Flyers

i havent tried it out myself, but know people who has, and they say it was a waste of time and money… maybe if you could pick out familys that needed more room, your bunkbeds could be a solution for them, and a dedicated flyer telling about the benefits about bunkbeds and livingspace, would do the trick :) or something like that… previous customers, know you and your quality, and i think you should let them know when you have new products for sale! hope it helps :)

-- Spofeo/Kristian

I work closely with a real estate company. They get approx: 15% of thier business off of their flyers.

Pervious customer who are qualified for a referral bonus (did I spell that correctly) works.
Send me a job that pays. I send you a check. . That’s a cost you can recover.
Flyers are a pain. Kinda like carpet bombing.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

I tried a leaflet drop when I started out on my own, specifically making beds and built in furniture for the box rooms, (those being the smallest ‘bedrooms’ with irregularly shaped floors because of stair bulkheads).
I only got one call, and when I went to see what could be done in this irregularly shaped room, I was told ‘I’m not spending that much on a bed’. I did get one other call from a company who wanted to know if I’d pay for them to advertise my business in some kind of publication. So I’d conclude that flyers are pretty much a waste of time and money. (Or maybe it’s the case that the word ‘custom’ in any kind of advertising is enough to frighten 99.9% of customers off).
I did have better success advertising in the local press, I only got a couple of jobs directly from that, but that led to recommendations and repeat business too.
I know another cabinet maker who only promotes his business at ‘Ideal Home Shows’, setting up a small showroom and he does well from that, if he does two shows a year he gets enough commissions to keep him busy. There’s a huge footfall at those kind of things and all of them looking for ideas or wanting to make improvements to their homes.

-- Do or do not, there is no try

OK Nate you asked for it and here goes. My two cents worth. You live in Middlbury, Indiana. Is there any lead generating clubs there. These clubs exchange customer leads with each other. Also how about church! Does everyone in the church know what you do. If not tell them. Ask for referrel’s. I owned a print shop and printed thousands of flyers for people and companies. Door to door flyers probably work the best but most people don’t like them. Putting them on cars in the local market parking lot is a waste of time. Just go there and watch. People normally get in there car start the ingine then look out the windshield and see the flyer say a nasty word get out and throw it away. Good work, word of mouth, service clubs,chamber of commerce and that type of marketing works the best. You might also try Craigslist or ebay. But bunkbeds arn’t going to be easy or cheap to ship so stay local. Get door signs on your vehicle, print up T-Shirt with a picture and contact information on the back. If you want you can print your company name on the front and contact information but remember people have more time to read standing in line behind you. Samething with you car or truck signs on the side are great but the one on the back is going to get read more. Just my two cents worth, do with it what you wish and Good Luck. Quality and Customer Serive are the best advertisement you can get.
DeputyDawg
Just a woodworking Clown that loves to put smiles on faces

-- DeputyDawg

I’ve never had any legitimate good fortune with flyers, of any variety, and I’ve tried them for various things over the years in various quantities. It can work, I have found, if you are capable of doing it in ridiculously large quantities.

You may have better luck doing it alongside some other bundles—if you know any neighbourhood associations or apartments that give welcome packets, for example.

-- Lis - Michigan - http://www.missmooseart.com - https://www.etsy.com/people/lisbokt

DeputyDawg is right. There are a lot of very casual ways you can advertise. Our town has a raffle to benefit the volunteer fire department. I will probably donate a few items to that.

Also, don’t ever forget that a happy customer is the best advertisement. If one customer refers another customer to you, consider how you can thank the referring customer.

-- Glen, Pennsylvania, Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

I don’t think I have ever looked into anything I ever saw on a flyer. I would certinaly not spend big bucks on a custom bed based on a flyer that was stuck to my car.
It might be helpful to develop a flyer/brochure to give to people who enquire about your products. nice clear pictures, prices and contact information.

I know I am not supposed to text and drive, but if I am at a stop light behind someone with a website on their car I frequently look it up, even if I don’t want a roof I am curious.

If you are looking to donate something to get some advertising, try the parent orgaznations with schools in upper-middle-class nerghborhoods. Several of the elementary schools in my district have carnivels in the spring or fall that have silent auctions to raise money. they let businesses put a display at the auction with business cards or brochures. You could do something like a gift certificate. There are often things for $100 off driveway resurfacing or siding types of deals.

-- ----- www.KNWoodworking.com ----- --

I have a buddy who gave this a try years ago… it was a waste of time. Here is what I did personally: Built a reputation, joined the Chamber of commerce (it is AMAZING how many other companies in your town want high quality goods that you can make to put in their offices and whatnot), and “hired” a college student who was majoring in marketing to come up with an advertising sort of plan for me. He worked for free, just his professor had to look his work over and grade him on it. DO this. Thank me later. :)

-- Adventure? Heh! Excitement? Heh! A Woodworker craves not these things!