I recently was asked by the condo board of the community that I have farmed for many years to sponsor a shredder as part of the annual yard sale. This is the fourth year that I have been given this opportunity to participate in a very visible event within the community
Each year the condo board sets a date for the yard sale and then reaches out to me to host the shredding part of the event. This year I was lucky to be given approximately a month's notice. As you might imagine, shredding events are popular in the spring after tax season and before it gets too hot. Shredding trucks are harder to book during May and June. If you are planning to host a shredding event PICK YOUR DATE EARLY AND RESERVE THE SHREDDING TRUCK. In the DC area, I am paying $1050 for the shredding truck and the driver/shredder for 3 hours. I split that last year with my lender. This year, I have added my title company , Universal Title, and a mover, Interstate Moving and Storage. I have reduced the cost of the event to 25%.
The next thing to do is to start advertising the event. This year I am sending out postcards to approximately 1500 households. I am using EDDM for this event since I am not mailing it just to my farm or a specific targeted market. To do a big mailing like this, I create postcards in Canva that are 11 inches by 6 inches. (The EDDM requirements call for a large postcard.) Once I have created the postcard template - front and back with my mailing permit preprinted on it - I transfer it to Vistaprint where I create the order to print the postcard. 1500 postcards runs about 15 cents a piece.
Every Door Direct Mailing - EDDM- is a bulk mail service offered by the US Post Office which allows you to send postcards to a certain area. For instance, my farm, which is 396 homes falls into two districts or areas so I have to mail to both (and to the surrounding streets. ) My 396 homes becomes closer to 600 but since I am advertising a shredding event open to everyone and taking place in the middle of the two mailing areas, I am okay with that. When I want to announce a new open house or a recent closing, then I only want to mail to the specific neighborhood.
I am also advertising the shredding event on Facebook, Instagram, through MailChimp to my sphere and posting flyers at the local libraries and anywhere else that I can post my flyers. The Facebook, Instagram and emails to my sphere are all useful touches, reminding everyone that I am still here and ready to help..
Of course, on the day of the event I pray for good weather. It seems that it is either very hot or surprisingly cold. Some years it even has the temerity to rain - but I get to meet everyone who brings their paper bags of documents or boxes of receipts and memos to be shredded. I ask them to give me their name and address or email address so that I can send them a "receipt." Most people are good sports and sign in.
From this event, I can point to at least two specific listings - and probably more. It also has the advantage of putting me in front of lots of people in my farm and continuing to build that relationship and demonstrating that I believe in coming from contribution. My farm has been very good to me through the years and I enjoy returning the kindness.
If you decide to do a shredding event, I would love to hear how it turns out for you. What else do you do for your farm or sphere? Costs? Steps? Success? I can't wait to hear all the great ideas here in the Rain. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
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