Pros and Cons of Direct Mail Marketing

By Lanee’ Blunt

Direct mail marketing may work
for your small business--

Direct mail marketing is a form of advertising that is sent through the mail and reaches prospective buyers on an individual basis. The advertising communicates to the customer with marketing techniques such as sales letters, announcements, enclosures, booklets, catalogs  price lists, samples, fliers, calendars, brochures, novelties, package inserts and postcards. The small business may develop a mailing list or may purchase a mailing list. Most small businesses don’t use direct-mail advertising exclusively but rely on other forms of advertising to market their product or service.

Targeted Messages

Direct mail media has certain advantages. They can be regulated to certain members of a target market. The material can be addressed to lawyers, accountants, doctors, or farmers. When direct mail is used properly, being addressed to the correct target market it is able to do the selling for you. The results of the mailing can be studied and controlled so that you will be able to improve your results.

Messages are Personal

Another advantage of direct mail is that the messages are direct and personal. You can use an informal tone in your letter writing. The message doesn’t have to shout for attention, because it is alone with the reader. It can be directed to their specific interest. It has the advantage of showing your personality beyond the limits of cold impersonal contact and has the ability to create confidence and trust in your product or service.

Not Targeted

Direct mail has the disadvantage of being a money waster if your mailing is not targeted. Direct mail must be targeted in order for the mailing to be successful. It is a disadvantage to send out 10,000 pieces of direct mail and reach some potential customers, but you waste a lot of money reaching other people that were in your geographic area but were not specifically targeted that won’t buy from you.

Boring Content

Direct mail has the disadvantage of being considered junk mail. A lot of readers tune it out. Your letter must gain the reader’s attention in less than ten seconds. If your letter can’t do that, and if the reader finds nothing of interest after scanning the letter, even if you use full color and different sized fonts, he will throw your letter in the trash. The direct mail must do its job by gaining the attention of the reader or you will just waste a lot of money.

See also

• Advertising with Direct Mail
• How to Advertise a Small Business
• Pros & Cons of Online Marketing
• Benefits of Direct Mail

Reference:

USPS:Benefits of Direct Mail

Advertisingagency:Five Disadvantages of Direct Mail Advertising and Marketing

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How to Start Up a Bakery

By Lanee’ Blunt

Start a bakery

Starting a bakery may be your lifelong dream, but it is going to be hard work. You will need to have the knowledge and experience to run a successful business. There are legal and financial requirements that you must follow before you open your doors. Decide what type of shop you want to start. Will you serve your customers in a cafe' setting with tables and chairs or are you going to deliver to stores, caterers, and restaurants. Consider what types of baked goods you will be planning to have, large commercial bakery, pastries and bagels, wedding cakes, or cakes, pies and cupcakes.

Best Location for your Pastry shop

Find the best location. This is a very important thing that you must consider. Do a market analysis on your competition and find out how many established bake shops there are in the location you are considering. Find a storefront that has a busy area where there are a lot of people and that will give your business more exposure. Is there a school, college, or shopping nearby? 

Equipment

You are going to require specialty equipment. You can cater to a number of retailers for the equipment or shop online. You will need ovens, commercial mixers, cooling racks, tables, and refrigeration units. A large assortment of pans, a display counter, and a cash register.

Health Inspection

You will need to check with your state for information or contact the Bureau of Consumer Health Services to get a health inspection. Once the inspection has been passed, fill out the necessary forms and pay for the permit. After you pass the test you will receive the license. Visit or go to your local health department website and find out the licenses and permits you will need to apply for. Get liability insurance for protection against food poisoning. You'll need coverage to replace your appliances and equipment in the case of theft, fire or a flood.  Consult with a lawyer or with an insurance agent to find out what type of additional coverage you will need.

Advertise

Advertise your bakery before you open by sending out fliers to local residential homes, and businesses around your business. Put an ad in the newspaper. Have a grand opening and invite people to come and taste your products for free.

Reference:

Startabakery:How to Start a Bakery

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How to Use Postcards to Advertise a Janitorial Business

By Lanee’ Blunt

Advertise your janitorial business with postcards

Postcards are a terrific way to advertise a janitorial business. The advertisement is written on a single side of the card that allows the prospect to study it even briefly. You've got a better chance of getting the postcard read because it's no envelope. They are simple to create too. Postcards help to pave how you can send more advertising. You can use them to let customers know that you're offering a discount, or let prospects realize that a salesperson will be phoning. You can provide a discount, or a unique bonus, and your postcard will most times be read.

Mailing List

Make sure that you stay in touch with your former customers, potential customers, and referrals. Get the addresses of the customers because your house list is definitely an ideal mailing list in order to mail your postcard. Rent or buy a mailing list from a subscriber list supplier. You can also develop your personal mailing list using a business directory from your own library.

Advertising

It must have an offer. What does your organization offer the prospect? Your response rate is going to be much higher if your janitorial business comes with an offer. You might offer to clean two rooms and get the third free, or a unique bonus offer, or a discount on your service. People love to obtain a special offer. Writing a postcard for any janitorial service requires careful preparing before you decide to write it. Create a good attention getting headline. Include brief information regarding your company that includes a list of your services and prices.

Make your Postcards

You should use your color printer to print attractive postcards. You can use color paper stock together with your black ink. Make sure you use large print, make your contact information large enough for the prospect to read it. Postcards are relatively simple to make. With any desktop publishing program provides you with a good selection of different alternatives. You can buy the actual perforated card stock, which enables you to run the postcards within the computer and tear the actual cards apart after publishing, or you can get your postcards printed with a professional printer with complete four color lamination.

You're going to get a Quick Response

You should start hearing from your prospects within one or two weeks of the mailing. An excellent advantage of having an established postcard is if you wish to get more customers, just send out another batch of cards. If you need 10 more prospects send 1000 postcards if you have a 2% response rate.

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How to Start Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business

By Lanee’ Blunt

A carpet cleaning business is a recession proof business because most people are trying to save money and they would rather clean it opposed to buying it new. You will have two market groups: consumer and commercial. The consumer group consists of customers in their own homes or condominiums and the commercial end with cleaning office buildings, medical centers, auto dealers, and etc. You can have a very profitable business if you are willing to build it into a big business or you can stay small too.  If you have managerial skills you can hire crews and manage teams to do the work.

Open a rug cleaning service

Apply for Licenses and Permits. You must set up your business as a legal entity. Decide which form of ownership is best for your particular business: sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC), corporation, or S corporation. Obtain a business license from your state.  Inquire about licensing with your organization that handles licenses and registration in your city. You can check with SBC.gov to find the licensing and tax requirements for your state. 

Insurance and Bonding

You should be bonded and insured before you work for clients. Your insurance rates will depend on the state that you live in and how many employees you have on your staff. You may purchase your bond through your insurance company and it will need to be renewed every year.

Start with a business plan

A business plan will be required if you are going to request financing. It can help you by getting you a business loan and investors. It will help you to stay focused. Include information about the type of services you are going to provide. Focus the plan on commercial or residential cleaning and provide a list of equipment and supplies needed, employees, and how you plan to market the business. Include in the plan the name of your company, what your business hours will be, and the types of vehicles your company will use for cleaning.

Equipment

You can purchase the equipment you need online or from local industrial equipment leasing company. You will need truck mount machine, portable extractors, vacuum cleaner, chemicals, steam cleaners, and accessories. You will need a cell phone, clipboard and GPS system or maps.

Advertise your carpet cleaning business. Commercial businesses that will need your services for upholstery and carpet cleaning include restaurants, hotels, churches, schools, banks, and apartment buildings.  You can also expand your services to drapery cleaning, wall cleaning, smoke damage cleanup, fire restoration, water damage restoration, and upholstery cleaning.

Reference:

SBC.gov:Business Licenses and Permits

Entrepreneur:How to Start a Cleaning Service; 2003

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How to Start a House Cleaning Business

By Lanee’ Blunt

Open a cleaning business--

Starting a house cleaning business can be done with a minimal start up investment. You can turn it into a profitable business in a short period of time. It can be operated on a full-time or part-time basis while you keep your full time job when stating out. You can have a commercial location or it can be operated out of your home. Research all aspects from customer service to advertising, taxes, insurance and bonding before you open your doors.

Cleaning business business plan 

A business plan for your cleaning business will help you stay organized. List your start up plans, and how you are going to go about finding clients and hiring employees.

Get licensing and permits

Inquire about licensing with your organization that handles licenses and registration in your city. You can check with SBC.gov to find the licensing and tax requirements for your state. 

Insurance and Bonding

You should be bonded and insured before you work for clients. Your insurance rates will depend on the state that you live in and how many employees you have on your staff. You may purchase your bond through your insurance company and it will need to be renewed every year.

Acquire a “Doing Business As,” DBA. Register a legal name for your business if you are going to use a name other than your own name. Apply for the DBA with a registration form with your state and local government.

Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the US Internal Revenue Service if you have hired employees. Open a business bank account so that you can keep your personal finances separate from your business.

Purchase equipment

Get supplies and equipment. Most clients will prefer that you use your own cleaning supplies. Get appliance and floor cleaners, and you can offer a green service for example healthy natural cleaning products. You will need a supply of rubber gloves, hand sanitizers, cloths, sponges, vacuum cleaner, broom, mop and bucket.

Obtaining Clients

Some clients will be concerned with how long you have been in business. This may be a problem when you are first starting out, but not all of them some won't care if you offer a great price. Get some references by offering to clean some friends or family members for free if they write a reference for you. Advertise for your first clients, by putting an ad in the classified section of the newspaper, create a flyer, send postcards to a mailing list, or put fliers on cars in parking lots. Get magnetic signs for your vehicles. Get a website because a lot of working women shop online and look for house cleaning services while at work.

Reference:

SBC.gov:Business Licenses and Permits

Page'sPersonal Cleaning: Starting a Cleaning Business

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Advertise Cleaning Business

By Lanee’ Blunt

Business cleaning--

Most cleaning companies are on a budget and must make their ads work harder. Small business advertising can be achieved even if you are on a budget it may require more time, but it will be worth your time and effort. Your advertising efforts will position your organization’s name in the customer’s mind then when they think of hiring a cleaning service they’ll phone you. Having several ads on television might be out of reach for many cleaning services.

Flyer

With a small budget you are able to invest in time by passing out your fliers yourself. Use your upfront money to purchase 1000 one sided flyers. Produce a strong headline on the actual flyer. Write about your cleaning service. Stress the benefits of using your company. List your contact information, name, title, telephone, address and email address. Use a light colored inexpensive bond paper along with two standard colors of ink. Printing the flyer by using a professional printing company will make your cleaning business appear more established to your prospects. Put them upon bulletin boards, windshield wipers within office parking lots, and medical centers.

Website

Write helpful articles which will drive traffic to your website. Create a company website to ensure that customers can research your organization information.

Classified Advertising

Advertise your cleaning business in the classified section of newspapers or magazines. Classified ad charges are based on the number of lines, and on the number of words. Classified ads tend to be inexpensive and effective.

Business Directories

Get your company listed within the Yellow Pages. Electronic directories are a good place to put your business listing; some are free and enables you to include a profile about your organization.

Magnetic Sign

Get a magnetic vehicle sign. Include your organization information, your website, and phone number.

Postcards

Promote with direct mail postcards. Obtain a mailing list. Write a headline which will attract attention for instance, “Cleaning at Affordable Costs. I Guarantee Your Fulfillment. ” Include a photo of you as well as your crew. Show the prices of the service.

Business Cards

They are an essential marketing tool because you may make them a mini ad by listing all of your services that you offer. Always carry them along with you and give people at least two or three so they can refer others to you.

Reference:

Office Cleaning Business: How to Advertise a Cleaning Business?

Print Label and Mail: Direct Mail Advertising Ideas for a Cleaning Service; Jim Negron

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How to Open an Office Cleaning Business

By Lanee’ Blunt

Start up a commercial
office cleaning service

An office cleaning business is a very easy business to open and the start-up cost is relatively low. It is recession-proof because most of your clients will also have businesses that are profitable such as lawyers, doctor's offices, CPA's, hospitals, restaurants and schools. The hours may be all over the place, you may work mornings, evenings, or some companies may want you to clean for them when their staff has finished and gone home.

Get commercial space for your office cleaning service

Set up an office. Rent or lease office space large enough to have a small reception area with work space for your staff. Think about how much space you will need to store equipment, and supplies. It should have a storage area for your supplies.  Most of your clients will not come to your office but you may need to have a space to do repairs or laundry.

Determine Legal Ownership

You must set up your business as a legal entity. Decide which form of ownership is best for your particular business: sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), corporation, or S corporation.  Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the US Internal Revenue Service if you have hired employees. Apply for a cleaning service licenses required by your state. Get bonded and insured. Open a business bank account so that you can keep your personal finances separate from your business.

Purchase Equipment

Buy the supplies, tools and equipment that you will need to get started. Get business cards printed. Create a website about your business.

Marketing

Advertise your office cleaning business. Locate new businesses in your area. Go to the county tax collector's website and look up new business licenses and new business building permits. Send direct mail or create a flyer. Make cold calls to doctor's offices, lawyers, or CPA's. Send direct mail describing your office cleaning business to a mailing list. Carry your business cards with you and at every opportunity give your business card to someone.

Reference:

Startingabiz: Starting an Office Cleaning Business; Sam Rodman

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