New Marketing Idea

[tjgray]

The really nice thing about my position in this company is that I never really have to do any of the physical hard work Yes I take care of all the office work, answering the phone and returning emails, marketing ideas, website, financials, A/R and A/P, and a ton of other stuff involved on the administration side but very rarely will you catch me pushing a mower. I do go out on route with the guys a couple of days a week when I want to... Usually though I go on Saturday when I know our customers will be home. I take Hami Bones and we visit After chatting with our customers a bit I might take some new pictures for our growing collection and then if the guys aren't finished I usually help out. Hami Bones and I delivered the mums to all of our customers personally during the first and second weeks of October. Inside each mum I placed a happy fall message that I designed and printed out on Avery business card paper All of our customers thought we were so sweet and they always give Hami Bones plenty of scratches and pets. It is fun for both of us and gives me a chance to speak with all of them about how they are feeling regarding our services or up-coming lawn projects they might want to start...

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Tara Gray
Green Paws Lawn Care
http://www.greenpawslawncare.com

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

You really are doing a wonderful job! Now when you are handing out these flowers do you make it a point to only give them if someone is at the home or will you leave them at the door?

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[tjgray]

Thanks Steve! I like to think that I do a good job

I think it is important for every business to have someone that will do the PR work...and not only do I consider myself good at it but I enjoy it as well.

The guys are too busy doing the actual physical work to take a lot of time just chatting it up with our customers

Most of the mums we handed to our customers but there were a few we just left at the door...

In fact a funny story...

Our customer calls us on the phone and asked us if we were out on his property that day to which we replied no. He goes on to tell us that his wife was home and someone pulled up at his house in a van and proceeded to walk around his property looking into his windows. He then tells us that they left a card and that they have the same name as us...

After assuring him that we would never be so rude as to try and look into his windows, we asked him what the contact info on the card was and he told us that there was none. That the card only said Happy Fall, The Other Side Lawn Company. After hearing this we realized the card I put in his mums must have fallen out lol

Turns out the van that had pulled up to his home was the cable company

[Steve]

That is very interesting! Do you ever wonder if because you do all this, you have better customer retention than other lawn care operators? Do you ever ask around about that?

I think we do because the extra touch of giving back something and being personal with the customers brings them back, we have 100% return for next season.

[Steve]

This is a post everyone should start thinking about for this holiday season.

Is anyone planning on doing this, this year?

You could sell poinsettias and home made wreaths. This is a great way to meet new people in your area.

[Gino Bargellini]

We gave out poinsettias last year. Lowes selld them for 1.50 on black friday. So we drove around and delivered them. It was around dinnertime, so we left them on the door steps with cards and coupons. One for them and one for a friend. Only 2 people ever said thank you, and most people used both coupons for themselves. It was very dissapointing.

[Steve]

Hi Gino,

and most people used both coupons for themselves. It was very dissapointing.

What kind of coupons were they? Can you tell us a little about what they said?
Why do you feel it was disappointing?

I can understand if you were upset they didn't say thank you, but if they said thank you in other ways, maybe it could be viewed as a success. Did they stay with you next year? Did these coupons increase your profits?

Share with me your thoughts on this.