The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

I don't have my address on my card. The cardinal pic is a good eye catcher. Your card looks good.

Scottlj wrote:

---

Steve,

The picture of the Cardinal does really catch the eye. Along with the RCIA logo.

Like previously mentioned, I would reconsider having the address on the card. To me it simply takes up valuable space.

Advertising is about communicating to the potential customer "what's in it for them"

I would move the "Free Demonstrations & Estimates" right up to the topp and make the word FREE (large and bold). People like free stuff!

Remember, always potray to the customer what is in it for them.

A Biz card is small so you have to use the space wisely. Many people will try and convince you it is simply to give the customer your info. Don't believe it.

Draw them in with a catchy attention getter. (The picture of the bird with the word FREE beside it will get attention).

Then tell them what you can do to help them. (One person like to say "You gotta hurt 'em before you can help 'em).

Then tell them how to contact you. In this day and age I would lean towards website, email, phone....in that order.

Just my opinion and you might know what they say about opinions...If not we'll discuss it another time

Let us know how it goes.

---

Thanks Scott.  Sounds like good advice.  Good luck with your soon to be business.

Cardinal Roof Cleaning Jackson TN wrote:

---

Here is a card I designed.  Do I need to change anything?

What's your opinion?

---

Hi Steve,

Can you please reduce the size of your card on the original post as it is STRETCHING the FORUM.

As for your card, Can I be HONEST with you?

I am going to say this with as much TACT as possible.

I hope you take this as constructive criticism because I have the BEST of intentions, for you, and your business, if I didn't I would even take the time to write this.

All these guys are giving you great advice.

I am going to be STRAIGHT with you  in my own way. Don't take it personal.

You asked, here it is.

Honestly,Steve......if you can afford it I would go to a reasonable priced PROFESSIONAL and have them work with you.

The old saying applies............

You Never get a second chance to make a FIRST impression.

Case in point, I was looking at my own homemade marketing and said to myself, "Wow,you knucklehead Dave, you are putting this crap out on doors and on fliers and in ads and such and it looks like it was made by an amateur. (Ouch, yes I hurt my OWN ego, LOL) 

Then I said to myself, "What are you doing, Dave, your goal is trying to get get those well heeled, high end home and business owners that can actually AFFORD to PAY for your services but your advertising like you want work in the slums...Maybe you are trying to advertise like your old high school rock n' roll band instead of reputable roof cleaning company? What I was creating was not good marketing I realized I needed help. At that point, coming to terms with the fact that I can't wear all the hats and TITLES , I found I needed to post this Roof Clean USA homemade graphics "Huey" on telephone poles...or better yet pitch it in the dumpster.

Before I broke down and made a decision to go another route...My final thoughts to myself were something like, "What are you thinking,with these off the wall advertising adventures Dave, and more importantly let alone what is the prospective customer's perception of my marketing efforts"?

I decided to GET OUT OF MY OWN WAY long enough to give a GRAPHICS PRO a chance, and I turned my work in progress over to KEITH BRUCE of KBK Graphics.

I have to say it was the best move I could have made.

Keith of KBK Graphics redesigned almost  y marketing materials and Keith did an AMAZING job.

I have been VERY IMPRESSED with his professionalism and his new, creative designs.

I would like to think I know graphics pretty well but in REALITY, I really do not, OUCH again, so truth be told................. I let the PROS do it.

Personally, I try to practice what I preach.

I tell homeowners not to clean their own roofs because the don't have the right equipment and expertise to do it right.

Along those same lines of thought, do we roof cleaners have what it takes to put together profitable and successful logos and design powerful marketing for our business? Probably not.

Steve, your effort is commendable but it honestly for me anyway, lacks any impact or dynamics that would motivate a homeowner with a dirty roof to be interested in calling you.

What I see is that it is mostly STOCK looking, and not custom or unique other than the bird and words.

TRUTHFULLY, and this may be a big ouch, but its nothing personal....

It looks as though a novice did the work and that is not what you want you customer base to think. You want to look like a professional in every way.

I try to live by the quote - "DO it RIGHT or GO HOME"

Its up to you what you want to do and I am not trying to hurt your feelings but am trying to get your business off on the right foot and the best start possible?

All the best, whatever you decide.....

Your Friend,

David

-- Edited by Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 on Friday 19th of June 2009 09:44:26 PM

Steve, call a graphics guy and let them do what they do best. I would laugh at a graphics guy who tried to clean a roof, as I'm sure they would laugh at me if I designed my own layout.

The website MUST be listed as www.CardinalRoofCleaning.com

Change the font. That font is awful.

I would leave off your address, and put only your name, phone, and email.

Choose a different color scheme for the first four lines. The alternating red/green is not very easy on the eyes.

On the back of your card, make a special offer/coupon. That card WILL get flipped over, upside down, etc. and you want to give your customer a reason to call YOU, and not the other guy.

I would recommend a different cardinal pic. Maybe a graphic illustration of a cardinal with a ball valve or something? Or a cardinal flying over a roof. That pic sucks.

As Dave mentioned, don't take it personal, it's just business. That layout screams "amateur" to me. It looks as though you used vistaprint to create it?

I agree with the ..Let the pros do their work. Your card looks ok, but the difference can be seen with Precision Pro Washing's card. It may seem expensive at first to hire a designer, but it isn't that bad compared to the many times most of us here have changed our image as we found better ways to make ourselves apear. Currently I am paying a web developer and a designer for a final draft of my new image. Good luck bro!!

Cardinal Roof Cleaning Jackson TN wrote:

---

Thanks to all for the good advice. It's not really an ego thing that I designed my own stuff, it has mostly been out of necessity so far. I have always been a do it myself kind of guy because I didn't have the cash to pay someone else to do it. I guess that is how I developed a handyman type business, because I could fix almost anything,(heck I even neutered my own cat, but that is another story). I looked at things that broke with the philosophy that it was broke anyway, I can't hurt it anymore, so I would take it apart and see how it worked. I will check into a pro on my marketing.

Proverb:27:6: Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverb:23:23: Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

This is the site to get roof cleaning wisdom and instruction.


-- Edited by Cardinal Roof Cleaning Jackson TN on Saturday 20th of June 2009 07:35:58 AM

---

Amen, My Roof Cleaning Brother.

 

Nice card!
It definitely shows when a pro does it.

I need to get my crappy logo re-done some day.

-- Edited by blooft on Tuesday 18th of August 2009 06:37:26 AM

Thanks Mike, I just got my new business cards in today. He saved me almost 40.00 dollars from where I usually get them printed locally here in virginia beach, plus it was shipped right to me and it is the thicker glossy cards. I was very impressed with what he did, I will be doing more business with him here soon, yard signs, door hangers, etc.

I will keep that in mind, I have a website for the photos but that may be a thought in the future, thanks.