Holy Macaroni

mortonslawn · #1 01-31-2010, 10:36 AM

I just went out snowplowing people's driveways close to where I had some customers already. I got yelled at by 2 people for waking them up (9:00 am), and lots of others said no. Ok, so I did 2 places. If one lets me put the pics I took up on my blog, I'll post it later.

Anyway, I'm not giving up. I'm going to go around later in my neighborhood and see if people want their driveways plowed. I did give out some business cards to the people that said no. The ones that yelled at me didn't get one because they shut their doors in my face. At first I was angry, but then I started to think about it. Would I want to be woken up at 9 am by a knock at the door? Well, no one wants to be woken up, but I figured everyone was up by then. Lesson learned: Wait until about noon, then knock on doors. Sorry people. I did apologize to them though. I figured people would be up for church, it is Sunday.

Am I doing something wrong? Lots of people are saying no. I'm offering to clear their driveway, shovel the walkway and put down salt for $40.00. One lady told me it was too much. I politely thanked her and left. Most of the people around here will only plow your driveway for the same price. I feel like changing my name to Toni, that way people won't know whether I'm a boy or girl when I state my name at the door.

FloridaBoy · #2 01-31-2010, 01:33 PM

Lawn care business tips

Screw those people, the homeowners who you did plow for, where they happy?

Thats all that matters.

That Sunday thing is a little tricky, if i was to step foot near any of my customers on a sunday they would shoot me. haha

__________________
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psparaco · #3 01-31-2010, 01:56 PM

dont feel bad. I live in maryland and i have had the same issue but you know what. its after day break. its not sleepy time. they need to get up and stop being lazy. lol. Anyway i was only able to set up 5 clients for snow removal and they gladly accepted when i called them. i contacted a total of 10 clients. 5 said yes they wanted to set up snow removal. 2 called back and declined service and 3 never returned my call. I tried as i was out shoveling for the 5 i had, asking others but most either didnt want it. or didnt want to open the door cause its too cold out. So my best bet is sticking with my existing lawn clients from last summer and my craigslist and facebook wall post. 5 jobs is better than no jobs right.

Steve · #4 01-31-2010, 10:40 PM

Would using business cards on magnets help? Handing them out in an area before it snows so the customer can keep the card and call you?

Or, what if you made a flyer that says, 'Let me shovel your snow' and tape it in reverse on their front glass door so when they open it up in the morning, they see you and call you?

mortonslawn · #5 02-01-2010, 05:29 AM

Hi Steve, I have already made some flyers that I'm going to post up at the corner store in my area. I have 15 of them, if people take them, I'm going to put more there, and at a few other stores. My company didn't start offering snow removal until just now. I had fun playing with the plow.

I also found the president of a development that I have a customer in. I'm going to call him and ask if he will let me advertise my business on the homeowner's association website. I looked on there, and they don't have much on there.
I would LOVE to do the ice melt bucket idea, but I don't have money to buy all the buckets and ice melt, and stickers and stuff. I will do that in due time. Maybe next year.
I do have a few magnets left from last year. But my business cards don't say that I offer snow removal on the business cards. That's why I made the flyers. I have attached a flyer in this post.

Steve · #6 02-01-2010, 08:12 AM

Oh, can you resave it and repost it as a doc file instead of a docx file? I can't read the docx file type. Thanks!

psparaco · #7 02-01-2010, 08:41 AM

here is the file saved down for ya.

Steve · #8 02-01-2010, 01:41 PM

Here is a thought. If you are going to put the flyer up in a store, maybe have along the bottom, tear offs that include your business name and number so multiple people can use it before you need to replace it.

Would that help?

mortonslawn · #9 02-01-2010, 06:07 PM

I would have done that, but my husband said that someone might tear one off and forget what it was for. That's why I made them that way. Plus, they may lose a small piece of paper like that, so that's also why I made them a full page. Just makes sense, but yes, you are right. I did one like that and he didn't like it. This way, they get a full page and maybe pass it to someone else.

Thank you, other member, for putting that in a format Steve and others can see. I appreciate it. I don't know why it came out docx file. Maybe becuase I have office 2007?

Oh yeah, I can't open some of the otd files. What program are they from???

greybeard_xlx · #10 02-01-2010, 09:17 PM

Hi Mortons, don't get discouraged, you have a good gig. Just realize that if you are trying to work in an area that has a lot of retirees, 9AM can be like 6 AM. I'm a biker, I live in an older comm of retirees, Trust me if I venture out early in the AM, I don't ride my Harley, I drive the quiet sled. IF you get mostly retirees answering the door, Waiting till later in the day might be a good idea. but keep them in mind for a flyer campaign for summer lawn care. They may be grumpy early, but they might warm up considerably when its later in the day and you have a service they want.. BTW, i'm a gray hair myself, but I will sleep all I want when I die!! That's just me..

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