The Green Industry's Resource Center

NEW CITY LAWN CARE LLC · #41 11-25-2012, 11:11 PM

What forms of advertising or methods have worked best and worst to get new business or even the ability to bid on properties for you guys?

SouthValleyLandscapeMaint · #42 11-25-2012, 11:32 PM

Bumgardners, ProLawn & Carols Colors are some of the worst low ballers in our area and they are some of the biggest as well. However I know even they have lost work to the guys with their Wal-Mart mowers. It is a frustrating issue to deal with. I know we are all just trying to feed our families but they are making a mockery of our industry by "performing" the way they do.

NEW CITY LAWN CARE LLC · #43 11-25-2012, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthValleyLandscapeMaint

Bumgardners, ProLawn & Carols Colors are some of the worst low ballers in our area and they are some of the biggest as well. However I know even they have lost work to the guys with their Wal-Mart mowers. It is a frustrating issue to deal with. I know we are all just trying to feed our families but they are making a mockery of our industry by "performing" the way they do.

Yeah for sure, that's all I'm trying to do is feed my kids and pay the bills and maybe have something that I can eventually pass along to my kids, so we'll see how things go next year from here on out forward, I'm staying positive, hoping to get on some bidders list, but it seems lately properties that go up for bid every year are no longer doing this, if it isn't broke they are keeping the same contractors in place, so we'll see how it goes...

Gilbert503 · #44 11-25-2012, 11:50 PM

Some property's already started getting bids for next year.
Posted via Mobile Device

NEW CITY LAWN CARE LLC · #45 11-26-2012, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilbert503

Some property's already started getting bids for next year.
Posted via Mobile Device

Yeah I've recently done a couple bids for jobs that don't start til January 1st, I'll be honest and say some of my best and most successful forms of advertising have been free methods, like Craigslist, handing out business cards, etc...

Hamatsa · #46 11-28-2012, 09:40 PM

We've had to seriously diversify. I went and got a general contractor's license which allows us to stump grind, repair decks, etc. in addition to the usual commercial and residential maintenance. I think this has been the reason we've kept busy. All of my weekly maintenance contracts are winding down with the last of the leaf/Fall cleanups. I've only lost a few of my regulars due to lowballers. I've actually fired more customers this last year then have lost to the cheap guys. I dropped all my print advertising (too expensive) but use Google Adwords to drive customers to my website. I've cultivated a good list of subs for tree, concrete, irrigation, and low voltage electrical work and can effectively bid the jobs out.

One thing I don't do is underbid. Not for maintenance. Not for repairs and especially not for the stuff that requires other licensed specialists. It just ain't worth it. You're better off staying home and watching Netflix....at lest then you won't be out losing money.

We're running two trucks with trailers now and a motorcycle with a milkcrate bungee'd to the back this year.

I always wave to the other lawnguys.