Yes! yesyesyes!

So, been working my regular job in HVAC... been slow. However I don't want to get too busy on the lawn care side to jeopardize the for sure paycheck through the winter. Kind of like deer hunting (actual job) with a fishing pole in the nearby stream (Saber LawnCare). I placed a Craigslist with all my services. no calls for two weeks. No calls, not doing so well. So we placed 125 flyers out the neighborhood my sis in law grew up in after she gave us a tip that 90% of the yards have not been touched for leaf removal. Today, one call from the flyers for leaf removal, one call from CL for snow removal. drove on over to give them a price. The leaf removal said yes to: Leaf removal, snow removal for the winter, and lawn care for next year. The snow removal said yes to leaf removal and lawn service for next summer, plus hedge and shrub trimming, fertilizing, plus anything i can do to get the yard up to par since the yard has been neglected since her husband passed away, plus a railroad tie retaining wall and staircase next year. She said she knew lawn care companies existed, just never thought to call any of them. So, BBQ'd tonight, drank some beer....and feeling good. It's not HUGE, but it broke the ice..and that feels very good.

[dclgraphics]

Lawn care business tips

GREAT JOB!!! Small Business have to be committed and just keep advertising, I think one of the biggest mistake as a small business we make is looking at marketing as inexpense as to a business expense, an investment to grow you business and a tax write-off. If you really want your business to be successful, you've got to make getting and keeping customers your number one priority. When was the last time you heard of a company going out of business because they had too many happy, satisfied customers buying from them? And that's where "Marketing" comes in. Letting others know about what you have in such a way that they are compelled... nearly forced to find out more and then, ultimately, to buy the products and services you offer from you, and not from your competitors. Get a better understanding of who your customers are and find better ways to reach them using an advertising mix. Invest in a good website and support that with a flyer, Door hanger or a direct mail piece. David C. Lopez http://www.dclgraphics.com/index.php

[Steve]

That is fantastic news! Now that you have gotten some success, has it given you more ideas on what works and what doesnt? Also do you feel it is going to change the way you do your marketing now?

Originally Posted by Steve

That is fantastic news! Now that you have gotten some success, has it given you more ideas on what works and what doesnt? Also do you feel it is going to change the way you do your marketing now?

Thanks!

Since I have only used two methods and both worked I can only say what works. I have an ad on CL using HTML to post a flyer instead of only text and a page counter on it, out of almost 500 views I received one call, I don't know if that's a good average or not. I figure quite a few of the 500 views are competition. Only time will tell on that and it's free so no need to take it down no matter what the averages.

I only handed out 125 fliers and I got one call and an email asking about planting flowers in the spring since my original post. And it's only been 2 days since the flyer handout. I think that's a decent average. I used magnets with small US Flag stickers on them to attach the fliers to the doors, rubberbands for non metal doors but wrapped the magnet in with the rubberband. I figure if a customer is going to keep the flier beyond the initial read it's useful if it's hanging where they repeatedly see it other than in a pile of papers. It snows, or time got away and the lawn is still covered in leaves so the customer thinks "Where is that flyer?" It's either up on the fridge or in a pile of papers. Why not attempt to better the odds it's hanging? I have a couple food fliers on my fridge, and the magnets they used are keeping them there. Not only that, the magnets got me to ask my wife where we got them. That's where i got the idea.

I have 200 more fliers to hand out for snow removal. Each of the fliers lists all my services as well, but Snow Removal is in bold at the top. With this new set I'm attaching a small candy cane to each flyer. And the magnets for this round have a little Christmas wreath sticker on them.

While handing out fliers the wife and I would also take a homeowner's empty trashcans or recycle bins back up to the house. Smiled and waved to everyone we saw and of course handed them the flyer personally. We even gave a flyer to a "no solicitors" house. The house had a no solicitor sign so we turned and walked away, the home owner came out saw we didn't leave a flyer and actually thanked us and asked what we do.

[Steve]

That is awesome!

With this new set I'm attaching a small candy cane to each flyer. And the magnets for this round have a little Christmas wreath sticker on them.

Do you have a picture of that? Fantastic!

I'll get a pic up in the next couple of days....

headin out to Christmas shop.

Here ya go Steve...

The fliers we're handing out this week. Candy Cane and US flag magnets...

Sorry about not having the wreath magnets, the wife ended up using them for her seamstress flyers. But the round magnet is the type we use for the wreaths.

[Steve]

That looks great! I can't tell from this angle but do the flag magnets have any contact information on them?

Could you attach some kind of business card to those magnets too?

Steve, nope, too small really. the magnets are like 1 inch by 2 inches.

That is a good idea tho, instead of the flags or Christmas wreaths just get some blank stickers and print business name & number on them

I've been thinking about getting business card magnets in the future but for now money is thin in the advertising part of the budget... I'd rather spend it on yard signs, fliers and other forms of advertising

[Steve]

Have you gotten any feedback from any of the people who have received your marketing package so far?