One of the best ways to grow any business is by constantly presenting new and different offers to your existing customer base and prospects. However, most companies make the mistake of presenting the same, boring offers again and again instead of spicing them up with a little bit of creativity. While most customers would get tired of hearing about the same offer multiple times, there is a way to present these same offers again and again but in a way that captures their attention and attracts a great deal of interest and desire.
The way to take your old, stale, and boring offers and spice them up is to tie them into an upcoming holiday or event. You see, we as consumers love a sale or special promotion. It’s especially attractive if it’s tied to or based on a particular event.
For example, on the day after Thanksgiving everyone and their dog gets up before the crack of dawn to go shopping. Why? Because businesses have figured out that if they create special offers and promotions based around Christmas shopping then people will respond in droves.
Another great example of a business using a holiday to present an offer could be a New Year's Eve special offered by many hotels. The special could include a nice dinner, champagne toast at midnight, a room for the night, and breakfast in the morning.
Here’s an example of a current event that could be used to present offers. The Super Bowl(TM) is coming up in roughly 3 weeks and we all know what a big a deal as this one game is, even if your team isn't in it. This is an ideal event to base a special package or offer around. Think of all the people that throw or attend Super Bowl parties, even if their team’s not in the game.
To take advantage of this upcoming event, put together a mailing or flyer that offers a package of services that reference this big game. Create a package of all your lawn maintenance services and give it a headline like, 'Make Your Lawn Look Just as Pristine as The Field at the Super Bowl(TM).' Or you could create a package, give it a catchy name like the '{Your Name} Lawn Care's Super Bowl(TM) XL Special', and then charge $40 for the entire thing. (The 'XL' means 40, so play on that price in your offer!)
If you happen to have a team that's in the playoffs (go Panthers!!), you could play on that as well. I would venture to say a good majority of people in your area are going to be fans of the local team, so play on this allegiance and loyalty in your offer. Use a little creativity and think about your customers, your target market, and what they really want, come up with something that's different from the standard 'offers' you usually present your prospects and customers.
Another key thing to do is to create some urgency by putting a deadline in the offer. You'll want to pick an end date that corresponds to the particular holiday or event you've chosen as it will reinforce the offer in your prospect's mind. With the Super Bowl(TM) example I shared, you would want to let them know the offer’s only good until immediately following the big game. Once the game’s over, so is your offer. Doing this will create a sense of urgency with the promotion and will to get them to act on your special offer RIGHT NOW!
Finally, don't just settle for a 'one shot mailing'. Create a campaign that consists of two or three pieces at the very least. The more campaign pieces you mail or distribute, the more effective your promotion will be and the more new business you'll receive. In the follow-up mailings, be sure to reference the previous mailings and build on the 'story' you started with the first one. I guarantee that none of your competitors are doing this and it will definitely set you apart from the rest of them in the minds of your customers and prospects.
Don't be afraid to use this technique again and again as there are constantly holidays and other special days or events that can serve as the backdrop for these types of offers. I mentioned the Super Bowl(TM), but there's also President's Day, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the 4th of July, someone’s birthday, a local festival, and on and on and on. You get the idea.
All it really takes is a little creativity and planning and you'll soon have a powerful system for creating cash flow surges whenever you need it by using these event or holiday based packages.
Chestin Salisbury is President of Lawn Care Marketing Magic, a direct response marketing consultancy located in Charlotte, NC that focuses on the lawncare and landscaping industry. He has been helping small businesses grow for 5+ years by creating marketing systems that use time-tested direct response marketing principles. Lawn Care Marketing Magic has access to 100+ years of experience and is capable of creating a marketing plan that grows YOUR business. Chestin is also the chief-editor of 'The Lawn Care Marketing Magic Minute', a weekly e-newsletter that focuses on helping your grow your business. To learn more about these lawn care direct marketing systems and to sign up for the weekly e-newsletter, visit http://www.LawnCareMarketingMagic.com.