Putting price in flyer?

[jmartmel]

Just wondering how many think it is a good idea to put in your flyer the prices of your service for the different full service packages you offer? For example, targeting subdivisions that you know well and want more work in. There are several in this area that are basically all the same type yards, thinking of putting the prices in the flyers for services(package A: mow,trim,edge $140 monthly(weekly service) ect ect, package B(well you get the idea)! This I'm thinking would cut down on calls from people who just want some cheap price, and save on time spent going and giving estimates. Thoughts?

P.S this is my first post but have spent alot of time learning from the best site I have found out there! Thanks

[JVS]

My 2 cents- I would market it with all the smatlz you create but I would not lock myself into a price ON A FLYER. The idea of the flyer is to get the call -then make your sale form there and you can weed out he time wasters.
MAYBE YOU CAN CAN ALL THE THINGS LIKE AFFORDABLE ETC...



Joe

[kutnkru]

If you feel that you have a pretty good idea about what the other contractors in your area are charging for their services to those homes you want to target with your advertising, then it might not be a bad idea.

If you are not sure about what the going rate is, then I would suggest using dollar discounts instead of prcing to attract prospective clientel. You could try giving away One Free Mowing with 3 or more @ regular prices/ $15 off Spring Clean-Up/ $10 off Aerations etc.

Welcome aboard.
Kris

[awm]

I would only put prices in if that is a major
selling point of your service.In other word
are ye cheap

[Strawbridge Lawn]

I am distributing 2 types of flyers this year. One is front and back which indicates and guarantees a price within a specific price range(EX: $19-23, $24-27$, $28-31). Actual price will be determined by estimate. Again, the developments here allow for this type of rough estimate for 99% are 8-15K SQ FT most with 4-8K SQ FT of turf. Averages $4-5 p/1K Sq FT. The other flier is smaller and more general without the price range (advance estimate) on it.

Strawbridge Lawn & Landscape

[Jason Pallas]

We do a flyer that is HUGELY successful that lists price. We list it as "Weekly lawn service prices starting at...." This seems to weed out a lot of bargin hunters and when you give an estimate that is higher, it also gives you an opportunity to explain why to the customer (there's more trimming, edging, have to use smaller mower in some areas, etc..).

[lawrence stone]

I think a line line "complete monthly lawn service starting at $99 per month" would draw more interest for one to pick up the phone and make contact vs. a flyer w/no pricing.

Again the flyer is used to obtain a point of contact. If you get no contacts you make no money.

Also any time you have heavy advertising in play make sure you have a live operator answering your phone. What I have done in the past is forward my calls to a live answering service for about $80/month.

I am a big fan not using and all year advertising like the phone book but to use direct mail, newspaper inserts to specific areas, and a daily classified ads only for a few months in the early spring.

This way you are only "selling" 2 months a year and for the rest of the season you can just concentrate on the work you booked.

[jmartmel]

Yes this is what i am talking about! I think it may be better to place the price in the packages you are offering. There are just too many people who call and expect you to come over and give an estimate: They expect full service 4 cuts a month for $15 a cut, this is crazy and wastes to much time, that could be spent on getting real business! I wont go under 35 per cut for the subdivisions I plan on targeting this year. By saying in the flyer Gold package: (list the services)$140 per month, platinum package: (list services) $160 per month. It weeds out the bad ones looking for cheap cuts. Its not like these flyers are going on windsheilds of cars at the mall where you have no idea of the lot size or obstacles. Newr subdivisions here a basically all the same size level yards well the ones I will be delivering too! The rates are competitive and also could get customers who thought they could never afford lawn service cause they have absolutley no idea of costs! I am getting 5000 colored flyers printed this weekend and think I will try it out and see what happens. Plus there are so many extras you can add on to these new customers like gutter cleaning and possibly snowplowing in winter if I choose. This is great site for kicking around different ideas.

[TGCummings]

I'm partial to the idea of putting in the "starting at $xx!" line myself. I haven't done any flyers to date, but this would seem to be the best way not to pigeonhole yourself into a price, while weeding out the cheapskates at the same time.

Good luck!

-TGC

[kutnkru]

Stone

Although they are having their name/phone# taken by an answering service is it not the same thing as an answering machine because the "live" operators cannot answer their questions?? Would it not be better to say hire someone to answer the phones at the office??

I realize that some might be doing as I did when I first started out and that was put my office in my daughters bedroom because it was warmer than the shed and the only available spot in our home to do the work. I like the concept though of dealing with people rather than computers.

Kris

[Greenkeepers]

We don't put prices in the flyers.. But I don like Larry's idea about Lawn service for only xxxx a month...

[Groundcover Solutions]

We usualy do not put prices on our flyers. when we are in a sub that we would like to get a lot of custmers from we write a price on the flyer. we have a spot on the flyer that says weekly Mowing starting at $___________________
Just my two cents!!

[bob]

I would not put a price on the flyer. A customer doesn't look at the lawn the same way that you do. They think more obsticials means less cutting, and the price should be lower. When in actuality, it would mean more trimming and more time. If you put 3 different prices on the flyer, they'll want the lowest.

[lawman]

I also would not put a price on a flyer. you do not know who the flyer may be give too and that person may want the price on the flyer also. This may not be fair to you.

[Currier]

Several years ago when I first bought my aerator I put together a flyer that said the subdivision name in big letter then "lawn aeration starting at $$$"

I recived several calls thinking that the starting at price was the price for their lawn (it wasn't) I began to feel that it was deceptive advertising on my part. I did do some lawns for the cheap price but most lawns were higher. I think people just automatically want the low price (can't blame em!)

I am now at the point of being more realistic. Make sure that you don't alienate people with a low price teaser just to anger them with a higher (although realistic)actual price.

[thelawnguy]

If you are going thru the trouble of distributing a flyer with no price, all it appears in the eye of the customer is some scrub who jumped on the bandwagon too late for a yellow page ad. The customer needs a reason to call you, and the teaser rate is that reason. Once they call, you qualify that customer and measure and bid the property. If the customer objects, and quotes your flyer price, just explain that the customers lawn doesnt fit the flyer price lawn because of x x x. But this will not be an issue since you have sold yourself and your company to the customer before you submitted your bid, and the price is now secondary in the customers mind, to your professionalism, value, etc.

You did sell yourself and didnt just vomit a price in their lap, didnt you?

The mens store sends out flyers with the price of a cheap suit to get you in the store. The salesman has no intention of letting you leave with the leisure suit Larry special. Otherwise its just a waste of paper and ink.

If you want to feel bad for someone, ("I began to feel that it was deceptive advertising on my part") go volunteer at the soup kitchen and picture yourself at the wrong side of the counter.

[nlminc]

Bill, Do you list your prices in the Yellow pages? Sounds a little harsh to be comparing someone marketing flyers to a scrub. At least with the flyers he is targeting a specific customer base and when these potential customers look at his flyer they are not going to see 100 other lawn and landscape co's listed there. The spotlite is on his company and services.

Chris

[lawnguy ny]

where are you guys putting these flyers that you are distrubuting? i hope not on mail boxes.

[lawrence stone]

What you are doing is classic bait and switch marketing.

The low price is the hook that makes the first contact.

It is your job is sell fert and pest for another $25/month and another $25/month for aeration and dethatching. You can also sell landscape maintaince monthly also. You do this when you make your site visit.

I have a little hand held fertilizer tester that always reads that the the soil needs more fertilizer. I always show the reading of this meter to the customer.

Have some benefits of dethatching and aeration pamphlets to hand out.

[Strawbridge Lawn]

IMO another objective of flyers is to also keep people from looking through the 2 full pages of lawn service adds and then trying to make a choice or figure a price.
A flyer can act as 1 stop shopping and they didn't have to do any shopping. As a bonus, any new customer who may not know what the going rate is will know straight up, and either decide to use you, search for a better rate, or decide their money could be better spent on beer.

[kutnkru]

I agree with stone about the "hook", but at the same time dont forget that with soooo many contractors coming into the playing field each season that the idea is to get your name out there.

When we target an area we dont just hit 'em once. We hit them several times, we will market the same subdivison for lawn care twice - aerations - spring clean-ups - and then hit them again for lawn care. I want those people to look outside and whether our crews have been there or Roma's, I want them to think of Pro Turf regardless.

Every house gets hit customer or not. We just tell our clients to pass theirs along to friends or family. So far so good.

Just my .02
Kris

[jmartmel]

The way I see it is that if i have 3 set packages with A package being basic mow, trim, edge for example and they want to go for that, I already have made the money I want for the basic service. All I am looking for is my foot in there door and with the basic service price listed in the flyer at the rate I am happy to work for then I have succeded in getting a new customer. Sure If they want package B instead I win more! Plus there is nothing to say that they wont see the benifits later of choosing a better package once your quality work is shown. I know that when I'm in the market for a new truck I tend to skip over the ones that dont have a price in the window or the add, but the ones that i inquire about have the price listed which is great cause I know what I have to work with now, as far as price! If I decide after looking at the vehicle that I'd like to have a cd and power windows in it instead I'm sure the salesman can point me to another model, or he can recommend something better for my needs! Just see the flyers and potential lawn customers feeling the same way as I do about adds!

[jmartmel]

In Ontario we can place flyers on the mailbox there is a holder on the bottom of most of them for the paper or for flyers! Just that the mailbox is all the way at the front door(so takes more time) not out at end of driveway like in many parts of the states!

[Strawbridge Lawn]

Against the law here I think, but I am not sure if that includes the post or lower paper slot.

[kutnkru]

The US Postal Service considers any mailbox and all attached conatiners (ie shopper/papers) attached hereto their proerty.

They do not take these offenses lightly. They want all materials removed and if you dont you could face felony charges for tampering with Governmental Property.

I dont know how far they would go, but we did remove them from the route we did that day the following morning. We now get the same type of clear plastic bags that the shoppers come in and hang them from the potential clients door.

Kris

[Kevin]

Consolidated Plastics sells those clear bags for door handles by the way, or get a magnet back from Magnets USA and apply it your business card and apply to front door. I had good luck in a high end subdivision last year. Started out with one customer who wanted quality work got the other 10 accounts by word of mouth or they flagged me down. Never an issue of price when your potential customers like what they see. If I get one who says "ABC company is selling a $99 month special" I tell them to get it! These customers are going to shop till they drop for prices and drag you down.

[kutnkru]

I will check with them for a price comparison.

Kris

[lbmd1]

Most of you forget that most people who have never had a lawn service have NO idea of what an average lawn might cost in their area. When we first started, we ran column ads in our servicebusiness directory for an 8 week time period. We put a logo of the toro z master in the middle, with the price below stating: Mowing and trim work for most lawns, $30-$35. Above and below my ads were probably 40 other LCO's advertising FREE Estimate. Who do you think got most of the calls? Our newspaper rep even told me that other LCO's were getting mad that we were always getting alot of estimates before them, and they wanted to know if they could do it too. But as some of theses penny wise pound foolish grease monkeys found out the cost, they said forget it. This ad cost me $800, but brought in 52 new accounts in one year, all over the $30 mark, most averaging in the $60 range. 3 were for $100 a week lawns! These 52 new accounts generated over $67,000 that year in just mowing. Not bad for a $800 investment. When some of these people called, they even said to me that they didn't think their lawn was an average size and that they realized it would be more. BUT IT GOT MY FOOT IN THE DOOR FIRST! So am I a big believer in putting a price in? DEFINETLY!!! It's all in marketing people. We all know how loss leaders get us into the store to buy other stuff with a higher gross margin. Same with our business. We haven't advertised since. We are now marketing organic lawn fertilizing with flyers and direct mail and the price will be listed for an average size lawn.

Mike

[Currier]

Mike. Great point! and I think if you are putting on a realistic price no one can complain...and you know they are interested at at least that price...probably ok with more.

Lawnguy...Having a bad day? "scrub, soup kitchen, feeling sorry..." I simply choose to run my operation upright and straight forward from the first contact. I know lots of retail do the low price leaders...I've tried it. It ain't for me. Don't like having to explain pricing changes from advertised to actual. Probably I am just not good at wheeling and dealing (I am great at dreamin and schemin though!:))

[Edited by Currier on 02-05-2001 at 04:11 PM]