Awesome Advertising

[Synergy Ground]

Hey guys lets see some of you're creative ads that you have run in your local papers/yellowpages etc.... I have seen some pretty neat ads in our area and just thought it would make a good post for comments, as we;ll as give some fresh ideas for others. I know their are some great minds out there, lets see some awsome ads.

[LonniesLawns]

Here are some I have used that worked well

http://http://www.lawnsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=31130&stc=1&d=1105318180

http://www.lawnsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=31064&stc=1&d=1105202373

[Lynden-Jeff]

Nice flyer, but the SUV totally killed it, a pickup would have been way better.

[LonniesLawns]

Here are a few more

http://www.lawnsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32311&stc=1&d=1107276925

http://www.lawnsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=31060&stc=1&d=1105200061


http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/attachments/landscape-sales-marketing-forum/2749d1181183708-feedback-postcard-family-postcard-proof-small-.jpg

[Synergy Ground]

That's what I was looking for. Man those are great. Very nice.

[jessica.elder]

Nice cool set up

[Johnson LCO]

Do you actually use that SUV for work? I would have at least borrowed a truck from a friend or even shelled out the money to rent one before taking pics. Everything you have looks so professional and the SUV sticks out like a sore thumb.

[Az Gardener]

Do you actually use that SUV for work? I would have at least borrowed a truck from a friend or even shelled out the money to rent one before taking pics. Everything you have looks so professional and the SUV sticks out like a sore thumb.

I disagree, I assume from the picture he has employees driving the trucks to do the work and he is using the SUV to do estimates, which is a more fuel efficient vehicle. This gives the impression of a bigger business. I don't know what the real situation is but that is my perception and I am probably in his demographic for his ideal customer.

[Johnson LCO]

I dont belive a customer would think that much into it. Those are a lot of assumptions to make based on a picture. Especially since it shows him doing work in the pictures. No employees in the pics. In my experience people are more likely to come to the most likely and simplest conclusion. In this case he looks like a small time operation, doing this on the side. I am not saying anything is wrong with that because that is what he is, but a homeowner looking for a professional company might not consider him for that reason.

[LonniesLawns]

Thats funny -- borrowed a truck for the picture.

Lawn care and landscaping is not a side business for me and the truck is the "office" vehicle used for running estimates, checking on jobs and running errands. My work truck is a 3/4 ton silverado. When I ran market tests -- the advertisement with the SUV scored very high conveying the message I was trying to convey.

In reality, I am not a huge fan of that ad and only ran it for a couple months. I think it put too much focus on the vehicle -- when the focus should be on what is important to the customer.

[topsites]

Teh three Amigos Yahd Kare (that be coolio, doobe, an neega


Yo yo we sweat you dont have to
Word up
Cheap (we like beer, except doobe LOL)


Co. Motto: How you getting us to show up, we'd like to hear it.




No?

[Johnson LCO]

Lonnie, I thought it mentions on your website that you are a full time teacher? Did you quit teaching to do landscaping full time?

[LonniesLawns]

I am a full time teacher.

However, that doesn't mean I do it on the side. Plenty of hours in the day to do more than one thing.


Just because I am at school teaching does not mean my business isn't out making money.

However, you are right - atleast pertly - in the image the ad portrays. I have found it to be highly profitable niche for me. someone looking for a smaller, quality focused and customer service oriented company. This is the niche I have decided to focus on.

What are some of the ads you have found particularly profitable for you?

[Johnson LCO]

I have not found anything extremely effective so far but I am in the process of designing a postcard that will be sent out to anyone who makes over 100,000$ in my area. I will post a pic of it when I am finished but that probably will not be for a while. I will never put out flyers again because they seem to pull the tire kickers out of the woodwork and I dont have enough time to deal with price shoppers. I am actually thinking of going door to door in some areas since reading a post from BigW, it sounds like an effective means of finding customers in areas that I already service.

[LonniesLawns]

I started using a designer for all my print advertising -- since then I saw my ROI go up exponentially - compared to doing it myself.

[aa1campbell]

should have used a truck in pic.... you are just a sales guy...me personally what to meet the guy thats going to be doing the work not the guy that can talk ****.

[Lawnworks]

I started using a designer for all my print advertising -- since then I saw my ROI go up exponentially - compared to doing it myself.

Great ads. I spent the big bucks as well and went w/ a designer. What are your main forms of advertising?

[CharlotteOutdoorImpact]

What company do you use to design?

Anyone recommend a good company? maybe someone who designs and has a mailing service also...


Nice work on your ad's, however I do agree that the suv shouldn't be in there.
And your right, about the car being the focus of the ad.

[LonniesLawns]

I use a company called IM Design group www.imdesigngroup.com They do all my print advertising and website design

They have done work for lots of lawnsite members. Give them a ring.

[CharlotteOutdoorImpact]

Thanks!! I will try them. I also talked with cactus mailing... They are in Arizona... I am not sure who I will end up using. I am also thinking of using
Sales genie and getting a mailing list of my own and sending them out myself....

Anyone ever do this??

[willretire@40]

This is my flyer.

[willretire@40]

bump bump bump

[NEW CITY LAWN CARE LLC]

This reply is for WillRetire@40.
In my opinion it needs a little word adjusting, "Call for a phone estimate"??
and why only sell them on weekly service pricing, why not try and land regular monthly year round accounts?
I would leave the weather permitting line out, unless you live in an area where you get a lot of bad weather all the time?
"As your local lawn experts, we provide weekly dependable lawn mowing" Dependable doesn't explain how your an expert?