[John Mart]

Just an update. Directly attributable to Royal Mail we've added 210 new 8 weekly and some 4 weekly customers. We've dropped to date 107,000 leaflets with about 30,000 to go. Return is a slightly disappointing .2% to date though obviously that will get better as time goes on. Total new customers nett for the year is 370 from all efforts. In gross terms that's easily 450+ but I'm not really interested in anything other than nett new customers. Total spend this year is around £15k (leaflets, RM, self employed leafleters) so about £40 a customer or 1.5x a clean.

If nothing else it shows that it is far better value than hiring a canvasser.

My minimum target for the year was 1,500 customers which is three full vans. My hope is 1,700 and we're at 1,573 and we're averaging about 20 new ones a week so not an impossibility by any means.

[paul alan]

Good to hear!

How are you coping with business growth in  general? What problems are you encountering?

[John Mart]

Good to hear!

How are you coping with business growth in  general? What problems are you encountering?

I'm slowly coming to get used to the stress of so many a*******s all at one. Difficult new customers have been my biggest problem.

[Lee Pryor]

In about 1000 customers from now you will be able to employ help in your office, leaving you free to focus on growth. Makes a huge difference from that point on.

[james peters]

my increase this year is only 100 customers so far, but all from leaflets.
each day I have put out just 30 flyers delivered by myself . takes about 20 mins a day.
actual new cleans around 120 but 20 turned out no good ...(either looking for a one off or bad payers etc )
I had a break from leafleting in july and first part of august as I felt like I needed time to fit it all together, but have just started my push again.
I am looking for at least another 100 this second half of the year.
I can see though, that I will get to a point where I will start using royal mail or someone else. At the moment I can only accommodate a steady growth of around 5 a week.
I am not very good with pressure and stress .

[John Mart]

In about 1000 customers from now you will be able to employ help in your office, leaving you free to focus on growth. Makes a huge difference from that point on.

That would be good. 

[John Mart]

I just thought I'd update this. We actually picked up just over 700 new customers in total. That's a gross figure and it does include some one offs. However, the nett growth is 430. So on 1,650 customers we had a churn of around 20%. I'm not sure how that compares with other growing residential businesses? Obviously a one man round when he's full won't get anything like that because his business should be refined and the "messers" gone. In revenue we're up 36% on last year. So although I'm ever so slightly disappointed we didn't have a nett growth of 500 customers, it's still been pretty good.

Our total spend to date on marketing has been just over £14,000 so each customer gained cost us £20ish. Bearing in mind our average job is about £25 can see what a cost effective method leaflets compared to other forms of customer acquisition.

[Lee Pryor]

I just thought I'd update this. We actually picked up just over 700 new customers in total. That's a gross figure and it does include some one offs. However, the nett growth is 430. So on 1,650 customers we had a churn of around 20%. I'm not sure how that compares with other growing residential businesses? Obviously a one man round when he's full won't get anything like that because his business should be refined and the "messers" gone. In revenue we're up 36% on last year. So although I'm ever so slightly disappointed we didn't have a nett growth of 500 customers, it's still been pretty good.

Our total spend to date on marketing has been just over £14,000 so each customer gained cost us £20ish. Bearing in mind our average job is about £25 can see what a cost effective method leaflets compared to other forms of customer acquisition.

Good post

How many leaflets in total did you deliver?

[Slacky]

Good post

How many leaflets in total did you deliver?

He didn't deliver any, he's been lounging around on his arse in lay-bys miles from home, dogging knowing him.

[John Mart]

I just thought I'd update this. We actually picked up just over 700 new customers in total. That's a gross figure and it does include some one offs. However, the nett growth is 430. So on 1,650 customers we had a churn of around 20%. I'm not sure how that compares with other growing residential businesses? Obviously a one man round when he's full won't get anything like that because his business should be refined and the "messers" gone. In revenue we're up 36% on last year. So although I'm ever so slightly disappointed we didn't have a nett growth of 500 customers, it's still been pretty good.

Our total spend to date on marketing has been just over £14,000 so each customer gained cost us £20ish. Bearing in mind our average job is about £25 can see what a cost effective method leaflets compared to other forms of customer acquisition.

Good post

How many leaflets in total did you deliver?

Approximately 200,000. This includes a few subbies as well as RM.

[John Mart]

Good post

How many leaflets in total did you deliver?

He didn't deliver any, he's been lounging around on his arse in lay-bys miles from home, dogging knowing him.

What's wrong with that?

[Crystal-clear]

The first day of our RM campaign started yesterday We've 12,000 going out this week, 11,000 in two weeks and the about 10,000 (not yet booked) two weeks after that. This week's inc VAT was about £900 + the cost of the leaflets. It's a simple flyer targeting regular customers. We've targeted outside of towns, so the codes surrounding Newbury for example where we've got regular deliverers. I'll let you know how we get on.

nice and simple to the point and you had some nice results did rm aviod terrace houses and flats too ?

[John Mart]

The first day of our RM campaign started yesterday We've 12,000 going out this week, 11,000 in two weeks and the about 10,000 (not yet booked) two weeks after that. This week's inc VAT was about £900 + the cost of the leaflets. It's a simple flyer targeting regular customers. We've targeted outside of towns, so the codes surrounding Newbury for example where we've got regular deliverers. I'll let you know how we get on.

nice and simple to the point and you had some nice results did rm aviod terrace houses and flats too ?

No. We'll do both as long as there's all round access.

[Crystal-clear]

would you say leafleting should really start mid April?

[Crystal-clear]

one other thing the leaflet of course doesn't say regular.Im guessing your asking them and going along with what they say.do you only accept Gocardless like your fellow big boy lee or are you not quite yet at that lvl to demand that 

[John Mart]

one other thing the leaflet of course doesn't say regular.Im guessing your asking them and going along with what they say.do you only accept Gocardless like your fellow big boy lee or are you not quite yet at that lvl to demand that 

It’s a regular service only generally although we do 1/2 day one offs.

No, take Gocardless but it’s just one option.

[Crystal-clear]

one other thing the leaflet of course doesn't say regular.Im guessing your asking them and going along with what they say.do you only accept Gocardless like your fellow big boy lee or are you not quite yet at that lvl to demand that 

It’s a regular service only generally although we do 1/2 day one offs.

No, take Gocardless but it’s just one option.

Lovley well done amazing progress what % of those 700 went on gocardless of the top of your head 30%?

also if you spent 10k or whatever it was if you add everything up together including all one offs etc so you can figure it out purely as in and out.End of the day if i was to drop and clean everything then find out whos regular could be good. Say 10k spent 300 cleans for £6k only 4k down but then youll get regs.
leaflets seem pretty exciting   

[John Mart]

one other thing the leaflet of course doesn't say regular.Im guessing your asking them and going along with what they say.do you only accept Gocardless like your fellow big boy lee or are you not quite yet at that lvl to demand that 

It’s a regular service only generally although we do 1/2 day one offs.

No, take Gocardless but it’s just one option.

Lovley well done amazing progress what % of those 700 went on gocardless of the top of your head 30%?

also if you spent 10k or whatever it was if you add everything up together including all one offs etc so you can figure it out purely as in and out.End of the day if i was to drop and clean everything then find out whos regular could be good. Say 10k spent 300 cleans for £6k only 4k down but then youll get regs.
leaflets seem pretty exciting 

Everyone that phones gets told it's a regular service only. They won't all last obviously but that's how it's sold.

Hardly any Gocardless. I don't really push it. I see no benefit overall.

[Crystal-clear]

one other thing the leaflet of course doesn't say regular.Im guessing your asking them and going along with what they say.do you only accept Gocardless like your fellow big boy lee or are you not quite yet at that lvl to demand that 

It’s a regular service only generally although we do 1/2 day one offs.

No, take Gocardless but it’s just one option.

Lovley well done amazing progress what % of those 700 went on gocardless of the top of your head 30%?

also if you spent 10k or whatever it was if you add everything up together including all one offs etc so you can figure it out purely as in and out.End of the day if i was to drop and clean everything then find out whos regular could be good. Say 10k spent 300 cleans for £6k only 4k down but then youll get regs.
leaflets seem pretty exciting 

Everyone that phones gets told it's a regular service only. They won't all last obviously but that's how it's sold.

Hardly any Gocardless. I don't really push it. I see no benefit overall.

nice one although i have to disagree with the gocardless dont you find it a pain cross referencing bacs? text reminders and stuff ?

[Status Check]

When using Royal Mail do they provide any proof of postage? I know this might come across as a strange question with it being the "Royal Mail" but how do you know that they have delivered your leaflets? Do they provide a report?