Your The Customer! What would you pay?

[Sprinkler Buddy]

I currently retail my Sprinkler Buddy in a pack of seven for $19.99, broken down, that is $2.85 an indicator/"Sprinkler Buddy". I would like to increase the volume of sales. You guys seem to be of a sound mind. lol (All kidding Aside) What do you think is a fair price that would possibly make you or others try my new product? Please give it some serious thought, I'm not trying to sell it to you specifically. I'm new at this game and this is my "Baby". I will always think that it's worth more than what I sell it for as I do now. Please take this seriously! It cost a lot of money to start and stay in business but I also have to sell product to stay in business at the same time. I'm needing someone looking at this from the outside to get a true evaluation of "Price" to increase sales volume. So what do you feel is the "Majic" number? Thanks for all your suggestions! I forgot this, incase you need to see it! http://www.sprinklerbuddy.com

__________________
Don't Keep Replacing Lawn Sprinkler Heads
Protect them with "Sprinkler Buddy"
CLICK HERE > http://www.sprinklerbuddy.com

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Last edited by Sprinkler Buddy; 06-02-2011 at 09:24 AM.

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Lawn care business tips

Feedback Please! How often does a Retailer ask you for your opinion?

__________________
Don't Keep Replacing Lawn Sprinkler Heads
Protect them with "Sprinkler Buddy"
CLICK HERE > http://www.sprinklerbuddy.com

[Sprinkler Buddy]

O.K.: Since most of these views I have thus far arn't members of this forum, and you can't comment unless you are. I have made an executive decision to lower my Pack of 7 "Sprinkler Buddy" from $19.99 to $13.93 a Pack

That's over a $6.00 savings per pack! Comes to ONLY a $1.99 Each!

[picframer]

Have you asked the customer what they think? We have very few sprinkler systems in my area as it's not really required, what do people say about the look?

Personally I would be going after golf courses, around the country via email, get your clients to tweet their experience, it's next to impossible in todays world to beat social media when used for marketing.

I just returned from a course in New York with a firm called PPS, simply amazing marketing experience.

[Sprinkler Buddy]

The photos on my website are close-up, zoomed in shots, so one can see them well on my website. When installed it goes unoticed until you get within 5-6 yards, then the closer one gets the better one can see them. The Sprinkler Buddy remains below the cutting height, it sits partially underground while the top portion remains about an inch above ground level. Average cutting height in the USA is 21/2" to 31/2" or more. Keeping sprinkler heads visible is the only way to avoid running them over with mower tires, etc...

The Sprinkler Buddy also allows itself and the sprinkler head to be mowed over when installed properly by straddling them with the mower tires. Now that one can see them if your looking for them, one can avoid accidental damage to their sprinkler heads caused by the weight of their mower and tires running them over and over until something gives. As a lawn care professional, I can tell you the "Mower will always Win". Eventually!

You are correct about social media, that's how you learned of me. I am on Facebook, Twitter, and other talk forums such as this one. Word of my product is starting to get around. Glad to hear you don't need it, I don't think you could order the Sprinkler Buddy due to your location.

Think I'll get some photos showing the distance from it and how it disappears when backed away from. Thanks for the advise! If you think of anything else that may help, please share. This is my first season getting the word out, while it has gone well, I have a long ways to go. Call me Home Depot or Lowe's!

[picframer]

As with any business or product venture it's all about getting the word out, once people (your network) start sharing their experience it will grow and eventually have a snowball effect.

During a recent course it was stressed that we need to drill down on our target market and identify a strategy to get their attention. In this case your target market may be lawn care providers in, say Florida. Take some time to come up with a strategy of how you can get their attention. It could be golf courses, commercial areas etc.

It was also stressed that generally speaking when we give the prospect/client wants to give back. That doesn't always mean giving sample products, it could mean advice, product sampling, in lawn care it could be an extra bit of trimming, something within our reach the customer will notice and appreciate. It could even be going the extra mile to tell the client how much we appreciate their business.

Being a small business owner is tough, you need to wear so many hats and be pretty good at each of them to succeed, as we grow and can afford to hire assistance, get assistance that is better than I am in a specific area that I need, it could be marketing, cold calling, trimming etc.

Taking an image from a distance may help also, my first observation when I looked at these was wow I can really notice those, I wonder what that would look like scattered across the lawn, you see you are selling a benefit, cost savings product (and please do not take this personally, it's just my opinion on the outside looking in), it's cost savings to the owner as they may not brake so many heads, it's a benefit to the lawn care provider as they do not have to be concerned cutting heads off and can do their service faster, it could be something so simple as taking an image from 12 feet.

I have a tennant who makes simply amazing food however when there are major lineups at tennants next to him, his shop has little traffic. I watched one day and it bacame clear to me what the issue was. We buy with our eyes in this case, all my eyes saw was a bunch of words on a sign, I suggested he do two things, take a few high quality images of prepared dishes and post them where customers could see them, number them along with the price and put completed sample dishes on display. His average daily customers has jumped from the 60 (per day during lunch time) area to over 300 in just two weeks.

[Steve]

I think it would be worthwhile to experiment with different prices and different displays.

One think I would like to see done with your product is just getting it out there. Especially in your area so you can drive around and get feedback from people.

Why not get a cd spindle, something like the image below. And stack as many of your product on there as you can. Put a sign on it and say something like 10 for $5.00. Get this display on the counter next to the cash register at your local mower shops or garden centers or irrigation supply centers.

See if you can really generate an interest in them. Then from there, you can always look to raise the prices until you see the sales slacking off.

[brian'slawncare]

no offense- BUT

who do you think is ganna buy this? Lawn Care Professionals? they cant just put this in their clients lawn?

Homeowners? they would say the problem should be left in the hands of the professionals...

[Sprinkler Buddy]

I have some new photos going on my website soon! These photos, I hope, will allow viewers to better understand how they appear and work when installed.

Who would buy this? Mostly it has been home owners that maintain their own irrigation and yard. Also home owners that hire professionals that unknowingly break heads every year caused by our heavy commercial mowers running them over. My product saves $$$, to have an irrigation expert come out and do repairs, your talking Big $$$ to most of us! Most will and have installed my Sprinkler Buddy's themselves, you don't need to be an expert to do so. If one can change a broken head, one can install the Sprinkler Buddy, NO Problem!

I know my product isn't for everyone, some will never see where I'm coming from or they just don't want to because of their line of work. That's Okay! It's here for those that would like to try it. Many that have, had made Reorders. That speaks for Itself! Some that havn't made Reorders bought enough to begin with because my product made perfect since to them right off the bat. I often hear "I Wish I thought of That!"

I havn't heard "ONE" negative comment from anyone that has actually tried it yet and Yes, my # is on my website too!

I thank all of you for your feedback. Negative or Not, we all can learn from it, including me. Thanks for the ideas to improve my site!

[The Cleaning Doctor]

I don't know about your pricing because I don't know what your costs are. But the idea is sound. I think also that some are missing an opportunity for an upsell on their sprinkler installation work. I know that some here do that.

Have you attempted to contact the big box stores? How about licensing the product so someone like Rainbird? There are many avenues you could take with this. Make your money while you can before the patent runs out. I think that the licensing would make you more than you could on your own but that is just me.

Good luck, great idea.