Holiday lighting idea

[Steve]

Here is another great idea for holiday lighting that brought this company media attention. They decorated the house of a family who's father is in Iraq.

What's your view on this?

Company's gift lights up family (http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061212/NEWS08/612120306/1010/NEWS08) - Christmas Decor, a division of Van Meter-based lawn care company All American Turf Beauty, Inc., provides holiday lighting around the metro area. The Des Moines franchise chose to participate in a corporate program called Decorated Family that honors soldiers who are deployed overseas by providing Christmas lights to their families at no charge.

"Mainly it's for the families so they can think about some other things other than dad being gone," said Kevin Johnson, president of the local Christmas Decor.

This is the second year of the program, but Johnson said it's the first time someone in this area has participated. The Rinkes were nominated by Heather Lightner, the godmother of both daughters.

A crew of five arrived at the Rinke home just before 9 a.m. Thursday, when the temperature felt like about 11 degrees Fahrenheit. The crew worked quickly to stake lights in the ground and around the outline of the home and position a big wreath on the front.

[PremierLand]

I do christmas Decor. I know people who spend anywhere from 2000-50,000 on xmas lights. Theres a ton of money to be made. You can buy a strand of lights for $2 and charge $25 to put up and $25 to take down, for one small strand of lights...

However, it is a huge liablitly, and you have to have ALOT of insurance. Because if the house was to burn down, im sure the first person they would come after is who ever put the lights up. Then you and your entire family would be out on the street in their underwear. No joke.

[Steve]

Oh, how long have you been doing this?

Do you do this through another company's training like Christmas Decor or do you do this all on your own?
Do youhave any pictures of what you have done with your lighting so far this year?

[PremierLand]

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 12 2006,1:15)]Oh, how long have you been doing this?

Do you do this through another company's training like Christmas Decor or do you do this all on your own?
Do youhave any pictures of what you have done with your lighting so far this year?
This is my second year doing it.

Heck no I do not do it through another companys training, its all done on my own. I dont have pictures from this year yet, I'll go take some pic's of the jobs ive done later in the week and post them.... I did one house last year with lights on EVERYSINGLE shingle of their roof. It was crazy, you could probably see it from space. lol.

[Steve]

WOW!

Are a lot of your holiday lighting customers also lawn customers as well or are they solely holiday lighting customers?

[PremierLand]

mostly lawn customers too. there are alot of companys that do xmas lighting around here though so they mostly just stick with whom ever cuts their lawn. however there is that occassional person who doesnt do lighting so they call me, i get the job for lighting, and then while im there i talk them into hiring me for lawncare and snow plowing http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Steve]

Nice!

Did you do any doorhangers or flyers to promote this service or was it all word of mouth?

[PremierLand]

500 last year (wich is not alot since we put out 20,000 a few years back for lawncare and landscaping) but other than the 500, nope. all word of mouth

[Steve]

When you started doing this, did you talk with your insurance agent and did they recommend any additional insurance to get?