Confused

[LawnHog]

Every day while im driving around I see anywhere between 2 & 3 lawn care trucks and trailers. Im not exagerating when I am saying this. Probably 95 percent have ZERO contact information or advertisement anywhere on their truck or trailer. Why is this? From talking to people on here, its hard to make good money running a lawn care business. But I would think if thats the case, then why would someone not go to the effort of using their vehicle and trailer as moving billboards? This doesnt make sense to me

[mark123]

Lawn care business tips

They're probably not legitimate. Are they toting commercial grade equipment or an old craftsman that looks like it was used in the civil war?

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Boughter's Lawn Care Services Mowing and Fertilizing in New Castle, PA

[LawnHog]

Some didnt look like the best truck and equipment. However some had very nice rigs.. I actually saw one guy doing a Burger King. He had what looked like a business shirt on, but not one advertisement on his truck or trailer

[Hedgemaster]

Wow. You must be pretty rural - I see about a dozen a day.

Pretty much the exact same topic being discussed here:
http://www.gopherforum.com/showthread.php?t=15001


Makes no sense to me either. I see well-equipped trucks with full crews out there with no identifying markers whatsoever.

[LawnHog]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

Wow. You must be pretty rural - I see about a dozen a day.

Pretty much the exact same topic being discussed here:
http://www.gopherforum.com/showthread.php?t=15001


Makes no sense to me either. I see well-equipped trucks with full crews out there with no identifying markers whatsoever.

Well i do live in Arkansas but its in Fort Smith and thats the second largest city. Probably somewhere around 90k people, and thats not including.
To me it says....not looking for additional business.

I notice that a lot lately too. It's like when you want a blue car, you see nothing but blue cars...since i'm starting my business i notice how many lawn care companies are blank on their trucks. To me it's good news, my shirts are on the way and in two weeks i'l lbe getting truck magnets.

To me it says they're not legit, or not sure if they can handle it if they get a lot of calls....... all the better for me. Competing in a market where people aren't legit or too shy makes me feel great!

Plus i see how they work, i'll scope out their habits even quickly as i drive by, see how they're doing a job, what they're wearing, etc...i have a quick eye and a good memory....as it stands now, 75% of the companies i see in my area aren't professional. The other 25% are VERY professional. It's like there is a huge gap between the two types. Nothing but good news for me!

[CHEESE2009]

Pros of Magnets:

It keeps the possibility of change open. They are easy to remove, and they are cheap at first glance.

Advertising

Looking professional



Cons of Magnets:

At first, they are amazing - they look swell. In the past few years, I've ordered them from Vistaprint, and they have all deteriorated rapidly.

If you use magnets, you will have to remove them all the time which you have a choice;

Advertise by keeping them on and then having to buy a new pair. (Expensive)

OR

put them on/take them off every single day. (Annoying)



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At this time, vinyl or paint is not an option. The truck is too damn pretty and expensive.

[Steve]

How much of not having truck signs do you think it is that they are running an illegal operation and how much of it is that they just dont care or arent thinking about it?

It seems a lot of times we talk on here and even lawn care companies with nice trucks don't want lettering on their trucks for fear of messing up their paint job.

Or they don't want signs because they want to drive it around off hours and not look like they are driving a business vehicle.

There seem to be a ton of reasons but I just don't know if it is a smart move to not put signage on your vehicle if you are legit.

[jhturf]

Not for anything but im sure they do nothing but commercial accounts. Just a thought. What do i know im just a pool guy

In my case it's not so much that if you don't have a logo you aren't legit. It's a combo of things. If i see a truck with no logo but the crew is in company clothes, then it can be a new truck not logo'd up yet, or not wanting to mess the paint job or it's a personal truck and a company truck is in the near future. I have seen a few of those, but very few, the professional looking crews usually have some type of marking on the truck or trailer...

When i say not legit, i mean many factors are backing up my opinion... i'm saying the truck has no markings, the crew is wearing torn clothing, or a shirt that would have been a hand me down 5 years ago, they're smoking while working on a lawn. I actually saw a crew today with the guy mowing wearing a black Metallica shirt...it was so old the black had turned into that see through black....and i see a lot more of those types of crews than the ones described in the first paragraph.

Now i understand money is tight in a start up...I have the luxury of having a job and a winter to build up the little things, but there is a difference between being and looking cheap, and starting up and doing what the budget allows. Image isn't anything if you can't cut a lawn, but looking professional, being sharp translates into feeling professional and feeling professional translates into working and doing a professional job.