Marketing Forum: Take a chapter from Joe...

Gary ~

Take a chapter from Joe Polish and tweak it to fit your needs. Joe is very well known for his marketing efforts in an extremely narrow niche market. Carpet Cleaners.

You can find his site at http://www.JoePolish.com . He calls it Piranha Marketing, Inc.

Overall you wrote a fine letter. Certainly one written with sincerity in mind. But the fact of the matter is, your letter could be one of thousands going out in a Direct Mail Marketing campaign. And a direct mail campaign of 25 letters is akin to attempting to make coffee for your whole town on Sunday morning with just one coffee bean!

Not enough to judge on.

In any direct mailing attempt you need a strong opening line to make the reader interested. Typically a WIIFM... What's In It For Me.

It isn't until the 10th paragraph you even begin to mention the reader! And that is just to say YOU looked at his deck. You've also told him it's a $350.00 charge to do the deck cleaning, but haven't listed any real benefits to him for doing so.

You may want to follow one of Dan Kennedy's leads and use a Center-of-Influence technique. Now I know you can do a complete Deck Restoration for under $50-$75 worth of materials. Approach a well know, well positioned person in your community and offer to do their deck for no charge. All you ask is he refer you to a civic group he belongs to. (Or what ever else he is a part of.)

Once the deck is done, use him as a testimonial. Send out letters on his letterhead and stationary to a group of people he interacts with. They will open a letter from a friend! And more importantly READ it.

In this letter, he introduces you and tells them you will contact them for a FREE Deck Evaluation.

You contact them and follow through.

You can also send a series of letters extolling the "PAIN" of Deck Deterioration. The costs associated with repairs. The protection of his $5,000.00 or more investment. If he doesn't call your number... After a week you send another letter. This time you mention the first one might have been lost, and his friend Bob DID want you to meet with him! Again bring up other issues of deck troubles.

No contact yet??? Send a third letter reminding him this is a FREE SERVICE valued at $XXX.XX to INSPECT the deck for safety, rotting wood, UV damage, loose boards, loose steps, bad railings, weakened joist & posts, etc.

All you want to do is GET ON THE PREMISE!

Many of Joe Polish' techniques will work for the deck restoration business. Your letter is a good letter, it just won't sell. But it is something to build upon Gary.

Pick up some Dan Kennedy materials at eBay.com. Carl Galletti stuff is pretty good too.

Remember you are NOT TRYING TO SELL in your first letter. Your attempting to get on the premise to point out the pitfalls of his deck. Do your selling there, face-to-face. Do a few at a lower price to get your feet wet and build some referral accounts.

I can't rewrite your sales piece in one post, but this should help you understand what it is you want the letter to do.

Success and Regards... Mike

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