Marketing Ideas??

[Daleman]

I am starting a lawncare biz next spring, and am working on some different marketing ideas. Tell me what you guys think and if you have tried any of these.

1. Putting large ad in newspaper advertising first cut free

2. Calling local real estate companies to maintain lawns of vacant
homes for sale.

3. Offering discounts to senior citizens

[guntruck]

#1 I dont think i would ever advertise "first cut free", our service is valuable and i dont think i need to advertise free stuff to get work, theres plenty out there. Alot of scattered work also advertising in the paper, but when your first starting like us i guess you gotta go where the work will take you.

#2 The real estate idea is a good lead!! Although i dont and i actually have been wanting to, a friend in this business does this and he loves it, he does good work and they never ever question his price!!!!

#3 Be careful with senior discounts, they can draw you in over your head, 1 discount and they expect everything discounted and alot of extras for nothing, just think twice before doing that part.

Just some things to think about, good luck and keep up the good work, preperation is one of the most imortant aspects of this business and it seems your doing just that!!!!

[Leonard]

#1. No way

#2. That's a good start

#3. Not a bad idea

The best marketing, as anyone will tell you, is word of mouth. As you're just starting out do the 'ol flyer-on-the-doorknob routine & offer refferal discounts to your customers. Try to look & act professional, too. People will notice you better & that's when the word of mouth factor kicks in. Best 'o luck.

cheers

[Daleman]

thanks for the replies so far. What about instead of first cut free, change to first cut free with 1 year contract?? that better?

[lawrence stone]

IMHO you should not hang your boxing gloves up and keep your real job.

Your current marketing plan is most undesirable to those of us veterans your know the real score.

[KirbysLawn]

1) No way -to broad market area most of the time, newspaper seems to be the worst for me.

2) NO WAY - I avoid dealing with agents. Often they get you to mow, the owner pays, when the house sells quess who is left out?

3) Just remember how they can be sometimes, pickey and tight.

[AltaLawnCare]

Part time is the way to go, and gradually grow.
Ad in a local paper has worked well for me - it doesn't cost much. To get the best residential work, flyers in specific neighborhoods work better.
I maintain some unoccupied real estate props, they pay slow and want 10-14 day schedules. And remember they are not permanent, when sold you will have to fill their spaces in your schedule.
It could take a long time to get the rates established LCOs are getting to earn a living full time.
There are a lot of posts here about costing yor biz to get bid prices. The hardest is your labor - if you want to net 20,000 per year ( 10.00 per hour 40 per 50 weeks) You have to figure by billed hour at gross for seasonal work, and Maybe only turning around 24 hours per week in season running solo (rain days etc.)
7 months at 4 weeks x 24 = 672 billable hours, instead of 2000 wage hours.
This is my first year only part time and it amazes me how much "dead" time there is involved, like book work, equip. maintenance, drive time, chasing down payments,rain, drought, etc.
I decided to start part time and do residentials, and little props no one else really wanted around here until I got the feel for the biz and my production times. After starting this season I still believe its something I would want to do full time - just remember its not as easy as these guys make it seem here on L.S. :)
The only discount I do is if I can get a seasonal or yearly contract, I thought about a free cut, but it would cost too much and I'd have to have a signed contract to consider it. And you want people saying you do good work, not offer free cuts.;)
{Figures for example only)

[Lawn-Scapes]

IMHO you should not hang your boxing gloves up and keep your real job.

Your current marketing plan is most undesirable to those of us veterans your know the real score.

Huh? That was some really helpful info... not!

1. Maybe a percentage off the first bill instead.

2. I've not dealt with real estate agents but some LCOs I know have gotton some good work from some. The new occupant may keep you...

3. No discounts to seniors... There's plenty of 'well to do' old folks out there. They can get thier discount at McDonalds...

Good luck

[Kent Lawns]

1.) No
2.) Yes, also telemarket your property management companies for your commercial work.
3.) No

Place a call to upscale developers who may need maintenance of a property before it sells. You'll get the ne homeowner, too.

Call landscape install companies and see if you can partner with them for referrals if they don't mow.

Call lawn fertilizer co's and see if your can partner with them for referrals.

Solicit every customer next to and across the street from existing customers. Mention the customer you're currentl doing by name.

[Fallguy]

to your questions.
1. yep - good idea - also go door to door at lawns that look like they need help.
2. no
3. no - i say that in all fairness everybody is charged the same - rich , poor, young, old, you should get paid the same no matter what.

[2 man crew]

#1 I would rather be known for professional or dependable service. Not for giving away free stuff. I think you might attract the wrong type of costomers.

#2 Ive had realy good luck in the local papers but not in the big sunday paper.

#3 I cut for a few agents and home builders but I charge them about two times the price. Alot of B.S. involved.



I like flyers, local papers. and direct mailings

[Chopper Lover]

Idea #1...

Part 1 (Advertising)
I wouldn't advertise in the paper unless you really need work. Why? Flyers are cheaper and more effective. You can make and distribute flyers to particular neighborhoods that you want to market. This keeps your customers close to each other and less travel time between yards. If your mower isn't in someone's lawn, it isn't making you money! I put out less than 300 flyers last year to yards that I selected to mow. I skipped the yards that looked like a hassle. I got about 11 calls and 7 contracts within a mile of each other. That is a very good rate of return, but I targeted that one area.

Part 2 (Free Cuts)
Nothing is free, especially not the first time. Maybe the last mowing of the year, with a signed seasonal contract, would be free, but never the first. They hire you once, then fire you. You wasted your time and money.

Idea #2

Real Estate agent's / Rental Property Managers are either a blessing of a curse. With a property manager you generally get paid because they have access to billing the property owner through their managing agreements. You could get "stiffed" by someone selling a home and not wanting to pay. By the time you figure out you have been stiffed it is to late to place a Lien on the home and hold up the sale until you are paid. If you were paid on the spot or up front, that may be different. Either way Real Estate work is not very consistent.

Idea #3...

Mixed feelings on this one. Discounts are kinda like freebies. Everyone wants something for nothing and "nothing" is what you have for dinner when you do "free" work.

Discounts for a neighborhood would be better. Example: I will mow your yard for $25 each weekly visit, but if you can get me 5 more yards on your block, I will do them all for $22 (or some other price you decide on).

Good Luck on your quest!
Mark

[gogetter]

I'm surprised how many guys knocked the "first cut free" thing.
In my area it seems standard. If I didn't offer it, there are 10 or more other companys in the paper that are.

But I do agree with some of the other advice given. If you advertise in the paper, expect to be doing alot of driving as the calls will come in from a very large range. So far I've only advertised with flyers so that I could target a very specific, tight area to reduce driving time. Plus, I can pass the houses that are a mess and not worth the trouble.

And if you can, I strongly advise starting part time and see if this is for you. Grow slow and learn as you go.

[Daleman]

Thanks for the mixed responses, its cool to hear everyones point of view on these. To Lawrence Stone this is not my entire marketing plan, just ideas I haven't heard many people mention. Of course flyers and word of mouth is part of my plan too. Thanks again everybody for the input!

[deason]

IMHO you should not hang your boxing gloves up and keep your real job.
Your current marketing plan is most undesirable to those of us veterans your know the real score.

Lawrence, give it a rest. And what does "Us veterans your know the real score" mean? Go and give that advise at a microsoft convention where they might have an argueable debate spring up from a microchip discussion.

Sorry folks, just had to get that off my chest. Cant stand to see some one talk as if they are the one who invented sliced bread.

:angry:

Daleman,

1) was your first car payment free??? You are a good person who wants to make a good first impression, that is a good quality. But, your service is way to valuable to give away.

2) Good idea. But I wil have to agree with Kirbyslawn and Alta, those accounts would not be something that you could build on. They can be here today, gone tomorrow. After you secure your first few accounts, you will see that word of mouth is the best advertisment that you can have. Best of all, IT'S FREE!!!:D

3) I do find my self being partial to seniors, but watch it. Hold your tears back when the give you the " I walked 10 miles to school in -20 degree temps up hill, both ways" story. Then smile and say "That'll be $35 bucks, ma'am".:D

[AndrewLawn]

may I ask you a question lawrence stone....exactly what did you mean by that whole shpeal up there???It came across as a rather mean thing to say,if I understood you correctly...

[Leonard]

Dalesman,

Have you thought about maybe getting a job with an established LCO in your area? Not indefinately, just something that can help you learn about the whole buisness operation before you dive in head-first? That's the way I got into it.

Some, if not most people will disagree with me on this, but I think that's the way to go. There's a <b>lot</b> to learn about the Lawn & Landscape industry...more than the average guy thinks...so if you don't learn about it before you get involved you might end up way over your head.

Just tryin' to give you some more thought candy...chew it up good.

cheers

[TGCummings]

1) First payment free could mean you spend the most time all season at a place for nothing. In a lot of cases, that first cut is overgrown and unedged for months before. I usually spend 50% to 100% extra time on the first cut, and usually lose money on the property getting it into shape. I wouldn't consider doing that for free.

2) I've had mixed results from Property Managagers, but one constant has remained: they pay late. A lot of times they don't worry much about the cost of the work, but on the flip side they want everything done yesterday at a moment's notice. I work for a couple of them now, and have worked for more in the past, but I'd rather have the high-end residentials and leave the property managers behind.

3) I've given discounts to friends, and friends of friends, and generally end up regretting it. I'd suggest you stay with your set price, one that covers your expenses, time, and expected profit.

Hope this helps!

-TGC

[AltaLawnCare]

The Stoner strikes again!:laugh: :laugh:

[LAWNGODFATHER]

HERE WE GO AGAIN
a nother one trying to get in this lucritive biz
I should start charging for this INFO

ok you have read the replies

you're getting mixed fealing for all three idea's

all 3 are good ideas and bad ideas

but you did come back with the best idea CONTRACT
that is the first thing you need to think about before any marketing

next don't waist any money or time with giving things away, realestate agents, or the elderly

you need to target neighborhoods or subdivisions
drive time is going to be your biggest killer (less drive time more mowing = more money)

if you do want to go with realestate agents the only problem is getting paid by some one usaly out of state
you would want to have the agent or company sign a contract with you to be responsable for invoice
the plus to that is you may get the new owner

I hope this info might help in your disision LGF

:dizzy: :cool: :cool:

[jcoat]

There are a lot of positives and negatives posted, but instead of offering a "free" cut, you might offer a percentage off for agreeing to a one year maintenance contract. I look at it like a lot of the other guys... if you're legitimate and want to offer your customers value, you'll offer an incentive, but won't give away your services. Also, if you do a good job for a customer and you have a good relationship with them, hand them some business cards and tell them you'll offer them 10% off for each "neighbor" they add to your client-list!
You kill two birds with this stone: a) You build your client-list and b) you gain productivity and increase your revenues by knocking out 2-5 customers/location without loading and unloading!