Local nursery/Fliers

[Green-Pro]

Just wondered if anyone has approached local nurseries they may use about leaving some fliers at cash register, or having their help give them to customers at time of purchase? This is just an idea I was kicking around among others, drawback I see is possibly folks that are frequenting a nursery do their own lawncare/landscape? Still thought might be way to have closer contact with the type of people that may require service.

Anyone else try this? If so any success?

thanks

-Geoff

[KINGjosh]

whats gonna make them wanna do this for you and not the other hundreds of LCO's in the neighborhood? Not to mention most nurseries cut grass as well down here.

[Green-Pro]

All Lawns & Landcare whats gonna make them wanna do this for you and not the other hundreds of LCO's in the neighborhood? Not to mention most nurseries cut grass as well down here.

Just an idea that popped up, I can see pro's & con's to this issue, for instance say this were a nursery you did the bulk of your business with? As far as doing this for other LCO's well that would be up to them, for me personally I ended up giving some of my business cards to other LCO's in our area, and yes some own industry related businesses, many are part-time and end up referring customers when they have to many. Others are full time and I would suspect weeding out the less desirable properties for whatever reasons they may have (slow pay, labor intensive, to small, off route, etc.) whatever the reason since I've made the decision to do this full time I won't look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak when other LCO's want to be rid of a customer. To me put simply, whenever you start at the bottom of a workforce, it is called "paying your dues" Someday, God willing I to will be in that position. I don't know what the other LCO's in your area are like so I can only speak for my market area.

Just tossing ideas around on a otherwise boring Monday, how about sharing some you have had?

-Geoff

[KINGjosh]

Well as far as givimg my card to other LCO's I dont know because ive never tried it, It might work, i know it will work for getting rid of PITA's. I would give mine away to a person starting out, instead of flat out dropping them.

[txcamper]

The nursery I buy from has a book at the contractors corner and any customer that wants a landscape job done or a tree planted can look in this book and get our number. I made up a simple flyer and put a few cards in the book and I have received 2 calls since doing this in December. Best of all, IT WAS FREE.

[Green-Pro]

Some good properties and some not so good, but I'm building a customer base not purchasing one so anything idea wise I come up with I try and reason how it might fit or help me achieve a decent customer base. I've been passing business cards out every opportunity and following up with a call and or stop as far as commercial accounts are concerned.Frost is actually out of the ground here so I really want to start ramping up getting fliers, cards, etc. out. Run about 6 to 8 weeks worth of ads in the local shopper papers, and chase down a couple of leads. Full fledged Spring will be here before we know it.

Good chattin with ya All Lawns

-Geoff

[Green-Pro]

txcamper The nursery I buy from has a book at the contractors corner and any customer that wants a landscape job done or a tree planted can look in this book and get our number. I made up a simple flyer and put a few cards in the book and I have received 2 calls since doing this in December. Best of all, IT WAS FREE.

Like a display area for brochures? Sounds interesting will have to check and see if we have anything similar around here.

Thanks

-Geoff

[Team Gopher]

Hi Green-Pro,

Maybe you can work out an arrangement where you give the nursery a % for each lead that ends in an installation sale?

[twins_lawn_care]

Well, what I have done in the past, and currently am doing, is going to local businesses, and simply asking them if I can leave some business cards by the counter. If they say no, I simply say thanks and leave, if they say yes, I leave some, and take it as one more opportunity for someone to see our name. Have gotten a few calls so far, and best places we've tried so far are the local hair cut place, and local pizza places. The hair cut places people are usually sitting about 10 minutes and looking for something to read. it's a great time to try and catch their eye with a business card. For the price of a business card, it's been well worth it for us.

[Green-Pro]

Twins,

Great ideas, since I've started this year I always have business cards with me and do the same, ask if the establishment I'm at has a need for or uses a lawn/landscape service. I get favorable responses most of the time as far as at least leaving some business cards. I also carry a stack of fliers & any other promotional material I might have, never hurts to check and see if they don't mind me leaving some of that stuff also. Even the fliers where I maybe offer some sort of discount for seasonal service signing, before a certain date, maybe only post one of those fliers but if someone calls they usually mention they saw it. I'm using some other media vehicles as far as advertising as well but by far the biggest thing for me now at this time is visibility, getting my business name in front of as many people as many times as I can.

-Geoff