Tried Doughnut Friday? Try this one too…
Hi, you all know I rave about Doughnut Friday, well here’s something else to try in a similar theme.
I call it Hairdresser Day. Here’s how it works…
We all know Carpet Cleaning and Oven Cleaning is very much a people business. People buy people and if they like you and the service you provide they will recommend you. So how do we encourage those people, and those who Seth Godin would call “Sneezers” talking about us? A “Sneezer” is someone who will rave about anything they come across, be that good or bad, and Hairdressers are massive Sneezers.
We all know that ladies don’t use “Flair for Hair” for their hair styling, they use “Paul at Flair for Hair”, why is that? Paul listens to their stories while they’re ‘in the chair’. He hears their highs and lows and has an emotional bond with his clients. It’s because they have built such a trust in Paul he would have to do something seriously wrong for them to change allegiance and go elsewhere. So how do we tap into this? Well, it’s very much like Doughnut Friday. You take some quality doughnuts this time, one’s that Paul would be happy to share with his clients, ones like Krispy Kreme dozen box, and put a nice thank you note just saying “Thanks for recommending us, it’s appreciated, all at Doncaster Chem-Dry.” DO NOT put any contact telephone number or website on the tag, it’s a thank you not an advert. You then use EXACTLY the same approach as Doughnut Friday, that is…
Pick some of the more exclusive Hairdressing salons in your area. Go in on a Saturday morning, when it’s BUZZING!
Stroll in confidently with your box of Doughnuts in hand. Say to the Receptionist “Hi, I’m Allan, the owner at Doncaster Chem-Dry and I just wanted to drop these in to say thank you. Someone here recommended us recently and we just wanted to say a little thank you, it’s very much appreciated.”
Pause. There will be an initial look of WTF!?!? then what usually happens is someone says “Who are you?” or “Where are you from?” or some other question which gives you the opportunity to explain a little further. The ideal is someone in the salon says “Oh Yes, I use you guys and you’re brilliant!” in which case, job done, the conversation is started and the ‘Sneezing’ begins. If they just ask you a question just answer with…
“Yeah, we’re carpet and upholstery cleaners and we ask everyone how they know about us and a lady recently said someone at her hairdressers had recommended us. I don’t know who it was, it may even have been another client she was chatting to whilst here, but she said this is where she has her hair done. We just like to say a little thank you so wanted to drop these off.”
Food is a massive motivator. There is always interest in the Doughnuts. By this time the owner of the salon has usually noticed you’re there and come over, and that is perfect. Just say you hope they enjoy the doughnuts and ask them to thank whoever it was that recommended you. HA HA! the thing is this starts the EVERYONE talking about who it might have been, and talking about you and your company. The stylists will ask their clients if they recommended us, again starting a conversation about your company. MASSIVE amounts of PR for a £10 box of doughnuts.
You will always be asked if you have cards you can leave, and of course you can find some after a slight struggle in a pocket somewhere. Leave the cards and leave the salon, happy that the whole salon will now be Sneezing about you.
Here’s the next killer step…
A few weeks later revisit the salon on a quiet day during the week and ask to speak to the owner. Ask them if you could place a small leaflet or business cards on their counter in return for some free carpet cleaning, even if it’s free cleaning at their home. The sneezing begins again, Ta Da!
Cheap, easy to do PR, GO DO!