Is that... Is that my house??

[David Hunter]

This has been going around other forums and I wanted to share it here with you.

A roofing company is going around taking pictures of people's houses and then sending them a postcard with the picture of their house.

Read the article and let me know your thoughts and how you'd react.

Roofing Company Sends Me A Postcard Of My Own House (http://consumerist.com/2015/06/05/roofing-company-sends-me-a-postcard-of-my-own-house/)

[Harold Mansfield]

Interesting. Is it any creepier than when ads follow you around the internet based on something you've searched for?
I guess you could look at it as sort of personalized marketing. Or you could look at it as unauthorized use.

Not sure if it would bother me or not. I think it probably creeps people out because of how easy it is to do. Not that people don't already know, but it freaks them out when you show it to them. Kind of like how easy it is to find out personal information. You can tell people and it bothers them. But when you show them, they panic.

[vangogh]

I doubt I would have noticed. I'm pretty sure the flyer would have done straight to the trash before I noticed the picture. However, assuming I found out, I wouldn't be too happy about it. I'd feel like I was being used to advertise something I don't endorse.

It's really not a big deal, though. I doubt I'd complain about it, though I don't think I would use that roofer if I ever needed one.

[M.Ehrmantraut]

Rebekah says that this is a new photo of her house: it wasn’t pulled from Google Street View or Bing Maps, since she knows what her house looks like on those services. She estimates that the picture was a few weeks old based on the landscaping and other things that only a homeowner would notice.
“I can imagine my big dog sitting in that window howling in anger as someone snaps this photo of my house,” Rebekah wrote to us. Yes, the photographers probably were barked at a lot. What they were doing must have offended the sensibilities of many household pets, but as long as they took photos from the street and didn’t photograph from any lawns or driveways, they weren’t doing anything illegal. Was it intrusive or creepy? People have differing opinions on it.

I'm the same as vangogh, I always toss the junk mail in the trash and wouldn't have even noticed but the fact these photos weren't pulled off of the internet and this company paid someone to go out and photograph the homes so they could troll for business would definitely turn me off from giving them my business if I did.

[billbenson]

I'd view it just as targeted advertising. All unsolicited advertising is annoying. But we get it every day by mail or email. I get emails every day to help my site rank better by some web designer when my site ranks 2 for the major keywords. Delete!

[David Hunter]

Interesting thoughts, guys!

Yeah, I guess it is like targeted advertising that just follows you around. Seems to last forever too... I 'll visit a site and their ads follow me until the end of time. Though, some I don't mind, like Pens.com, since I've bought from them before and look to see how they do their marketing.

It is amazing what we can find on the net.

I guess I wonder what kind of results the ad did, and... what if we changed it to a satellite view of the neighborhood (I guess we could do a birdseye view of the house, but that's would probably be just like taking the real photo)? That way it's not directly targeted to an individual but to a whole group.

[RR151]

It obviously didn't work as the company has stopped mailing these out. That is a lot of effort to create a custom postcard maybe instead of a postcard that looks and feels like junk mail. They might have had more success using "Send Out Cards" to send a gift card with the photo. Explain that our experts have been travelling through the neighborhood and find that your roof needs attention.

Just a thought, RR

[David Hunter]

It is funny how one person noted they got the postcard and they just got a new roof a year ago. Ha! The roofers should have seen the roof looked new...

[RR151]

It get's you wondering where they got their photos from...Maybe it just a kid taking photos and a Photoshop designer designing without looking at the new roof. Like I said this is a lot of effort for minimal gain.

If your going to all this effort maybe instead of this campaign they work it from the hot water heater direct mail piece. In this mail out the 24 hour service sends out a sticker with their contact information and they highlight the fact that they are there to assist when the hot water heater springs a leak. It is not if it will leak it is when...I put the sticker on my Hot Water Heater...the marketing worked on me...Who am I going to call when it leaks...them.

This is the same for the roof...24 hour service to fix the leaky roof...It is a personal note with photo explaining that a professional has looked at the roof and that "when" it leaks they can call us at any time day or night. Make it a fridge magnet and not a sticker...Some will be proactive and request a quote, some will ignore the warning and some will keep the fridge magnet.

The point being that a professional has looked at my roof and he feels it's time to change the shingles...Even if I ignore the personal note it is in the back of my mind that a professional has looked at the roof and I should pay attention.

Did you know that most house insurance is void if you don't keep up with a quality roof and it leaks. They aren't going to pay for damage done because you didn't maintain your roof. You have 10 year shingles and it is leaking at 15 years in most cases means your on your own.

Just a thought, RR

[David Hunter]

^^^Like it!!!

Heck, the roofer and plumber could offer a free inspection of the roof for any leaks, etc. Sometimes roofs leak for a long time, and do lots of damage, before homeowners find out.

[RR151]

Yep there is a good idea!!!

Be sure to name the inspection with that "ask for trigger"...When you call ask for "Our free up close and personal roof inspection!"

Next is the price conditioning...so what did it cost for the roof 20 years ago? Maybe $2,000 and today's $$ is $4,000 so how do you get the home owner on the same page. They have the financing programs plus roofing also has the 10 year shingle @ $4,000 or $35.00/per month, the 15 year shingle @ $4,000 or $23.00 per month and the 25 year shingle @$4,000 or $14.00 per month...You have different pricing that fits all price points.

The roofer might also partner up with the Insurance broker and give free inspections to those that ask?

Just a thought...RR

[RogerMudd009]

I'm with David Hunter, I like it.

If you read the article, the company Tech Roof Pros said they received a good response and only ended the campaign because of confusion. It's something that obviously stands out to those who notice.

[kel]

I kind of think it's a great idea. I'm in commercial real estate brokerage. I could take a photo of a building and photoshop a SOLD! sign on it where I see properties sitting on the market for a while to send to the owner...Thanks for the idea!

[David Hunter]

I kind of think it's a great idea. I'm in commercial real estate brokerage. I could take a photo of a building and photoshop a SOLD! sign on it where I see properties sitting on the market for a while to send to the owner...Thanks for the idea!

Please let me know if you do this!! I'd love to hear the results.

[shrinkme]

Very creepy. It probably works for them though.

[Brand Whisperer]

One day a guy showed up at my house with a full color aerial shot of my house.

He takes pics from a helicopter. Very odd and a hard way to make sales.

[Freelancier]

A helicopter or a drone? Drones that can take pictures are cheap now.

[Brand Whisperer]

A helicopter or a drone? Drones that can take pictures are cheap now.

Helicopter. I saw him a few times flying around.

[shutupdan]

At least weight-loss companies aren't sending us ads of ourselves yet.

[David Hunter]

At least weight-loss companies aren't sending us ads of ourselves yet.

Bahahahaha! I'm sure the time is coming... hahaha Pretty soon it'll be weight-loss ads on Facebook with our profile pictures.

[LocalSearchSolutions]

I think it would probably be more effort than it's worth. Interesting tactic as a follow up if you had an in-home and the homeowners didn't follow up (conversion tactic), but probably not a cold-mail tactic worth using...