Thread: customer goody ideas

Looking for some input guys.
With the new season approaching, I'm thinking of lasting client marketing to existing customers to 'stay in their minds' for referrals.
I have a couple ideas I'm thinking of exploring. My question is such ... How would you guys 'feel' if you were a recent customer and received one of these items and a nice little 'promo - hope you like your new house, blah blah letter'?
- Calendar, house related, with company info; from what I've heard costly and if I do the insp in September, kind of a waste
- Box of company embroidered shop/cleaning towels, bottle of murphy's and windex. Don't know any cost yet but this is the one I'm leaning towards.
People clean regularly (presumably) and would use/see the towels and I would stay in their minds. Would you be insulted by this?
Everyone has done pens and fridge magnets, so I'm trying to think outside the box.
Thanks for any input.

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Originally Posted by Markus Keller

- Box of company embroidered shop/cleaning towels, bottle of murphy's and windex. Don't know any cost yet but this is the one I'm leaning towards.

Oh, so I can clean up those things you missed?

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

Looking for some input guys.
With the new season approaching, I'm thinking of lasting client marketing to existing customers to 'stay in their minds' for referrals.
I have a couple ideas I'm thinking of exploring. My question is such ... How would you guys 'feel' if you were a recent customer and received one of these items and a nice little 'promo - hope you like your new house, blah blah letter'?
- Calendar, house related, with company info; from what I've heard costly and if I do the insp in September, kind of a waste
- Box of company embroidered shop/cleaning towels, bottle of murphy's and windex. Don't know any cost yet but this is the one I'm leaning towards.
People clean regularly (presumably) and would use/see the towels and I would stay in their minds. Would you be insulted by this?
Everyone has done pens and fridge magnets, so I'm trying to think outside the box.
Thanks for any input.

Markus: Buy empty spray bottles, fill them with the correct proportions of common, cheap ingredients, make your own labels with your company logo and the ingredients:

<LI itxtvisited="1">1 pt. rubbing alcohol <LI itxtvisited="1">1/2 c. ammonia <LI itxtvisited="1">1 tsp. dish soap <LI itxtvisited="1">water <LI itxtvisited="1">blue food coloring
in the generic "Windex" and tell to refill it in order to "clean up" with the savings.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Markus: Buy empty spray bottles, fill them with the correct proportions of common, cheap ingredients, make your own labels with your company logo and the ingredients:

<LI itxtvisited="1">1 pt. rubbing alcohol <LI itxtvisited="1">1/2 c. ammonia <LI itxtvisited="1">1 tsp. dish soap <LI itxtvisited="1">water <LI itxtvisited="1">blue food coloring
in the generic "Windex" and tell to refill it in order to "clean up" with the savings.

I see that the Hann's interface cannot deal with bullet points.
Lame POS software . . . . .

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

I see that the Hann's interface cannot deal with bullet points.
Lame POS software . . . . .

It can, as long as you insert them directly (instead of Copy/Paste from another source)

• Like this...
• and this...
• and, of course, this.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

It can, as long as you insert them directly (instead of Copy/Paste from another source)

• Like this...
• and this...
• and, of course, this.

Dom: OK, I'm busted!

My take is this is a bad idea. You did your inspection now get out of the way. you go poking your nose around you just may get it bit off

Buyer remorse, other problems with the home. Real estate agent jack them around. Dang just let the dust settle for a year or 2 or 4...
If you did a good job they will call you back if they need you...

Put you time and money into new buyers... thats where you will find your money. not in the past.

If your Phone is slow get out and into the market place bub. don't just sit there in the office. make it happen...

Best

Ron

I try to send a periodic news letter to their email just to keep my name fresh.
I try to put relevant tips about checking the shingles after a storm, watering around the foundation during the summer, etc. It costs nothing except my time and I have never had a negative customer response. I have gotten at least two jobs recently with the customer contacting me from the last email I sent them.
I did get a rather nasty request to remove her from my mailing list from an agent that I killed her deal, but I knew I would never get any business from her anyway.

I've had good luck with sending a Thank You letter a few weeks after the inspection.
The best results I've had is applying information on my reports, from some of the most experienced inspectors on this site, ASHI and TIJ sites.

That's nice Jerry, I like that Never saw it coming.
I agree with the downsides mentioned. I'm not big on calling past clients, just not my thing. I find it annoying when I get those types of calls from others.
The majority of my work comes through referrals. I was thinking about subliminal/background advertising over longer time spans to past customers. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
I'm doubtful about spending ad money for new customers until later on this year, 2-3 quarter. I don't think it is worthwhile at this time.
Thanks for the input.
Markus

You could put little notes all over the house as you are inspecting it.

Have a nice day Joe your inspector was hear


under the kitchen sink. yup I was hear too

move on go after new blood... Guys....


Best

Ron

What did Joe the inspector hear?

rick

That's a rockin' idea Fritz. I think I might run with that one. Clients are always asking me for my tape also ... will the couch fit through the door, how big does our 50" look on that wall, blah, blah
The tape has some duration to it, will most likely get used for a while and has a positive 'aura'.
Plus I can give it to them at the insp, they have it and that portion of marketing is done.
The flashlight, maybe but I'm diggin' the tape idea. So simple of course I didn't think of it.
Thanks!