Flatwork Marketing

Hi everyone! This is my first post as a newbie.
I just finished setting up my simple cold water machine 4gal./4000psi. and I’m ready to start getting work.
I’m going to start with hanging flyers on mailboxes in neighborhoods with driveways measuring around the 1000 s.f. range.
Looking for some feedback on my Flyers and the method of mailbox hanging.
Each flyer is accompanied by my business card sealed in a clear plastic bag.
Thanks for your feedback!
Scott…


Personally I think that is too cheap. What I used to do is leave a blank space on your flyer and price each driveway individually. I would start at $79 and go up from there depending on the size of the driveway. After a while you will figure out what people will pay and then you can set your prices.

Thanks Bonefish!
I agree, I have priced on the lower side.
Being in Northern Indiana with limited pressure washing season, I thought I would go for the volume of jobs to get noticed in my town for whats left of this season.
Raising prices next Spring. I’m sure the price raise will scare away some, but I’m hoping not all!
I also, carry flyers without a printed price so I can fill in the blank.
Thanks for your input!

No Problem. Good luck if you have any questions, give me a shout.
Robbie Miller
Quality Pressure Washing of Houston

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My opinion is there is to much text if your trying to sell something at a certain price BIG & BOLD is everything. Maybe add starting at $49 what happens if you do single car driveway at $49 then the next call has a 4 car garage and its 8 pads long till the street… You just made $49 for about 4 hours worth of work…

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I’m thinking about trying a second flyer with much less text to experiment with effectiveness. Thanks for your thoughts.
As far as 8 pads long… I’m only going to hang flyer on driveways 1000 square feet or less for now. Larger driveways will get larger pricing.
Thanks again, Scott

Just one quick questions will you be cleaning carpets too? What will be your price for interior cleaning? I noticed you mentioned “carpets” in your flyer.

If thats the case on the bottom you should have Promo price only valid for driveways 1000sqft or less that way your not passing up homes on the same block.Its all about getting your name out there and some subdivisions will have 2 car driveways and some will have single why pass up homes when dropping flyers. Neighbors talk hey did you get this deal dropped off?!!

Just my thoughts good luck man.

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I too am trying to advertise in my neighborhood. I have been hanging flyers printed both side 1/3 of an 8 by 10 on garage doors. I also have yard signs, but someone keeps throwing them away. And a website for funneling traffic to email instead of phone calls. However, the phone and email isn’t ringing much. Funny story, got this response from Next door about my flyer. I apologized and he took the post down.

Its illegal to touch mailboxes.

Second thing is that is way too cheap. with a 4gpm machine up to 1k sqft that a minimum of 1hr worth or work (realistically longer). So if we were to break that $50 down to how much you will be making, your not making anything and could probably make more with a stable minimum wage job. Not trying to be offensive, but if you are starting a real business then you should be aiming for much higher.

Also just a tip, because when i started all i really wanted to do was driveways, less risk. Driveways dont make any money, House washing does then up sell the driveway, pool, ect. It would take 8+ $50 dollar driveways to make what my average is on a house. You will be driving all over town for $50 bucks when you could just do one house. My .02 is that volume is not the best way to build this business, i know guys who like to brag they are weeks booked out, but when you know they are doing 2-3 house to the price of my 1. Who’s really making more money? Pricing can be very complicated, im still working on my mine.

Also curious if you have a business name? The caricature of your head im assuming is a logo, but whats your name? I didnt see one on the business card or flyer.

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I have plans to purchase a carpet / extractor and spinner by next spring. Until then, I’m just pointing out to the customer that a clean driveway / sidewalk will help keep their carpets clean longer.
Thanks!

You’ll have that lol. Nothing like the good old days when there was more trust!
So far the best advertising I’ve had is by getting listed on Google Business. I begged until I got 5 customers to “Review” my business. This put me up to the top of Google when people searched “Cleaning Service” being on top with 5 bright stars works wonders. Over 90% of my calls come from the Google business listing. Surprisingly, less than 20% go to my website. Apparently the 5 star review does the trick and they bypass website and just call me!

Depending on which state you reside, here maybe laws in each county that prohibit solicitors from going to door to door advertising. Here I Texas I believe it varies from county to county though there isn’t a law that strictly enforces trespassing solicitors. I do know there are certain subdivisions that will not permit solicitors on their grounds. There is however no law that i know of that enforces this. It is a totally different scenario if a homeowner has a “NO SOLICITORS”. Atleast here in Texas you would be legally trespassing only if there is a sign specifying no solicitation at a property. I usually let my guy know not to drop or leave advertisements on those properties for the obvious. To your signs going missing, it could an upset competitor keeping you from advertising, who knows. I also wouldn’t remove your posting fro next door. It’s a free website, if people feel the way they do, then I’m sure they wouldn’t call you. Your only trying to advertise your business, good luck

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Thanks Donte,
I have done this type of advertising before in Florida, near the beginning of the recession. Jobs were dwindling, so I made up a flyer that was black and white and not as nice as the one I’m working on now. I hung almost 200 flyers on mailboxes of 1000 s.f. or smaller driveways one afternoon offering driveway / sidewalk for $35.00 cash if scheduled for that coming Saturday. That Saturday with a less than good set-up I did 25 driveways by myself. I also picked up another 10+ driveways for the following Saturday and several house, deck and pool cage jobs too. The $875.00 cash I collected minus about $20.00 for fuel was ok with me. Over $65.00 an hour cash. I was a very tired boy by the time I finished.
As far as being illegal to touch mailboxes… I had asked a Postman about this before I did it. He told me that as long as I don’t OPEN the box it was perfectly legal and he was fine with it. I may have got wrong information? I’ll look into this further to protect myself.
Thanks for your comments Donte!

Your information is correct…as long as you don’t open the box…you are fine.

Oh ok, got it. It sure is an eye catcher flyer. As like the other mentioned, raise your prices. There is no shortfall on the quality of your work. You quality of work will speak for itself. Find out your lowest price that you can still make a profit and specify “starting at” and go from there, good luck

I don’t advertise with flyers so I am not speaking from experience, but from a consumer point of view. I agree with the guys, to much text. You want bold and to the point. Also I would add all my services to the flyer, because some people might not care about the driveway but will want a house wash or gutter restoration ECT.

But don’t let us get in your head. Do your thing buddy. I hope you make stacks of cash.

I hear you on the profits doing houses as compared to driveways. My deal is I am just getting started and plan on keeping my 7 day a week Union Dairy job until spring. I 'd struggle to get a house done before my job starts at 2pm. Come spring, my prices will definately go up. As you asked, my company name is Safe Choice Cleaning, llc.
Thanks again for your .02 cents worth :slight_smile:

Houses are more profitable…but don’t be dissuaded…driveways are profitable, too…just not as much total money. From a part time perspective, you can certainly make money as long as you are charging a reasonable price. And, there are more bad looking driveways than there are bad looking houses. Few things add more curb appeal to a property than a nice, clean driveway.

Personally, I would not even start my truck, much less wash a driveway, for the price that you are advertising…but that is just me.

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Sorry to hear you’re going out of business so soon. That’s not even FL pricing. You will not make money at .05/ft. Change it to 500ft or less or starting at $49.95. Going rate around here is about .15/ft with post treatment. Sell on quality of your work, not price. Maybe charge more for the drive and throw in the sidewalk and stoop for free.

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