Question

Topic: Strategy

Lifestyle Management Servic Needs Business - Help!

Posted by Anonymous on 6/20/2006 at 9:45 PM ET 250 Points
Hi there!

I started Chores, Errands 'N More, a lifestyle management company that focuses on handling the mundane tasks of everyday living in October 2005 in Upstate SC. Since then I've been very actively marketing and promoting the business using various marketing tools and channels.

My strategy is still to educate my target markets about lifestyle management while establishing myself as an expert on work/life balance to garner individual, corporate, and residential / commercial property clients.

To date I've used direct mail, advertising in select publications (consumer and business), surveys, telemarketing, email marketing, an ezine, tradeshow participation, hosted events, networking, PR, and more to get the word out about the business, what we're doing, how we do it, why we do it, and what's in it for them.

Currently my website is being redesigned to include a blog and we've been featured in several upscale consumer and business publications and on all of the local TV stations. We've also been featured on one morning talk show.

I'm at my wits end because the business is not growing. I'm putting in a lot of time and effort but even though I'm working my strategy it doesn't appear to be working. I find that I have calls on the phone but no messages.

HELP! I'm not desperate, but as you can tell, I'm working this business every which way but loose! I'd love to hear your feedback. Can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks in advance.

Tracey Crockett
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by wnelson on 6/20/2006 at 10:29 PM Accepted
    Tracey,

    Randall makes some excellent points. I don't think that anyone would tell you that they have no need for your services. Many people would tell you that they would LOVE to have someone handle the mundane. But, I believe there may be a problem with your value proposition. You discuss the value of people's time. Let's say I'm an internet consultant. They make $65 to $75 per hour. So, while I am picking up my dry cleaning and doing my grocery shopping, it's equivalent to $70 and instead, I could pay you, say, $30. That's a savings of $40! The problem with this is that I really don't save the money. I am really paying out $30. If I don't have $30 to pay out, then the only resource I do have is my time. The time could be worth a $1 million if I had a way to earn that in an hour. But since my work isn't paying me to pick up dry cleaning and get groceries, I can't. So that time isn't worth much - especially when I don't have $30!

    If you have a service that costs more than people are willing to pay and you market it, what you do is highlight the mismatch in meeting the customers' needs. This reinforces people NOT to buy. More marketing isn't going to do it!

    As Randall suggests, you need to segment your customer base such that your service offering and price is in tune with the needs of that segment.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 6/21/2006 at 10:06 AM Member
    Hi Tracey -

    In addition to some of the suggestions others have made, I would also recommend you try getting some speaking engagements inside companies that employ people in your target market. Try going through HR departments and speak on topics that address decreasing the stress that people experience while balancing work/life. That might be one way which is more direct that will get you in front of your target market.

    Good luck,
    Joy
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 6/21/2006 at 10:24 AM Member
    Tracey,
    Have you tried marketing to people with "other peoples money to spend"?
    I suggest aiming your marketing toward companies with the idea that if they pay you their employees can continue to work away.

    Frank Hurtte
  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 6/21/2006 at 5:33 PM Member
    Tracey,

    It is difficult to elaborate on the EXCELLENT advice that has already been given above in a forum. I have been known to write "novels" in here. Rather, I'll keep this short and sweet.

    First of all, I too must congratulate and commend you for your hard work and successful marketing efforts (yes, I said "successful")!

    Why do I say "successful"? Well, approximately 90% or more of new/small business start-ups fail in the first year. Conversely, an even greater percentage of those who do make it through the first few years never get close to the level of exposure you have achieved. There seems to be a fundamental marketing mind-block/dysfunction in the heads of almost every start-up chief. Although the reasons are limitless, I have observed from personal experience with clients, friends, and family the primary reasons seem to be spawn of ignorance, lack of focus, panic, arrogance, fear, and complete marketing rejection (i.e. Creating a store THEY and a few friends/family always wanted to be available to THEM, thereby wasting all their capital on self-centered surplus and ATROCIOUS branding...leaving nothing for marketing beyond flyers, business cards, a banner sign somewhere, and MAYBE a phone book ad-if anything at all.)

    This type of business thinking typically evolves into one or more of the following delusions:

    • "If we blow enough cash trying to LOOK like we are successful, people will simply believe we are. That's all there is to it! People will flock...it's just automatic"

    • " We like the name, logo, and service. It's good and that's final. We are not going to waste money on 'marketing' or whatever it is. This is not a market, it's a service. My cousin is a good drawer and is making a big sign out of plywood - that's all we need."

    • "We are NOT spending money on ads, trade shows, better package graphics, a better website, etc. until we sell all of the puzzles we had made. The money from sales will pay for that stuff. So...umm....speaking of sales....why haven't we made any progress?"


    I apologize for going off on a tangent. My point is that I believe you are much better off than you think. However, it is very possible to flush it all down the toilet if you start to panic and lose focus.

    Therefore, I think it is VERY wise of you to recognize the need for a consultant to help you take a look from a different perspective, focus, and give you some support. Shoot me an email- I would be more than happy to take a closer look for you. We have to go through proper channels out of respect for MarketingProfs' policies. I have been teaching classes at a local college lately, so I've been away from the forum for the past year. I don't believe the policies have changed much, but I know that soliciting is frowned upon unless I respond to a post you can make in the "Hire an Expert" area.

    Nonetheless, here's my personal contact info:

    emailBlaineATcoxDOTcom (I hope you can decipher that. I did it that way in attempt to avoid spam crawlers. Just use the appropriate symbols where you see all caps)

    Good Luck and thanks for your interesting post. It really helped get my "forum juices" flowing again! LOL!

    --Blaine Wilkerson
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