Custom Door Hangers Bring in Money Growing on Trees
Marketing

How a Local Tree-Trimming Business Makes a 3000% ROI With Custom Door Hangers

Money does grow on trees!

Well not literally of course, and no this is not the start of sales pitch or a Ponzi scheme.  This blog post is based on an actual story that happened to me a few months ago. The key to gaining more customers with increased profitability for your business can be achieved through targeted marketing using innovative, yet simple, custom door hangers.

My story:

This past spring, my family and I purchased a home in North Dallas.  The previous owners had cut down a tree in the front yard, but had conveniently left the stump.  My wife and I talked about having the stump removed for months until one day we found a door hanger on our front door advertising tree trimming/stump removal.  I called the number, spoke with the manager and the next day the stump was ground into saw dust for $200.00. I then asked the foreman how much it would cost to trim several of our trees.  He quoted me on the spot a price of $300.  SOLD!   I asked the foreman if it was common to have such a large return for such a small investment in advertisement.  He said that usually when he prints and puts out custom door hangers, he gets calls back for $1,000 to $2,500 jobs!

This got me thinking…

How I got my numbers:

There are 480 homes in my neighborhood.  Ordering 500, 8.5” X 3.5” custom door hanger on 10 pt. cover stock, single-sided would be $71.50 .  To calculate the ROI, I used the amount given to me by the foreman. A large tree trimming job of $2,500 (the earnings) minus $71.50 (the investment cost) divided by $71.50 * 100 = 3,396.5% ROI. I don’t need to tell you, that is an awesome rate of return on investment.

So can this work for your industry?

The reason why his door hangers were so effective is because there was a specific target audience with a specific need.  It didn’t hurt that our neighborhood is called “Country Forest.”  There was already a built-in market demand for a tree service company. Their marketing was direct yet very effective, which kept their campaign costs low and provided a great return on their advertising investment.

Other Industries Targeting Home Owners Include:s

  • Alarm Systems
  • Car Repair
  • Chimney Cleaning
  • General Handyman
  • Gutter Replacement/Cleaning
  • House Cleaning
  • HVAC Installation/Repair
  • Pool Service
  • Realtors
  • Restaurants
  • Residential Fencing
  • Roofing
  • Window Replacement/Cleaning
  • Yard Service

With a clearly identified target customer, it was easy to construct an effective marketing message.  It is also important to note, that in industries without a brand name or product familiarity, the market barrier entry point is lower, which makes advertising less expensive.

What made it work?

  • Easy to Read – The door hanger listed all of the services the company provided, which told me what the company was able and willing to do.
  • Clear Call-to-Action – The CTA was simple: call this number.
  • Discounts Offered – There were two discounts offered on the custom door hanger: one for tree trimming, the second for tree removal.  By offering two discounts, the company didn’t limit the customer base to only one service or product.
  • Answered Potential Objection(s) – In my first sales job, I learned that the person who answers the objection first “wins.” The door hanger stated “All Work Guaranteed – Company Insured.” By stating that they were insured, I had the feeling that the company was reputable enough to have an insurance company underwrite their policy. Thus by answering a potential objection in advance, the owners made it easier for me to pick up the phone and call them.
  • Tangible Effect – The mere fact that the door hanger was something I could hold onto and save, if I wasn’t going to take action at that moment, gives print marketers an advantage over online advertising media.

So, yes money does grown on trees.  Even if your trade isn’t tree trimming, with a little thought and creativity you can still find the right “money tree” for your business using print advertisement.

 

 

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