WTF happened a little help on Marketing

[griddeath]

My partner and I admittedly got a late start we advertised in the local pennysaver - approx circulation 110,000 for 2 weeks. We put a business size card ad in it came out very professional. The ad ran May 3-17th. Lets just say we got 2 calls-. we were very disappointed we put some flyers out as well -no response. I want to blame it on the late start but we are mainly doing this on the side and were hoping to pick up 25-30 accounts. We are gearing up for fall for cleanups and to get a jump next year. The local area is booming with new constructions priced at 400-500,000 dollars. the area is ripe for the taking. My question -is the phone book effective? -what are the best ways to get some accounts up and running? what are the best ways to market a landscape business? Any help is apppreciated!

[HBFOXJr]

go buy some of the Guerilla Marketing books at the book store

They make you sleepy but worth it.

[The Lawn Choupique]

What happened is that you are not willing to spend the money to run an effective marketing campaign. Two weeks in the local penny saver? With advertising you truly get what you pay for. How may radio spots have you run? How many ad's do you have in the MAJOR News papers. How many direct mail peices have you sent out? Any TV Spots? How may thousands of flyers did you say you put out? If putting a ad in the local penny saver is the extent of your marketing campaign and you got two calls, you did get what you paid for.

[65hoss]

Timing is your main problem. Call friends and family and ask if they know anyone that might need your services. They may know people at work that would be interested.

Put out more flyers. I mean thousands. You get out of it what you put in it.

[TGCummings]

Originally posted by HBFOXJr
go buy some of the Guerilla Marketing books at the book store

They make you sleepy but worth it.

Hey Fox,

Explain this comment, please. I'm looking into getting a book on Guerilla Marketing so the wife and I can learn a few more tricks and, as a born insomniac, I could use a little drowsiness... ;)

Also, we put out 5000 flyers in the local paper 3 weeks ago and have had nearly two dozen calls and closed a half dozen or so sells. Not world shaking, but we turned away another half dozen one-timers and at least 3 more out of route. What we have picked up so far has already more than paid for running the flyers in their first month and they're all year-around service...

[Fantasy Lawns]

I'd suggest contacting a direct mailer list n "buy" an address list of homeowners in zip codes you wish to start ( we sent out 15k ..this was about a $2K investment ) ....leave your card Everywhere .... wear you company shirt ( a nice polo with logo embroidery) or hat Everywhere ....give em to family n friends ....

Get signs on your trucks n cars .... drive your trailer loaded with equip n a BIG sign on the back with the phone # .... do this when your waiting for the phone to ring (get call forward to your cell or something ....NO ANSWER MACHINE only on Sundays) GO OUT ON SATURDAY when everyone is out .... park it (leave someone with it ) n door hang ....walk n say hello ..... YOU have to Sell IT!

Good Luck ;->

[griddeath]

LC- We put out approx 2000 flyers - like I said we are doing this as a side gig just looking for some advice on how to affectively market a landscape business. The ads were $700 my point was the weekly circulation was over 110,000 WE got 2 calls -and got a job that profited approx 200 each. the 2 calls for 110,000 and 2000 flyers concerned me I figured we would gfet 20-30 calls and some jobs enough to warrant buying the equipment. I hope timimg is the main issue its a little late pretty much everyone has a landscaper already at least thats what I assume. I wasnt looking for 50 accounts just some calls no need to get your balls in a bunch - THX for the advice on the guerilla books Ill pick one up. Again experts just looking for an effective way to market a business not spend 10k to do an HBO special (radio ads? Whattttt???)

[nu83]

With a good mailer you can expect about 2-3% return, if it sucks then almost zero. Also, do you know if the calls you did get were from the mailer or the penny saver. Stay away from the penny saver if its your main source of advertising, its not the ideal customer base you are looking for. From reading others experiences from the yellow pages most have said that they dont pay for themselves directly, however if someone knows the name of your company it is an easy way for them to find you and it gives the impression that you are a real company. The other responces are right, your not going to get 20-30 accounts from sending a couple thousand flyers. Good Luck

[summitgroundskeeping]

Here's how it is...
My area is booming too. Big housing developments and many enormous houses too. When someone spends over $300,000 on a new home in my area you look at their garage. If there is one higher end car (like a BMW or Audi) don't bother. If there are 2 higher end cars or more, you're good, but they won't pay much. Doctors pay less than lawyers, lawyers pay less than business owners. They blow all their money on the house and cars, and have no money for their kids collage and no money for home maintance and car maintance. Big houses mean they have no spendable cash. My parents will not ever take out any kind of loan and own their home and 5 cars. They spend their money on the little things and not on an enormous house (ours is around 3,800-4,000 sq. ft.)

I put about 200 fliers in a high end development this year and last year (cheapest house listed for $375,000) and I have gotten a total of 2 calls. 1 from a man going to China on business, another from a man who needed his lawn cut onewce b/c he hadn't cut it in a month and a half. Wrong type of people to deal with.

[Brickman]

For me the card in the door, and going and talking to people looking for work and they didn't call you first is a waste of time. I have to assume door hangers and direct mail flyers would be the same for me. How ever the capital city news paper, AND the yellow pages have given me more than enough work. I turn an unbelievable amount of work away. Unless I know the number of the person calling me I do not answer the phone. Half or more of the people calling won't leave a message, saves me from calling them back to say I don't have time to work for you.
I messed around for 2 years and didn't get into the phone book like I should have. When I finally did the phone started ringing off the hook. And more of the kind of customers I wanted started to call me too. Instead of the elcheapo SS income folks.

I tell every body that askes me about starting this biz. IF you are really serious about making this a go, and not being a one or two season outfit, GET YOUR NAME IN THE YELLOW PAGES.

[marley]

I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR PHONE BOOK IS FLOODED WITH LCO ADS BUT I PUT A BUSINESS CARD SIZE AD IN MY LOCAL PHONE BOOK AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT. COST ABOUT $400.00. THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU GET ONE ACCOUNT OUT OF IT THE AD IS PAID FOR.

[Mykster]

I did what 65hoss mentioned. When I started I told everyone I knew about it and told them to pass it on. All the work I had last year was just from people I knew telling people they knew, I guess that would qualify as word of mouth. And the work is still coming in from that.

We put out only 500 flyers and signed two more customers from them. I don't think it's ever too late to pass out fliers. We will be handing out fliers every month.

As for as advertising in the YP or other publications we haven't done that yet. I'm thinking about a bold one line ad in the YP's. I'm wondering if I've missed out on some calls from people who see the truck but forget the number and look in the phone book to find out I'm not listed. Good luck to ya.

[Runner]

Originally posted by marley
I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR PHONE BOOK IS FLOODED WITH LCO ADS BUT I PUT A BUSINESS CARD SIZE AD IN MY LOCAL PHONE BOOK AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT. COST ABOUT $400.00. THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU GET ONE ACCOUNT OUT OF IT THE AD IS PAID FOR.

Around here, you can't TOUCH a yellow pages add for that much. You looking at about 2 grand, minimum. In this business, the pages really aren't feasible, because it's a clientele basis. Once you hace your clientele establashed, or even partly established (the rest will sell for you) you are all set because it's a regular, consistant thing. Now, if we were doing like just installations, or irrigation system, or something of the sort, where it's just a one time deal, and you need new business, then I could see it. But, once you get a full plate of clients, you have the same dilemna everyone else has that's run a pages ad. That is, your phone rings off the hook from people in a 50 mile radius around you, asking "How much do you charge to mow a lawn?" Paleeze! THEN, 3/4 or more of them that you take all the time and go do an estimate for are just price shopping ANYway! If they're calling YOUR yellow pages ad, they're calling others. Then they end up stopping the guy down the street that's cutting anyway, because he's already in the area. There have been a FEW good threads on yellow pages ads on here in the past.
No. What you need to do is target the areas you want to work, (closer to base, preferabally) get some customers, and GIVE THEM INCENTIVE to sell for you! Sure, some customers are just going to refer you to friends or family, but they'll talk about you MORE if they have reason. Give them a free cut for every accepted referal you get from the. What does that cost you? For a whole accounts worth of income? This is what I do for my fert. program, and it's exPLODing! Good luck with it!

[KevinC]

Hey guys,
Here is another option. I'm a graphic designer, I work full time designing for a large company in Atlanta GA. I also freelance, designing small business identities, logos, and advertisements. I can design adds and burn them on cds for you to give to newspapers, magazines and phonebooks.
If you need help email me @ mrcorrao@hotmail.com
even if you don't use me feel free to email me about design questions and printing questions. Printing is very expensive and if you don't ask the right questions they will try to take you for a ride.
Good luck guys
-Kevin

[Likestomow]

The middle of April I put an ad in the local want ad's Service Directory and have been very pleased with the response. The cost was $130 for three lines for 30 days. I’ve gotten 15 new steady customers, and about 5 one-timers. This was my first time to place an ad, so next year I’ll be starting in March.

I have also passed out flyers, but have never had the response like the ad gave me.