Would you do this to get more business?

[KVA]

If your like me when I'm out and about shopping or running errands or whatever I look at things electrical related. Like in HD I'll look around the walls at the conduit work. Same thing when I'm stopped at a red light I'll look at the service on the house to see if it's falling apart (se cable jacket gone) or if it looks like an old 60 amp service.

So would you leave a business card attached with a note in the mailbox saying for example "Hello while driving by I noticed your electrical service attached to your home is in serious need of repair. Give me a call if you would like a price thank you xyz electric. Something along those lines...

Same with small businesses I constantly see busted bell boxes and GFI covers broken off on exteriors just one example.

Is this a good or bad idea or is this a common way to get business?

 

[kwired]

If your like me when I'm out and about shopping or running errands or whatever I look at things electrical related. Like in HD I'll look around the walls at the conduit work. Same thing when I'm stopped at a red light I'll look at the service on the house to see if it's falling apart (se cable jacket gone) or if it looks like an old 60 amp service.

So would you leave a business card attached with a note in the mailbox saying for example "Hello while driving by I noticed your electrical service attached to your home is in serious need of repair. Give me a call if you would like a price thank you xyz electric. Something along those lines...

Same with small businesses I constantly see busted bell boxes and GFI covers broken off on exteriors just one example.

Is this a good or bad idea or is this a common way to get business?

I wouldn't do it, but only because I hate it when people come to me with similar requests, but they must get positive results at some point otherwise they would not continue to to that.

You can inform business about possible litigation from employees if a hazard results in an injury, or even possible fines from OSHA or State department of labor, etc. for having a hazardous condition. Don't expect to have a big increase in work, but you may get some jobs. You may also come back and find someone else fixed whatever it is that you pointed out, but doesn't mean it is fixed the way you would have. That broken bell box may just get covered up somehow so it is not noticeable.

If electrical safety is high enough priority to you the fact the problem was brought to the owners attention may still give you some justification, even if you don't get the repair job.

 

[renosteinke]

This brings us back to a point Claude Hopkins kept harping on in his books "My Life in Advertising / Scientific Advertising."

For those who don't already know, Mr. Hopkins was 'on the scene' in the early 1900's, when much modern advertising was developed. The book is still in print.

His point is: there's an infinite variety of ideas. Some work, some do not. The only way to tell is to try them and TRACK the results. Another of his side observations is that the ads everyone loves, that collect all the industry awards, are very often ineffective in actually selling the product.

Has anyone here ever tried to have an actual advertising agency plan a campaign?

 

[K8MHZ]

My experience has been that this does not work. I have left cards in small stores for everything from noisy cooler fans to busted LB's feeding a 400 amp three phase main. The LB was a 4 inch and had been hit by a snowplow. You could see the conductors inside the fitting and the broken pipe feeding it. About a month later I came back and saw that the broken stuff had a section of sewer pipe over it, held on with a hose clamp.

Not once did I get a call back. I have had better luck by handing out cards to people that did not need any work at the time. At least some of them called for some work and some became repeat customers.

 

[kwired]

This brings us back to a point Claude Hopkins kept harping on in his books "My Life in Advertising / Scientific Advertising."

For those who don't already know, Mr. Hopkins was 'on the scene' in the early 1900's, when much modern advertising was developed. The book is still in print.

His point is: there's an infinite variety of ideas. Some work, some do not. The only way to tell is to try them and TRACK the results. Another of his side observations is that the ads everyone loves, that collect all the industry awards, are very often ineffective in actually selling the product.

Has anyone here ever tried to have an actual advertising agency plan a campaign?

Been many times I can recall a very funny TV commercial but do not remember what product or service was being advertised. If they run it often maybe I will eventually remember what it was. If it was a one time ad (for me anyway) I will never remember what it was for.

 

[K8MHZ]

If electrical safety is high enough priority to you the fact the problem was brought to the owners attention may still give you some justification, even if you don't get the repair job.

Not after about the fifth time you get ignored and they do something stupid to fix it.

 

[kwired]

Not after about the fifth time you get ignored and they do something stupid to fix it.

Hey other trades/professions have similar issues. My dentist has all kinds of recommendations for my teeth, I have only had the things that seem to be most important to me addressed - like the tooth that really hurt and got pulled. If I only get one tooth pulled every 30-35 years I will likely still have most of them when I die:lol:

I'm sure a lot of my recommendations will be seen the same way for the work I do.

I have seen many stupid fixes without my intervention also - another reason to leave a card:thumbsup:

 

[__dan]

Business is about doing what the customer wants done. The decision to spend money on it could take years and then they will want it done that instant, when they are ready. By all means drop business cards and chat up electrical, but be prepared for a very low hit rate and move on quickly. You need to be easily remembered and easy to find when the time comes, which could be years.

I'm trying to sell mom a new washer, Christmas gift actually. Electrolux has a closeout sale on a five star front loader and I think I can get a better deal if I buy two. Her comments, she likes opening the top loader three times to see if the suds were removed, it squeaks and she plans to call the repairman, her mom had a front loader and she did not like it. "Her mom", that would have to be like forty years ago. Sounds exactly like ~ 99% of the people I would cold call and tell them they need electrical work.

I have to wait to make the sale. When the customer wants it done is the time to make the sale.

 

[ceb58]

Chances are that when you see crappie or unsafe work it is because the owner was to cheep to spend the money to have it done correctly. So what makes you think he will have a change of heart unless he is forced to?

 

[readydave8]

If your like me when I'm out and about shopping or running errands or whatever I look at things electrical related. Like in HD I'll look around the walls at the conduit work. Same thing when I'm stopped at a red light I'll look at the service on the house to see if it's falling apart (se cable jacket gone) or if it looks like an old 60 amp service.

So would you leave a business card attached with a note in the mailbox saying for example "Hello while driving by I noticed your electrical service attached to your home is in serious need of repair. Give me a call if you would like a price thank you xyz electric. Something along those lines...

Same with small businesses I constantly see busted bell boxes and GFI covers broken off on exteriors just one example.

Is this a good or bad idea or is this a common way to get business?

I suspect it could work, you would want to avoid the appearance of using scare tactics. Maybe "have you considered repairs of . . .? If so we can quote a price." I am not likely to do business with a cold caller if I feel like he is trying to scare me into spending money. Like the sherrif's association guy.

 

[kwired]

I suspect it could work, you would want to avoid the appearance of using scare tactics. Maybe "have you considered repairs of . . .? If so we can quote a price." I am not likely to do business with a cold caller if I feel like he is trying to scare me into spending money. Like the sherrif's association guy.

If you want to work with sherrif's association it only costs you commiting a crime

 

[Strife]

The reason they're busted is because they don't care to fix them, so no advertising in the world will change that, untill someone gets hurt.
I have a customer who took over a property couple years ago. The property was full of what you describe, lights installed on WP boxes, said boxes without covers, PVC conduit and connectors broken, supports corroded, boxes and light fallen over, exposed wires, you name it.
At this point almost everything is on perma posts. There still are the occasional busted lights and "plowed over" posts, but they call me as soon as they notice it.
Bottom line, the previous management company didn't care to fix them, the new one does.

Same with small businesses I constantly see busted bell boxes and GFI covers broken off on exteriors just one example.

Is this a good or bad idea or is this a common way to get business?

 

[readydave8]

If you want to work with sherrif's association it only costs you commiting a crime

they call wanting donations, in return provide decal for car window, hint that I'd be less likely to get a ticket if I display their decal.

 

[kwired]

they call wanting donations, in return provide decal for car window, hint that I'd be less likely to get a ticket if I display their decal.

Tell them you want a similar donation for your own fund and maybe you should just call it even:lol:

 

[hockeyoligist2]

So would you leave a business card attached with a note in the mailbox

No, it is a Federal crime! A USPS mailbox is for the owner and USPS only!

At least according to a local Sheriffs Deputy! I used to stop by my Dads mailbox, then mine, next door, on the way home. Then take his mail to him. One day blue lights went off behind me at my box. The Sheriffs Deputy was investigating some recent mail theft in my area.

 

[kwired]

No, it is a Federal crime! A USPS mailbox is for the owner and USPS only!

At least according to a local Sheriffs Deputy! I used to stop by my Dads mailbox, then mine, next door, on the way home. Then take his mail to him. One day blue lights went off behind me at my box. The Sheriffs Deputy was investigating some recent mail theft in my area.

Hopefully all they did was ask you what you were doing, if your father was OK with you getting his mail, or even incapable of getting it himself, why is there anything wrong with that?

 

[Little Bill]

No, it is a Federal crime! A USPS mailbox is for the owner and USPS only!

At least according to a local Sheriffs Deputy! I used to stop by my Dads mailbox, then mine, next door, on the way home. Then take his mail to him. One day blue lights went off behind me at my box. The Sheriffs Deputy was investigating some recent mail theft in my area.

Hopefully all they did was ask you what you were doing, if your father was OK with you getting his mail, or even incapable of getting it himself, why is there anything wrong with that?

S
[h=1][/h]
It is true that you can't put flyers or anything in peoples' mail boxes. It's on the USPO's website. Actually, you are not to touch it unless you are the owner or the USPO. I'm sure there wouldn't be a problem with getting someone's mail that asked you to.(providing you could prove they asked you to) It's funny though, you can walk up to their door and hang something on their door or open the storm door and put it between there and the main door but you can't touch there mail box.:?
I suppose that could be stopped if you had a no trespassing sign up.
[h=1][/h]

 

[kwired]

S

It is true that you can't put flyers or anything in peoples' mail boxes. It's on the USPO's website. Actually, you are not to touch it unless you are the owner or the USPO. I'm sure there wouldn't be a problem with getting someone's mail that asked you to.(providing you could prove they asked you to) It's funny though, you can walk up to their door and hang something on their door or open the storm door and put it between there and the main door but you can't touch there mail box.:?
I suppose that could be stopped if you had a no trespassing sign up.

The no trespassing sign would force UPS and Fed-Ex delivery guys to leave packages at the curb

 

[K8MHZ]

S
[h=1][/h]
It is true that you can't put flyers or anything in peoples' mail boxes. It's on the USPO's website. Actually, you are not to touch it unless you are the owner or the USPO. I'm sure there wouldn't be a problem with getting someone's mail that asked you to.(providing you could prove they asked you to) It's funny though, you can walk up to their door and hang something on their door or open the storm door and put it between there and the main door but you can't touch there mail box.:?
I suppose that could be stopped if you had a no trespassing sign up.
[h=1][/h]

I guess that depends on if the property owner minded it being there or not. Technically, depositing anything on property you don't own or have control of is littering. If the owner of the property wants to make a big deal out of it, he would, by all means, have a good case. Especially if the person had been warned and continued to do it. (Put flyers on or in your doors, that is).

 

[readydave8]

I leave things in mailboxes, usually receipts or bills. I've even broken speed limits. Just a hardened criminal I guess.