What do you think of this for a marketing idea

[doctor Bob]

Laser engraved spoons posted in posh houses?

Thoughts please.

We put out 300 last week to judge it, I think it will be a slow burner, but surely it must create a bit of interest.

Spoons.....Not a unique idea, but the engraving is different to most.

 

[Flynnwood]

Move the engraving onto the handles? (Just a thought / option to consider.)

 

[Hardwood66]

Hope it works last week I put out 450 leaflets and got one angry email telling to f... Off

 

[doctor Bob]

Hope it works last week I put out 450 leaflets and got one angry email telling to f... Off

We don't do leaflets anymore, actually we don't do any paper advertising (papers, magazines etc) all a waste of time.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I think they're lovely and I really hope they work. They have 3 dimensions for one thing...they speak directly about the quality of your work (because they are themselves good quality) and they stand head and shoulders above other forms of direct marketing...which will help to distinguish your capability.

I'm a big fan of small, highly focused and well targeted campaigns like that and (in the IT business) actually stopped my marketing team from all other forms of direct copy marketing also (advertising, magazing stuff etc). Now we only do direct engagement marketing (ie shows or speaking events) or specials (like your spoon). The reason is simple....all the other stuff stopped working because people are so overwhelmed with circular's in their post.

One tip I would add from my experience, follow up the spoon campaign soon after....1-3 weeks while its fresh in their minds. I would use telemarketing for this assuming you can access their phone numbers somehow. That way you build on the value created by the spoon...start more conversations....develop the story. Perhaps close the prospect on a free kitchen survey or even just a call to price up some flash new cantilever action cupboard etc as a means of developing dialogue with them. Marketing and sales (in this day and age) is a subtle and highly skilful business that requires you to nurture your prospects when they're cold...that means more than one communication has to hit them before they start to bite. Advertising is too expensive to generate that frequency for small businesses.

So, great idea....it would be really interesting to see if that project out-performs other forms of marketing you do....that's the other thing incidentally...with marketing you have to test test test. If the idea works, put more budget behind it...if it fails, try a different approach. Bottom line, it's fickle and you need to keep reinventing to stand out.

 

[Flynnwood]

We don't do leaflets anymore, actually we don't do any paper advertising (papers, magazines etc) all a waste of time.

+1

Referrals and search is the way forward.

Why anyone would want to spend £100/200/300/400/ etc on something with a shelf life of a few days is beyond me.

That's throwing money away. Henry Ford would adjust his 50/50 numbers in todays market.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

that's a yes and for me too....referrals. Go to your existing customers where they KNOW the value of your capability and ask them for the names and addresses of three people in their network they think might need your services. Position it as, if they're happy with your work, why wouldn't they want their friends to receive the same benefits?

Possibly even institute a reward to the referee, in the event you get business out of the names they volunteer.

 

[doctor Bob]

[
Why anyone would want to spend £100/200/300/400/ etc on something with a shelf life of a few days is beyond me.

That's throwing money away. Henry Ford would adjust his 50/50 numbers in todays market.

I completely agree, I think the good thing about the spoons is they won't get thrown away, with a bit of luck, instead put in a kitchen drawer and used. Eventually when someone wants a kitchen it will be a memory jog

 

[Kalimna]

Good idea, but I second the post suggesting moving the info to the handle. Tricky fir the spoon, but I imagine easier on the spatula/slice. If they are to be used, then I can see the engraving wearing off quickly if on the 'working surface'.
Nice and original.

Adam

 

[MIGNAL]

And I'm absolutely sick of marketing. Every single leaflet that gets posted in my letter box is put straight in the bin. Every cold caller is told where to go. Every telephone call 'we aren't trying to sell'. . . is unceremoniously cut off.
They will definitely have to find better ways to sell to me.

 

[tekno.mage]

I like your marketing idea - very unusual - but I too would prefer to see the engraving on the handles where it would be more likely to last if the spoons get used.

However, having said that, I have some wonderful and unusual marketing "gifts" I have been sent/given over the years and they worked in that I kept and used them (rather than throwing them away as I do with unsolicited leaflest) - but I've never used or bought anything from any of the companies that sent them to me, so other than providing free advertising to visitors to my office or house, maybe they didn't work too well for the companies that sent them out?

I do hope you give an engraved spoon to all your current customers too - as they'll probably show it to everyone who visits and admires their new kitchen.

 

[doctor Bob]

And I'm absolutely sick of marketing. Every single leaflet that gets posted in my letter box is put straight in the bin. Every cold caller is told where to go. Every telephone call 'we aren't trying to sell'. . . is unceremoniously cut off.
They will definitely have to find better ways to sell to me.

would you throw the spoon away?

 

[Graham Orm]

Leaflets used to return 1% response 10 years ago when I was marketing my business, so for every thousand you get 10 calls if you're lucky. Back then it still wasn't considered good value. Of course you then have to convert the lead to an sale, so the percentage drops again as you might only sell 1/3 of the enquiries. Currently we are bombarded with leaflets even more than we were then so I imagine the return is even less, as more folks (including me) file them in the bin.
As previously mentioned newspapers are a great way to burn money. I used to spend £20k per year with Yellow pages and Yell. A much better platform and a MUCH better quality enquiry.
Long story short, I went from a big business to being a one man band with van and tools. When this came about I was skint and leaflets were my only option. I had colour glossy post cards made, double sided with big pictures and a list of what I was offering. I delivered a couple of thousand and got several enquiries. I sold one or two and one of those has led to 6 more bathroom installs within the police force on recommendation. I was lucky. Had this not happened my return from the leaflets would have been very little.

The spoons are a great idea and will put you way ahead of anyone else doing it. Of course you have to hope you hit someone wanting your services. If not hopefully they will remember the spoon when they do. They stand a much better chance of still being around when they need you than a leaflet.

 

[Jacob]

......they speak directly about the quality of your work (because they are themselves good quality) ......

Quality yes but they are dirt cheap and available everywhere, supermarkets, pound shops, Wilcos. IKEA etc.
A mixed message?
Like having your logo on Biros and fag lighters - nothing wrong with their quality either.
What about some nice hand made ones instead - something a bit original? Or beer mats - only good quality ones of course.

David Mellors does a few items of quality wood ware

These are good and not too pricey(not that I'd buy them of course!)

would you throw the spoon away?

No but it'd end up undistinguished in the crock with all the other wooden spoons, spatulas, salad servers, rolling pins.

NB there are some very classy ones out there .

 

[doctor Bob]

Do you think I have a money tree Jacob?

 

[Paul Chapman]

I think the spoons and spatulas are a great idea, Bob.

Putting your advertising on something that is actually useful sends the right sort of message in my view. They are quite cute as well

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Billy]

As much as I like the idea, I would also rather put the engraving on the handle as someone already mentioned before. Like this, one can always read whatever is engraved on the spoon.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I think you're missing the point Jacob. The spoons may not be Fortnum & Mason custom jobs but they will still stand out against his competitors (who are typically doing nothing of this sort) and in so doing will distinguish his business.

You could at a push do a small run of very posh ones and target them very narrowly at say......large houses being renovated (ie likely to have both money and need) and literally hand them to the owner. Preferably do that locally so you start to develop a relationship. The idea is you catch them before they've ordered their custom kitchen.

Still think however you should consider buying a good book on referral marketing and implement some of the strategies therein.

 

[Jacob]

Do you think I have a money tree Jacob?

OK then just do the spatula (very cheap I imagine) but spend more on the graphic design and fill up the space Whiskey box style. It costs no more to print a very nice design as compared to a boring one.
There are lots of wood visiting cards around - these are neat with good graphics -

 

[doctor Bob]

Fair point Jacob, thanks