Door Hanger Tips & Ideas!

Door Hanger Advertising Ideas For A Lawn Service

The success of a door hanger distribution campaign is determined by a number of factors, starting with having a clear objective for the campaign.  Once you have defined the goal of the campaign, the door hanger must be designed to motivate the prospect to respond to your call to action, for example, call on the phone, go to a website, go to your nursery, etc. We call this motivating offer “A Magnet”.

Here are a few Ideas and Magnets that have been used successfully by our clients. Use one or a combination, but don’t over crowd the postcard with too much information. The postcard must pass “The Glance Test”, which means the reader will know what the card is about with just a passing glance. This can make the difference between getting noticed or being tossed out as junk mail.

1. Concentrate Your Customers – Save Time, Save Gas, Cut More Lawns!
   Distribute door hangers in the neighborhoods where you have the highest concentration of customers.  It’s probably better to have a smaller distribution area that you cover more frequently. Research has shown that it often takes 4 or 5 solicitations to get a prospect to respond.
2. Are You Happy?
   If you are looking for new customers they fall into two categories: 1- Those that cut their own lawns and 2- Those that already have a lawn service. Go after group 2 with this message on your door hanger: “ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR LAWN SERVICE?  OUR CUSTOMERS ARE!  READ WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY: ” Written testimonials (a sentence or two) work great. If you can include photos of some of your customers and their lawns, even better.
3. FREE Lawn Service!
   You are probably thinking “…that’s easy for you to say”.  Try this offer: FREE LAWN SERVICE (Headline) and then a disclaimer – For new customers. Get 2 cuts at our regular low price and your 3rd cut is Free! That works out to a 33% discount. Plus, after 3 cuts in a row, it is probably safe to say you’ve got a new regular customer.
4. Need A Tune-Up?
   We thought this was a unique idea. Offer an on site lawn mower tune up service. In the process you will identify prospects that do their own lawn. This group can be targeted for additional services like landscaping, fertilization, spring and fall clean-ups, etc. And remember, just because they have a lawn mower does not mean they love doing the lawn. Tempt them with a special offer.
5. Be Flexible On Pricing
   Offer one time pricing as well as contracts. By the way, if you are selling contracts, don’t call it a contract, call it a “Savings Package”.
6. It’s All About You!
   Do you have a small operation? Try this headline to emphasize your personal service: “I Own The Company, I Cut The Lawns, I Guarantee Your Satisfaction!” Include your photo and you will have a very powerful message on your postcard.
7. Promote Your Website On Your Door Hanger
   Don’t have one? You should. And it should contain more than just a laundry list of your services. Photographs of your work, testimonials, gardening tips, monthly specials on seasonal flowers and services and more.  The website should have plenty of good content that can be used to sell new clients and keep the ones you have.
8. 5 To The Left & 5 To The Right
   Here’s an easy and effective way to enhance your distribution efforts. Everytime you cut a lawn, hang door hangers on  five homes on either side of the job your doing. Cut 5 homes a day and that’s 50 door hangers distributed, 250 in a week! In fact you might consider designing a door hanger for just that distribution plan. Use a title like “WE CUT YOUR NEIGHBOR’S LAWN TODAY AT ___________________ Would you like a FREE Estimate? We Have A Special Friends & Neighbors Rate For You!” Leave a blank line and fill in the actual address of the job you completed.

Door Hanger Advertising Ideas For Political Campaigns

Door Hanger Distribution is one of the best ways to deliver a message to voters. Over the years we’ve designed hundreds of door hanger distribution campaigns that have helped candidates become winners! Here are few factors that should be kept in mind.

1. Clarify The Goals Of The Door Hanger Campaign
   For example:
   - Introduce the candidate if he is not well known
   - Talk about the most important issues
   - Ask for contributions
   - Ask for volunteers
   - Expose competitor’s weaknesses
   - Invite voters to a town hall meeting
2. Use Full Color Door Hangers With Lots Of Photos
   It’s true, a picture is worth a 1000 words, or more! But, don’t just use a head shot of the candidate that looks like it came from a drivers license. If the candidate is for Education, get a photo of him at a school with kids. If he’s pro-business, get a picture at a Chamber of Commerce Meeting. If he’s for moral values, a shot with the family on Sunday talking to the Pastor. You get the idea.
3. Use The Door Hanger To Drive Voters To The Candidates Website
   Make sure there is lots of good content about the issues and the candidate. Don’t disappoint web visitors. Your website doesn’t have to be “Madison Avenue”. It can even have a “home-made” look, but it most deliver on content and be worth the voters time.
4. Send An Invitation To “Ask The Candidate”!
   Not always possible, but if you can manage it, get a cell phone and dedicate the phone number to taking calls from voters. Invite them to “ask the candidate”, “express their views” or just “sound off”. You can limit calling to specific times during the day or week.
5. Target Residential Communities With A Club House
   Target communities with a club house. Contact the homeowner or condo association and ask if you can use the facilities for a mini town hall meeting exclusively for their residents. Then promote it with door hangers.
   

Door Hanger Advertising Ideas For Restauants

The success of a door hanger distribution campaign is determined by a number of factors, starting with having a clear objective for the campaign.  Once you have defined the goal of the campaign, the door hanger must be designed to motivate the prospect to respond to your call to action, for example, come to the restaurant, go to a website, order over the phone, etc. We call this motivating offer “A Magnet”.

Here are a few Ideas and Magnets that have been used successfully by our restaurant clients. Use one or a combination, but don’t over crowd the postcard with too much information. The door hanger must pass “The Glance Test”, which means the reader will know what the card is about with just a passing glance. This can make the difference between getting noticed or being tossed out as junk advertising.

1. Increase Lunch Business
Distribute to local businesses and offer a lunch special.  Use a radius from your location, a half mile to a mile. For this campaign, it is better to have a smaller distribution area and to distribute more often.

Your magnet doesn’t have to be a discount. Take a lesson from the national chains like Subway’s $5 Footlong or McDonalds Value Menu. Feature value packed lunch specials, that are served up quickly and taste a lot better than the  ”fast food” competition.

A word of caution, don’t try to combine this idea with a dinner promotion. In most cases, workers who are around during the day probably live in a different part of town and won’t be prospects for evening business. Don’t clutter up the card. Stay focused on lunch.

2. Build An “Earlybird” Crowd
Is there a senior community near your location? They like to eat early and save money. You want to fill seats between the lunch and dinner hours. Sounds like you may have something in common! Once you get them into the restaurant, keep them coming back with a frequent diner punch card.

3. If You Show Them, They Will Come!
How many nearby residents have never been inside your restaurant? How many drive by without ever stopping? Show them what you are all about with a full color door hanger. Start with a photo of the exterior that prospects will recognize from their daily travels. Then, include photos of the interior, your customers, your staff, you and especially your food. Include a partial menu of your best dishes. Finally, include a personal invitation with a special offer. Tell the prospect to ask for the owner or manager when they arrive, and then roll out the red carpet.

4. Build Your Delivery Business Door hangers are an effective and affordable way to keep in front of potential delivery customers. Once again a smaller area, with frequent distribution will yield the best results. Experiment with different offers and track response carefully. Repeat your best offers, get rid of the ones that don’t work and keep adding new ones. Once you have fine tuned your door hanger, your campaign won’t cost you money, it will make you money every time you distribute. At that point, it’s time to expand that delivery area.

Make sure you include a menu with a “Bounce Back” coupon with every delivery order. Give them an incentive to order again, sooner rather than later.

5. Give A Really Big Discount
In this economy everyone is looking for a deal. So give them one. Just make it valid only on the days or hours that you need to increase business. Don’t measure the success of your campaign on this one discounted transaction. If you make a new customer as a result of this promotion, you’ll see benefits all year long. And don’t forget about the value of “word of mouth”. So be aggressive and make them an offer they can’t refuse.

6. Secret Recipe Revealed!
If you have a dish that you are really proud of, publish the recipe with some photos of the preparation on your door hanger. The Olive Garden does this all the time in their TV Advertising. They make the food the star of the show (which it should be). Don’t worry about potential customers staying home and cooking instead of going out to eat at your restaurant. Most couples today have too little time and energy to cook a special dinner at home. But if you are worried, you could leave out part of the recipe (only kidding).

7. Use A Discount Coupon On Your Postcard To Test New Menu Items
Want to add a new item to the menu, but you’re not sure how it will go over? Include a coupon with a discounted price on your door hanger, to jump start the introduction.

Door Hanger Advertising Ideas for Realtors

The success of a door hanger distribution campaign is determined by a number of factors, starting with having a clear objective for the campaign. Once you have defined the goal of the campaign, the door hanger must be designed to motivate the prospect to respond to your call to action, for example, come to your office, go to a website or call on the phone.  We call this motivating offer “A Magnet”.

Here are a few Ideas and Magnets that have been used successfully by our clients. Use one or a combination, but do not over crowd the postcard with too much information. The door hanger must pass “The Glance Test”, which means the reader will know what the door hanger is about with just a passing glance. This can make the difference between getting noticed or being tossed out as junk advertising.

1. It is all about you!
   When you are advertising your services, it is not the time to be modest. Selling Real Estate is a one on one,  personal service. Include your photo and a brief resume. If you are new to the business, do not try to conceal it, let folks know that you are building a reputation and will work harder to get results. Include memberships in community organizations or church groups. If you live in the neighborhood you are targeting, be sure to mention it.
2. Farm Area: It’s Not The Size But The Frequency That Counts
   Door Hangers are an effective and affordable way to keep in front of new listing prospects. A smaller distribution area scheduled on a frequent basis will yield the best results. Remember, your name needs to be “top of mind” when the decision to sell is made. The only way to do that is to distribute on a regular basis.  Be consistent and over time, the listings will come. Once you’ve built momentum, it’s time to expand that farm area.
3. Develop A Market Plan for New Listings And Give It A Name
   Sure, most listings sell through the MLS. What other marketing activities do you include with your listing service? Open house, lawn signs, newspaper advertising, website, door hangers, etc. Make a list and present it as a results oriented marketing package. Make it even more special by giving it a name i.e. “The Exclusive, Bill Sullivan, Residential Real Estate, Marketing Plan”.
4. Use A Slogan To Help People Remember Your Name
   Sometimes it may seem corny, but it works. i.e. “Selling Your Home? If You’re In A Hurry, Call Billy Murray!”
5. The FREE Market Analysis Offer
   Everyone uses this offer, but perhaps a little rewording can make it more appealing, by targeting curiosity: “Find Out How Much You Neighbors House Sold For….You May Be Surprised!”
6. List The Houses You’ve Sold Recently. Don’t Have Any? You Can Still Make A List.
   Put together a list of houses that have sold recently, including prices and a brief description. If they are not your listings, put a small disclaimer at the bottom “complied from MLS data base”.
7. Can You Offer A Discount Brokerage Fee? People Love To Save.
   If your broker allows, you might consider offering a discounted brokerage fee and advertise: “Full Service At A Lower Fee”!

How Much Would You Pay For A New Customer?

What if there was a store that sold customers? No, not a store that sells to customers, I mean a store where small businesses could go and purchase new customers. And let’s say that store has all types of customers on the shelves, like in real life, difficult customers, cheap customers, average customers and even best customers.

Let’s deal with factor one first. How much would you pay for a new customer? Isn’t the amount you would pay for anything determined by the value of the product or service. The same rule should apply to customers. So before we ask the question, how much are you willing to pay for a new customer, let’s ask how much is a new customer really worth. Here’s one method you can use.

Small Business Example: ABC Dry Cleaners

Work out the numbers for your business and go on a shopping spree! Buy as many new customers as you can. But wait minute, you might have a limited amount of cash on hand. Furthermore, your cash flow may not allow you to wait up to two years to recover the profit. That brings us to factor number two: your budget. The most important thing to consider here is being consistent. You can start with a small budget and expand it as cash flow permits. Determine a budget that you are comfortable with and then stick with it.

Don’t despair, you can get new customers with advertising. But you’ve got to pick an advertising method that is measurable. Door hanger distribution is very measurable and it is cost effective. You can even target the type of customer your looking for (your definition of the best customer), by picking neighborhoods based on home values and proximity to your business.

Keep close track of the results of your door hanger distribution efforts. Then compute your cost per customer: Cost of the distribution divided by the number of customers generated. By fine tuning your door hanger design and special offers you can increase the response rate and lower your cost per customer.

Advertising isn’t easy, but if you know the cost to generate a new customer and the value of that customer, you will be well on your way to running successful advertising campaigns.

It Isn’t A New Idea But A “S W O T” Analysis Of Your Business Is Still A Good One

Door Hanger Advertising is an effective way to grow your business. However, all advertising should be part of an overall plan that sets your business apart from the competition and creates a demand for your products or services.

A “S W O T” Analysis is a simple yet effective marketing exercise (first introduced in the 1960’s) that can help a business focus on improving sales.

The initials stand for:

• “S” – STRENGTHS
• “W” – WEAKNESSES
• “O” – OPPORTUNITIES
• “T” – THREATS

You don’t need a marketing guru to conduct the analysis, you can do it yourself, if you are willing to be honest. Start with 4 blank sheets of paper and title each with the headings shown above.

Here are some examples to help get you started:

STRENGTHS could be -
Your location, a one of a kind product or service, a reputation built over the years, your staff, etc.

WEAKNESSES could be -
Your location, similar products and prices offered by nearby competitors, not enough parking, a bad reputation

OPPORTUNITIES could be -
A competitor goes out of business, new homes being built in the neighborhood, new products available from a supplier, using the internet to expand sales, etc.

THREATS could be -
New competitor opens nearby, gas prices go up, temporary road construction, etc.

With a completed analysis, you will be better equipped to develop an effective marketing and advertising plans, including a door hanger advertising campaign.

Try Adding Value Instead Of Discounting On Your Door Hanger

Remember, the purpose of your door hanger advertising campaign is to generate leads.

A good way to do this is to include a “Special Offier” on your door hanger. We call this your “Magnet”. A good magnet will attract new customers.

Try being creative. Many advertisers use the old “10% Off” approach. It may work, but it’s been over used and often the prospect doesn’t believe the discount is real.

No not a "Chcik Magnet". Use a special offer as the "Magnet" on your door hanger to attract new customers!

Try adding value instead of a discount. Price your product competitively and then add more product or service for the same price. For example, a door hanger for a carpet cleaner might say “3 Rooms Cleaned for $99 – Plus 1 Chair Cleaned FREE!” This is a “WIN, WIN OFFER”. He gets his full price for the carpet cleaning and lets the client know that he also offers upholstery cleaning – and after cleaning one chair the rest of the upholstery may look a bit dingy, which could lead to an additional sale.

The value added offer doesn’t always have to be free either. We’ve all been asked to “SUPER SIZE” our order at a fast food restaurant. That extra $1.99 for a larger fountain soda and a few extra french fries really adds up.

So take some time to think about the Magnet on your door hanger. If you need some help, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to brain storm with you. Call 866-585-0965 M-F – 9-6 Eastern Time.

Use door hangers to promote your website. Don’t have a website? Read this!

Using door hangers to send visitors to your website is a great idea, but have you given much thought as to what they will do when they get there?

Who should designed your website? A website consultant, a template on online, your nephew?

Make your website an ad not just a brochure. Include special offers and change them regularly.

The answer is: YOU SHOULD DESIGN YOUR WEBSITE!

You don’t have to learn any complicated software. You can hire someone or ask a friend for assistance, but you should be in charge of the content.

The first step is to decide what you want your website to do. There are 3 main options to consider:

1. A Brochure Online
2. An Ad Online
3. A Store Online

For most small businesses options 1 and 2 are the most practical and affordable. Most websites are set up as online brochures with information about products and services.

Using your website as an “Ad Online” is an overlooked concept that works very well. It’s a way to promote special offers on a regular basis without having to pay for newspaper or other advertising. You just have to get your customers trained to checkout the latest offers from time to time. Ofcourse, the offers have to be strong or your clients won’t take the time to return.

We have just introduced an exciting new one page “Mini Website” that allows the site owner to easily update content and special offers. No software training is needed. Click the link below for more information:

http://www.GetAMiniWebsite.com

To kick off our new web program we are offering a $50 discount on your next Door Hanger or Flyer Printing Order when you purchase a $99 Mini Website.

For more information call 1-866-585-0965.

Door Hanger Distribution: Results Are A Matter Of Timing

In order for prospects to respond to your door hanger marketing campaign, you need to distribute them at just the right time.

It’s easy for a Pizza Shop. I can always be convinced to order a pizza, especially when I have a special offer in front of me.

For other businesses, it’s a bit more challenging. For example: A Realtor needs to have their door hanger distributed when a homeowner has decided to sell. The best time for a Travel Agent to put their advertisement on the door is when a family is planning their vacation.

How do you know the perfect time to distribute? You don’t. So the next best thing is to pick a neighborhood and distribute your door hangers on a regular basis. In other words, it’s better to distribute 1000 door hangers five times to the same homes than to distribute 5000 door hangers one time to a larger area.

Even though your prospects may not be ready to buy when you do a distribution, you are still creating a “top of mind” awareness. Over time, when they need the product or service that you provide, they are going to think of you first.

So don’t be discouraged, be consistent and you will see your sales increase in the long run.

Include Prices On Your Door Hangers

I’ve seen lots of business people who are reluctant to include prices for their products or services on their door hanger advertising. They give lots of reasons: I don’t want my competition to know my prices, I don’t want to scare off the prospect, my product or service has too many options to include a price, etc.

Door Hanger Advertising is not the same as directory advertising, like in the phone book. In a directory ad, the prospect has already decided that he needs your product or service and he is looking for someone to provide it. In a directory ad you want to include an entire “laundry list” of products and information about your company.

Door Hanger Advertising is different. In most cases the prospect isn’t thinking about your product or service. So we want to get his attention. Including a price on your door hanger is a good way to do it.

Let’s take a painting contractor as an example. Which of the examples below do you think would work best?

A) PAINT YOUR HOUSE THIS WEEK AND SAVE 10%
B) PAINT YOUR HOUSE THIS WEEK AND SAVE $100
C) PAINT YOUR HOUSE THIS WEEK FOR ONLY $899 (plus paint)

Great response is not necessarily generated by a discount. In offers “A” & “B”, the client has no idea what the cost to paint a house is, so the discount is meaningless. Some homeowners have never hired a painter and therefore have no frame of reference for pricing. They may read between the lines and think they know the price, but it may be too high or too low, not a good thing in either case. By including a price, the prospect may be surprised and have this reaction: ”I didn’t know I hiring a painter was so affordable. Painting the house is within my budget. I’m going to call.”

By including the price, every call you receive will be pre-qualified.

If you are concerned about variables that may effect prices, include a disclaimer. For example: Most Houses In This Neighborhood Painted For $899. Some restrictions apply. Call for a FREE, no obligation Estimate.