Competing for the consumer’s limited luxury dollars is a tough business. When a person decides to splurge on themselves for any kind of service, they want to know that their money will be well spent. The salon who gets the most business is the one who has the best reputation in the market.
Learn how a small spa that just opened filled their appointment book by focusing on just one thing (and no, it wasn’t taking out more ads!).
The SituationAtlantic Lighting & Irrigation serves central Maryland homeowners and businesses by designing, installing and repairing landscape lighting and underground sprinklers. Because of their large geographic service area, the number of print publications they advertised in was quite large. They utilized higher end home improvement and lifestyle magazines, local newspapers and the yellow pages in nearly a dozen different regions. The monthly expenditure for all this advertising was really adding up and inquiries seemed to be at best stagnant. It was also very difficult to determine which publication was really making the phone ring.
Pro Marketing Matters created a fresh, new website for this regional contractor with the goal of helping them reduce and/or eliminate many of their print publications. The new website included areas for people to sign up to be on lists, join them on Facebook, download free reports and request appointments and quotes. In addition, site visitors are kept informed with news and tips on the company blog as well as via an online newsletter which is sent out periodically.
We have been able to eliminate nearly all other print ads from our marketing budget and we’ve cut our yellow page budget drastically. The phones are ringing, Quote Requests are flowing in to the office and the sales reps have full appointment books – all without the expense and non-track-ability of print ads.
“Our website now generates high quality leads, which has allowed us to eliminate many other forms of very expensive advertising, really increasing our ROI. Our phones are ringing, our inboxes are busy and appointment schedules for our sales reps are full.” Dianne Flury, CEO, Atlantic Lighting & Irrigation
Hotel developer and operator, Skye Hospitality was opening its ninth hotel in the Baltimore area and they needed to create buzz in the marketplace for their new property. In the past, they had invited hundreds to their openings. Large lobbies full of dignitaries, elected officials and VIPs enjoyed live music, entertainment, food and drinks. But, this hotel had a small lobby and filling rooms as quickly as possible was a priority. The client still needed the buzz factor but couldn’t throw a big lavish party. What to do?
An event to celebrate the Grand Opening was created and targeted only to key prospects which made them feel like VIPs. A unique invitation was mailed to key travel agents, select corporate travel planners and likely referral sources. The invitation, while arriving in a brightly colored #10 envelope featured a simple rack card with a unique scratch-off circle. Attendees brought their invitation to the hotel and visited the Scratch Booth where they would scratch the circle and reveal their prize.
The invitations pulled in over 100 qualified prospects who all won at least a night’s stay at the property, thus creating solid good will and lots of buzz. The hotel staff was able to meet, face-to-face, each prospect and take them on a personal tour of the property which provided the opportunity to share the unique features and benefits of the TownePlace Suites property. Immediate connections and sales were made.
The SituationA-One Moving & Storage has a large warehouse that was sitting nearly empty. Facing a declining real estate market, household moves had dropped considerably and it was time to devote attention to the revenue opportunity that lied within the empty storage bays in the warehouse. The company turned to Pro Marketing Matters to develop a marketing strategy to fill those empty bays.
A targeted, grass-roots marketing strategy was developed targeting realtors and their client bases. First, a new logo and brand was developed. Next, a marketing package was developed which simultaneously reached realtors and their homeowners who were listing their homes for sale. The marketing package included a large, eye-catching envelope, rack card to explain the service to the realtors and a kit for them to give to their new listings. Within that kit was a brochure which explained Clutter Crates to the homeowner, a rate sheet and large post-it note stickers for them to use to identify only the pieces to be moved into storage.
Within 3 months, the warehouse was full and realtors were clamoring for the service for their listings. In addition to doubling the recurring revenue from the warehouse, A-One Moving & Storage realizes additional business because they not only deliver stored goods, but they often handle the entire move.
