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In
this issue:
**Greeting Cards-effective...or not?**
**Let's grab some testimonials**
**Recognizing value**
The window washing season is almost upon us in full swing across the
country, so do you have your squeegee dusted off?
Whew...I have got a bunch of stuff to talk to you about today. I'm
looking forward to it and I hope you are too, so set some time aside
and Enjoy!
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Greeting Cards-effective...or not?
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Well I definitely wouldn't be writing about 'em if they were not
effective :o), so absolutely, without a doubt, greeting cards are an
excellent marketing tool to use.
And the amazing thing is very few window washers (or any service
business for that matter) incorporate this technique in their
business.
Sure...maybe, just maybe, they might send out the traditional
customer Christmas card, but looking back over the years, I don't
think I've received one card from any service business I've ever
used.
I'm always talking about how important it is to be raising your hand
and letting your customers know that you're still around. It creates
a level of trust that is unprecedented. And when you've got the
trust of your customers, you can literally dance the jig all the way
to the bank.
So one of the best ways to be raising your hand is by mailing a
simple greeting card to your customers.
Notice that I didn't mention prospects? I personally wouldn't bother
with sending cards to prospects although of course you need to
follow up with them via phone and perhaps a
couple of follow up letters asking for their business, but leave the
greeting cards for your valued customers.
And I recommend that you don't just mail cards to your customers at
the usual time of the year...Christmas.
Be different. I mailed greeting cards on Memorial Day, Veterans Day,
Labor Day, President's day, and any other day I could think of,
OTHER than Christmas.
How 'bout after the first of the year wishing them best wishes and
good health in the coming
year. How 'bout a card in the middle of the summer just saying
"Howdy Betty, how's your summer going so far?". The list goes on.
When I was in the insurance industry, I mailed all my clients
personalized birthday cards, but
that was because I could take their birth date info. off the
insurance application. If you start asking your window washing
customers for their birth date, they might think you're a little
loopy so I would stay away from doing that.
You can generate a tremendous amount of goodwill by incorporating
greeting cards in your overall marketing strategy. Your goal with
the greeting card is to just be noticed in a different way.
Don't cloud the message in the card by asking them about their
windows or if they're ready to be cleaned again...or anything like
that. That's what you do when you follow up via phone or by sending
a reminder postcard.
I would however, include one of your business cards. Not a magnetic
card, but just a regular 'ole non-magnetic business card. If you
have business cards with some kind of a caricature (likeness of you)
or some other unique logo, all the better. It's that recognition
factor you're looking for.
You can find some low cost greeting cards at a place like Dollar
General or you can search on Google for "personalized greeting
cards" and investigate the printing businesses that pull up on the
search results page.
If you don't get cards already personalized, then you can just take
blank low cost generic greeting cards to a local printer and have
them print a simple saying on each card depending on what occasion
it is.
Sign each card personally, hand address each envelope, and whammo.
It is such a low cost way to again...keep your name, your company
name, and your service
out in front of your customers, so make sure you pop off some
greeting cards throughout the
year.
Doing this will not only keep you in front of your customers over
and over again, but it'll make it almost impossible for your
customers to use any other window washer but you.
Update:
There is a new service that actually automates
the entire greeting card process. You can read more about it
by clicking here.
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Let's grab some Testimonials
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There's nothing like having satisfied customers, but if they're
satisfied, then let's have 'em tell us in their own words.
Ah...the beauty of testimonials.
Some window washers might be a bit shy or hesitant asking their
customers to say good things about 'em, so one of the easiest ways
to secure plenty of testimonials is to send out a "testimonial
request" letter to your customers.
Below, I've included the one I used over the years, but before
getting to that, let me explain all the ways testimonials can be
used to your advantage.
It's ok when you say great stuff about you in your marketing
materials but if you can include some additional 3rd party
endorsements of you and your service, now you have a marketing piece
that really stands out.
For example...If you have a display ad running in a subdivision's
newsletter, always make sure that there is at least one testimonial
posted within the ad. And if you can post a testimonial from someone
who lives in that subdivision, that's even better.
This really, really works. In one subdivision I was advertising in,
I happened to clean the windows of the newsletter's editor. He loved
the window cleaning job I did so he was glad to provide me a
testimonial.
Everyone in the subdivision knew him and his wife, so as soon as I
inserted that testimonial
into the ad, believability went way up, and so did my phone calls.
Which of course resulted
in more business. That's just one subdivision.
If you are able to secure testimonials within a subdivision you're
advertising in (postcards,
flyers, ads, etc), obviously not everyone will be familiar with the
person who gave you the
testimonial so it's important that you place the subdivision's name
under the person's name who provided you the testimonial.
At least this way if the testimonial giver's name isn't recognized,
the subdivision's name will be. Anything you can do to lower a
prospect's wall of resistance is a definite plus.
Some marketers debate whether an unsolicited testimonial is better
than a solicited one.
I personally believe as long as it's a true representation of how
your customer feels, what
difference does it make? Who cares whether they voluntarily sent you
a testimonial or you asked for it?
But...even though your customers will be all excited after the job
is done because they have
clean windows, chances of them taking the time and going out of
their way to send you anything is slim to none. They're busy folks.
So you HAVE to ask. And you also need to make it as easy as
pie for them.
That brings me to my testimonial request letter I always used when
asking for testimonials from customers. Here it is:
Dear Mark and Julie:
Once again I wanted to express my appreciation for your business.
Would you kindly take a moment and provide me your opinion of
my
window cleaning service and the job I did on your windows?
We strive for 100% perfection so your opinions are truly valuable to
me.
And can I have permission to use your comments to show other
people that they can feel comfortable in using my service?
I've provided a space below for your comments and have enclosed
a
self-addressed stamped envelope for your convenience.
Have a great day and I'll see you at your next cleaning. Take care.
Sincerely,
Steve Wright
Clearview Window Washing Service
Comments:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Name:___________________________
Let's talk about how best to present this and some other things you
need to know in order to
make this process work effectively.
When requesting a testimonial, it shouldn't be mixed up with the
thank you letter you're supposed to send when the job is completed.
I mean you don't want to send out the thank you letter and then
within that letter say "Oh, by the way...would you mind providing me
a testimonial?" No.
Here's how it should go:
You've done the job and the customer is pleased. You go home and
send her the thank you letter. About 2 to 3 days after you've sent
off the thank you letter, send her a request to write you a little
blurb about your service. Use the wording above or use your own
wording.
Make sure it's on your letterhead, and enclose a folded up, self
addressed, stamped envelope for them to use so they can easily jot
their comments down and send 'em back to you.
Again...you have to make it easy and hassle free or no one is going
to bother to take the time. They may like you and your service, but
they're generally not going to work that hard at making sure you
have a testimonial if they have to run through too many hoops.
Lastly, include your business card within your "testimonial request"
mailing.
As a side note, you've probably noticed that I recommend including
your business card within every single piece of correspondence you
send a customer.
Absolutely...but I would only send the magnetic business card within
your "Thank you" letter though, so your customers can place it on
their refrigerator. Every other piece of correspondence (greeting
cards, reminder notices, testimonial requests, etc) can just have
the non-magnetic business cards included.
Okay back to the testimonial request...
Personalize the letter. Also, notice in the request above how I ask
for their opinion? That's the key. People love to give opinions. So
don't ask for a "testimonial". Ask for their "opinion". And always
ask for permission to use their comments also.
If you do this regularly for each and every customer you clean
windows for, you'll have a steady stream of testimonials coming to
your mailbox all the time.
One thing you may even consider doing is compiling your testimonials
together and providing them to prospects along with your estimate
package. Imagine how powerful that would be when your prospect is
rifling through your estimate proposal and they see numerous
references with phone numbers along with 20, 30, 40, or more
testimonials. Do you think your competitors are doing this? No Way.
And whenever you use a testimonial, make sure you don't ruin it by
placing only the customer's initials underneath it. That's as good
as worthless so you may as well not use it. If a customer wants to
remain anonymous, then throw their comments away because they won't
do you any good at all.
If you have the room within the ad where testimonials are being used
(like on a web page), it's a good idea to have a statement under all
testimonials that says something like this:
"All the customer statements above are on file at the offices of
xxxxxx Window Washing Service."
People are pretty cynical these days so by posting a customer's full
name along with the subdivision where they live, in addition to the
above statement (if you're able to), you can squash the prospect's
doubts whether the testimonials are real or not.
That's it. A very non-threatening process and letter simply asking
for a customer's opinion. If they liked your service and are
overjoyed with having clean windows, you should receive many, many
testimonials. The more the merrier. And don't hesitate to use 'em to
bring in
more business.
Let's clean some windows. 'Til next time.
Best Wishes,
Steve
256-546-2446
steve@yourwindowcleaningbiz.com
Next month:
Tips and tricks for capturing "Add-on" Business:
--If you're "only" cleaning windows for your customers, you're
walking away from easy money.
Residential vs. Commercial-the ongoing debate:
--Yes...there are some advantages to lining up commercial jobs, so
I'll talk about 'em. And I'll
be providing you a service agreement to use.
So Stay tuned...
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