I’m looking into advertising with ValPak in three local zip codes. Does anyone have a good idea on cost and success rates?
any direct mail program might be considered successful if you get a 1-3% response rate…
bulk mailers like Val-Pak help get your name out there…
your better served creating your own data base of customers & keeping in contact w/them…
your POS s/b able to serve you, plus you can create a promos to capture email and snail mail address’
We saw anywhere from 1-6% return. It REALLY depended on the drop date. Valpak has not control of this. They have a window. So if we were lucky and Valpak hit homes Thursday we would see 4% or above. If it hit Friday or Saturday we’d get the below 4% response. Because of this we’re not using Valpak anymore. Instead we’re focusing mainly on our database.
NEVER had a decent response with them so I stopped after 3 or 4 months.
I haven’t had much luck with ValPak either. Since they are franchised the rates may be different for each area but I can tell you where I am in Virginia it costs $300 for a single panel flyer and $400 for a double. You have to commit for four months at a time. I tried putting my entire menu in the first time(double panel) because I was new and thought this would be more cost effective than printing them up and having my drivers deliver them during slow times…unfortunately I think more ValPaks get thrown out than looked at because after nine months in business I still get customers coming in every week saying “gee, I didn’t even know you were here” this tells me they didn’t give the ValPak a second look. The sales rep said i should try another approach and put coupons in(single panel)…I bit…it sucked…I won’t do it again. Good luck
Just because someone says I’ve never heard of you, doesn’t mean one form of your advertising is ineffective. We have three stores in town doing over well 3 million in sales total and have been here 19 years. I still run across people with the “never heard of you, or never tried you.” My first response is open your eyes, haven’t you seen the 40+ val pak type ads every year, or how about the 20-50 drivers on a given night with lit car signs? Now I realize I need to think outside the box to reach these people, plus continue my merge mail campaign to keep my regular customers comong back.
BTW, I also think Val pak sux, just don’t think anyone should evaluate a single form of advertising based on the “i never heard of you” especially after only 9 months.
I signed up for val pak, last year (my second year) I called them and told them “hey if you ever need a filler ad call me” the next month a sale person arrived. NOW I had experiencewith val pak and i know what they are worth. it reminds me purchasing something in mexico they come in high and you work them down.
i used i for one thing only 10000 coupons to homes and branding since i was new.
as I said i asked for there filler rate when they Need an ad.
220.00 i made all that back tracking the copouns, made a little cash but really built my pos. which allowd me to market they right way.
in short for the right price, and right reasons val pak could work for you