Starting this Late in the season-Almost July

[getdown]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to say hello and that I've been following the forum and all the great advice you all have to offer for a while now. This is my first post.

I have been slowly building marketing materials, etc as I go along so that I when I jump in, I will be able to afford a healthy marketing campaign. I'm also purchasing several residential mowers (several for backup). I'm trying to keep initial costs low, not go into great debt, and grow organically. I am going to be sending out lots of postcards in a relatively targeted area (and I plan to continually target this area to not only obtain customers but to also just create presence).

Any advice you all have to offer for starting up is very much appreciated. I'm trying to just sort of "fly straight" and keep it simple. I know I have the ability to provide great customer service, and I am trying to build the reputation as being the yard maintenance guy who "cares". I know that money and working quickly will matter too, but I value personality and being the contractor that people "enjoy" giving money too...my reputation means a lot to me...it is my brand afterall!

One question I have in particular, is it too late in the season to really be starting up? Is it a waste of postage? I guess at the very least the postage would pay for the first round of creating "brand recognition", even if I don't get lots of phone calls.

I've looked into bulk mailing and it seems like you have to pay a whole bunch of money to get started. I guess it might pay off, since I'm going be mailing over 500 postcards at 32cents each...any alternatives you all can suggest?

Good marketing ideas? Advice to a newcomer who is a sponge waiting for your tips!!! I appreciate everything greatly!!!

[getdown]

Oh yeah, I forgot to add. I am still working my full time job (40 hours a week) while pursuing this. The nice thing about my job is that I work hours that correlate very well. I work all weekend (so I basically have Monday-Friday during the day to do whatever yard work needed). Sometimes I need a chunk of Monday to catch up on sleep from my weekend marathon.

Also, my job is a job where I can take care of a LOT of the "bookkeeping" side of the business. I sit at a computer pretty much the whole time, and I can pretty much focus on my own agenda. I'm 25 years old, and in pretty good shape. I would like to establish a business that is pretty simple in its structure (I know, nothing about business stays simple).

I make $20k/year in my current job, and I would like to supplement it with another ~$30k or so (before tax). I'm not expecting to get to that point in any hurry, but if I can get there in a few years it would be nice. My current job is working for a family friend and is very comfy and secure (obviously I'm not getting rich though).

I figure, in this economy, the ultimate job security is taking matters into your own hands and diversifying. So having a relatively stable job earning $20k to subsidize my own business that floats on ~30 or so residential accounts...that's pretty good.

What do you all think?

[Andy31]

Your timing might not be ideal but it is defiantly not to late. When I started it was the middle of July and I hung 1000 door hangers. The most common response from people when they called was they were not happen with their current "guy". Some called and wanted to meet even though they were under a contract to the end of the year they wanted me to take over on Jan. 1st.
So I defiantly would not say it is to late. It will take a lot more that 500 post cards to get your targeted thirty lawns.
You should look into having a local company send them for you. It is cheaper that way since they already have the postal permit. I am pretty sure bulk postcard are like .17 each plus a flat fee for using the postal permit.

[getdown]

Andy,

Thanks for the awesome response. I hadn't even thought about having a local company mail them out for me. I guess I can just give them a list of addresses I made, and they'll do the rest and then charge me?

Do you know of any companies specifically? Is it a service that UPS/FedEx would offer? Or something a print shop would offer?

Thanks a lot!

[Patriot Services]

Now is a good time to start. I pick up most of my accounts this time of year. Why? The wannabes have figured out its way too hot, they charged too little and give up. The customers realized they shouldn't have gone with the cheapest and have no interest in mowing in this heat.
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[getdown]

Nice! Good point Patriot Services. That's reassuring and it makes a lot of sense.

[32vld]

.32x500=$160

I can put out 500 flyers for $5's gas.

[getdown]

Good for you 32vid. Although I'm not sure how this is pertinent to my situation. I'm not doing flyers right now, I'm doing postcards. Although I will be campaigning in person later to meet people. Obviously I want to get accounts, but I'm focusing on just creating a professional appearance and brand recognition first. I am willing to spend the money to create the sharp first impression, so when I do go door to door, people might be able to put a face to the logo they were maybe thinking about. Then I'll talk to them and give a handout. Nothing wrong with door hangers at all, they're proven effective...I'm kind of just put off by your seemingly mindless response to the thread. Are you suggesting I should be doing it your way for $5 instead? Please give more insight so I don't feel you are just throwing something in my face. I am doing things with a specific plan in mind and a certain image for my company. I'm not sure your idea runs in those plans. I can print 500 MS word ads at home and shove them on people's front stoops, but I don't want to just be a guy with a mower...I want to build a reputation as a quality professional service, because reputation and appearances are the game. I will gladly spend the $160.
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[getdown]

Oh sorry I typed that last message in a hurry on my phone. So if it wasn't the most streamlined or well written, I apologize.
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[getdown]

If I want to save $160 I could do this first run by hand going door to door. But I am planning on starting business soon hopefully, and that is very time absorbing. I'm also planning on running a relatively intense and targeted ad campaign to get my name out. Hitting up 500-750 doors every month might be a little time consuming and worth spending the postage. It might also be creepy and annoying if people see me walking door to door every month. Are you suggesting that me using the postal service and the idea of postcards is dumb? I want to hammer my brand into the local mindset, and I really can't do that by spending all my time knocking on doors...And knocking on doors every day probably wouldn't portray the image I want to have...having my nice postcards that I took time to design does it better and its worth paying for...I want to be viewed as a quality service so I can obtain quality clientele. You get what you pay for...and your reputation is all your have. I don't want to look like I'm doing this for beer money...32vid...do you wear uniforms?