Marketing Tips
Random ideas for marketing your Teen Challenge social enterprises.
Specific Business Cards
Make separate business cards for your different enterprises. Have an attractive business card that features the Lawn Care business with an appropriate photo and specific contact information. You can use a photo of a beautifully kept lawn, a student on a lawnmower or a graphic of grass etc. Using lot’s of green on this type of card furthers your message. Be sure to remember to use the TC logo to help “brand” your social enterprise as a part of Teen Challenge, but the logo doesn’t have to be the most prominent feature on the card.
If you have a jewelery social enterprise, why not a business card with a feminine type and a photo of your best jewelry? This card can be included with all purchases and be sure to offer a couple if someone wants to share your information with a friend.
Percentage off or Free Items cards
For thrift stores, provide donors with %Off Cards. Naturally, giving your donor something shows you appreciate them. The card can also be used by the donor to help someone they know personally who is in need, and you’ll increase traffic and sales in your resale store. All important benefits.
For jewelry business, give customers a percentage off card on their next purchase, or for them to give to someone else for their first purchase. This encourages more sales, and gives you the opportunity to share your message with a wider audience.
For lawn care businesses, give percentage off cards to your customers to give to their friends. Offer 50% off leaf removal for regular customers or referral incentives such as 50% off when 5 new customers, mention their referral. As long as your customers are happy with your work, they will be your best method of advertising.
From my days in the printing world, there are pros and cons to the “supersize” on cards, brochures, or even resumes. The obvious “pro” is that your piece will stand out in the crowd because of its size. The “con” is that your piece doesn’t fit in with the other pieces — same reason, the size. Some individuals won’t keep your piece because it doesn’t fit in the file nice and neat. So consider the piece and how you expect people to use it (and hang on to it!)
An oversize card could have a great advantage if people keep it until the need arrives. I just had another thought, how about a well designed, attractive refrigerator magnet to advertise the lawn care business? If it makes it to the refrigerator, they’ll see it daily!!
Let us know how the oversize card works for you!
Thanks,
Has anyone tried using the larger sized business cards, called “trading cards”? Our thought was that maybe our lawn care card could not get “lost” in a stack as easily as the standard size small cards.We shall see- just got them printed this week.
Any positive or negative results using this size card?
Thanks for advice!
Update- I think the large cards have served us well. We put the lawn care info on one side using green font and a light green starman in the background. It is a two sided card so our standard TC logo with center info & social media stuff shows on the other side..
Another Point: In hopes to increase business in the same neighborhood (saving fuel in the process), we are leaving a 1/3 page flyer on neigbor’s doors stating we have worked on their street recently and we invite them to “check out” our work. (we fill in the house # that’s been done already) The flyer ends with: If we can help beautify your lawn, please contact Challenge Lawn Care at …..
A business card is stapled to the page.