Dirty Tactics

[LawnBoy0311]

Originally Posted by stevef1201 Putting flyers on the mail box????? Fugetaboutit. Use a real nice post card, and mail it. I know its expensive, But target an area and send a post card every week for 8 weeks. Use a little different card each time, the first showing your business, the subsequent ones focus on mowing (show a before/after picture of a real nice yard, edgeing, trimming, hedge work etc) You will contact the customer and not have to worry about someone throwing your stuff out. Door hangers also work real good, but PUT THEM ON THE DOOR!!! This has gotten me more business than flyers, costs more but worth it. Personally any junk mail goes right into the trach can, not even getting into the house. Door hangers however at least get into the house. I put postards in doors, probably about 500-600 in a few days. I then got a big goose egg on the phone calls. I thought about mailing, I may try that and target a certain area. I'm hesitant on it though-because I know when I get my mail, I take out the letters and everything else goes in the trash. I'll have to come up with a genious plan...

[dpld]

Lawn care business tips

i think it is wrong on so many levels and karma will come back and bite you in the azz. you should have put your flyer with his and then when a customer looked at them they would have said "hey this one guy can not even spell" and then looked at yours and might have been impressed. instead you made him a victim which always garners pity and made youself look like a dirty thief. i am not saying you are but that is what you made yourself look like. we live in a free country and everyone is entitled to pursue what ever career they wish and just because someone beat you to the punch the decision to give that individual a opportunity is not yours to make. this is just another clear cut example as to why i do not stuff mailboxes or hang stuff on peoples doors because you are not only coming off as unprofessional but you are also dealing with dirty tactics like this and now this dude will start pulling peoples flyers because it happened to him. it just keeps on going and going.

[CS-LawnService]

The USPS's website (PDF) states: "Except under 2.11 [dealing with newspaper boxes attached to mailboxes], the receptacles described in 1.1 may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 2.10 or 2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle." Note that "door slots and nonlockable bins or troughs used with apartment house mailboxes" are excluded from this prohibition, and can be loaded up with as many flyers as they can hold.

[xandrew245x]

Originally Posted by LawnBoy0311

Ahh, makes more sense now! At least its confirmed you can place things on the mailboxes!

I can't say 100% it's confirmed, that's just what she told me, and I hope she's right.

[usmc3391]

Originally Posted by dpld

we live in a free country and everyone is entitled to pursue what ever career they wish and just because someone beat you to the punch the decision to give that individual a opportunity is not yours to make.

now this dude will start pulling peoples flyers because it happened to him.

it just keeps on going and going.

exactly if he wants to make a quick buck to feed his family or whatever the reason let him. Let your work speak for itself he wont last long if he is truly lowballing and giving poor service. I have never done this myself although I have looked at competitors flyers to see what they were saying and see what they offer. By you taking off their flyers just keeps the cycle going like dpld said. You only hurt yourself because he will be pissed off and it will come back to you in one way or another. Just keep giving good service, survival of the fittest.

Also you probably would have had an advantage by leaving his flyer there. They would see both of your fliers and make yours look even better. It would be like having a professional sports team play a minor league team. They will look far superior to the other team.

[xandrew245x]

Originally Posted by WorkForMySelf

"receptacle" is the key word... you can place it on the post with zero consequence... you can place on the box and they can fine you... it a very miniscule fine and almost never happens. Think to yourself if you were delivering mail.. getting paid by the hour and had a million things to do.. would you nit pick and take every flier you see? I know a guy that only fliers to advertise. He does 10k a week for almost 10 years. He gets millions of complaints and one $7 fine so if you are not too sensitive then dont worry about it and do it. Putting it in the box is a federal felony so dont do that or your *** will get hammered

I have placed a few hangers on mailboxes and haven't heard anything negative about it. I know if I was a mail delivery guy I wouldn't care to much, unless it got to the point where I couldn't even get the mailbox open without moving a flyer.

[Grass Doctor]

totally wrong u wont like nobody do that to u. that's up to the customer to decide who they hire, i have even pick from the ground others people flyer, guess who got the call.

i took one just to see what where all about, maybe two

[PVMS]

There are plenty of people out there that can not afford a real contractor, so they call lowballers. Be thankful that these customers are not wasting your time.
Great genuine customers do not call "Beer money Bob's". They want more.

There is alot of competition in my area, both contractors and beer money bob's.
I go out of my way to both help and befriend almost all of them.
I pass on all my tight wad's on to a couple of local lowballers, who inturn pass on jobs that they don't have equipment for.
I also get tons of work from other local guys that I have befriended. My business would not have grown as fast as it has without them. I would happily deliver flyers for them if they asked.
If you are confident in your own marketing skills, competition can become your friend.

[samauri]

yea thats pretty crap mate, i would never do it, the way i see it we all trying to do the same thing here, which is to make a dollar. your taking somones ability to do so not buy out classing him with business but low and underhand techniques.
lame on you

[CHEESE2009]

Some people care about the lives of others, while some would care less if they were rid from this world.

I personally don't give a crap. If life has taught me anything, it's giving a damn about others that holds me back.

Do what YOU need to do to get ahead.

-

All I can honestly see is from this thread:

COMPETITION : 0
YOU : 1

I've never trashed my competitors fliers, but I can't say it's a completely terrible idea without first asking myself, "will it be effective" when it comes to marketing myself.

Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't - let us know, go-getter!