[COLOR=Blue]Question for you marketing gurus and anyone else that cares to chime in:
I am currently running a promotion at a local paint store that has a decorating center. I have a box to register for a free window cleaning valued at $250 to be given away in May.
The question is, when I have 100 or so contacts from the box, would you recommend calling or mailing them. The sign up will also have a space to capture their email. How would you proceed to dig into this mine?
Also, I have a setup with a great steakhouse in town where I do their windows on a trade for gift cards. That means I get two $40 cards each month. How can I use these to promote my business? I was thinking as a referral incentive maybe. If you have 4 of your friends use my service, I buy you and them dinner?
I am not the expert in this so the help is really appreciated!
Steve, since the prize is given in May, a response at this time may seem premature (unless you are sending a tip about how not to get paint all over the windows while a homeowner paints their house).
In May, announce the “winner” with a mailer to all who registered. Also include a discount coupon as a consolation prize for the “losers”.
Great idea to offer the cleaning. However, some people will put off scheduling in April to see if they may win in May (but no big loss).
The free steak dinner could be used as a monthly drawing for all customers who refer ANY new client. This way all your customers have an equal chance (in their minds) of winning. The downside to this approach is that it may not motivate a customer to try to refer a lot of new clients. Maybe have two drawings: one for the most monthly referrals and one for referrals in general. That way everyone is motivated to refer.
Oh yeah, make sure your service doesn’t suck, people don’t want to look bad to their friends/family. (I’m sure that you do a good job).
Also, make sure to equip your clients with good looking business cards to give to their friends/family members. I get 1000 full color glossy cards for about $100.
[COLOR=Blue]Thanks for the reply Tim! I am telling any customers that schedule in April that if they win in May they can either get a refund for the April cleaning or get the free one in the Fall.
[B]Steve,[/B] in answer to your question, I’d say do all three.
Mail.
Call.
Email.
And contact them every month or two with the latest greatest offer if they don’t bite at the first one.
Great idea. I wonder how long it’ll take you to get to 100.
With the steakhouse cards, give away one of the them to an awesome client as a no-strings attached, outright gift. Use the other one for a marketing promotion of some sort. Or take your wife instead!
[B]Tim:[/B] Love your ‘consolation prize’ suggestion. Awesome.
[COLOR=Blue]Thanks Kevin! I am hoping to get 125 contacts by the end of April. I promised the employees of the Paint Store (Sherwin Williams) that if they get me 125 entrants, they get a free pizza lunch for the whole staff, and the manager gets the store windows cleaned free for the next three months (3 cleanings). They were chomping at the bit to do this for me. I am very excited about it.
The steakhouse is cool too because it is brand new, opening April 11th and I negotiated the gift card deal with them. To help them promote their business. They are a regional chain, high class, great food.[/COLOR]
You might want to call them Runners Up instead of the Losers… ?
Remind them to go back to the store to enter for the next months contest!
What about a surprise bonus prize as well? Something small and catchy? Or a limited offer like a free gutter cleaning or pick a side of the house and we will clean that side for free for you, or clean the gutters on that side for free?
just thinking, sorry tired right now and not sure if this is making sense.
Ed
Great idea, Ed!
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“Unfortunately, our Contest Grand Prize winner was John Doe from 123 Main St, but congratulations! You were on of our ‘Runners-up’!”[/INDENT][/I][/INDENT]
Thanks Kevin,
my little muffin, but your Icing on the cake,
great word play there.
(do not put in full address though, that is against the Law in Canada, privacy act and all)
Name, and area are OK, so
John Doe from Markham would be better, by law.
