Postcard marketing advice?

[jklawncare]

Originally Posted by wellbiz I like your ideas, I think you have a pretty strong looking postcard and it is sure to stand out from the poorly designed material most companies hand out. I can wait to see the reworded one. If your clients are rich having a cheap price may not be the way to go. I would stress value, and professionalism. Wealthy clients in my area like a professional who does a top quality job and provides an excellent value for their services. In other words you may be able to charge a little more if you can sell your professionalism and customer service. In your case it seems you have a niche selling packages or services no one else offers. Usually in a niche you can charge a little extra because you specialize. I also found that competing on price doesn't build good customer relationships. As soon as the next guy who has a cheaper price comes along you are out of a job. To add something about pricing and I am guilty of this also. When I started I figured I could charge less, not lowball but build a nice business because I had lower overhead then the bigger guys with their multiple crews and fancy new trucks. What I soon learned reading the message boards, books and internet guru sites was that if I ever want to grow bigger then the one man operation with a used truck, I need to charge pretty much what the other guys were. Having a cheaper price allows for you to get work faster, but when you need to expand, hire employees or buy new equipment you cant afford it because your pricing is out of sync with what would be needed to support the larger business. It really depends on your goals. I personally dont intent to stay a one-man operation. I hope this helps. Jay I get what your saying and i thought about it but i dont have the money to make 2 sets of postcards also one of the main reasons i didnt do that was because im only 17.. i drive an old 93 blazer and i mow with a push mower and box store equpment (this year i plan on upgrading to a stihl trimmer first thing and a walk behind some time.) so if i start charging the upper costs of what competitors are charging im afraid theyll be turned away when they meet me or my set up and they might expect more out of me. and if i cant keep my customers happy im not happy. so my postcard really is to be around the whole town (upper class to lower class from young to old) but i just wanted something to look better than the rest to appeal to the wider range of people.

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Just Kut Lawn and Landscape
"Where Service is Always in Season"
Reach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud.

[wellbiz]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by jklawncare I get what your saying and i thought about it but i dont have the money to make 2 sets of postcards also one of the main reasons i didnt do that was because im only 17.. i drive an old 93 blazer and i mow with a push mower and box store equpment (this year i plan on upgrading to a stihl trimmer first thing and a walk behind some time.) so if i start charging the upper costs of what competitors are charging im afraid theyll be turned away when they meet me or my set up and they might expect more out of me. and if i cant keep my customers happy im not happy. so my postcard really is to be around the whole town (upper class to lower class from young to old) but i just wanted something to look better than the rest to appeal to the wider range of people. Dont let the fact that you are younger with starter equipment stop you from competing with the big boys. They probably started the same way. You are a professional as am I, and everyone else on this forum and we should be paid like one. Do you do a worse job then the big guys, I doubt it. You might not be able to take on the bigger projects that require a larger mower or tractor, but I bet when you finish a lawn it looks as good as if the highest priced guy in town were to cut it. Plus you dont know unless you try. You could try to quote a few on the higher side. Worse case senario is you dont get the account. Then you know that your pricing is on track or not. You might be suprised. On the plus side if you can make a few extra bucks, the faster you can purchase that new mower and trimmer. If you are act in a professional manner, present a professional image (the postcards are a good example, I am sure you have business cards and dress professionally) and show up and do what you say you will, you will be suprised how little interest anyone will pay to your age or the equipment you run. My only advice is keep your truck and equipment clean and make sure your truck isn't loud. Keep us posted. Jay

[jklawncare]

heres the new back
what do you think..
somehow i thinkk it looks more crowded..

[jklawncare]

somehowi always forget to post the new one..heres the new one

the second one is one i came up with and i think ill have him change it to something more like that..just including the custom packages..

the 3rd one is a craigslist ad i through together real fast as a general idea tell me what you think

[wellbiz]

Originally Posted by jklawncare

somehowi always forget to post the new one..heres the new one

the second one is one i came up with and i think ill have him change it to something more like that..just including the custom packages..

the 3rd one is a craigslist ad i through together real fast as a general idea tell me what you think

I like the second one and your craigslist ad is nice also.

[jklawncare]

Originally Posted by wellbiz

I like the second one and your craigslist ad is nice also.

Thanks is there anything else you would change,add,or remove from the ad otherwise i will send him mine and have him copy it how he does it and it will be my final.

[wellbiz]

Originally Posted by jklawncare

Thanks is there anything else you would change,add,or remove from the ad otherwise i will send him mine and have him copy it how he does it and it will be my final.

I always like to add my website URL and an email address, but you may not have one.

You have a headline with the discount, mention some benefits along with your services. The only question is will the customers respond.

How many are you planning on mailing and do you have a list? A great mailer sent to a bad list is no good.

[jklawncare]

Originally Posted by wellbiz

I always like to add my website URL and an email address, but you may not have one.

You have a headline with the discount, mention some benefits along with your services. The only question is will the customers respond.

How many are you planning on mailing and do you have a list? A great mailer sent to a bad list is no good.

dont currently have a website.. ihave it layed out..just need to find a host..but dont want to put it up until i have some income.

your right about the email ill include that.

i dont think theres enough room to list a bunch of benefits to be honest
i want it to be as clean and simple as possible and if i crowd it up they will spend less time reading it..

i wont be mailing them either

ill be doing somehting that i got from adeas printing
its called stickit

its basically a double stick tape on the back and you just stick it to the door or mailbox etc.

i dont have the money for all that postage
ill be getting 2500

[Hedgemaster]

Looking good.

I just saw this. I was busy yesterday working up a design for my own post card! I was trying to get it finished in time to take advantage of a pretty decent "December" sale for postcards.
I'll have to start a thread to show what I came up with.

Don't sweat all the "what ifs", and "you shoulds"... you can make yourself crazy trying to get things "perfect". What you have there is already going to be more impressive than 90% of what your competitors are using.

[jklawncare]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

Looking good.

I just saw this. I was busy yesterday working up a design for my own post card! I was trying to get it finished in time to take advantage of a pretty decent "December" sale for postcards.
I'll have to start a thread to show what I came up with.

Don't sweat all the "what ifs", and "you shoulds"... you can make yourself crazy trying to get things "perfect". What you have there is already going to be more impressive than 90% of what your competitors are using.

Thanks for the advice your absoultely right
id love to see what youve been working on..

and also which do you prefer
the first or second back..