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I see a lot of bone-headed marketing “tactics” by contractors in my city, but what I just found on my driveway was so exceptionally ridiculous that I just had to share it. So, I’m walking out to check the mail and notice that there’s something near the end of my drive. As I get closer I can begin to see that it is some sort of folded up marketing flyer in a clear plastic baggie. I bend over and pick it up. It is surprisingly weighty. Flipping the baggie over I see that it contains not only a bright green flyer but also five or six rocks.
Nothing says professionalism like a baggie full of rocks in the driveway.
Now, I’ve actually heard of this “technique” before, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen it implemented in the real world. Probably because it usually doesn’t make it past the “oh wait, this is a really dumb idea, Bob” stage. I won’t name the company involved with this piece of ingenuity, and I’m sure they think they’re being really clever, but this is a perfect example of how not to distribute your company literature.
I know what these guys are thinking: “We’ll save loads of time by simply driving down every street in this town and chucking our rock-filled bags out the window as we go along.” It’s no doubt true that such an approach will cover more ground in any given time frame versus someone walking door-to-door, and the sheer number of homes one could reach in a single day is probably astonishing. But I have to think that the conversion rate is so insanely low that it renders the entire strategy POINTLESS.
If nothing else, it probably just ticks people off: “These jerks just threw a sack of rocks on my driveway…what the f#%@!” It’s just rude and annoying. It’s not going to win any business. And it wreaks of desperation and amateurism. The amount of time they spent at home filling thousands of bags with rock and stapling them shut could have been used to do something that actually works, like starting a blog. But I guess that would make too much sense.
My name is Jeff and I created this blog in 2007 to help and inspire contractors and home service providers. It’s come a long way since then.
Thank you so much.
However poor the technique may seem, it works! In almost 90+% of the flyers dropped, someone looks at the leaflet within, if only through the bag.
So even if you don’t get the service today, it’s brand recognition. Its6far less intrusive then the ridiculous coupons that constantly bombard our mailboxes. Or the unforseen door knockers.
My dumpster business may very well start using this guerrilla marketing technique.
In my city there is an ordinance that makes it illegal to post a flyer on you property if you have a no soliciting sign. it can be punished with fines and jail times. see if your city has a similar thing. also I leave bad reviews on companies that do this.