Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Why should I mail a customer newsletter?
A. There are many benefits to mailing a customer newsletter. The most important is to keep your name in front of your customers. People are busy. They don't always remember how long it was since they last had their carpets cleaned or what the heck the name of your company is. But, when they get your newsletter in the mail, a little light goes on in their head. Suddenly, they remember... "Aunt Edna is coming next month. I better get the carpets cleaned!" Without your newsletter as a reminder, they either would have gone without, or, they would have gone to the yellow pages to find you. Not a good scenario, since all of your competitors have ads there too.
Along with the instant benefit of increased jobs as soon as your newsletter hits the mail box, you'll also experience another phenomenon - increased average job size. You'll be able to educate your customers about other services that you offer, resulting in more requests for add-ons such as protectant, deodorizing, upholstery cleaning or area rug cleaning. That equates to higher profits for you!
Q. There are other newsletter suppliers out there, some of them less expensive. Why should I buy your program?
A. I have seen most of the other industry newsletters. I feel that ours is unique and a bargain. Unlike the other newsletters that are available, you decide what articles you want in it. You decide what offers you want. When your customer receives your newsletter in the mail, it reflects the image you want to project. With some of the other industry newsletters, other than your company name and phone numbers, you often have no room for personalization. One size fits all.
Anybody who has written their own newsletter knows what a hassle it can be. Your time is better spent working on growing your business or cleaning. With our Newsletter CD, you should be able to personalize your newsletter in an hour or less.
Q. Why a 4 page newsletter. Why not a 2 page?
A. We have tested this extensively and have found that the 4 page newsletter brings in a much better response than a 2 page. In fact, we discontinued production of our 2 page format because of the disparity in response. With a 4 page newsletter, there is more room to personalize your newsletter and convey your message. Readers will scan the headlines and read whatever appeals to them - much like you do when you read a newspaper. The more variety of information that you can give them, the better. The whole idea behind a newsletter is to get them to read it and get some enjoyment from what they've read. Due to limited space, it's tough to do that with a 2 page format.
A 4 page newsletter does not cost much more to send out than a 2 page. Postage is the same price for both. Depending on the quantity that you mail, it would cost approximately 4-6¢ more per newsletter to print a 4 page.
Q. Black and white or color? Special paper or whatever's cheapest?
A. We recommend that you use 70 lb. white paper, with black ink and at least one spot color. A spot color will help make your publication look more professional. If you decide to use only one color of ink, put it on colored paper. Whatever you do, don't simply take the proof that we send you and photocopy it. The quality will be very poor. Remember, the newsletter you are sending out is a direct reflection of your company. You want your image to be professional, not sloppy.
You can use 4 color graphics and/or glossy paper, but they are probably not worth the added expense. If you decide to spend the extra money, try it once and test your response.
Q. Bulk mail or 1st class?
A. I recommend bulk mail. If you don't mind sorting, counting and grouping your newsletters by zip code, you can save a ton of money. If you do it yourself, the savings can be 12¢ per newsletter or more - a savings of $200.00 for a mailing of 2000 over the cost of first class postage. (The price variance is determined by the numbers of newsletters for each zip code and how well you sort them)
The down side to bulk mailing yourself is all the sorting and labeling. Plus, the post office charges a fee for a bulk mail permit. The one-time application fee is $125.00, plus there is an annual fee of $125.00. Depending on how many times a year you mail and how many pieces of mail you send out, it might not save you any money to mail bulk. Do the math before you decide.
Many cleaners use a mailing house to send their newsletters out. A mailing house will certify your list with the post office - ensuring that you don't mail to bad addresses - plus, they will barcode the addresses so that you get the lowest possible price. Even though they charge a fee for their services, the total price to mail is often cheaper than if you mailed them yourself... and you don't even need to touch them!
As a side note - we recommend that you mail a postcard to your customer base at least once per year, sending it first class. The postage is cheaper and allows you to clean up all the bad addresses in your database. Make sure that you have "Address Correction Requested" above the address label. The post office will send you back any that are undeliverable and will make any corrections that they have on file. No sense wasting money mailing to people who have moved outside of your service area!
Q. I don't feel comfortable giving my mailing list to anybody. Is it safe to use a mailing service?
A. Most mailing houses are bonded and follow a code of ethics. They won't sell your list to anyone. A reputable mailing house is concerned with keeping you as a customer. They will treat your property as if it was their own. Not sure whom to use? Ask for a referral from a friend or, click on the link to our recommended printing and mailing house. We've used them and referred them for years. They've never let us down.
Q. How often should I mail?
A. We recommend you mail a minimum of 4 times a year to your customer list. 6 - 8 times would be even better. My personal opinion is that more than 8 times a year is overkill. 4 - 6 newsletters a year with 2 postcards - one during your slow season and another as a 6 or 12 month reminder - would be ideal and would maximize sales from your existing customer list. Remember... if you ignore them, they may become someone else's customers!
Joe Polish will tell you that you need to mail a newsletter 12 times a year for best results. Sure, you'll get more jobs, but we've tested that theory and I can tell you that the few extra jobs that you'll get from the extra mailings won't make up for the added marketing costs. Don't believe me? Do your own test. Just remember, Joe makes money from every newsletter that he sells, so it's in HIS best interest for you to mail more often.
If you have additional questions, email us at Randy@BigBangMG.com or call us at (800) 96-SPOTS
