National Clothesline

Last night I watched an episode of Shark Week, which featured deep-sea hunter Frank Mundus, who caught more than 1,400 sharks during his many expeditions off the coast of Montauk, NY.

A legend in the sport fishing industry, Mundus was the inspiration for the character “Quint,” played by Robert Shaw in the movie Jaws.

What I found especially fascinating about Mundus was his ability to find and catch big game fish almost at will. Paying patrons, who signed up for his “safaris,” expected their money’s worth on every outing and Frank didn’t disappoint. He was a master at locating sharks, catching them and then hanging them up for trophy photos back at the dock.

The Chinese proverb about teaching a man to fish assumes there is something to be learned … that there’s more to fishing than just dropping a line in the water.

And after having fished on my own over the years, with limited success, I have a great deal of respect for anglers who have mastered the art of rod, reel and tackle. Furthermore, there is a direct relationship between catching fish and catching customers.

First, in order to catch fish, you have to fish. This may seem obvious, but it’s a fact that is often overlooked or even ignored. The truth is if you want to catch customers, it ’s necessary to promote. Sure, there are stories of fish jumping into boats, but who can survive on one fish?

Strangely, many cleaners have never done any promotion at all and yet they consider themselves to be successful. It can be argued, however, that they would be far more successful if they dropped their lines in the water.

Next, it’s important to fish in the right hole, pond, stream, lake or ocean. Where you fish often determines what you catch. If you are located in a small rural town (a pond), don ’t expect to snag couture customers.

They’re probably out in the ocean, somewhere around New York. And for pick-up and delivery, you may have to cross the lake into deeper water in order to catch the big fish you ’re looking for.

If you are situated on a good lake but can never seem to catch your limit, there may be other contributing factors.

For example, fish will congregate in different places at different times depending on weather conditions, temperature, sunshine and time of day. They don ’t like sunlight and generally prefer to group together in dark areas.

Knowing this and being aware of where the deep and shaded pools are will give you an added advantage.

Do you know where your customers congregate during the course of the day? What are their habits? What effect, if any, does the weather play on your business? When it snows, does that affect sales? How about when it ’s 100° out for five days straight?

A good fisherman knows when the fish are biting and uses the right bait to attract them. It may be live bait or a lure, but never will an experienced fisherman drag a bare metal hook through the water and expect to haul in a trophy.

Drycleaners, on the other hand, often promote their business without using any kind of incentive and then complain about the poor response.

If you don’t bait the hook, you won’t catch fish.

Do you know when your customers are hungriest for your service?

What factors contribute to their hunger?

What changes can you make and what will you do differently to attract them and get their business?

Experienced fishermen know what type of fish they want to catch. When marketing your cleaning service, it is important to clearly identify your target as well, then determine the best medium for communicating with those prospects.

Common options include newspaper ads, direct mail, or e-mail. But, as in fishing where different kinds of rods and lures are used for catching different kinds of fish, you will achieve different results with different media. So choose wisely based on your target audience.

If you select direct mail, then you must also consider your mailing list.

If you buy a compiled list from a list company, be aware that some lists may not work because they either include names outside the target audience, or they are simply out of date.

Better sources for mailing lists can be gleaned from targeted publications, or you can build your own list through a combination of sources.

Once a fish is hooked, it must be reeled in. There are countless stories about “the one that got away.” Don’t let your effort up to this point be wasted. It’s not enough to simply gain your prospect’s attention and interest. That’s only half the battle.

In order to convert prospects into customers, you need to provide a special offer in your ad message along with a strong promise of a benefit. The purpose of the special offer is to get the prospect to respond immediately. The special offer adds a sense of urgency to your message.

Once the hook is set, be sure you make the process as easy as possible for your prospects to respond.

Offer a variety of methods for follow-up communication, including web service, phone, fax, e-mail, and business reply card.

Different people prefer to respond to marketing offers in different ways, so don’t let interested recipients get away without proper follow up.

Finally, mix it up. When fishing, try different types of bait and tackle.

For example, spinning tackle may work one day but not on the next outing… so constantly test, measure and evaluate your marketing to get the best long-term results. Remember, a worn out line could easily break.

Ready to hook more customers?

Think like a fish!