My New Craigslist Ad

[RAlawncare]

i made a new CL ad using HTML codeing and im not sure if i can post it right here but ill try...

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<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="780" align="center"><tbody><tr><td><img border="0" alt="Free Craigslist Template by DeliverySuccess.com" src="http://www.deliverysuccess.com/templates/images/ad-labor-001z.jpg" width="780" height="30" /></td></tr><tr><td><img border="0" alt="Free Craigslist Template by DeliverySuccess.com" src="http://www.deliverysuccess.com/templates/images/ad-labor-001a.jpg" width="780" height="95" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:10px;" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Verdana"><b>Lawn Maintenance and much, much more</b></font></p></td>
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<p align="right"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Verdana"><b><a href="mailto:ralawncare@ymail.com">ralawncare@ymail.com</a></b></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:10px;" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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<p align="center"><font color="#000000"><font size="6"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><strong>We can make your property look beautiful and clean! </strong><br /><br />Yard clean up, Shurb Pruning and trimming.<br />Leaf removal, Snow removal, dethatching, aerating. If you have something you want done, chances are we can do it,j</font></font></font><font color="#000000"><font size="6"><font face="Comic Sans MS">ust shoot us an email.</font></font></font></p>
<p align="center"><font color="#000000"><font size="6"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color="#ff0000">Ask us how you can have a free leaf or snow removal service done</font>.</font></font></font></p>
<p align="center"><font color="#000000"><font size="6"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color="#0099ff">Don't break your back shoveling snow, Call us. <br /></font>Yards big and small!</font></font></font></p>
<p align="center"><font size="6" face="Comic Sans MS">Most yards around</font><font size="6" face="Comic Sans MS"> $35.00</font></p>
<p align="center"><font color="#000000"><font size="6"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><strong>FREE Estimates - Great Flat Rates </strong><br />St.Louis County, Affton area.</font></font></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><font size="6"><u><strong>About us</strong></u></font></p>
<p><font size="6">My name is Adam and i'm 14 years old, yes I know what your thinking... theres no way he can do a good job! But I pride myself on making lawns look beautiful, let me show <strong>you </strong>that I can do an excellent job! </font></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-top:5px;" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Verdana"><b>Contact Details</b></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-top:5px;" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Verdana">Name: Adam</font><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Verdana"><br /></font></p></td>
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Verdana">Email: <a href="mailto:ralawncare@ymail.com">ralawncare@ymail.com</a> </font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-top:0px;" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="Verdana">Templates by <a href="?=events001">DeliverySuccess.com</a></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="780" align="center"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td><img border="0" alt="Free Craigslist Template by DeliverySuccess.com" src="http://www.deliverysuccess.com/templates/images/ad-labor-001z.jpg" width="780" height="30" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

okay in pretty sure it does work:)

[Steve]

Hi Adam,

Great job on your ad!

When you create ads, you want to try to always use an attention grabbing headline up at top to stop the reader in their tracks and get them to want to read further.

When you think of this, what kind of attention grabbing headline would you want to use? What makes you different from others in your area? What are some of the unique talents/skills/services/offers you make available to your potential customers?

Trying multiple craigslist ads can help you find which ones work better than others.

[racerdude711]

Nice job Adam,

I started my lawn care company when I was 13. If you keep at it, and keep doing whatever you can to grow your business, it will become something. It can be kind of tuff the first few years, especially when you can't drive yet, but when you are able to drive, many doors will open up for you. I'm now 18 and my lawn care company is doing great. I have two employees, company truck, trailers, and all my own equipment. Keep at it, your hard work will pay off in the long run. One of the things that I feel really helped my business grow was that I almost invested all the money I made back into the business. I bought bigger mowers, better grade equipment, and so on. And do this while your young! As you get older, it cost more to live day to day. Try buying the good stuff while you don't have a lot of other expenses. And when I say good stuff, I don't mean you should go out and buy a brand new $5,000 mower. Watch craigslist, and try to find good deals on used commercial equipment. Goodluck with your business. Lemme no if you have any questions for me.

[wuduyathink]

Hey Adam, I am glad to see I am not the only teen here on gopherforum. I just turned 18 a couple months ago and I am planning everything now for my lawn care business for the next season. I don't have much advice for you because I am new to this just like you but I hope to see you succeed in this. Keep us posted with your progress and I will do the same.

[Steve]

For those of you that are teenagers, do you ever market that you are in your marketing material? Do you think it helps attract more customers or do you feel it turns them away?

[wuduyathink]

For those of you that are teenagers, do you ever market that you are in your marketing material? Do you think it helps attract more customers or do you feel it turns them away?

Honestly, I don't have much experience yet so I can only assume. I think the younger you start the better. I find that the younger you are the easier it is to do door to door marketing without seeming like you are just trying to sell something. As you don't seem like such a big threat to the consumer, most people won't take you so seriously. And this is when you have to shine. If you have a good game plan you can easily surprise them. They won't know what hit them after they have signed your service agreement with a smile. :D

On the other hand if you are not prepared and you don't seem confident in what you are doing or you don't seem to offer much information :confused: than I imagine age is a con in this case.

[CHEESE2009]

I have noticed that a lot of my clients have asked me if I were a student.

The clients who had asked me were not interested in hiring a student, as they wanted someone to always be available for the entire season, and that students are just in it for the money.

Good thing I don't have school. LOL.

-

Also note that there are people out there willing to only hire students.

[bruces]

can you tell me how you prune a "Shurb " ?
Also ,most homeowners are older people , "just shoot us an email " is a younger persons saying ,you might turn off a few old people with a line like that .

[racerdude711]

STEVE- When I was 16, I distributed flyers door to door that had my age listed somewhere on it. I also gave a quote on the flyer. I had an awesome return on my flyers at 12%. The next year I did not distribute any because I still had a large client base. This last spring, I sent out more flyers that said I was 18, but did not have a quote, and I didn't have nearly the return that I did 2 years ago. So I think having your age thrown in there somewhere will work while your under the age of 17, but any older than that, I don't think it has the same effect.

CHEESE- You said, "students are just in it for the money..." I would agree to a point, but you are NO different. We're all in it for the money to a point, but we're also doing it because it's something we can tolerate, or like to do. So don't assume that all the young guys here are just doing it for the money. I can tell you from my experience, that a part of it is indeed money, but there's a lot more to it than that.

[Steve]

I have noticed that a lot of my clients have asked me if I were a student.

There was a post on here a while back where one of our members was talking about how he told customers he was a student, even though he wasn't because he found they would pay him more. He felt they paid him more because they got a good vibe as if they were helping him work his way through school!

So it's interesting how we see different views on promoting yourself as a student or not.

[jthomas12]

Hey guys;

I myself am 17 and this is my first year. I have found flyers with a little about yourself and age will do wonders. You must be unique though. Potential customers want someone who is different and has a story. They are looking to get something new rather than the "kid down the street" or "another lawn care company." I have 9 accounts thus far from a week or two of marketing along with a condo plex.

Happy Bidding!;)

[Steve]

Potential customers want someone who is different and has a story.

That is great! What brought you to this conclusion and how do you come up with a story that stands out?