Printing needed

[Steve]

If money is tight you should consider postcards like the ones above instead of door hangers. If you notice the ones above are designed not to be mailed. The ones above will be used the same as a door hanger. In essence they are really nice mini flyers. 4x6 postcards are half the price of 4.25x11 door hangers, (e.g. 5000 cards are $215 hangers are $425) (the ones above were over sized 5.5x8.5) Bob, What is the best way to distribute postcards not intended to be mailed? Going door to door and handing them to people, or sticking in the door way or what do you suggest?

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[Big Lebowski]

Lawn care business tips

I have already plowed 6 times this year. Anybody that was planning on having someone plow has locked in already. Anybody looking for a plow guy at this point is usually a deadbeat or disagreeable and was fired from their last plow guy. So they are usually desperate and you are suspicious. But like everything else for me these days, I can never make up my mind. I am so back and forth on everything. I am now debating having someone print this sort of thing for me. I may do it myself. I don't know. I had something big that I was counting on got pulled out from underneath me earlier in the year and I think it has made me twice shy about all my decisions now. It was a life changing moment where I had put all of my eggs in one basket, and I closed another business for it and I am still paying for it. I didn't have the world by the balls but I did have a few things going my way and I was quite comfortable. I used to say that no matter what, I always seemed to land on my feet. And now I am trying to pick myself back up and I have been here since April. I was on a slight upswing when winter came along and slowed it all down for me again. I have people telling me to go back to a previous employment that I swore I would never go back to and I almost cave every time. But then I start doing the math and it makes up my mind real fast. I am willing to keep on struggling to get what I want and not have to do something I truly hate.

[Steve]

I had something big that I was counting on got pulled out from underneath me earlier in the year and I think it has made me twice shy about all my decisions now. It was a life changing moment where I had put all of my eggs in one basket, and I closed another business for it and I am still paying for it. I didn't have the world by the balls but I did have a few things going my way and I was quite comfortable. I used to say that no matter what, I always seemed to land on my feet. And now I am trying to pick myself back up and I have been here since April. I was on a slight upswing when winter came along and slowed it all down for me again.

Looking back on this experience, would you have advice for others in a similar situation? What should they do and what should they avoid?

[Big Lebowski]

Well going into it I wouldn't have done anything different. I was simply closing the book on one part of my life and starting a new one. I had everything in place and everything was a go. What I didn't expect was that after 10 days I was let go from a great paying and great benefit job. It really was. It was the best job I have ever had - pay and benefits. I had a nice retirement plan in place and everything. I actually started this job the year before and this was a call back from winter lay-off. I tried to get into a another company but it is tough. You have to know somebody and now combine that with this economy, it would really waste my time. It took me years to get in in the first place.

I wouldn't had done anything different. But if I knew what I know now? Sure. But that's like saying if I had won the lottery yesterday... Pointless.

So I have no advice because I considered this a sure thing and had no indication of it being otherwise. So I go back to counting on myself and my own ability. I can only count on me. I am 40yo and have to hurry to get this business capable of paying me a really good wage and not needing me to work every account. Because at any age you cannot afford to miss a single day due to illness being temporary or permanent. That is my main goal. Short term I have other goals but my big picture is what I just stated. I need a business that will take care of me long after I am not as able to return the favor.

I really try to avoid offering this much about myself but there it is.

[Plan-It Graphics]

Originally Posted by Steve

Bob,

What is the best way to distribute postcards not intended to be mailed? Going door to door and handing them to people, or sticking in the door way or what do you suggest?

Well from my own experience, what I do, is design a postcard that can do both, mail and hand-out. I generally mail, but for example, during aeration season, I always take some cards with me and target the neighbors of the customer i'm servicing. As far as where to put them, it really doesn't matter. I use the garage door weather strip, I feel must people enter their homes through there, not their front door. I also prefer postcards cause they double as a mini-flyer or oversized biz card. You can keep them in the truck to hand out to potential customers. If you had out a door hanger to someone (in person), it looks like what it is, a door hanger with a hole in it. The postcards can be designed to be more versatile.

The bottom line with advertising is volume, the more you get out the better return you'll get.