Matt's magazine ad

[Steve]

Here is an ad Matt sent me.

Matt can you give us the low-down on it and also, you might want to tell everyone the story on how you made a trade to get the ad. I think that was a great story.

[landonkade]

Here is an ad Matt sent me.

Matt can you give us the low-down on it and also, you might want to tell everyone the story on how you made a trade to get the ad. I think that was a great story.


Steve,

I went into her office a while back before anything about the ad, getting prices on things such as advertising and all. I came back in a few months later, she had said i am getting ready to do the fall / winter issue of my Dream Big Home Builders Magazine, are you interested in a trade of a 1/2 page ad, cause we dont keep our yard up.

the magazine ad is worth $500 on a 4 month cycle. So i can just cut her lawn bi-weekly at $50 a service for 5 months, her lawn is probaly a quarter acre. I can use my exmark 60in in her yard, probaly total time there, 20 minutes. The house is in a good neighborhood, i can probaly gain yards off her yard, I already do some homes in there anyway, so its not hurting nothing. She had said the magazines fly off the shelves, which is a true fact, cause i see them in the stores all the time full and not full, and sometimes gone. The magazines are free to the public to grab

She had said YOU DO NOT WANT A AD TO LOOK BUSY, meaning to much information will hurt you. Make it look simple, clean, and crisp


The pics on the ad are fall clean-up pics from last year, before and after.

She designed the logo also at no charge

Background is a striped lawn, she darken it.

She and I agreed to have bright colors so it can stand out

A "Mention this Ad' for 5% off, so i can know i am getting hits off of it

She said put you name so they know who they will be talking to before they call


P.S. There is a small error on the ad in the License part, which is fixed now

[Steve]

That is awesome. This is a great example of how important it is to talk to your customers. Otherwise you would never have known they publish a magazine and can offer you ad space in trade for lawn care!

Do they have a website where we can see the magazine?

Do they just publish a magazine or are they are marketing company as well?

[landonkade]

That is awesome. This is a great example of how important it is to talk to your customers. Otherwise you would never have known they publish a magazine and can offer you ad space in trade for lawn care!

Do they have a website where we can see the magazine?

Do they just publish a magazine or are they are marketing company as well?

Here is her website, not sure if it explains anything, i havent really looked at it
http://karmacreativegroup.com

Meri is the lady i talk to

i think they publish magazines as well as a marketing company

[Steve]

Are you keeping track when people call you for service, where they initially heard of you from? To see if these ads are working?

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Matt, that's a great ad.

Am I wrong or is licensed mispelled in the ad?

Get that taken care of before it goes to press.

Keith

[landonkade]

Are you keeping track when people call you for service, where they initially heard of you from? To see if these ads are working?

Steve-
The magazine comes out at the beginning of next week

Keith-
We was awear of the misspelling on LINCENSED, what you see was just a proof

what do you think about the ad for the magazine, bright color, big fonts, website, mention this ad for 5% off, pics, full name so they know who they will be talking to before they call.


When someone does call for services we ALWAYS ask how they heard about us so we can know where the call came from when we advertise

Also i was going to ask if i can get some reviews on my local business center ad, pretend you are a customer of mine telling how great the services was and such. The link is below, i am the letter D, also look at the search engine 1-10 and tell me what you think, see how many of them are me just on one keyword

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GZHY_enUS244US244&q=lawn+care+in+dothan

[Steve]

I like the ad a lot. Does the magazine have a website too?

I am trying to give you a review but currently it keeps telling me.

"There was an error submitting your review. Please try again later."

[landonkade]

I like the ad a lot. Does the magazine have a website too?

I am trying to give you a review but currently it keeps telling me.

"There was an error submitting your review. Please try again later."

Not sure if the magazine has a website, she hasn't said

The local business center review board might be down, not sure

I have 7 out of 10 search engines on the one keyword

[Steve]

If you talk to them in the future and you find they have a website. I'd love to see it.

Also you mentioned to me that they offer other marketing services "such as pens, direct mailing postcards, business cards, and more."

Have you thought about any of those ideas and what might you experiment with?

[landonkade]

If you talk to them in the future and you find they have a website. I'd love to see it.

Also you mentioned to me that they offer other marketing services "such as pens, direct mailing postcards, business cards, and more."

Have you thought about any of those ideas and what might you experiment with?


Yeah i have thought about those ideas. I want to get stuff made that people would use everyday, and that they have to use it for a reason.

I like to brand the business name when i am able to

Steve-
If they dont have a website for the book, if you would like i can send you a book, so you can get a better idea about it, just pm me about it sometime

[LawncareMarketingMagic]

Well, I hate to be the bad guy here, but I see quite a few things that could be improved with this ad.

Before I get to those though, Matt, great job on simply working out the trade. It's amazing how many opportunities there are like this available if you just talk to people, ask the right questions, and offer the right combination of services, products, etc.

Okay, now on to the ad itself. While I know it's what everyone would expect to see in a magazine, that in itself is part of the problem. Most of today's marketing is ineffective. I'm working on some information that will explain what I mean in greater detail, but in the meantime, here are the critical elements that should be included in EVERY piece of marketing you send out:


A benefit laden, attention grabbing headline

You have less than 2 seconds to grab your prospects attention and unfortunately, your company name isn't enough. It's got to be something that promised some type of benefit or a solution to a problem they're having.


Talk benefits, benefits, benefits

Simply listing the services you offer doesn't really tell them how they'll benefit by hiring you. You've got to paint a picture for them and help them visualize how their life will be easier because of your service.


Present some kind of valuable offer

People are natural procrastinators and unless you give them a reason to act, they won't. Yes, the 'Free Estimates' is an offer but everyone expects that these days so there's really nothing that makes people stop and think, "DANG, I've got to have that!"

Present them with an offer that will get them up off of the couch RIGHT NOW.


Create urgency that motivates them to action

Again, people are procrastinators and unless you give them a reason to respond right now, they won't. Doing things like limiting the number of packages available or attaching a deadline to an offer are good ways to create some urgency.


Use 3rd party proof

You did a GREAT JOB with this one by including the 'Before & After' photos. Testimonials are another great way to use 3rd party proof in your marketing.


Present some kind of risk reversal

People nowadays are skeptical and afraid of being taken for a ride so by including some type of risk reversal you make it easier for them to respond. Saying things like 'Satisfaction Guaranteed' or throwing in bonuses or premiums help your prospects feel safe when buying from you.


Include a powerful call to action

Unfortunately, you can't assume people know what they need to do, you've got to tell them in very specific terms. 'Pick up the phone and call us today' or 'Log onto our website at...' are good examples.


Again, it's not my intent to be the bad guy it's just that everybody's marketing could be 100x's more effective if you keep these principles in mind.

I can't make any promises, but I may consider redoing this add for Matt and for everyone to see how I'd incorporate each of these elements into an ad that I'd want to run.

[Steve]

I can't make any promises, but I may consider redoing this add for Matt and for everyone to see how I'd incorporate each of these elements into an ad that I'd want to run.

I know I'd love to see it! :)

[landonkade]

Well, I hate to be the bad guy here, but I see quite a few things that could be improved with this ad.

Before I get to those though, Matt, great job on simply working out the trade. It's amazing how many opportunities there are like this available if you just talk to people, ask the right questions, and offer the right combination of services, products, etc.

Okay, now on to the ad itself. While I know it's what everyone would expect to see in a magazine, that in itself is part of the problem. Most of today's marketing is ineffective. I'm working on some information that will explain what I mean in greater detail, but in the meantime, here are the critical elements that should be included in EVERY piece of marketing you send out:


A benefit laden, attention grabbing headline

You have less than 2 seconds to grab your prospects attention and unfortunately, your company name isn't enough. It's got to be something that promised some type of benefit or a solution to a problem they're having.


Talk benefits, benefits, benefits

Simply listing the services you offer doesn't really tell them how they'll benefit by hiring you. You've got to paint a picture for them and help them visualize how their life will be easier because of your service.


Present some kind of valuable offer

People are natural procrastinators and unless you give them a reason to act, they won't. Yes, the 'Free Estimates' is an offer but everyone expects that these days so there's really nothing that makes people stop and think, "DANG, I've got to have that!"

Present them with an offer that will get them up off of the couch RIGHT NOW.


Create urgency that motivates them to action

Again, people are procrastinators and unless you give them a reason to respond right now, they won't. Doing things like limiting the number of packages available or attaching a deadline to an offer are good ways to create some urgency.


Use 3rd party proof

You did a GREAT JOB with this one by including the 'Before & After' photos. Testimonials are another great way to use 3rd party proof in your marketing.


Present some kind of risk reversal

People nowadays are skeptical and afraid of being taken for a ride so by including some type of risk reversal you make it easier for them to respond. Saying things like 'Satisfaction Guaranteed' or throwing in bonuses or premiums help your prospects feel safe when buying from you.


Include a powerful call to action

Unfortunately, you can't assume people know what they need to do, you've got to tell them in very specific terms. 'Pick up the phone and call us today' or 'Log onto our website at...' are good examples.


Again, it's not my intent to be the bad guy it's just that everybody's marketing could be 100x's more effective if you keep these principles in mind.

I can't make any promises, but I may consider redoing this add for Matt and for everyone to see how I'd incorporate each of these elements into an ad that I'd want to run.


Its's already in the magazine, it was a trade so i didnt loose anything, the magazine renews every 4 months

i know where you are coming from, i told her about that, she thought it would be a good idea but she and i wanted it simply, short, and not busy. Not to much more could fit. She did mention the 2-5 sec rule of it catching someones eye.

I told her to put floresent colors so it can stand out

I do have a ''mention this ad and get a 5% discount''(yearly services)

Most of the services i have in there needed to be in there

Its a half page ad

I told Steve once it on shelves by front door of entrances such as Winn-Dixies and more and all in my town, i would send him one

[landonkade]

i was going to ask if i can get some reviews on my local business center ad, pretend you are a customer of mine telling how great the services was and such. If it will work

Here is the link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=lawn+care+in+dothan&fb=1&view=text&latlng=10718957836880982773&mid=1224180880

[Steve]

I tried it again and it gave me the same error. Maybe someone else can try it and see if it happens to them as well.

[landonkade]

I tried it again and it gave me the same error. Maybe someone else can try it and see if it happens to them as well.


Yeah i dont know whats wrong with it,lol. It should take a review,umm

[Steve]

Have you tried to enter one as a test?

[landonkade]

i was going to ask if i can get some reviews on my ad, pretend you are a customer of mine telling how great the services was and such. If it will work. Remember to put dothan, al for the city

Here is the link:

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/J.And.M.Lawn.Care.And.Landscaping.334-618-1916

Also the magazine ad comes out anyday now, just waiting,lol

[Steve]

I just added one. :)

I hope it helps!