How to get new customers

[Steve]

Here are some suggestions paraphrased from Scott, There is no one magic bullet for quick success in this business. You need to work many different angles simultaneously. The free mowing concept is a good one but I would suggest only offering that in the neighborhood of your current customer base. You want to keep your routes tight for maximum profit by minimizing drive time. Create a referral program your current customers will benefit from if they bring you more business. Maybe give them a free cut if they bring you a new yearly contract customer. Get your employees into this as well. Offer them an incentive to sign up new customers. How about a $50.00 bonus for each customer who signs up for a yearly contract? Remember there are plenty of referrals out there for you. All you have to do is ask. Ask customers, employees, friends, and family for referrals.

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Here are some suggestions from Elwood I have used door hangers with decent results, or as good as expected with hangers, but I prefer direct mail. A little better response and a well drafted letter or well done post card works great. The problem with door to door is this: You may run into people who are outside or who are interested in talking with you and you may actually sign some accounts, but you may also catch someone who does NOT want to be bothered, especially by a "salesman" on what little free time they have to themselves. I know I am not keen when "strangers" show up on my doorstep, especially when I am NOT in the mood for it, but if I get something in the mail, it will lay around until I am ready to read it. Yes, many times it gets pitched, but so do door hangers. The old saying is "It takes 12 good things said about you to correct one bad thing said." I don't wan't anything bad said about my company in a new area I am trying to get into. Who knows, the guy I upset on Saturday afternoon in his back yard may be the CEO of a sweet commercial site that would be great to have as well as his own home. I have offered discount coupons for OTHER services than what I am targeting if a one year agreement is signed and it works very well. Offer a FREE $100 coupon book if they sign an agreement for mowing. Your coupon book can have $25 off shrub trimming, $25 off fertilizing, $25 off spraying, $25 off flower planting or any other services that you provide. They will take advantage of the coupon, see your quality results and chances are very good they will have you perform the same service, at full price later in the season or next year. A great way to get your foot in the door and also hit them hard on upsells! First, it works like a charm! Second, there is a large number of people who DON'T even use coupons once they have them, but they feel they are getting $100 for FREE when they sign up. Of course, my coupons expire on 12/31 of that current year and they are not transferable. I have sold a TON of upsells this way. In most cases, by only giving $25 off any service, I am not giving away most of the expense, just the profit and maybe a small part of the expense. Then, like I said, after seeing the results, it is usually a home run.

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.