Free business card advertising in supermarkets

[condor]

Hi all

For some time, I've been taking the opportunity to advertise my pet sitting/dog walking service via business cards in a well known supermarket and associated DIY store that allows this type of free advertising. They provide space for local, small scale businesses to advertise.
Has anyone actually managed to get any work via this way? I ask because my business cards keep dissapearing but no one ever contacts me from this source. I think that there might be a 'business card collectors club' amongst school children.

Until recently, my local supermarket store also allowed 'customer adverts' that I'd used which got me a few hits and feedback. I've just made up some small 'business cards' that have the same format as my larger customer ad - but can't help if it's a waste of time.


Any feedback from your experiences?

[Hoofy]

Anyone else advertising the same services on that board?

[condor]

No - but the 'child high' type slots are usually empty.

I'll take another look tomorrow and see whether I can put my cards higher up.

[Hoofy]

Hm. Bizarre. In that case, stick the card higher up and see if it disappears.

[4xTrader]

I tried it for a year, and did not get any responce at all for a bathroom showroom. I would not even slightly recommend!

[jammy_basturd]

Could be a competitor removing your card also.

[Hoofy]

Your card doesn't have a cute doggy pic on it does it?

[technodup]

It's *potentially* being seen by thousands of people per week.
It's free to stick up.
The cards (by the sound of it) are free or near as dammit too.

And you're wondering if it's worth it? Customers rarely tell where they found you, and even if they do they can be wrong. If I picked the card and my sister picked it up in my house and one of her friends phones she'll say she heard about you through a friend. Which she wouldn't have if it weren't for the card initially.

That said you could be more direct- stick them on estate or hatchback cars in the car park, or ones with any evidence of dogs in them. Or stick them in multipacks of dog food in the aisles, if there's a gap in the packaging. That way it's targeted and it'll end up in a dog owners home. They'll be that surprised to see it fall out they'll remember it, and probably mention it to others. Don't get caught.

And have a message that appeals to dog owners, not just the usual 'dog walking service, local, cheap, phone xxx'.

[condor]

Hoofy said:

Your card doesn't have a cute doggy pic on it does it?

More a classy line drawing of a woman walking a dog
The new ones I've just made have a dog and a cat on them.

I've moved them to 2nd and 3rd rows from top (one diagonally above the other). There was a property management company who had placed their cards in 5 separate slots - so I moved 2 of theirs down to child high slots and hence promoted mine
Will see how it goes.

I have done house targetted leaflet drops before, but they didn't get any response. I think the leaflets under windscreens are an annoyance so wouldn't do that.

[951TSE]

Stick reference numbers on all your advertising (you don't say if you do this already) then it's easy to see where your responses are coming from and where to target your advertising spend. Maybe give a freebie to get a ref number quoted. Say free half hour if you quote ref number XYZ?

[condor]

That's a good idea

[technodup]

condor said:

I have done house targetted leaflet drops before, but they didn't get any response. I think the leaflets under windscreens are an annoyance so wouldn't do that.

Strongly disagree. Dog owners love their dogs, and will generally be interested in anything 'doggy'- if you have a message that appeals to them they won't see it as an annoyance. My Mum had a dog at Crufts last month, she'd be the first to moan about flyers on her dog wagon but if it was dog related it would be a different story.

If you are advertising here, there and everywhere and getting no response it's not the media/location at fault- it's the content. People see lots of advertising, many go out there way to avoid it- to get their attention you have to be different from the rest of the mugs doing the same tired old st. That and getting it in the hands of people who might actually need it, e.g. if your clients are working people out the house all day then you could (tactfully) guilt trip them at 8am at the train station.

[951TSE]

condor said:

That's a good idea

Got another if you're interested? I wouldn't claim to be the originator I believe it comes from car marketing in 1960's America.

Once again it's cards and reference numbers and is in effect affiliate marketing for off line sales. What you do is give all of your existing customers half a dozen cards with a reference number unique to that person on them and ask them to hand them out to anyone they think may be interested in your services and offer an incentive when the prospect signs up, it must be on sign up not enquiry.

Then you can give a new signer the same offer. All it costs is a small bit of administration to equate numbers with clients and the cost of the cards.