Marketing Advice Please

I started my biz as a part time extra income deal. I really enjoy it and want to expand it to be my full time income. I didn't start until late June of 2009 and have 7 customers. I feel I will need to get to approx. 50 customers to achieve the income I need. I have already obtained my business licence and am in the process of getting insurance. I really need some advice on when would be a good time to start marketing to residential customers. I don't want to be too early that they misplace my info or too late they get some else. Any advice would be helpfull. Thank You, Stuart

[cklandscapingorlando]

Lawn care business tips

Well the first question is really whats your budget? If you only got the money to do one round of fliers or door hangers then right before the season starts in your area. If you got enough to hit them more like 2-3 times then I would start a month before the season then do it every 30 days. You'll need a min of 5000 fliers if you get a 1% return and then it's up to you to close the deal. I would say you need 10-20,000 if you want to do more than one round

[Steve]

Welcome Stuart,

Can you tell us a little about what you have done so far to get those initial 7 customers?

Steve,

1 was my next door neighbor, 1 was a family member, the others came from 200 fliers i put in newspaper boxes and several fliers at supermarkets. I am in southeast new york. Lots of competition here as I'm sure there is in a lot of places, how do I best compete on a limited budget.

[The Cleaning Doctor]

Before long you will have to get a web site if you want to compete with the big dogs. Just because a lot of people now do their searching on the web instead of the YP. Fingers don't walk as much any more. Get some great before and after pictures and shoot some video to get ready. Scrimp and save as much as possible for a future advertising campaign. I would continue to do what has been working for you. You can get a web site for as little as $10 per year if you do the site yourself.

[arthur712]

Get your business cards!! 2500 for better pricing.
Use a local printer for flyers and cards, It may cost a little more than ordering online, But the local printer may need yard work or can refer you to people!

Get Your name out there!

There are tons of great advice here on the forum! Look at older posts.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have!
Someone here will have an answer!

Thanks!

I was also wondering about door hangers. I know that a lot of people hardly use their front door. Most go in through the garage. Flyer placement also seems difficult as you are not supposed to use mailboxes. has anyone really run into much trouble using mailboxes. and do you think enough people will see the door hangers if hung on the screen door?

Thanks
Stuart

[arthur712]

What about putting them on the garage door handle, I have seen a lot of people throwing small baggies with info on the driveway.

I know it may upset some people, but you have to try anything, and see what will work for you!

I had a bunch of Magnetic cards made up, and I put them on garage doors.

Good luck!

Artie

Thanks for the advice i'll give those ideas a try! If anyone else has some advice please post. Thanks

[cklandscapingorlando]

I pick up alot of those bags off my props then trash them. You should'nt litter. If you hang it on the door or in the door crack then I'll leave it for my client. If they switch then your just cheaper and I dont need that type of client. Alot of people go through the garage when driving. But walk out the front door for mail or when people come over. If it might be a problem maybe wright down the address and mail it to them. Or put it on the garage door. If your on a budget then print them at home. Or go to Kinkos after you design them. The best prices I've found on door hangers is about 1000 bucks for 20,000 of them. The most I've seen was about 1600. Thats full color though not just white paper and green ink. This will make you look like a larger company than you are. If possible leave a blank spot for your price or if the houses are cookie cutter you could just have the price on them. Or take your cheapest property and say prices as low as $xx.xx. You dont have to buy alot. You could buy just 500 and hang them on the houses on each side of your clients. But if your looking for 50 clients or more then it will either take a little money or alot of your time and patience just to get the material. Then more time or money to get the stuff out there. Around here it will take you about 20sec per house to hang these. So 3 houses a minute. Thats 180 an hr. Or 1440 in a 8hr day. Do that for 3 days and you knocked out 4320 hangers. At 1% thats 43 call backs. 2% would be 86 call backs. 43 + 7= 50.