[Emil Dinev]

Happy New Year all

I am intrigued to hear what others are doing in terms of keeping in touch with existing customers.
I have been doing email newsletter for the last couple of years with follow up call 2 days later.
But this doesn't seem to bring in much work. Moreover, since I started using Milchimp for my email communication, I actually realized that only 25% of all emails per shot get opened 
So now bit the bullet and printing off over 200 newsletters, quite costly though

What's everybody else doing?
Also if you gone the paper newsletter route do you print them yourself or are you using service like Mail Boxes Etc.?

Please do share....
All replies much appreciated!

Emil

[John Kelly]

Monthly for carpet cleaning customers is too frequent. They'll just switch off after a couple. Needs to be 6 or 12 monthly. Do you have a programme like cleaners mate which will organise all this for you.

[Richard Cole]

What sort of return are you getting off the printed ones?

John's right monthly is too frequent, better would be every three, six or twelve months.

[Mike Halliday]

Becci swan on here charges £16 an hr (I think) for £64 she could ring every one  of your customers,  this is the same cost as 130 stamps.

 if you have your customers numbers on a data base to send her then it a no brainer

She is doing 8hrs for me next week cold calling business , from talking to her on the phone she  comes across as very knowledgeable about telephone canvassing

[COLIN BRIGHT]

i used to do monthly but actually got complaints that it was too often, i find twice a year works better with a good response

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mike has a valid point at 50p a stamp it's getting ridiculous.

Shaun

[Neil Jones]

I would be interested to know how it works for you Mike.
info@absolutecleaner.co.uk

[Emil Dinev]

John, yes I use CleanersMate. Advise taken about 6-12 month frequency.
I just started with the printed ones so have nothing to share on return, but will do later on.
Mike, thanks for your comments, I would too be interested to know how you get on with Becci Swan.

Thanks all for your input

Emil

[Hilton]

Newsletters are very important if not the most important part of your marketing if done correctly,however done poorly its a waste of time and effort and just devalues your business.

I have seen so many very poor CC newsletters that frankly are embarrassing and by the way I would not consider a 6 monthly but especially 12 monthly worthy of the name newsletter, its just to big a gap, Quarterly is the very minimum IMO.

And printed every time not email which are just deleted.

[Emil Dinev]

Hilton, I have been thinking of going the paper route. In fact, I printed and mailed around 250 pieces in January but just the thought of the effort i put in makes me sick  It could be quite costly too if you have a couple of thousand names on your database. In this regard would you cherry pick who gets your newsletter on certain criteria or would you sent out to all?
Can you email me a copy of your recent newsletter?

Cheers
Emil

[Kev Loomes]

Emil

Why don't you just use a company to do your A3 newsletters (print, put an insert offer in, postage, envelope and send off)? They can do it cheaper than what you can do it for.

What benefit is this? You don't have to do it, so saves you about 2 days, and saves you money.

Or if you want o go A4 (not as effective as A3) then upload your data to docmail.

[Mike Halliday]

Even when stamps were cheaper newsletters were the worst ROI thing I ever did. The amount of time it took designing, printing, putting in envelopes was never worth it compared to anything else I did.

I would persevere with mailchimp if they are not getting opened then experiment with different headlines.

But if you are following up with a phone call 2 days later then forget even sending the email just say... " hi it's Emil your carpet cleaner, what did you think of the special offer I put on your email newsletter this week?"

[garry22]

I agree with Kev (as usual). Design something and then outsource it to someone else.

Just a note about frequency. There were some test results published a while back that showed there was a percentage loss of customers for every month that a company did NOT contact them (remember, you do not need to try and sell them anything).

Here's a question. Are we so arrogant or naive to assume that we are the only cleaning company to be contacting our customers?

Whilst we are pontificating about staying in regular contact with them, someone else is doing just that.

[Kev Loomes]

Spot on as usual Garry! Lol

The last part in bold is what I have been saying for years and is so right. Then there's the added issue of the client WANTING to contact the cleaning company, but has lost their details - and so contact someone else.

So a double wammy of of how easy it is to lose clients.

Just going back slightly, it really depends on what is IN the newsletter i.e. If it's anything about cleaning then you may just aswell throw your money down the drain.

[Emil Dinev]

Kevin,

I thought it's not worth it using a company for 300 letters in terms of savings I'll make, or am I wrong? To be honest though, what really puts me off is the possibility of another carpet cleaner getting my clients details through the printing company What's your thoughts on this guys?

Mike, would you actually allocate time for phoning over 200-300 clients quarterly?

[Mike Halliday]

Emil I don't understand your question??? You said you call them 2 days later so you already allocate the time to call them plus how much time would you allocate to design print and send a newsletter.

[Emil Dinev]

Sorry Mike, I didn't read the whole thread as it's an old one,  only read the new replies
I would only call a portion of the whole bunch selected by various criteria. I can't make time for the whole lot, I'm afraid.
But yeah your right about the time needed to put the whole thing together, it's dreadful
Has anyone used a company to do the whole process for you? What was your experience?

Cheers
Emil

[garry22]

You have to look at newsletters and telephone calls as two separate entities. It's not a case of one being cheaper than the other; they have different functions.

From the customers' point of view, there is a subtle difference in psychology involved. Can you see it?

[Kev Loomes]

Emil

Even if the cost was the same for 300 (which it isnt) then wouldn't the 3 or 4hrs of not having to do it be worth something to you?

I understand what your saying about your clients details being given to someone else - but thats the risk you take. That could drive you mad just thinking about it. But don't forget the printing company have to treat your data confidentially - otherwise they could be at risk under data protection. Plus you get them to agree that they must not use your data for themselves or anyone else.

[Mike Halliday]

You have to look at newsletters and telephone calls as two separate entities. It's not a case of one being cheaper than the other; they have different functions.

From the customers' point of view, there is a subtle difference in psychology involved. Can you see it?

the main difference between the 2  ( IMO) is a telephone is unique to the customer and is adaptive, a newsletter might be more subtle but it is too general as it has to be relevant to every customer.

I would think people would think that a phone call is obtrusive but if the message is relevant and important to the recipient then it could be a very welcome call.

if Emil is comfortable to call customers ( which is a rare attribute) I would not even consider newsletters