Opinion on this ?

Lately I've been pulling in a lot of junk cars, so i decided to make postcards that say we buy junk cars with my phone number and business name on them and put them in the windshield wipers of cars I see around the neighborhood that look like they haven't been moved in years. 2 days ago we got our flyers and yesterday we handed all of them out. We only put them on cars within 15-20 feet of the street and never went into anyone's yard. We always knocked first and if no answer we would leave the card on the windshield. Today I get a call from a guy saying he saw us on camera checking out his car looking suspicious, I first asked him , was anything broken damaged disturbed or stolen . He said no then I asked him if we were up to no good then why would I leave my card on your windshield he said he doesn't know but that makes people nervous. How would you guys feel if someone put a card on a old cars windshield in your property.

Personally, it would not bother me. I would feel like someone is doing just what you are doing, leaving a note or advertising. I have had too many flyers left on my car or truck to be paranoid like that guy apparently was.

Personally, it irritates me when someone puts a card or paper on my windshield at wal mart or wherever. Idk maybe just cuz I'm anal and don't like garbage in my car, and I also don't like to litter either. So it ends up on the passenger side floor. It is a kinda a good idea tho. You may get a car or two, but you will probably piss off a whole lot more people. IMHO.

You could use the same littering argument for any paper advertising

Sounds ok, I also would be annoyed if someone put something on my car on my property. When I started out plumbing I ordered a bunch of door knob flyers with torn off business cards and also offered a senior discount I put them up in areas that I wanted to work. While I was doing it, it was kind of embarrassing at times but, I got some of the best customers I ever had off of those flyers and some customers saved them for years before they called me. My point is people know that they are not using a car and do not need to be reminded by someone sticking something on their windshield. My suggestion would be to walk up to the door and leave it on the door knob or screen door. Sometimes the customer will answer and you could talk about your services. You could also offer a referral fee for someone that gives you a lead that gets you a junk car. David

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Originally Posted by gamedayron

put them in the windshield wipers of cars I see around the neighborhood that look like they haven't been moved in years.

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My opinion here is that you are making a judgement call, and opening up yourself to offend people. When you leave a note on a car, your actions could be interpreted as "I think your car is junk".

You might be safer to leave somethink on the doornob of houses that have an old car out. Maybe even a few at houses that dont have junk cars.Even though you are making the same judgement call, it looks more like a mass advertising run than singling the homeowner out. It also saves any chance of someone claiming you damaged their car.

I'm going with PJ and David here. Put it on my car on my property or street parking an I'll be annoyed an your flyer will end up in the trash. Waste of my time, an your money. Why can't you go with door hanger types? Mail? etc. I know it annoys me to no end when it happens at shopping centers let alone on my property. There's a reason why more an more places are putting up no solicit signs.

No big deal to you, to me an others it is though. You can call me paranoid all day, thats not it. I just don't like flyers an crap on my van.

An no good getting flippant with anyone, all your going to do is piss them off even more, so instead of a future client, you now got someone who is going to remember this, an tell people about it. Do it down here an don['t be surprised to be met with the same resistance. People don't like people near their vehicles or other property. I know here we get car break in's on a regular basis(bout the only crime..lol) so yea...I'm anal about people being near my vehicle I don't know.

This is why I have no trespassing an no solicit signs. An yes..I'm the same way with anyone soliciting. Send it in the mail, I'll lest look at it then, an maybe save it. Bulk mail isn't that expensive. What you spend, will make up for time going door to door, an it won't piss people off as much.

Just my thoughts, do as you will..it's your business. ;)

Sirscrapalot - No Solicitation, no trespass.

Point taken I can totally see your guys point of view. Will consider it next time I go out to advertise.

All good man, you don't know till you try things how it'll end up. An of course every area is different. Here we have signs all over the shopping centers, rental properties, hotels, etc that make it known about solicitation. So that combined with my own personal views keeps me from ever doing so.

I'd look into bulk mail, if I recall there are several threads here on it, an the pluses/minuses of going that route. I can't blame someone for trying something new. We're all excited to make our business grow.

Then again..someone will always be annoyed with whatever way we choose to advertise, there is no pleasing everyone. I wish ya luck with the current flyers, an future advertising routes.

Sirscrapalot - The Golden Rule finds no limit of application in business. - James Cash Penny

That was the thinking behind it it was a form of advertising I haven't really seen before so far the response has been good other then that one call , another guy just texted me to pick one up and 2 more might be interested

It is target advertising, my opinion you need to be very tactful on private personal residence. The more you target advertise, selecting your type of customer base, the more successful you will be. Your best advertising is your existing customers, word of mouth, a good referral from a pleased customer is money in the bank. When I first started, I was fortunate in that I bought turn key companies, but even with that I targeted companies that had the customer base I wanted. You want a demographic that has what you want to sell (service/product or both). In plumbing or scraping your still selling something. If you want money in the bank you need to market your services. Even here on the forum we are advertising in several ways, some directly, some indirectly through networking.

Just to offer the "other" side. I went outside the other day and and someone had placed a business card on my "new" old truck that I have not yet plated. To me, he judged it to be scrap and it kind of pee'd me off

Tactics or tacky, the latter is never good advertising.

I didn't want anyone to feel like that the only cars we flagged were cars that were smacked up from accidents or we're growing into the ground no cars that looked clean or projects

I have printed literally millions of flyers, brochures, business cards, door hangers, etc etc etc...in my 25 years running a Print Shop. There is one thing that works better than all others. The business card! I bet that 900,000 out of that million flyers, and brochures, and other whatnots, were canned...UNLESS they were handed to someone personally, WITH a business card.

Having said that. The right wording on a door hanger, is a good way to go. No matter how many you pass out, someone will be pissed off. BIG WOO! If I pass out 1000, that say "Have a Nice Day", someone will get pissed off. BIG WOO!

jus my 2. no change needed. YMMV Tips inda BroJer tip jar appreciated ... but NOT tax deductable ;)

I do business cards, an networking. Word of mouth is the best advertising I can get, an it's free!

We gotta keep folks like Brojer Busy, so go buy your cards people! He can nap another time.

Sirscrapalot - How's the arm?

I use "Unwanted" instead of junk until I know that the client and I are on the same page.

Make a note of the address and send them something in the mail.

Even though we use our cars on public property it is still my personal property and I would prefer someone not touch it.

I have signage at the driveway so when people don't respect the sign and I find them on my property they have about two seconds to make me smile.

Sirs. I don't think word of mouth advertising is free. I'm sure you do like I do, working our butts off, not exactly free. But or butts it's better than being an A$$!

Ha ha, minus time an effort yea, it's free. Count those two in then no it's not, but hey..i'm not laying out any cash so it's all good. Socializing comes easy to me when dealing with people in person. All those years retail paid off! lol.

Sirscrapalot - Network with everyone..EVERYONE. - Me, an countless others here on the forums.

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Originally Posted by gamedayron

How would you guys feel if someone put a card on a old cars windshield in your property.

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IN my property. I'd be real pissed off. I have far too many people wandering over my property for no reason than, "I was just having a look".

A while ago I had someone at my door, wanted to know if I'd seen his dog. Nah. Seen no dog.

Couple of days later theres a mention in the newspaper about someone in my area going onto propertys with the reason "looking for my dog". He wasn't looking for his dog, he's checking out places (my place) for burgulary.

Last week, Guy on the doorstep wanting me to give him the 'Old rusted car I have". Its a XXXXXXXing collectable vintage car in near new condition, despite being over 75 years old. In Britain its worth over NZ$18,000!!!


I can honestly say that over 80% of the 'unknown to me' people going on to my property, are intending to steal from it.

Put it in the letterbox & be aware that the people may not have a phone to call you. Have Ca$h for show. Have equipment to do the job right there & then.

eesiKiwa (Put it in the letterbox)
It is against the law to put anything in a mail box without a stamp on it and sent through the post office. At least in the United States this is a federal law. I do not like uninvited people on my property. I have fences and gates. But unfortunately for me you can see through a lot of them. I understand your concern about theft and being bothered. David

No way should you ever go on ppl's property, that would piss me off. Sorry, but you have no business there. But leaving something on the door is cool.

Handshake and business card is the way to go, or newspaper ad. IMHO Happy Easter

Clearly the guys been itching to catch some one with his camera , you were a disappointment I guess , Next time sit on the fender and drink a Beer wile you organize papers