Advertising = JAIL !!!

[boog]

I just started my business in dec. 2010 I live in a small town i have a problem i think i am pissing off the other contractors in my area i had signs made lawn care / snow removal phone ##### they was out for 3 days got a call from the police "yes it was a cop " he told me that they had received complaints about my signs and they needed to be removed asap or charges would be filed that was a waste of money and time i have also took out a large add in news paper now there is one guy tring to LOW BALL !!! & BASH every thing i said in my add his add reads " need your yard mowed will beat any 1s price deeper discounts and the lowest price guaranteed

[Hedgemaster]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by boog I just started my business in dec. 2010 I live in a small town i have a problem i think i am pissing off the other contractors in my area i had signs made lawn care / snow removal phone ##### they was out for 3 days got a call from the police "yes it was a cop " he told me that they had received complaints about my signs and they needed to be removed asap or charges would be filed that was a waste of money and time i have also took out a large add in news paper now there is one guy tring to LOW BALL !!! & BASH every thing i said in my add his add reads " need your yard mowed will beat any 1s price deeper discounts and the lowest price guaranteed Are you a legitimate business owner? If not, there may be laws preventing you from advertising. I have about "this much" (pinching fingers together) sympathy for you if that's the case. I've been out of work for over a year. Not "collecting unemployment/out of work", REALLY out of work - no income aside from odd jobs. Here's what I did. I learned what I needed to do to LEGALLY operate a business and I did it. It took time and a small amount of money, but I am now a legitimate business owner. I can advertise to my hearts content. (I just don't have any money to do so. lol) How is advertising that he will beat "anyone's price" bashing you? Sounds like a good way to get business to me. Except for when he tries to beat the lowest prices around TOO much and he starts to lose money. After reading your post again, could the "sign issue" have anything to do with WHERE you have placed them? I dunno... you didn't really give much info to go on, so if I'm way off base, maybe that's why.

[Steve]

From what we have seen on here, using signs along streets or at intersections usually is illegal. I think that is the reason the signs are called 'bandit signs.'

However, just because that may be the case, doesn't stop everyone from using them. Sometimes, depending on where they are placed, they can be very effective.

First off, how do you know it was a legitimate officer? Could it have been a competitor, trying to scare you? Could it maybe be an officer that is a competitor as well?

Did they threaten you would be thrown in jail for using the signs?

Also, you don't want to try and compete on price. You want to get your name out there by making quality and reliability your primary goals.

[The Cleaning Doctor]

Most areas you can not put signs in right of ways but you always can in yards unless there are deed restrictions.

You can't go to jail for this, at most you will get is a fine. Codes is usually the department that handles this. Although small towns might be the police.

Keep your head above the fray and do not speak bad about the competition. That is a turn off for a lot of people. You can say something like "I have my opinions about them but they are only my opinions." and leave it at that and only if you are asked directly. Or you can just say you know nothing about them, which in reality, unless they are your friends then you probably don't know enough to make a judgment.

Be professional always. Let them have the cheap cuts that are hard to collect from, especially when they are only buying on price. When you sell on quality you will be better off.

Now go kick some GRASS!

[MAKLawnCutter]

I have done signage and have gotten a 50$ on EACH sign in one city... sucks that i got fined for 11 Signs, the other 39 were in other cities, LUCKY!

Some city governments dont permit temporary signs to be put out, littering, driver distraction, clutter, looks bad on government property (usually the big one). Pick them up, put them in your customers yards, they cant complain about that. And looks better on YOU, that they are on a personal property, not road side.

And BASHING... I dont think that is BASHING. If he ever mentions you specifically, sue him for "slander" or Harassment. LOL. Put him out of business, push better quality work than him.


Matt

[boog]

Just a note yes it was a real cop that called they called from the jail # had 5digits yes I am a licensed and insured business owner . And the other guy that placed his free add copied every thing I placed in my add that cost $ he place 7 free adds in the newspaper every 1 said will beat any 1s price lowest price, highest discounts, and for the signs they I found out that I had placed 1 of them near a large competitors property .

[The Cleaning Doctor]

All else I can say is get used to it. It will never end. Lots of advertising stating that they will beat anyone's price. "Lowest prices in town, guaranteed". Law is the law though, if you can not put them out then neither can they.

Although you need to keep an eye on your competition, most spend way too much time on this. Do what you have to do and above all stay professional.

Most competitors that you run into are not businessmen. They may think they are because they own a business but they are not. Your job is to become one and raise yourself above the fray. You want to make it a goal that you are out selling and not actually cutting the lawns. This will make you more money in the long run than any one thing in your business will. The other things need to support those sales but sales is your money generator. nothing else you do GENERATES income.

Three words for you

Read Read Read

When you are done with that read some more. Read all you can about business operations and marketing. Your local library is good for that or a used book store. Heck even goodwill has used books on business.

How about this..... We will not guarantee the lowest price in town but we will guarantee the best service.

Let the competition take the customers that get their lawn mowed because they have to and you focus on the ones that have it mowed because they want to.

[Steve]

You could also look into maintaining a flower bed or property on a busy intersection for free if you can in return place a sign on the property. You might find experimenting with that will get you more calls.

[shahoo80]

Steve is right, I also live in smaller town with very strict codes about signs and advertising so you really have to be creative in getting your signs up legally. This is what I did, I drove our downtown district over and over and talked with several business owners and came up with a gold mine. There is a small alarm company on the corner of the busiest corner of the downtown district and he has a pice of grass that is 20' long and 1' wide so I asked if I could put a sign up in return to maintaining his strip of grass and blowing off his parking lot. He jumped on it. I got 5 customers out of it and this year the business owner wants me to take care of his home as well.

Also I went to my local Chamber of Commerce and told them I was looking to give back to our community with free service to a needy person. By the time I actually did the service the local newspaper picked up the story and ran a small article about it. I've already called the newspaper and talked with them about doing it all again just bigger this year. Next month they are going to do a little piece asking for nomanations and sending them to me. Then in the spring will do bigger article.
When dealing with small towns or towns that are very restrictive you have to think out of the box.

[Steve]

Also I went to my local Chamber of Commerce and told them I was looking to give back to our community with free service to a needy person. By the time I actually did the service the local newspaper picked up the story and ran a small article about it.

That is great! Do you have a link to the article so we can see it?

Did you track to see if you got any work from it or did you feel it created goodwill in the community for you and that was well worth it?