Where my customers @?

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by Chaz I'd like to let at least 1 client in particular go, how did u go about letting a client go? If a client has done something for me to want to let him/her go, I just do the work for what they have paid me for, then run away and never look back. There are some clients you just can't confront without humiliating them, good luck!

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Should I just be content with waiting until next march to send out postcards and flood the areas I want with them? Has this information helped you alter your marketing plan?

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[Columbianalawns]

im just confused with what marketing methods to use and what will work best, im thinking an oversized post card maybe with "eddm"

[AkersLawn]

You fellers think there is any money in this?

[jbungard1856]

How do you guys feel about buying,selling and trading customers?

[jymie]

Originally Posted by jbungard1856

How do you guys feel about buying,selling and trading customers?

I think the best way is to hand out business cards to everyone you meet, when you go to the grocery store hand people your card, in fact in all public places that you go do this. Politicians when they want your vote, they shake your hand and hand you literature about them. Do the same for your lawn business.

[CHEESE2009]

Cost-effective marketing has to be 'cheap'.

We have a very low response rate, so I spend money on business cards that act as my advertising. They look professional, and I save money.

Printing out your own colored flyers is much more expensive and time consuming (quality paper, ink, folding, and even holding them going door-to-door). If you have flyers/pamphlets done professionally, you are throwing money away!

With business cards, it's about $50-60 for 2000 of them. All you do is grab a big handful and go around sticking them in door jams.

Make sure to leave space to write your estimates on them, along with expiry dates for the work you are advertising.

[aduttonater]

All of my customers come from online advertisement. I have business cards in my little pocket ready to hand out to each person that I provide an estimate for. I don't waste my cards passing them out to random people ( This is a waste of marketing material).

If I am lucky enough to generate a call from my online advertisement (Which I'm receiving at least 4-6 calls per day now), then I can set up a time and day for an estimate.

As long as I make my appointment for the estimate, hand out my card, evaluate the work. I say your looking at around $150 to have this work done. This is where the negotiation happens.

Some people will say okay and hop right on your price, others will try to low ball you. Hold your ground and stick with your rates. I tell people before I go out for an estimate that it's a minimum of at least $125. This eliminates those low ballers that want to only pay $40 for over 5 hours worth of work.

Anyway, create a formula that works for you , and stick to it. If you can generate income by utilizing free advertisement online methods, you will save yourself plenty of income, time, and hassle.

[Steve]

I tell people before I go out for an estimate that it's a minimum of at least $125.

When you say that, do you ever find customers get fixated on that number and if you price a job higher, they tend to balk and complain?

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by Steve

When you say that, do you ever find customers get fixated on that number and if you price a job higher, they tend to balk and complain?

I do the same thing when asked over the phone for a price. That way I'm not wasting my time. If you tell them the service starts at x amount and goes up depending on size they have nothing to complain about. A customer usually cant guess the size of the yard, gutters , or anything helpful for you to bid.