I am really wanting to push chem apps and aerations this fall. Thinking of sending out 5000 postcards and maybe do some doorhangers. Anybody else gearing up for fall advertising? Matt
<marquee loop="infinite" bgcolor="#DDDDDF"><font color="#000000">Have a tax question? Need free business advice? Ask our CPA. Click Here </font></marquee> Hi walker-talker, Good for you for thinking ahead! What other services would you suggest others start thinking of selling for the fall? <table width=100%> <tr bgcolor="#C0C0C0"><td align=left><a HREF="http://www.gophersoftware.com/?ref=1">Download and try Gopher Free for 30 days.</a><BR>See if we can help you.</td><TD align="center"></td><td></td></tr></table> <center>Learn How to Make your own Logo. Free Invoice Background Template Graphics.</center>
We have been in a very dry spell for nearly a month -- mowing revenues off nearly 50%. The same happened in 2002, but started mid-July, not mid-June like this season. If history repeats itself, early September will bring much more work than can be handled. So many first-year LCOs gave up the business in 2002, just left the customers hanging when turf was going dormant. The were not prepared for the loss of work, and just "hung it up." By early September, when temps cooled and some precip fell, and the grass started growing, the customers were without an LCO -- but, they didn't know it. I got so many calls in early September 2002 from those who had lost all contact with "the man who used to cut my grass." Phones were disconnected and the homeowners saw no sign, or heard no word from the first-year wanna-be. Therefore, if history repeats, I expect many homeowners will be without an LCO after turf resumes growing, and I will get all the new business I want, without advertising. Anybody else see the same happen in previous years? Or, am I too optimistic?
Yes, I got the Yellow Book being distributed in September with 3 half-dollar size ads of mine. Aeration is a big thing of mine and I desperately need more money, the government wants it ALL and my wb still isn't paid for, and come to think of it, neither is said ad ! With the previous post talk about LCO's quitting, it's hitting 105+ here and that makes ppls quit too, in addition to some dry spell we had, I sure do hope a lot of folk have no LCO come september. The only thing bugs me about that is more than a few funny ppls like to call me late september to hire me as 'year-round' lawn service when the truth is they just need someone to do the leaves (which, in my business, ONLY ppls get leaves done are folk for whom I've tended their lawn the ENTIRE year, so to speak. hehe, ppls call me to cut their grass 2 or 3 times so then they ask me oh pleeease bust your tail for my leaves and supposedly i can cut their grass again all next year, honest promise... yeah and i just fell off the immigration wagon yesterday.
Of course leaves would be inline. It's pays to be prepared. Last year, around December, I was working on a flyer project. Had a two-sided flyer designed and getting close to a deadline. I received an email from 48 hour print dot com. They were running a promotion for 20%. This promotion saved me about $600 in print material. I don't have anything in the works now, but will start soon. I was prepared and opportunity arised....also known and "lucky". Matt
I'm gearing up for huge advertising this fall. There is no reason not to. If your crews aren't already working 12 hour days for a couple weeks straight then theres no reason not to spend as much money as possible on fliers. There is just too much margain in cleanups to not spend the money to go find work.
