Yellow Pages?

[dchauling]

Hi all

What is the best way for advertising that you have found.

I am primarily a landscaper but I am retiring from the Army next year and want some monthly lawn maint. accounts for the guaranteed income.

I have been very sucessful with an ad in the newspaper (city of 750 000) but I want to expand the bus.

Any input on Yellow Pages is much appreciated.

Thanks

[nmez21]

I've only heard bad things about advertising in the yp. My father, aunt, uncle, and cousin are all FORMER yellow page advertisers, and say that they'd never try it again. Big waste of money, in their opinions. Your add gets noticed less and less as the book grows, but the price you pay increases even faster than that. Hope this helps you out.

[IN2MOWN]

Im trying my first YP ad this year. The book just came out last week. Its not a big ad by any means . About 2.5 inches wide by 1.5 tall. Its about 60 a month for the year. I saw the ad and the good news is its the only "AD" on the page surrounded by the oneliners with the companies name and #. I guess I lucked out on the page.

[marionlandscape]

think of the biggest companies around look up a few of them in the yellow pages. I'll bet they are there. do you think they just made bad decisions to get as big as they are or do you think they put a little research into it. also the YP just puts your name in front of them you still have to make a name for yourself

[RICHIE K]

Try church bulleitens the best is word of mouth 97% of our business is that

[Grass Kickin]

My opinion is that if someone needs a landscaper, they will find one long before they resort to the YP.

[GELAWNS]

Signing up with ServiceMagic.com has generated more business than anything else we have used and they are great to work with.

[nobagger]

Hi all

What is the best way for advertising that you have found.

I am primarily a landscaper but I am retiring from the Army next year and want some monthly lawn maint. accounts for the guaranteed income.

I have been very sucessful with an ad in the newspaper (city of 750 000) but I want to expand the bus.

Any input on Yellow Pages is much appreciated.

Thanks

We tried the Yellow Pages before and I will never do it again. Unless your ad is one of the biggest ones on that page, forget it! We spent just over 1k for a few small listings and a coupon in the coupon section, whiched turned out very nice but I can honestly say I got maybe 2 calls from it leading into nothing.

[Doug Z.]

I had a yp ad a few years ago, it was $125/ mo. I got a ton of price shoppers. Dumped my ad last year, but kept my line ad in. The amount of business I lost amazed me. I put it back in this year. If I only mowed, I wouldn't do it, but doing the landscape and selling mulch, I need it.

[2menandamower]

I put an ad in the Yellow Book this year. It came out in November and so far I have had 5 calls form the ad. 3 were looking for a job and wanted to know if I was hiring, 1 was an insurance saleman wanting to sell me health insurance, and one was a person wanting a bid on leaf clean up. I got the leaf job and it paid 190.00 then I spent 125.00 for the first months payment on the ad, and then I spent 10 in fuel and bags for the job. So not to sure if this is good or bad but time will tell....

[lawnpro724]

Every time I read about yellow page advertising all I hear are bad things. I run several ads in several books and get alot of business from them. Maybe you are all getting the wrong impression from people on here, they do work and work great. Don't get me wrong yellow pages are not the magic bullet for success but ads work! and for the money you spend for what you get and the amount of people you reach there is nothing better. Let me explain what I mean, if people don't know what you do and they have never heard of you but you have a nice ad in the phone book , would you call yourself ? or would you call another busniness in the phone book that you know? You need to make a name for yourself first before you put alot of money into your ad but that doesn't mean that a new business shouldn't advertise in yellow pages just don't go overboard. I see ads all the time from new business in the book, their ads read like ( mowing, trimming, shrubs, ect. and phone #) I have to wander why businesses with basic information complain about not getting any calls.....Hmmmmmmmmm . Why would I call you ? Before you put down your money on an advertising program there are things you need to do first (1) what sets you apart from other guy? Sit down and think about what makes your business better or different , things you will go the extra mile for. Think of a catchy saying to put in your ad to get peoples attention. Ads work and they work very good so think before you spend!!

[dchauling]

Thanks, thats alot of great info and different results. My slogan is going to be "Your yard is our Canvas" I am going more after the landscaping. Any input? Some of the most expensive maintenace lawn care in the city do not advertise at all. My goal is to be in that elite group someday but I guess I'll start with the Mid range homes for now. We are not cheap, even in our snow removal but have filled all of our vacant spots this year. I am done cleaning grandmas snow and lawn for $75 a month. Min charge is now $125 for 12 months. What do you all typically get per month?

[mdvaden]

I tried it once with a 1" in-column ad for like $80 per month - only one call in the year.

Now, maybe in some areas, people would go to the phone book to relocate your number if they lost it. But how many people will loose your number.

My theory on the book, from my experience and that of friends, is that the best way to go is with an ad of some size - like business card size or bigger.

But then you are committed.

Many cities have two companies putting out books. That's a problem, and one area where I wish a monopoly would exist. Once a second or third phone book is delivered, if people keep them, there is just a 30% chance or 50% chance that the book they grab will be the one with your ad. But your payment remains the same.

That causes an obligation for some businesses to pay to advertise in two or three books.

Flyers work.

By the way, in your case, I'd go door to door. Dress nice and go when people are home but not pressed for time like when they get home from work and want to relax.

Go on a Saturday. People will be home - many.

And do a really nice flyer for your door knocking. Get a glossy computer paper. Not photo paper, but glossy. Make a nice flyer with color, maybe even a tri-fold.

When you don't knock on doors, regular paper works. We get better results with black on white paper than we did with color paper.

[LemkeLawns]

....Flyers work....

I agree.
To take it a step further, Who do you want to mow for? Wealthy, Middle, Lower? Target the Neighborhoods you want to work in. Offer a free mowing to a few or all, GET IN THE NIEHBORHOOD!!! people see you, its advertisement. Your work is advertisement. Your word is advertisement-KEEP IT. Negative circumstances reach approximately 6 prospects (grass not blown, unlevel cut, not keeping your word.) Its important to talk to prospects even if they dont hire you- gives you a positive image. If one prospect isnt interested, they may give you someone that is. Visit neighbors of current customers. Before long youll be swamped.