Marketing That Pays

Direct Marketing Hits Rock Bottom

Direct Marketing Hits Rock Bottom is a true story. This actually happened to me, rather recently. I detest guys who come around distributing flyers and leaving them in my driveway or in my door. As a matter of fact, I have so much disdain for it that I will not even look at their offer. It goes directly in the trash. Recently, my anger was stirred again because I found a zip-lock sandwich bag in my driveway just beyond the inlet.

Inside this bag was a white piece of paper folded in quarters with the text turned inside. On the outside was a limestone rock. I picked it up with a fury. It was already hot outside, but my temperature quickly rose a few more degrees. I took the packet inside, planning to trash it, but for some reason I didn’t. I took the rock out, looked at it’s rather smooth edges, then trashed it.

Next, I took the paper out, and saw on it, the clip art picture of a lawn mower and some text. It, of course was a direct marketing mail advertisement for lawn care. Now, I was already disappointed with my current lawn service for two reasons. One, because he was late getting started in the season, leaving my lawn looking a bit ragged. Secondly, because he used a large riding mower that packed the dirt in my lawn and cut unevenly.

I used to mow my own lawn, trim, edge and shape it, so I knew how it should look. However, this guy insisted on doing it fast, a decent get-by effort but not enough to excite me. So, I was in the market for a new lawn mowing service.

Direct Marketing Mail

After looking at this guy’s flyer, and seeing that he only used a regular mower to mow, I called him. He was enthusiastic to receive my call. At first, I expressed to him how much I resented having to pick up his rock out of my driveway. He apologized and gave me the postal service’s regulations on restrictions about using the mailbox, (which by the way I knew very well, because I have distributed direct marketing mail pieces before myself.

I then asked if he used a push mower only. He said yes. We agreed on a price. All the while, I was thinking about how much I hated his marketing packet, I sat there thinking. This guy’s little computer generated flyer and this rock is about to make him some bucks. To be exact, about $40 per every two weeks so far, with an upsell of $30 for my flower bed clean out.

Not only that, I saw him mowing the lawn across the street, a corner lot which is larger than mine, so let’s say for good measure, his rock bottom marketing made him an average of $100 every two weeks, just from the two of us.  Using an average of five months of summer mowing, that’s about 10 times at $100, in other works, rock, paper and lawn mower scissors made this guy and easy $1000 dollars for his efforts.

What he doesn’t know and what I have not yet told him is that he could make even more money off me as a customer.

While on an errand today, I came across another guy distributing direct mail in an apartment complex. I had to ask him for on brightly colored orange flier, which he reluctantly handed over. He wanted to know if I lived in the apartments, apparently trying to figure out if I were a potential customer or what I wanted with his flier.

I told him that I was a marketer. It goes into my swipe file. It was an advertisement for a wrestling match.

Lessons From the Rock Bottom Direct Marketing Lawn Guy:

1. Direct marketing works
2. You must have an offer, even if it is on one sheet of paper
3. You must seek to solve a problem: (He saw my lawn in need of a mowing)
4. He chose a targeted market: I was a homeowner with an unmowed lawn.
5. He gave a way to respond (Left his name and phone number)
6. He offered an enticement: free estimate and reasonable rates)
7. He followed up (after I called him)
8. He had a strong sales copy
9. He had a combination of pictures, (b & w) clip art of lawn mower, flower pot and hand shovel with text and a bold headline
10. He asked for the upsell (repeat business)
11. He offered a back end (flowerbed and shrubs)
12. He offered service with a smile (insured that I knew, liked and trusted him)

Are you using the “direct marketing” methods of the Rock Bottom Direct Marketer? Increase your sales and generate income within minutes of installing blog with new money making theme. Direct marketing works!