Top Of Mind Awareness

[Steve]

I thought this was interesting too. I was on the web site http://franchise.screenmobile.com/page2.html and they were discussing the benefits to owning a franchise 2. Market Saturation - The purpose of franchising to work together, to create brand awareness, and eventually top of mind awareness in consumers (TOM.) This can be done in multiple ways. One such method is the pooling of funds on a regional and national level. As a participating franchise you magnify your impact in marketing awareness. It makes you wonder as you market your business, is one of your goals to achieve Top Of Mind awareness. So when someone thinks of lawn care they immediately think of you. It's quite a large goal to achieve but I feel it is totally possible. This is part of the reason why you need to constantly be out there in the public eye with new things you are doing. What's your take on this?

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I think that's the main goal of every business... at least in their area. I know that if someone ever called us and said "You were the first people we thought of for this" that it would absolutely make my day! Higher customer awareness = higher sales = higher profit!

[Steve]

When you think of lawn care on your area, does a certain name come to mind first?

What kinds of things does that company do to create such brand awareness?

Only one really stands out in my mind... but that's just because I go to church with the owner... lol

Hmm.... how do you create brand awareness? *Get a good logo and stick with it... put it on all of your advertising material... and then use that material a LOT.... fliers, business cards, signs, banners, even newspaper, TV and radio ads... anything to get your name out there... eventually, like the stupid Head-On (Head-On, apply directly to the forehead... Head-On, apply directly to the forehead... Head-On, apply directly to the forehead...) commercials, people will know who you are.... *Then, when you market to them specifically (cold calls, door-to-door visits, etc), they will already be familiar with your services.

High exposure = brand awareness.

[FourSeasons]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]When you think of lawn care on your area, does a certain name come to mind first?

What kinds of things does that company do to create such brand awareness?

Now that I have my own lawn care company I can think of 2 that stand out. One of them is nothing special. Its just that they are a big company and I see their trucks everywhere I go.
Another one I see I remember because their trucks are all painted yellow and green. It might only be a couple or a alot of them but i remember them because of the paint.
Thats because I'm paying attention to them now.

Before I had my own business none of them stood out to me. And I still don't see any around here that do anything special to stand out.

I'd really like to paint my trucks lime green with some nice advertisement graphics with lime green shirts to match. That way when some one sees me they'll know its me and say - hey, we see that guy all over town. he must do some good work. *There is truck and trailers all over the place around here with people doing lawns. I want to be that one guy that really stands out. I'm going to get a new truck first though.

[Steve]

When you think about this. It's like running for mayor! I mean to get that much attention on you or your business you really need to become a marketing machine and a total self-promoter.

Then think, how many business owners have you ever heard of doing anything that really stood out!

At least to me when I think about it, it's rare.

What's your view?

I agree with you, Steve. I think it's definately like running for office. You have to do as little work to get as much attention as you can.

Here's another idea I JUST thought about.... if any of you have local public access channels, why not do a 10-15 minute segment every two to four weeks with tips and tricks on homeowner lawn care? Maybe a special about how to identify different grasses and what ones do better in your local areas... Then try to get it aired on the p.a. channel... You'd be helping "Johnny Homeowner" that does their own lawn, but they would also be more likely to look to you when they needed something else done... and then you have the homeowners who hire people to do their lawns.... and business managers and owners...

The advertising possibilities are endless... and you shouldn't even have to pay to air it....

[Steve]

I had looked into that in the past. At least here they wanted 12 episodes already recorded before they would air a single one!

It would be free to air it but you couldn't discuss anything commercial.

I thought there were way too many restrictions.

But that would be nice ideally.

Maybe these restrictions are different in your area?

I also think with youtube and webpages, all of these things can now be done online with no restrictions.

But you do gotta love the idea of doing a This Old House for lawn care on tv.

I was up early this morning (around 6am) going to my mom-in-law's house to help her set-up for a yard sale... I was listening to a local AM radio station... they had a lawn and garden show on from 7-8am... took callers' questions and comments, talked about their own topics, etc... I thought "Hmmmmmm... Maybe I could get in on THIS gig..." lol

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]"Hmmmmmm... Maybe I could get in on THIS gig..." lol

What ways were you thinking of it? Do you mean calling in or another thought?