Many cleaning businesses want to know if passing out flyers will work. Usually, they have tried it at some point. Most times, it ended in failure. I always hear, "It used to work 10 years ago, but now it just doesn't work any more."

Yes, it may have gotten more difficult. Consumers are getting wiser. A flyer without selling power won't bring you any new clients. Homeowners want to know more than how cheap you are. They are skeptical about bait-and-switch advertising that is prevalent in the cleaning industry. It's up to you to change their mind when you put a flyer on their doorknob.

First, keep in mind flyers are a cheap way to advertise. This isn't necessarily a good thing. In fact, you should steer away from cheap ways to advertise because your prospect can view you as cheap. They WILL view you as cheap if all you do is put a piece of paper on their mailbox or a run-of-the-mill door hanger on their door.

You have to do something different. If you're going to use flyers, they have to be something extraordinary. One of the most profitable flyers we've used appears like a folder that sits on a doorknob. It's nice to hear, "I got your nice little information folder." This means they didn't look at it like some cheap flyer.

You can put a salesletter, brochure, magnet, and business card in a plastic door hanger bag. In this case, the prospect views it as a package left on the doorknob. If you're going to bother to go out and walk door to door, put something nice on the door. Use full color printing with attention getting pictures. Or, if you use black and white print, make sure it's on a heavy piece of colored paper. You want something that will look good as well as feel good in their hands.

Try using an exclusive offer just for homeowners in a particular neighborhood. Or, use a limited time offer due to a slow week, holiday offer, FREE trial offer, or an offer based around something going on in your city in your flyer. Create a great offer, but also tell how you're unique. Write your flyer with a particular target client in mind.

This is important: When you pass out the flyers, wear your company shirt that identifies who you are. Sometimes people will want to speak with you. NEVER, EVER place a flyer on a mailbox. Stress this to anyone who passes flyers out for you. Then, spot-check the neighborhood to make sure they did it how you asked. It's actually a federal offense to place anything inside or on a mailbox. Plus, it looks unprofessional.

Use flyer advertising as a way to keep your employees busy on a slow afternoon. It can reap a harvest of many clients to come.