[paul beckett]

Hi Paul...arhhhhhhhhh you're post now makes real sense...now that you have put a little information into it...now the 15% does tally.

Cheers for the additonal info..

Cheers
Dave

im glad you've noticed, i just hate people thinking im lieing because thats one thing i really hate in life, anybody that lies gets caught out in the end anyway and i think its pretty sad.
there is one thing i have noticed about flyers, is if their just simple ie black and white and no pictures, it seems you get more replies, it might be that they think it looks a cheaper firm and get a better price and probably think its an one man band i suppose, just a thought really, does anyone think the same way.

regards
paul

[Clive McDonald]

Yes paul, my flyers are brilliant, and yet achieve a very poor response so i agree.My flyers go straight in the bin, and your half baked efforts full of spelling mistakes and bad grammer get the calls.

How maddening is that?

What i've had to do recently is staple a more personal message onto the front that is area specific and this has gotten a better response.

However, i do an equally splendiforous visit card that has achieved an enormous response in terms of referrals and additional work from the upper market segment that i aim at.

I think expertise in having worked in windows is a very good selling point for you.

[Londoner]

I have virtually always used leaflets and have no complaints. What we have found is that you tend to get a better sort of customer because they have had to make the effort and phone you.

When you canvass you get people who just say yes to you on the doorstep but either can't really afford it or haven't thought it out properly.

We haven't done much leafletting for a couple of years but are still getting calls from ones we delivered ages ago.

[leapstallbuildings]

When someone comes on here and makes a claim that is well outside of normal parameters then he is going to be taken to task, and should expect to be.
The trick is to find a way to back up and substantiate your claim.

The claim at present is that every time he drops off 100 leaflets he gets at least 15 enquiries, and not just because he has hit a 1 off sweet spot.

If correct then his leaflet must be pretty special don't you think?

So perhaps he could help ease doubters minds by posting a pic of his flyer...that would be a start for sure.

A 15% return is a HUGE claim, ergo I viewed it with more than a little cynicism. If he has achieved such a return then good for him, but for me to believe it I'd need to see something that at least starts to back up the claim.

Oh, and posters....please be careful how you continue the argument, He may not have yet backed up his claim but you can't just call him a liar! (should any of you do so of course!)


Ian

Although 15% may well be possible over a small area where a window cleaner vacated a few months before or perhaps in a new build area that hasn't been touched before, his claim that 15% is normal for him does sound rather inflated.  Of course, it does depend on what message was on the flyer.  Maybe I could get that kind of take up if I had something like "Window cleaning.  £1 per visit".
I've had 15%+ myself before.  I leafletted a street where I already work.  There were about 20 houses and I got 4 enquiries.  Only a small sample though and not typical.

EDITED TO SAY:  I just read the post where Paul states that a much wider range of services are offered.  No doubt this would up the enquiries quite a bit.  Also I note the bit where he says that not EVERY 100 leaflets produce 15 quotes.
Ah well !! I read it that it WAS every hundred leaflets.  Sounds more reasonable with that other info.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Vince I know exactly what your talking about with regards to people calling you from leaflets that you dropped ages ago.
I had someone call me this week from a flyer I had posted in February!
How long do people keep flyers for?

[jonnyald]

iv a very small flier with some holes in it . my hope is that it gets pinned up thru the hole or stuck onto a fridge with a magnet . sometimes i hear this is the case .then not only does it remind people of you,but also visitors will see it . my fliers are about 7 inches x 2 inches

[simon knight]

my fliers are about 7 inches x 1 inches

Show off

[pingu]

Many of us have spent countless hours and days putting out thousands of flyers yet only achieve sub 1% success rate...then when someone says 'I get 15 to 20%' we just dont believe it...which to be honest I personally think is a figure that is not possible over a period of time and for 1000's of leaflets, whilst obtaining good prices.

Yep...sweet spots I think you can get that figure...

but even if you do have extra services on your cards...I doubt that even the cards in telephone boxes do not achieve 15% and look at the extra services they offer!

Lets face it...most of us have worn out the shoe leather and just know these figures are just not realistic...I am not calling anyone a liar but if anyone could obtain 10%+ then they should seriously consider advertising not window cleaning as a career.

Sorry but these numbers do not tally.

Respectfully Dave.

[andyjm1]

1% response from leaflets is the norm, unless you are offering to do it for free 
Whatever the responce gained, actually knocking on the door will always get far better results.

[prestigeclean]

perhaps paul could show us his amazing leaflet , and please let us know what result you get from your next delivery of 800 , if you get them all out this week you could have 3 vans on the road by sunday lol regards alan

[newbroom]

Innocent until proven guilty i believe, personally find the patish magazines dreat source for w/c work and plenty of gutters and con roofs too.

[airways]

slumpbuster could you post a picture of one of your "brilliat" flyers for us to see?

Thanks in adance

[drwindows]

Leaflets are for those who are too scared to knock on doors.

They also don't work.

That is all.

[aiminvestor]

I think the subject title is a typo. I think it should have read: WHO SAYS LEAFLETS DON'T WORK A LOAN.

I suppose that would depend on how big ones LOAN was to gauge whether leaflets would or would not WORK (repay) it.

 

When I first started out in this window cleaning malarky I did some leafletting and after the 1st 2000 or so realised 4 things:

1) To get a good leaflet printed costs good money.

2) Delivering even 2000 takes a fair amount of street pounding and shoe leather.

3) How many trees are being wasted here?

4)...and most importantly. The return isn't worth the cost or effort. Because after the time, cost and effort the Knight Window Cleaning empire could only boast 16 or 17 customers.

So I sat down and had a word with myself and suddenly God inspired thoughts dawned on me:

1) On the basis that I had to return to the address to give a quote I realised that I was doing the same job twice!

2) Stuffing a leaflet through someones letter box takes 3 seconds. Ringing the bell and waiting for an answer takes an additional 10 seconds...but I get a yes or no there and then. If no, OK. If yes then I can quote there and then and arrange the timing of the job.  I eventually came to the realisation that if I had my window cleaning gear in the car parked around the corner I could do them there and then...sort of canvassing and earning at the same time

3) Leaflets have their place. Knock 1st and if nobody is in stuff one in the letter box. Return at a later date (preferably in the early evening) and say: "Hello, I put a leaflet though your letter box the other day, have you had time to read it?"...or words to that effect. Here you're not cold calling, which I think the non-door-knocking guys have a problem with :. The leaflet has already made the introduction so you sort of have half a foot in the door already.

Get used to the "No" word...it doesn't hurt and you will get used to it.   20 "no's" are soon forgotten by the one "yes".

Spot on, IMO!