Sent a few out today, I'm gonna start sending them to my customers. Anyone else do it? I think a personal handwritten note could go a long way for future business.

I also send out thank you cards. I also do this for fur trapping on others property.

I just got my new batch yesterday... they look awesome.. plus i put a 15% discount on mine to.

Dewey,

We do as well, within 5-7 days after, with a personal note written underneath our statement.
Think it is definitely great business, and when your starting out, consider sending a similar
card out pre-busy season to remind folks you are out there in case they know others who
need you.

Last year we did late Spring cards, sort of a happy easter, please tell your friends and colleagues
about us and our services.

I believe 100% in the personal touch building the strongest businesses.

Justin

A professional job at a fair price is the best advertisement.

I send Thank you card within 2 weeks of every completed job.

I use Joe Goodmans "Brat Pack" note cards,

http://www.joegoodmanprints.com/TheBratPack.html


and have seen them in the few places I do work for yearly on the wall or desk, I usually say thank you for choosing our company and talk about the job and ask them to please recommend us to family and friends

Here's one that I would love to have a little ( Or a lot ) of input on. Since we are the ones that were called to solve the problem ( and hopefully did ) why are WE sending "thank you" cards? Now don't get me wrong; my best friend does this all the time and I still haven't quite figured out why.

I have received a barrel full of Thank You cards from clients over the years. Especially those jobs that you obviously went out of your way for. Now here's a list of Thank You cards. Which ones do you send?

Thank You; for letting us charge way more than anyone else in your area. Hope we can do it again!

Thank You; for paying two and a half times more than our daytime fee, but we already told you that!

Thank You; for letting us save your lawn from thousands of dollars worth of damage!

Thank You; for letting us take that noisy family of raccoons out of your chimney so you could get some sleep.

Thank you; for letting us take that bat out of your living room and only screaming most of the time.
And my favorite:
Thank You; for having a check that didn't bounce or a credit card that was actually good!

I just thank them for choosing our company and not some other company for their issues, oh and the last one you posted.

MikeD

Ours Paul says "we want to be your company for life"
What we convey with our card is, we are here for you
any time about anything wildlife related.

My belief is that these folks know we care in the land
of options I want to be the option with heart and soul
not just great service, it is what separates me from my
competition.

This is my life, not just a job and people know that before
I'm done.

Justin

Justin, something tells me that your actions and conversations with customers already does a pretty good job of that!

Have you guys heard this as much as I have: "You really love your work, don't you?"

Mr. Winkelmann, I want to send a thank you card because the client does not have to call me. They can call someone else or just take care of the problem there self; which a lot of people do around here.

X's 2

This topic is really interesting. ( Well, at least to me ) Dews and Wiggler's comments lead me to ask this question. Do you guys out there have a lot of "One and Done" customers? The most amazing part of this business is how, when I first started, I thought every client would be a one and done. I'd solve the problem and they would never need to call me again. I couldn't have been farther from the truth. My first two commercial jobs are still with us today, 24 years later. One apartment complex even changed hands twice since then. We also do a very good job of keeping individual customers. Of course, we do a lot of things now that we didn't do back then, like mosquito sprays, rodent control, etc.

If you do strictly wildlife, you wouldn't expect to have as many repeats as we do. I am well aware that what Dew says is true about using someone else but I have a harder time picturing most of these people doing it themselves. Like I said, this is interesting. Let's hear from some more of you. Where is Pesky when you need him?

Mr. Winkelmann I am new at this, just finishing my first year in ADC, I do it part time. I don't deal with bugs, bats, birds etc. Regarding wildlife people here do take care of it themselves; whether it be killing the animal or relocating it. Even though relocating the animal is illegal and even killing it could be illegal at times. It's just the culture of the people here.

Hi Paul.
As you, I receive a lot of thank you notes included in the envelopes with my customer's checks. I've thought about sending out thank you cards to them, but honestly the thought of mailing 400 to 600 cards each year is overwhelming. I know there are mailing services that offer to do that, but they also sell those mailing lists to other companies.
I do visit my referring partners each Christmas and send out Christmas (not holiday) cards to all of my commercial and very good residential customers. Maybe I'm missing out on some return business because of this practice but referrals and repeat customers are a huge part of my business.

I do understand that culture Dewey. Where we started our business it was perfectly legal to stick the old scattergun out the window and end the problem. It seems hilarious now that we moved back to the city so we could do more wildlife work! And please call me Paul. Mr. Winkelmann makes me feel my age and that sucks.

Most residential customers are "one and done" (unless you take shortcuts in order to guarantee repeat business, eh, Paul?). Still, they will recommend us to friends. Can't beat that marketing. Can't buy it, either.

Sorry Paul I wasn't trying to make you feel your age!

Sounds like something I should be doing. Any other secrets you guys can pass on would be appreciated.

And I thought you knew when you had finally made it by how many thank you cards customers send you