2/14/08 Podcast discussion

[Steve]

I wanted to set up a section here for the podcast we did last night. I will post the file here as soon as I am done producing it to get all the levels correct.

Here is the mp3 file (http://www.gophergraphics.com/audio/GopherHaul-podcast-02-14-08.mp3) of the podcast.

Here is the embedded player.

<embed src="http://odeo.com/flash/audio_player_gray.swf" quality="high" width="322" height="54" name="odeo_player_gray" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="type=audio&id=17758353" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed>
powered by ODEO (http://odeo.com/audio/17758353/view)

You can add this podcast to your site by inserting the following code.

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

<embed src="http://odeo.com/flash/audio_player_gray.swf" quality="high" width="322" height="54" name="odeo_player_gray" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="type=audio&id=17758353" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed><br /><a style="font-size: 9px; padding-left: 110px; color: #f39; letter-spacing: -1px; text-decoration: none" href="http://odeo.com/audio/17758353/view">powered by <strong>ODEO</strong></a>

[/QUOTE]




Hello everyone and welcome to the GopherHaul Lawn Care Business Marketing Podcast. This episode was recorded on 2/14/08.

We recorded this podcast with 6 members of our Gopher Lawn Care Business Forum, through Skype. If you are interested in taking part in future podcasts with us, download Skype and add GopherHaul to your contact list. Also check our forum for the date and time of an upcoming podcast.

In this episode we discuss a bunch of topics posted in our forum.

* Should you use a 1-800-vanity number for your business. Say for instance 1-800-lawncutter

Post Link (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=26;t=7118;st=0;r=1;&#entry34256)

* Should you hire your 11 year old nephew to work in your lawn care business.

How young of a relative would you hire? How young of an employee would you hire?

Post Link (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=29&t=7038&st=)

* Would you do commercial property maintenance without a contract?

Talk about how Tim said a commercial job this size without a contract is not worth doing.

Post Link (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=35;t=7029;st=0;&#entry33730)

* Suggestions on what you should charge for late fees. How to handle late payments.

Post Link. (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=1;t=6955;)

* We talk about this environmentally friendly lawn care business. Do you think they will break through?

Blue Sky lawns – push mowers and electric trimmers with no trucks.

Post Link (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=34;t=7265;r=1)

* Background checks, do you use them? What do you check for and who do you use to check? Is it a good idea?

Post Link (http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=17;t=7255;)

If you have lawn care business or marketing questions, please visit our forum. Also download our Gopher Lawn Care Business Billing & Scheduling Software. We offer a 30 day free trial. We also have the largest collection of free lawn care flyer templates, door hanger templates, logos, web templates, business contracts and business plans. Visit http://www.gophersoftware.com
[URL=http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=34;t=7265;r=1]Post

[Steve]

Keith had a great response that I didn't want to get lost in another post so I am pulling it in here.


Quote[/b] ]We touched on branding during the podcast yesterday. The podcast must have sunk into my subconscious as I had dreams about it last night. We discussed Nike and Trump. Those are global brands. Such large brands are simply inaccessible for most LCOs. Tiger Time is an exception.

LCO brands can have a much smaller reach. A brand can be as small as your immediate neighborhood or a 2 mile radius around your home. I just pulled 2 miles our of thin air. You might need a 5 mile radius depending on population density in your area.

What is the cost of 60% brand awareness covering a 2 mile radius of your house? I bet this level of saturation can be achieved for a few hundred dollars over the course of a month. If a brand new LCO started today, by March 15 he could have brand awareness to 60% of the homes within a 2 mile radius. The idea of impacting a small area and reaching saturated brand awareness is phenomenal to think about.

For the first time yesterday, I fully appreciated the idea of brand saturation within a confined geographic area. It is marketing genius to offer Trump-like perception of quality or Nike's swoosh emblem on a micro geographic scale.

Thanks Steve for getting the wheels turning:

Keith

Keith,

I am so very happy the podcast discussion elicited such insights!

Now that you had time to sit back and think about the discussion, what kind of ideas would you implement to create brand awareness of your lawn care business in a specific area if you were to do this?

[justin_time]

Was fun.. had some great ideas...

[Steve]

I just added the podcast so everyone can listen to it.

[justin_time]

I sound so clear on the podcast compared to the 1st one... maybe because my microphone wasn't as loud as the 1st podcast i did.

[Steve]

I agree the audio was a lot clearer. Microphone placement is really important. I also tried to boost the audio levels where needed.

[justin_time]

Added the podcast to my website

Enjoy http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif



Podcast on jitys.ca (http://www.jitys.ca/eng/aboutus_eng.html)

[Steve]

Justin,

That is awesome! Thank you so much!

[justin_time]

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Feb. 19 2008,1:08)]Justin,

That is awesome! Thank you so much!
No problem.. I'm trying my best to promote GopherHaul and Gopher software even though I don't have it yet...

It will come