Why do ppls do this?

[topsites]

I don't understand this crap, happens to me a LOT !! Well ok, not a whole lot, but sure enough, always the folk who want to hire you 'off the side of road,' so to speak.
...
Had some folk pull up while I was mowing. I should've done what I usually do, which is to ignore them completely and keep right on working... But, no.
They got 3-4 minutes of my time, said they wanted an estimate on cutting their grass and could they have my name and phone number. The more I think about it, the madder I get, cuz they wanted my last name and me not thinking, gave it to them. But they DO live where they say, they did pull out that driveway and I seen them before.
Either way they drove off, then I went over after I was finished with current yard and estimated their yard but I was smart enough NOT to leave a written estimate, waiting instead for their phonecall (which, of course, never came).
...
Last fall, some folk pull up to me want an estimate on leaves (yup 'off side of the road'). They lived right up the street from where I was working, they got in their car and specifically drove down to where I was for this, so I figured it was important. Nope, they never called after I went through the rigmarole.
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The stories I could go on with, but this is my general experience with this crap when passers-by stop while I'm working. Does anyone else experience this, and am I correct by just ignoring 'side of the road' folk?

Thanks.

[Charles]

I don't know why you would ignore the cheapest way of advertising you have--- You being seen mowing lawns. YOu get a call off your ad and then you have to drive who knows where is alot worse than running down the street to give an estimate while you are in the area. Some you get and some you dont--just like off your ad. If you got enough people stopping by then you could cancel your paid advertisement altogether

[topsites]

Originally Posted by Charles

I don't know why you would ignore the cheapest way of advertising you have--- You being seen mowing lawns. YOu get a call off your ad and then you have to drive who knows where is alot worse than running down the street to give an estimate while you are in the area. Some you get and some you dont--just like off your ad. If you got enough people stopping by then you could cancel your paid advertisement altogether

You just answered my question, thanks !

You are full of yourself if you think you can survive without paid advertising, because the only thing you will do is work for next to nothing! That has been my experience over and over.
Here it is: Cheap advertising = You do cheap work.
It is the reason why I have no business cards, no flyers, and no letters on the side of the truck (*ALL* of it, cheap ads).

That's likely why I never get any of this stuff, so yeah, I am correct by ignoring those *****.

You see, I advertise in the yellow pages.
Peace

language

[Charles]

Well I guess all those millions of businesses with signs on their trucks are just "full of themselves" Give me a break!!!

The same people who read the yellow pages are the same people who stop by and ask you to give them an estimate. What do you think? That phone books are only given to special people?

[Carolina Cutter]

Well this is definetely interesting....

I will tell you that the "cheap" advertising has brought me some of the largest and HIGHEST PAYING jobs I have ever done.

You working and somebody stopping and asking is a compliment to me as it says to them that he does quality work and is worth the money.

I would rather get all my customers from referrals or stops.

I DONT advertise anymore......AT ALL.....and my phone rings EVERYDAY. I HAVE NEVER had an add in the phone book and I have grown EVERY year.

Your work speaks VOLUMES about you and your company....more than some ad ever will.

If you don't take advantage of all your avenues of acquiring business...you are doomed to not be in business too long.

So what, you didn't get that job.....there are always others too follow.

[lawnman_scott]

I advertise in the yellow pages too. But I think it looks better to have a trailer that is lettered, and I would actually leave a written estimate and not have to depend on the customer to make contact, for a second time. They were smart enough to get your name and number, maybe they were hoping from the same from you.

[Lux Lawn]

Thats one of the best ways to get a new customer...No advertising cost in driving down the street a few house's to give an estimate.Plus it keeps your route tighter,allowing you to do more work in a shorter time.If someone stops me while i'm working and asks for an estimate it seems to me that they like my work,I will leave a written estimate.How can you not have business card?

[CamLand]

Originally Posted by topsites

You just answered my question, thanks !

You are full of yourself if you think you can survive without paid advertising, because the only thing you will do is work for next to nothing! That has been my experience over and over.
Here it is: Cheap advertising = You do cheap work.
It is the reason why I have no business cards, no flyers, and no letters on the side of the truck (*ALL* of it, cheap ads).

That's likely why I never get any of this stuff, so yeah, I am correct by ignoring those *****.

You see, I advertise in the yellow pages.
Peace

language

You need to ease up junior.You asked a question and Charles responded with his comment if you don't like it then don't bother asking anymore.You had a person come directly to you and ask for an estimate but you were too busy to give the person a written estimate expecting a phone call for a bid that wasn't completed with a price.Good luck in your selected career...

[topsites]

Originally Posted by CamLand

You need to ease up junior.You asked a question and Charles responded with his comment if you don't like it then don't bother asking anymore.You had a person come directly to you and ask for an estimate but you were too busy to give the person a written estimate expecting a phone call for a bid that wasn't completed with a price.Good luck in your selected career...

Ok, sorry... You are correct, I was feeling it after it happened again today (TWICE). But I ignored the first guy and clammed up on the second. They both got the message, and that's just the way it is (more later).
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Having read a lot of the different responses leads me to believe an old saying:
- What works for one person may or may not work for you -
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Why do I do things like this?

You see, I run a site as a hobby and I watch companies like Applebee's. As for my site, I tried to do the word of mouth thing and tried all that Internet marketing crap to get traffic... I would get 10, 20, 50 and sometimes 100 visitors/day, and man that sucks for a Web site!
One day I had had enough ... and I paid to be listed on Yahoo...
Guess what? A million hits/month, month after month, year after year, it never stops.
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Now look at Applebee's... Granted, their food is good but really, when you stop and look, what makes them so popular? No, honest, why is there a friggin' line out the door every flippin' night, wtf?!! Their service isn't THAT great, I know it's awwwrite, I like Applebee's and all, but how do they do it?
Guess what?
They advertise 24-7/365, Radio and Television.
Once again: It never stops.
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But no, word of mouth ain't never done crap for me *except* when I'm running paid advertising, the combination does wonders. I tried to run last year without advertising and I got skru'd real hard, hence my resentment towards cheap or no-cost advertising.
...
So I live a world apart because the world is backwards.
Thanks for all the replies,
sorry again.

[gogetter]

A quote from topsite in another thread:

" Now see, I don't carry insurance because I'd rather take the risk."

The picture of your business is much clearer for me now.