Is This Even Legal??

[dirtdobber]

Was trying to come up with some new advertising methods and thought about having some nice flyers made up and going to the local mall or Wal-Mart and sticking them under wiper blades of the cars in the lots. I once got some sort of flyer under mine once when parked somewhere and just wondered if it was legal..? Has anyone ever done this type of advertising and if so what was the response??

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

Originally Posted by dirtdobber

Was trying to come up with some new advertising methods and thought about having some nice flyers made up and going to the local mall or Wal-Mart and sticking them under wiper blades of the cars in the lots. I once got some sort of flyer under mine once when parked somewhere and just wondered if it was legal..? Has anyone ever done this type of advertising and if so what was the response??

Spitting on sidewalk is technically illegal .....
I used to put flyers inside of free real estate magazines.
What EVER it takes Man !

[4000psi]

I guess...

[Lightning Gene]

I have heard of people ripping them off their windshields and throwing them on the ground and the city calling the advertiser any making them clean up all the mess ........Better off doing door hangars or postcards in my way of thinking

[Ron Musgraves]

I'm sure its not ok, check with the city.

[bigchaz]

It may be ok but youll get 10 angry calls for every one call wanting work done

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

Originally Posted by bigchaz

It may be ok but youll get 10 angry calls for every one call wanting work done

My experiences were different then yours.
I HAVE done this before, and you are RIGHT, people sometimes DO call, and get pizzed off.

But we SPECIALIZE in handling pizzed off potential and actual customers

Think about it ?
If someone has the ballz to get in your face and YELL at you, he or she will have the ballz to sing your praises too


Here is what happened to me when I put flyers under windshields at a Super Wal Mart.

Got a call the NEXT day from a Man claiming to be a "Marine who KILLED people in Viet Nam"
He SCREAMED at me for leaving a flyer on HIS Car.

I LET him scream, and when he was done, here is what I said.

"Mr Customer, I am SOO Sorry, but Business is SLOW, my kids are hungry, and we are facing eviction.
I am offering 1/2 OFF on non pressure roof cleaning, and THOUGHT you might want to take advantage of this great deal.
I APOLOGIZE, and promose never to do it again"

Then - SHUT THE FUNK UP - Let HIM Talk

Many times, even these hardened hearts will RESPOND to your offer.
AND, when they DO, what a referral source they make !!!
They will sing your praises !

Now, many of you may not have the sales background some of us have ?
But, it is sometimes NORMAL for a person about to BUY something to be ANGRY, LOL

Don't think so ??

Go to an RV sales place, and WATCH some older couples.

Many times, you will see a "grumpy old Man"

WHY is he grumpy ?

Because he realizes he is FUNKED

Mama WANTS that 75,000.00 dollar RV, and the poor basterd realizes he has to pay for it

DONT be scared of angry potential customers !

[Sparklean]

Unless what you told the man was true at that particular time then I think tactics like that are horrible. They are unethical!

My uncle sold cars for 40+ years. He once told me I should get out of my truck when I see a homeowner doing their yard and say, "I couldn't help but notice you care about the looks of your house. Let me introduce myself, I'm Adam, and I pressure wash. I can pressure wash your driveway and clean your house for $X." If the guy says no, he told me I should make up some sob story similar to yours.

No wonder car salesmen have such a reputation. I don't want to be that guy.

Originally Posted by Apple Roof Cleaning

. . . here is what I said.

"Mr Customer, I am SOO Sorry, but Business is SLOW, my kids are hungry, and we are facing eviction.
I am offering 1/2 OFF on non pressure roof cleaning, and THOUGHT you might want to take advantage of this great deal.
I APOLOGIZE, and promose never to do it again"

[814jeffw]

Man, I'd never get that irritated by a simple flyer placed on my property. You mean to tell me that people actually get mad about that sort of thing?

Jeff

[Dave222]

Magnets........................

We had some business card size magents made up. Drive around and stick them on the front of mailbox covers so the person will see it when they open the mail box.

A lot of people (especially ones with kids) like to have magnets for the fridge so they can stick stuff up there. Your name is there in their face every time they go to get a beer.

[One Tough Pressure]

Because of litter generated by flyers, almost all Cities in my area have made ordinances to stop it.
The law is basically you need the vehicle owners permission to place it there regardless of public or private property. Good luck with that.

[K.J. Pressure Washing]

Originally Posted by Sparklean

Unless what you told the man was true at that particular time then I think tactics like that are horrible. They are unethical!

My uncle sold cars for 40+ years. He once told me I should get out of my truck when I see a homeowner doing their yard and say, "I couldn't help but notice you care about the looks of your house. Let me introduce myself, I'm Adam, and I pressure wash. I can pressure wash your driveway and clean your house for $X." If the guy says no, he told me I should make up some sob story similar to yours.

No wonder car salesmen have such a reputation. I don't want to be that guy.

I could not agree more!

[StainlessDeal]

Originally Posted by Dave222

Magnets........................

We had some business card size magents made up. Drive around and stick them on the front of mailbox covers so the person will see it when they open the mail box.

A lot of people (especially ones with kids) like to have magnets for the fridge so they can stick stuff up there. Your name is there in their face every time they go to get a beer.

Seriously, this is a bad idea. It is illegal in all states to attach or place advertisements in or on U S Mail boxes. Technically (and there is nothing more technical than a postal inspector) even residential mailboxes are Federal property.

You can be prosecuted, charged fees for the removal of your ads, and fined thousands of dollars. They can also charge you the postage on every flyer THEY ESTIMATE you to have illegally placed.

Find a better spot for your magnets, it only takes one complaint to fire the inspectors up, and they are just about the most powerful law-enforcement officers in the nation.

Every so often somebody suggests this, but it is no way to go.

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

Like Scott Says "Don't Funk With Postal Inspectors"