Need to fill an empty day or just a gap at short notice? Try this, it’s virtually free…
In a service business you’re actually selling time, when a day is gone, it’s gone! Every gap in the diary costs money and unlike a product you never get the chance to sell it again. So if you can fill these gaps cheaply you’ll improve your PVA turnover (Per Van Average). Below are two real scenarios that happen and how, by using Database Marketing Software, you can use email to fill empty slots in the diary.
Scenario One:-
Today is Tuesday, you had a full days work booked in for Thursday (three jobs). The middle job calls you and cancels or moves to a different day, OUCH! Now you have a two or three hour gap in the middle of the day. You try calling the first and last appointments to move one of them but neither of them can move. If you have technicians this is even worse as you’re paying them for that ‘wasted time’ between those appointments. I know that you could leaflet the area, which works and is better than sitting in the van, but it’s far better if you have an easy, CHEAP way to fill that gap.
The solution:-
If you’ve got your database set up right (and in GetBookedUp it’s automatically set up right) you should be able to filter your clients and pull up a list of clients with email addresses in either of the areas you’re already working in, AND any areas in between those two jobs. You can also pull up your “Short Notice Offer List”, you do have a short notice offer list don’t you? If not see the end of this article, I’ll explain all. Back to filling your diary… You now need to write a compelling email to send to that list. In GetBookedUp there is a built in text editor to create emails, and you can save the first one you write as a template to use in future, so next time this happens, and it will, you can just open the email template, change the date and send, easy.
Onto the email… It should have a great offer in the subject, we find ‘Free Protector’ or ‘20% off AND a FREE Spot Remover’ both work well. It should also say ‘but you need to act now…’. Then explain in the email what has happened… “Hi Mrs Ashford, we’ve just had someone in TOWN move an appointment for this Thursday. That leaves us with a gap between 11:00am and 2:30pm and as it’s already Tuesday it’s unlikely we’ll fill that appointment, which is why I’m emailing. If you have anything you’ve been meaning to get cleaned, but just not got around to organising it yet, if you act quickly and can fill that appointment you can have a 20% discount AND a free can of Spot Remover. We’d be able to clean two or three carpets, or your suite, you choose, and we’ll knock off 20% off. Last time I made this offer it was snapped up quickly, so please call us straight away and the FREE can of Spot Remover is yours. It’s that simple.
Scenario Two:-
It’s Tuesday afternoon, you have a large commercial contract job booked in for three guys on Friday. The Facilities Manager calls and says “Hi Allan, it’s Tom here. You’re scheduled to be here on Friday but the decorators will not be completed until Tuesday afternoon, they’re running late. Can you reschedule for Wednesday please?” Your heart sinks as now you’re left with three guys empty on Friday.
The solution:-
As with Scenario number one, turn to email marketing. This time open up the email to a larger audience, as the jobs don’t need to be geographically based. You obviously need more jobs, so hit a bigger list of people, simple. Again the email needs a great subject line “FREE Protector, but you need to act now…”. Then again explain in the email why you’re making the offer. Tell them you’ve had a job move. When people understand the reason you’re giving them the offer it becomes compelling, they believe the offer. I often include the sentence “Everyone wins, I keep our technicians busy and valued clients like you save with this extra special discount.”
Real Statistics:
The last time I sent this same offer in our business was Tuesday this week, because of exactly scenario two. I selected 386 clients in the area and emailed them at about 4:20pm. By 4:35 we had one reply by email booking three carpets in, by 7;30pm we’d had EIGHT people in touch to book work in. Six of those just booking in for work we’d done before, the other two wanted EXTRA work doing so we booked to pop in and do a quote. As I write this post, on Wednesday morning, we’ve had NINE calls or emails, and I’m sure we’ll get some more today. The email took minutes to create and send, and has generated enough work to fill three vans for Friday, RESULT!
Any GetBookedUp users who want a copy of the last email template I sent, ready for you to just change your details in, just drop us an email an allanjnr@getbookedup.com with the subject “Short Notice Email”
So whats the Short Notice Email?
It’s a list of clients who have told you they would be interested in short notice offers. Here’s how you build that list…
As part of your satisfaction questionnaire we recommend you add the phrase “If you’d like to know about amazing last minute, short notice offers please add your email here ___________________________ ”
In your database setup a marketing group “Short Notice Offers” and tick this group when clients fill in their details on the questionnaire.
You now have a list of people who will be responsive to your emails, and as you have their permission to email they won’t be upset by you contacting them.
Want more help?
Just call me on 01405 813665
Allan.