Would you throw this leaflet away?

[Cleaningismything]

I'm in the process of starting my own cleaning business, and I just wanted to ask, if you got a leaflet through your door from a cleaning company, would you throw it away with all the other stuff or contact them if you needed a cleaner?

Just trying to figure out what's the best way to advertise. Thanks

If I was looking for one then possibly, if not it would be straight in recycling.

I think this thread shows that some people will read the leaflet and some wont. 250 leaflets might have a return of 2-3% so you may make a loss on the leaflets which longer term may lead to a gain.
You post 250 leaflets, 5-7 people engage you as a result. They tell two to three of their friends each and from that you get 2 or 3 more clients.
Those new clients tell their friends and you get another few.
Those clients all start to mention you on local FB groups and community boards when people ask about cleaners.
So it takes a while, the leaflets on the face of it may not be a great winner but within a year you could have a full schedule of clients because of those initial 5-7 replies.
A post card in a shop window gets a lot more people looking at it than a leaflet. A postcard/poster in a supermarket the same.

There's a sign on my door saying:-

NO JUNK MAIL
No leaflets No flyers
No menus No circulars
NO SALESPEOPLE

Would you put a leaflet through my door?
If you did it would go straight into the recycling bin.
You should find other ways to advertise your business. Leafleting will waste time and paper. THink about where people would look if they wanted a cleaner and advertise there.

I glance at leaflets and if it was something I actually needed (though this has never happened with a leaflet through the door) I would look into it further.

A business card I would keep as its non intrusive and would keep it on the fridge probably, flyers definitely not.

I always ask friends for recommendations, if that didn't work I'd ask on local Fb groups. Good luck!

I'm in Spain. I don't know if it's different in the UK but we see these a lot. They would be a fantastic way to target people that want your service, put them on lampposts and in shops of the area you want.

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Yes because all the leaflets we get through the door for cleaners or tree surgeons in particular turn out to be scams!
I'd much rather a website and Facebook page

I’d think about it the other way round. People who decide they want a cleaner.... where do they look? Personally I would

• ask friends/neighbours for recommendations
• search on Facebook
• google “cleaner” and area name

Obviously when you’re starting out the first point is harder, so as PP say I’d concentrate on Facebook and a website. If you are budgeting for advertising rather than printing leaflets you could pay for SEO to make sure you’re high up when people google.

As a side point I’ve noticed a lot of cleaners near us have decals or those magnetic panels on their cars. You can be your own billboard when you’re parked outside a client’s house!

Good luck

I've used leaflet drops as a form of marketing at work before now and have found them often ineffective - sometimes you can send out 5000 leaflets and only get one response or none at all (though other times it's better). I think sometimes it depends on the reliability of the leaflet distribution company, and other times there's an element of luck.

For low budget options, I've had more joy advertising via local parish magazines and newsletters, Facebook buy / sell groups, Facebook neighbourhood groups, Next Door, posters in windows of local shops / post office to be honest.

I got my cleaner through a spotted Facebook page.

I’d be more inclined to keep a leaflet if it had prices on it...or average prices at least. I’d quite like a cleaner but not enough to contact one and get quotes but if the (rough) info on pricing was there on the leaflet is probably give you a call.

Parish magazines are a cost effective way of advertising in your locale . Rather than leaflets print some postcards to keep in your handbag, if you are passing a build that’s coming to an end it’s easy to post when you pass. Consider it targeted marketing. The benefit is it’s made of sturdier stock than a leaflet so survives being carted about better, more likely to make it to notice board, better visiblility than a business card. My old cleaner was friends with a builder or two - they’d recommend at end of job. She also did a turn with a tea trolley at and old people’s day centre which yielded a lot of fill in jobs eg for Betty who couldn’t kneel but was fastidious about plinths skirtings etc. Mature people who didn’t want to wrestle with bedding etc if family were visiting etc, but very satisfying whilst not strictly cleaning I think she called it host -aiding. She really enjoyed these life enabling tasks most of all, keeping Beryl ‘s family comfortable and Beryl not too knackered to enjoy their visit. Might be worth your while going to local small business networking group, while you are building clientele to learn about getting the most from social media. I also hire recommended from friends. Can I ask why cleaning? I don’t mean to be rude at all, do you love it? It’s therapeutic? You love completing a task - seeing the result of a job well done ? It’s flexibility appeals? I am just thinking on a USP ... in some chi chi parts of London only using organic products etc might be an ‘in’. Do you have a specialist skill set - do you know what NOT to use on an Aga for example ? Would you love or loathe an intervention at a hoarders house? My current cleaner charges more for her cupboard cleaning and organising as an add on to her regular services. The results are magazine feature worthy, the pay is better and she is encouraging healthy life habits which make here pure cleaning work easier as people are more likely to upkeep once the base has been established. Everyone’s a winner. If you live in an area with high fliers and movers would you diversify into mustering in and out cleaning - make friends with the local letting and estate agent people. Don’t undersell your services or costs people who don’t value the true costs are customers you don’t want. Our S/Employed cleaner has been here almost a decade.Find your niche and flourish.

I would keep it since I'm desperate for a cleaner. No one seems to clean in my small Scottish town. Joking aside. Surely leaflets will reach people who are not online.

In my - limited - experience cleaners are often contacted on recommendation.

Whenever any leaflets get pushed through the door I never usually give them a glance and they literally go straight outside into the recycling.
We'd be over run with them otherwise as we're always getting something or other pushed through, whether it be double glazing or cleaning or whatever!
I do tend to keep those local advertising booklets that come through the door though with local companies in. Then if need someone for anything I look through there.

I don’t look at leaflets. IF I wanted a cleaner I’d probably ask friends or ask on my local Facebook group for recommendations.

I only keep leaflets if they're from my competitors (dog walking)! I haven't bothered with them myself for several years now. We get most of our new clients via word of mouth which includes Facebook local community pages. I do advertise on a couple of dog service specialist websites, and it helps that I've been going for many years now so dog walker My Town google searches always brings my website up at the top. I do also put up postcards in vets and as PP has said parish magazines are a good way to reach a generation that still doesn't do much online.

I would look at it (and have done with other leaflets for cleaners - whereas taxis, pizza delivery etc all go straight in the bin). If it looked professional, and gave an hourly rate, then I might certainly be tempted. (However I think I would probably need to employ a cleaner almost full time to actually make a difference - I have a stupid number of cats - so I never go through with hiring one. But I still think about it, and still might one day). So to sum up - it could work on me.

My daughter has a cleaning business,but don't think she ever did leaflets through doors at all. She has a website,that was designed by my son. She started her business a few years ago,and as she lives near a big city,she has been successful with the business as she has private houses,and also offices on her books.

Have you tried Bark? I've only just used it but have had a great response and would use it again. With a look anyway x

I run a small business and advertise as such. I know alot will throw it away but you been surprised how many look At them. I even had one guy phone me up saying my business was very good but it wasnt a very good way of advertising. I did point out he phoned up. He then said it was a good way.

For those throwing away without looking at leaflets you missing alot. We get £5 vouchers at local supermarket i use, vouchers for free yogurt and all sorts of things. Anything im not interested in i bin in seconds though.

Saying that for a cleaner its word of mouth.

I would as I throw all junk through the door away, unless I was looking specifically for a cleaner. Try doing a Facebook page.