The words "Free" and "No charge"

[jmatt]

My new company's angle is that we will not charge a fee for housecalls. When time consuming scans take place, we will do remote access, of course, but someone will always make a trip to the house to finish up, clean the machine and collect payment.

Anyway, part of my marketing campaign will include roadside placards with the words "No Charge Housecalls". Space is limited and brevity is key when people are driving past at 30 miles an hour, so I worded it that simply.

My wife, who is a professional PR director and has been around marketing for 20 years, says that I will get calls from people expecting completely free service. I told her that's nuts, people will understand that it means no additional charge for housecalls -- who would be so moronic as to think there's a company out there just doing work for free?

If I rework the lettering I can fit in "Housecalls No Extra Charge" but then the final word Charge is on the next line and shares space with other ad copy ("Low Rates", with a dash separating charge and Low).

Dare I use the words "Free Housecalls"? Every marketing guide in the world says nothing catches the eye like the word "free".

I think she's being ridiculous. Your opinion?

 

[Mr.Mike]

Good question. You didn't say what your wife said about saying "Free House Calls." If she's been in the PR business and is successful, I'd listen to her.

Personally, I think using the word free is ok. Some people put an asterisk after the phrase, but all you are trying to do is get their attention. Any reasonable person would think there must be a catch. Get them in and explain it to them. Your goal is to simply get them to come to you.

my 2 cents.

 

[14049752]

Not at all ridiculous. People are ridiculous and will never fail to amaze you with what they expect when you advertise like that.

I think to word it as "No Charge Housecalls" is a bad idea, because it's not immediately obvious what you mean. Most people will understand it after you explain it, but you will have to explain it...

I've worked places where they used similar advertising and the customer was angry and shouting at me on the phone, because they took the advertising to mean that we would do free work. (Free wasn't used at all in the ad copy...in fact, it said "Included at no extra charge")

 

[Encrypted Existence]

I think that it would benefit you to be more clear as to exactly what is free. Maybe say something like "no extra charge for house calls".

 

[Mr.Mike]

Maybe say something like "no extra charge for house calls".

This is what he would say after he gets a client to come in. His premise is to throw out a "hook" to bring in customers.

 

[4ycr]

I would collect payment before the house call, back when I was starting out part time I done something similar but when I went back to finish it off (I had a full time job to go to) they never answered their door for the arraigned time and after that would not answer their telephone.

I learned my lesson.

 

[RichmondTech]

My new company's angle is that we will not charge a fee for housecalls. When time consuming scans take place, we will do remote access, of course, but someone will always make a trip to the house to finish up, clean the machine and collect payment.

Anyway, part of my marketing campaign will include roadside placards with the words "No Charge Housecalls". Space is limited and brevity is key when people are driving past at 30 miles and hour, so I worded it that simply.

I was left with the impression that you would perform onsite services for free. I've seen some strange things on this forum so I didn't think anything of it that someone would eventually start offering free onsites.

I also think you need a new "angle". A lot of shop's basic pricing boils down to one price for drop off work and another higher price for onsite work. I think that if you go with no extra charge for onsite work you will incur the extra costs associated with onsite work (mostly your time driving and gas) without getting the extra revenue that onsite work brings in.

 

[gikstar]

I agree with your wife! And listen to the words of wisdom from "4ycr".

You are just opening yourself up to problems.

I praise you for being open and asking for advice rather that being that jerk who 'knows it all' and never learns, even the hard way.

There has to be a better way to advertise... word of mouth referrals I think has been the backbone of any business sales and one good client can bring in may more.

 

[OldSchoolPC]

How about "No SURcharge for housecalls"?

 

[jmatt]

Wow, so many great replies so quickly!

ScarletPathos said: Your goal is to simply get them to come to you.

I agree. This is not my first day at the rodeo, I've spent the last ten years in sales and I know that the purpose of advertising is to initiate a conversation.

In addition to the phone number, the web address will also be on the sign. Prominently displayed under the web banner will be something to the effect of "Other outfits charge extra for housecalls. We provide door to door service at no additional charge".


140 said: because they took the advertising to mean that we would do free work

But I think in this instance, 99 people out of 100 would understand that there's no company out there running around fixing computers all day long for free.

And the other thing I learned in sales is that you don't want everyone as a customer. Any guy calls up saying I owe him free computer repair has automatically identified himself as someone with completely unrealistic expectations that I don't want to do business with anyway.

dagresh said: Maybe say something like "no extra charge for house calls".

The problem is that the wordier it is, the smaller the letters have to be and the longer it will take to read as someone is zipping by at 30 miles an hour. But I'm torn and was thinking along these exact lines.

I want the ads to be effective but I also don't want them to be a ding on my integrity right from the get-go.

4ycr said: I would collect payment before the house call

Duly noted. I'll have the ability to process debit and credit transactions so that should be easy.

Richmond said: I think that if you go with no extra charge for onsite work you will incur the extra costs associated with onsite work (mostly your time driving and gas) without getting the extra revenue that onsite work brings in.

Yeah, well, that's why they call it an angle. The idea is that they will select me because we'll be cheaper and more convenient then the competition. I'll have a guy drive 20 minutes to get the business, if that's what it takes.

gikstar said: There has to be a better way to advertise...

There are, I just don't have a budget for them yet. If I spend $350 on signs, 200,000 people will see my message every single day. It doesn't get cheaper than that -- and while not as dignified as I'd like, at this point I'll take what I can get.

And as an aside, I don't intend on leaving the signs up forever. After a week or two I will pull them up and find new locations for them. I want my message to get across but I also don't want to be annoying roadside spam.

 

[RichmondTech]

Richmond said: I think that if you go with no extra charge for onsite work you will incur the extra costs associated with onsite work (mostly your time driving and gas) without getting the extra revenue that onsite work brings in.

Yeah, well, that's why they call it an angle. The idea is that they will select me because we'll be cheaper and more convenient then the competition. I'll have a guy drive 20 minutes to get the business, if that's what it takes.

I can tell you from personal experience that quality customers don't care that you're cheaper than the competition, because they don't even know what the competition charges. Being convenient, helpful, and responsive is what gets people to call when they need help. Good luck with your angle. Hope you don't run out of money from the extra gas you're burning.

 

[Xander]

Jmatt, just because 99% of people would understand what you probably mean doesn't mean that 50% of those people won't try to hold you to what you're actually advertising.

However, it sounds like you've already made up your mind and only came here looking for people to agree with you. If you're ignoring your own wife, whom you say is a PR professional, why even ask us at all?

 

[Dameize]

Personally I think its obvious what it means. I would do it how you have said though as those who would get it would still get it and those who are tight asses might ring you where they migh tnot of before and you may still be able to convert them into paying customers.

 

[codegreen]

Lots of people assume unreasonable things. My local Freecycle has at least one person a week requesting a free Playstation 3 or 40" TV. "Free housecall" to me means you're offering to come to my house and do the work for free. That sounds unreasonable, but hey, since you offered...

Don't just take it from us, though; listen to your wife! This is her area of expertise. Don't go against her marketing advice unless you have a really good reason.

 

[pc-quebec]

.-- who would be so moronic as to think there's a company out there just doing work for free?

If I judge by the number of peoples trying to get free tech support on phone from me, I will say a lot of morrons are out there

 

[andcorptech]

I think she's being ridiculous. Your opinion?

Never offer anything for FREE unless you are willing to do it for $0.

We offered "free virus scans" via a voucher book a few years back, thinking it might spur on more business. It was awful , most people expected not only a free virus scan but also wanted us to clean out dust, check it all over and look for other problems "while its there for the free scan"

When we stated it was only a virus scan and anything else would be charged many would get alot of attitude and acuse us of luring them in, even though yhe voucher clearly stated "no other work included"

It may work for a product as this is a clearly defined object, but the "free" model doesnt always fit for a service based job.

 

[andcorptech]

But I think in this instance, 99 people out of 100 would understand that there's no company out there running around fixing computers all day long for free.

You may be right though i think your giving the general population too much credit in intelligence, but even if you are right, in my experience its usually that 1% that makes the difference between a good day and a sh!tty day.

 

[seedubya]

This is what he would say after he gets a client to come in. His premise is to throw out a "hook" to bring in customers.

No because that wold be lying.

 

[jmatt]

Being convenient, helpful, and responsive is what gets people to call when they need help.

Hmm, I'm guessing that most customers would characterize us providing the convenience of a housecall as convenient, helpful and responsive. But that's just me.

 

[jmatt]

However, it sounds like you've already made up your mind and only came here looking for people to agree with you.

Not so. I still haven't decided. I am, at heart, a skeptic. I know there's no such thing as "free" and when I hear it as a consumer it immediately triggers my BS detector.

So my dilemma. How do I convey my value proposition in as few words as possible without misleading the morons of the world who believe there's a free computer repair charity running around out there.

And if I didn't want feedback, I wouldn't waste my time asking for people's opinions.