New TV Ad - What Do You Think?

[kdexpd]

Just finished up with a new commercial. Been working with the local TV Station for about a week now. What do you all think? http://youtu.be/R3PtU6Ara-8

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Kendrick
Cedar Lawn Care Services, LLC
Kirksville, MO

[kdexpd]

Lawn care business tips

Hey thanks! It was pretty rough looking when I bought her, but a gallon of Bondo and $150 in spray paint will do wonders. I need to get "Tree Service" put on there somewhere...been thinking about the long vertical compartment door on the sides. I hope to get a lot of business this summer. My goal is to have her paid for by the end of the summer. I'm living off the mowing service and everything I make from the bucket truck goes back to the bank. I only owe $8,500 on her. What I really need is a good storm with high winds!

__________________
Kendrick
Cedar Lawn Care Services, LLC
Kirksville, MO

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

I like the commercial! How much did this run you? How often is it shown?

[dpld]

i wish you all the best from your add but it was a little oxymoronic in a sense.

what i mean is your name is cedar "lawn" care and you are selling tree care services as well as appearing as a tree service and make no mention of anything what so ever to lawn care.

i am not poking fun or trying to be a d bag but that really rang out like a siren to me watching the commercial.
it just seemed so out of place.

good luck anyway.

[kdexpd]

The name of the business is Cedar Lawn Care SERVICES. This includes most services associated with your lawn/yard. Trees are a part of your lawn. That is why I added the "service" part in the official name when I went LLC. As far as advertising for the "lawn" aspect of the business, I have no intention. I have all the customers I want for now. Since I have grown, there are certain things that I used to do that I won't do anymore. For instance I will not do spring and fall cleanups, I only trim bushes for the commercial accounts, I don't do anymore landscaping, and I sold my pushmower because if a lawn has a fenced-in backyard that won't accommodate my zero turn, I won't service it. These are things, in my case, that are not profitable enough to justify my time. They were great when I was first starting up because I had nothing else, but now I have bigger and more profitable jobs to deal with. As far as cost for the commercials, I paid $400 for 15 ads that will run during the afternoon primetime shows.

[dpld]

as i said i was not knocking you and hearing your explanation i can see where you are coming from but the word " SERVICES " does not expand lawn care into a totally different industry like tree care.

tree care and lawn care are two totally different industries that require totally different equipment, knowledge and employees.
i am a tree and lawn care business as well as a certifed tree expert, ISA cerified arborist and we deal with a lot of tree preservation.

it may vary state to state on how people veiw and what they look for in a company to hire but in my state if you advertise as a lawn care company and you are promoting yourself as a tree service it would create a ton of confusion with prospective clients.

in my state you can be very successful doing either trade and you can be successful doing both as well but from a public perception point of veiw you would be better off being named accordingly to what you do or includeing both in your name for example: Cedar Lawn & Tree Care Services.

i am not saying you are doing anything wrong i am just pointing out a difference in how a ad would be perceived in my region versus yours.

it is actually funny in regards to how different things are from state to state but after 28 years in the business i learned how different the trades are.
for example the landscape industry is very old in the northeast in states like nj,va,conneticut,md for example because of the large amounts of wealthy people that go back hundreds of years compared to say montanna.

in my state it seems that for every ten homes there are 8 of them that have a landscaper as well as probably 95% of the people that need tree care hire a pro. as a result there are thousands of landscapers in my state and my county alone has over 1,200 registered tree and landscape businesses.

there is plenty of work but the competition is brutal and that is why i pointed that out in your ad because in my state your wording is very important in your advertiseing because the consumers are real hip to things like that as well as the competition would make that work to their advantage.

we all have competion to deal with but in my state the shear volume of competitors is so high that there is not much commradory in this business unless you personally know the company and everyone treats the competion like a enemy on the battlefield and some will go to great lengths to beat you down and will say and do anything to get the work from you.

either way good luck and i hope that clarifys a little on what i was trying to say.

[Steve]

As far as cost for the commercials, I paid $400 for 15 ads that will run during the afternoon primetime shows.

How will you be able to track to see if the commercials are bringing you new callers?

Oh and you all have brought us some really really interesting points to discuss too.

I have all the customers I want for now. Since I have grown, there are certain things that I used to do that I won't do anymore. For instance I will not do spring and fall cleanups, I only trim bushes for the commercial accounts, I don't do anymore landscaping, and I sold my pushmower because if a lawn has a fenced-in backyard that won't accommodate my zero turn, I won't service it.

The thing I was wondering is, when is it beneficial to keep doing all those jobs, even if they are less profitable, because it allows you to be a one stop for all these services?

By performing these services, does it allow you to keep competitors at bay because why would a homeowner go with a start up for clean ups when they could hire a veteran like yourself?

I have seen many other business decide that they need to stay in the game of offering these other services as a defense strategy. Do you think it's important to do that or no?

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Very professional, Great Job!