cleaned look.  We also remove many of those allergens that build up over the winter.  These allergens can give you headaches, stuffy noses, colds or sinus troubles.  The FREE sanitiser with this offer even kills the Swine Flu and MRSA viruses that may be lurking around, so it’s great if you have asthma or allergies.  The key to keeping your home as beautiful and healthy as possible is regular maintenance.  Many of our clients have their furnishings cleaned annually, which is why we're sending you this reminder now.

Now is a great time to freshen up your home for spring and remove those nasty allergens. You can save money as you don’t need to replace your furnishings.  Let us refresh them for less, in fact a fraction of the cost of replacing them.  Many of our clients tell us the item “looked like new after cleaning”, would your furnishings benefit from freshening up again?  Please take a look now.

Your information and cleaning history is at our fingertips, so calling now to book your cleaning or a quote will only take few minutes.  The above offer is only valid on work done before the end of April.  So please call us now on 01234 567765 and be sure to mention that you qualify for the special discounts mentioned above.  Please, for your carpet and upholstery's sake, call us now so you don't misplace this letter and miss out on the offer!  We’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for your past custom, we look forward to serving you again,


Joe Bloggs
Owner.
P.S.  Remember, ALL our work is backed by our NO QUIBBLE, 100% satisfaction guarantee.  If you’re not happy please tell us, and if we can’t correct it we’ll refund every penny, NO QUIBBLE.  Call us now.


Now there is a VERY powerful line in this letter...

"Many of our clients have their furnishings cleaned annually, which is why we're sending you this reminder now."

This is the "like me" line. People want to be considered "normal", which means this line suggests it is NORMAL to have your carpets cleaned every year, so I should get my carpets cleaned too as that is normal.

I can hear the "But what if..." comments, bare with me...

This line is different in every letter based on when the last job date was!  So...

If it's two years since you went the line is "Many of our clients have their furnishings cleaned every couple of years, which.."

It it's three it's "Many of our clients chose to have their furnishings every two to three years, which..."  NOW, the key to this one is the subtle push that it's not only due BUT almost OVERDUE as "normal" people have theirs done every TWO to three years and YOU'VE left it nearly three.

If it's four it's "As discussed above, carpets really need cleaning before they show the dirt and many clients leave it longer than they realise is neccessary, which..."  WHAT this does is say, we know you don't know it needs cleaning and we don't blame you for that but now we've told you you ought to call us now.

If it's five years it's "Many of our clients leave it as long as four or five years between cleans, which... "  This is the same as 3 years, a subtle it's overdue.

This line is commented on by so many people it is untrue.

Anyway, hope the long read was worth it and it's of some use.

Al.

Ooops, forgot to mention. Also on the Above the fold" bit put an offer in there, in the side mrgin alongside the address on the RHS something like "First 25 people to call will also get a free spot remover" or something like that, that triggers the urgency to call t be one of the first 25.  If you can o it using a copy Doodle or handwritten font all the better.

[Allan Simmons]

Thanks Al

I remember you mentioning it when I failed to fire walk just outside Peter borough

Do you have a separate computer for enquirers, as it seems to take my wife hours to come out of what she is doing I then get impatient and start throwing pens around etc.And thinking yet another laptop could be the answer

I am long term sick at present with Cancer so having time in between treatments to think.

Hi Ian

I wasn't sure from the picture if we'd met before.  As you know the firewalk was an amazing day even if you didn't firewalk, we took a lot of little ideas away and implimented as many as we could.  It's never ending.

Sorry to hear you're not well and hope treatment is going good.

You can DRASTICALLY cut your advertising spend by Targeted NICHE marketing just like this.  It drives p the conversion rate, the average job value, the repeat buying pattern and so much more.

Al.

[Allan Simmons]

I forgot to mention what you also need to be doing is asking EVERY client on your questionnaire...
 
"When would you like us to remind you o have the item cleaned again?  6 / 12/ 18 / 24 months?  Delete as applicable.

Then record this in your systems somewhere / somehow.  Set up some sort of filter to find these and then mailshot this when it's due.  The conversion rate on that letter is 40-70% and can be higher if you do a telesales follow up call.  This is a standard feature in our system and prt of the Daily Marketing automatically generated, but you don't need our system to do this anyone can do it, even if all you do is write it manually in your future diary that you need to send reminder letter to Mr Johnson DN1 2TF, then when you see it in future just look on whatever record system you have and send the letter.

This also adds massive VALUE to your business as you can show a potential purchaser that you have X hundred people who ave all asked you to write and remind them.

Gotta have systems or you do leave money on the table, or don't even get to sit at the table!

I'm sure it will have been recommended a thousand time on here before but one read of Michael Gerber's E-Myth makes you realise you're just doing it, doing it, doing it without systems.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

You're very generous with your information Allan - top man !

[Allan Simmons]

Hey, what goes around comes around Steve.  I've picked up stuff off her in the past, and will do in future too.   If I can possibly suggest something which possibly helps others (as these are only my opinions from my experiences after all) then great.  I am very fortunate that we've grown the business to where I only need to focus on marketing, and that is my passion.  I am a member of many marketing groups and forums and try to apply what I learn in other industries to ours.  It's the old saying, "some will work, some won't work, So what, next idea!"  or "Try, monitor, Tweak, Try again, monitor, tweak or stop, Start again."

Al.

[Linda - Payatrader]

Hi Allen,

I will ask our IT expert to call you in the morning, Mike. He is the best person to talk to as he designed Payatrader!

Best Linda

[Allan Simmons]

I'm out of the office and unavailable 'til after 2:00 Linda.  If he calls my mobile after that it would be appreciated.  I met Mike at The Carpet Cleaners carnival but I don't think you had that feature available then.

Al.