need advertising ideas

[georgialawn88]

if you have the time, for door hangers door to door with prices on the hangers. it works very well if you do it the right time of year

[NC Greenscaper]

Originally Posted by birddseedd

I have some and im wanting to put them on this year. im just ashamed of the rust that has formed above the wheel wells. and my crappy trailer. planning on taking it appart and making it an open trailer this year so it looks better. that big ugly box just isnt good advertising.

That is your best money spent first. First impressions speak louder than a flashy flier. Fix your truck/trailer image and get it professionally lettered first.

[Blade Runners]

Originally Posted by birddseedd

Mainly i have put out flyers. done horrible. only a percent or two.

I got a customer from a place mat at a restaurant.

i did yp.com NEVER do yp.com.... just... dont.

Can you give details about your experience with YP.com? I considered using them but noticed red flags anytime i had a conversation or email with them.

[LindblomRJ]

Make sure you're not running crappy equipment, driving clapped out pickups or using an el camino. Make sure your work is top quality and reputable. Be reliable. Offer a referral program that gives your current customer a reward for offering your name.

Door hangers can offer you success. Make sure is it clean, simple, to the point. Also try to use proper spelling and grammar. Otherwise come accross as incompatent and inbred. You are running a business, make sure you concuct your self as a business and a business owner.

[crichardson]

Vinyl graphic on rear glass of truck if possible. Door hangers. Flyers at heavy traffic restraint or gas stations (private owned), this has worked for me.

[32vld]

Originally Posted by AlohaMowing

I think the most bang for your buck on advertising comes from good, professionally designed magnetic signs on a truck that looks like it belongs to a serious lawn care professional. Then you are advertising everywhere you go, even at the grocery store. And, of course, business cards to be pushed at everyone you can. For a very affordable graphic designer, I like Judy at Portable Graffiti Graphics.

Magnetic signs last year not one job from them.

[32vld]

I am doing an add in the local weekly newspaper this year. Circulation 44,000.

I wanted to do EDDM. To expensive for me. Maybe next year.

Last year I only did flyers. I got a call in November from a flyer given out in the summer for snow removal. Got a new customer for snow, and while talking found out they were not happy with their current LCO. So I gave them a price for landscape business and got that as well. I have to do a clean up for them next week. Also got their friend for snow as well.

Today I got a call from a lady where I gave out flyers in the beginning of last summer. Tomorrow I am going to do an estimate for them.

It is a numbers game. 1 % of 100 is 1. 1% of 1,000 is 10. Advertising is a numbers game.

When people state that advertising gets a 1 - 2 % return they leave out that that is the best return. Best does not mean average return on an ad. And that return only means response to the ad, not actual new sales.

Last year I got 8 calls from 2,500 flyers. A .32 percent response. That lead to 8 estimates given. 4 customers gained or 50 % of those that responded.

Now out of the local newspaper with 44,000 circulation. If I get the same percentage of response as from the flyers that means I will get 137 responses. Then if I were to have the same closure rate. I would gain 68 new customers.

What am I getting myself into. Quick who knows where I can a good deal on a second truck, trailer, loaded up with all the equipment, and a crew?

Any way Bird, you just got to get out there putting out more flyers then last year.

[Mayor of Mow Town]

Originally Posted by 32vld

It is a numbers game. 1 % of 100 is 1. 1% of 1,000 is 10. Advertising is a numbers game.

There is so much more to advertising than numbers.

You also need to factor in:
- consideration of your target market
- crafting an effective message
- appropriate visual design
- placing ads in the right place at the right time for optimal response
- closing the deal once a prospect contacts you
etc

I would rather spend time on the points above and increase the % return, rather than double the amount of eyeballs.

[alldayrj]

also, there are a lot of assumptions here. some say they never got a job from their truck lettering. this may be true. When the phone rings and you ask where they got your number they say "the website". but in reality they saw your lawn sign 3 weeks ago, saw the truck 4 times in the neighborhood, saw 2 guys wearing your shirt mowing a lawn on her block, then googled "lawn care, bumbleazoo" and ended up on your website. you need to be multifaceted.

[birddseedd]

Originally Posted by Blade Runners

Can you give details about your experience with YP.com? I considered using them but noticed red flags anytime i had a conversation or email with them.

Most of the calls you get, will not come through, but your bill will come through. Just about every other call you get, and have to pay for, are from other companies wanting to sell their services.

Overall, I only got one customer.