Advertising Effective?

Rick Granick

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
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I received this message today to the email through our website:

Hello -

We are in need of a Frame Store to refer to homebuyers, through our Welcome Wagon Gift Package and online through Realtor.com, the official site of the National Association of Realtors. Please let me know if this is something you are interested in sponsoring.

This is an "EXCLUSIVE" opportunity for one Frame Shop to secure the new business of these families purchasing homes in the Montgomery/Blue Ash area and those planning to move into this area.

I am available for an appointment, should you require additional information.

Thanks in advance,
Marsha Klinger
(phone# w. local area code)
Anyone do this sort of advertising? If so, have you found it effective and/or cost-effective?

This kind of appeal always makes me feel as though I'm being blackmailed. ("If you don't agree to do this, we're going to feed your competitor's info right to all the new families in your area.") I have been looking for a new potential avenue of reaching new customers. What do you think?

Thanks. :cool: Rick
 
Rick, all they are doing is trying to drum up "members". You can do the very same thing by going to the tax office in your area and getting the list of new homeowners. BUT (AND IT'S A BIG BUT), when new homeowners are settling in, the last thing on their mind is normally picture framing. So many other expenses have to be dealt with. (sorry Kit for the preposition) Compile that info from the tax office, and hit 'em up in about 6 months to a year w/a direct mail campaign.

So much for my 2 cents.
 
Rick-I have long held the belief that if you took your entire advertising budget, your entire Business Promotion budget, added 10% more than your current rental expense and turned all that money into getting a better location, you would have a greater increase in sales.

I always ask those that take my classes that if they could get back all the money they spent (wasted)on advetising,would they?

I've never had anyone admit they would not
 
Welcome Wagon found out years ago that they couldn't work in Portland...

They could try... but the Neighborhood Associations (27 of them) have them whipped.

We pay $35 for 500 Neighborhood Association welcome basket inserts.

We have gotten many new neighbors that were thankful for those baskets, and because we were in there.

The BIG difference with the neighborhood welcome, it comes with a real live humanbeing..
They make an appointment with the new people, and come over and sit them down and go through EVERYTHING. Takes about 2 hours, with tea or coffee and nibbles.
Then the people have a magnitized list of 10 people that are "Welcome" qualified and knowledgable.. that goes on their refer... no time limit on how long you can use these friends and neighbors as a resorce.....


Now, in my book, that is the best darned $35 we spend.
 
We have found that new home owners do not seem to be good leads, they become good leads once they have been in their home for about 1 to 1.5 years.
 
Welcome Wagon is a ripoff don't do it.

We signed up for our own postcard that is suppose to be mailed out to all the new home owners. We have been in the program since July 2005 To this date we have not recieved one customer. The only reason that we tried it was the cost was 50.00 per month. We are giving 25% off any custom framing order as well as a Free 8x10 frame.

We have contacted the rep and they keep giving us excuse after excuse as to why it isn't working. We know why. So we deicded to stop payments at the bank. By the way they want you to have payments automatically deducted from our account.

So don't do it! Avoid the hassle and the lack of response.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I had a feeling they would run about like this, but I wanted to confirm that. I agree that the need arises a little later (unless you are talking about repairing the frames that got broken in the move.
Bob- I agree with your 'put the money into location' philosophy. I did that in 1996, and will have this building paid off in a few months.
thumbsup.gif

So, location is no problem. I just want to get the word out to new folks beyond the existing and referral customers. I want to make some changes in current ad budget allocations after the first of the year, and am considering possibilities.
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Rick
 
Rick, The idea was tossed around at one time of doing a direct offering in concert with a upper end real estate agent or firm. The better agents usually give a gift to their client after closing...could be a gift certificate to your store that you sell to the agent at a discounted rate. Not all new home buyers are cash poor, and those that aren't are freer to spend the money that gets their new home just like they want it.

I have an unstructured relationship with a local agent who works primarily in resort home sales. She sends me clients, and I give her a credit on her framing bill.

I couldn't agree more with Bob's emphasis on location. Problem is, he's got all the good ones wrapped up
thumbsup.gif
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Actually I went the same route as you, bought a building on a major north-south corridor (good when I live on a barrier island that runs that way), and have it paid off.
 
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