NOW IS THE TIME!

Originally Posted by [b Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 07 2007,7:29)] Do you follow up with a phone call both times? Or just once a year? I follow up with calls both times. i like to try and make it more personal.

[Steve]

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (ABurlison @ Dec. 07 2007,6:29)]Do you think it would be sufficient enough to email a letter of this type out to potential customers?? *I know a mailed letter would be more personal and professional.

Email is a form of communication after you have established a good relationship with a client.

[Steve]

Tim, you are very much a go getter when it comes to all this. Have you found yourself doing other things to get attention for yourself and your business?

Have you ever done community projects or have you ever gotten your business in the paper for any reason?

[LGYardService]

Tim,

So I'm really, really liking this idea! But I do have a few questions about it. So:

Do you just send it out to any commercial business that you want an account with or what?

What if you send these letters out and a business contacts you and they want more "add-on" services then you were suspecting?

Thanks for bringing up the idea and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 07 2007,10:49)]Tim, you are very much a go getter when it comes to all this. Have you found yourself doing other things to get attention for yourself and your business?

Have you ever done community projects or have you ever gotten your business in the paper for any reason?

This past year we put ourselves in the county fair parade and sponcered some of the horse shows. this was alot of fun and we got our name out there in plain sight with the parade and the subliminaul message out there with the announcer saying "your 5 gated class is sponcered by R & R Lawn Care they have your lawn care landscape needs covered". I do sponcer thing for the 4H horse club also. the sponcer fee's are miniumal $$$.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (LGYardService @ Dec. 09 2007,12:53)]Do you just send it out to any commercial business that you want an account with or what?

What if you send these letters out and a business contacts you and they want more "add-on" services then you were suspecting?

Yes I find customers I would want to do business with with the exception is that I am very picky when it comes to who I solicit, I do alittle more checking up on that business to make sure they are stable and I don't get burned to bad when they can't pay the monthly invoices.

More is a "good thing" if you can handle it, my advise for you being your younger you will have to work harder than anyone else in this forum, this I mean you will have to prove yourself to all of your customers, you said you have 5 steady customers go to them and ask if they wouldn't mind writing a testamonial or letter of recommendation for you to carry in your profolio with pictures of you actully doing the work make sure you let your new potential customer know you currenetly have 5 exsisting customers from last season this will show your dependable and not going to get tired of this and quite in the middle of the season. just something to remember, this is only my advise to you If I were in your shoes I would nt want to add more than 5-10 new customers to your cliant list, here is why you are dependent on transportation keep your customer base close. Best of Luck to ya. Tim

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]This past year we put ourselves in the county fair parade and sponcered some of the horse shows.

How fantastic!

Do you have any pictures of this at all? Did you have a banner?

What community events do you see yourself getting involved with next year?

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 09 2007,6:13)]

How fantastic!

Do you have any pictures of this at all? Did you have a banner?

What community events do you see yourself getting involved with next year?

No pictures I was driving our rig while the kids road in the trailer, throwing candy out to the folks watching the parade.

I didn't need a banner my trucks have our name in BIG letters on the doors.

Well we will be in 3 parades, and I will sponsor some of the horse shows again, try to be the main sponsor for the county beauty contest all during the fair, and I am going to bid on providing the landscape design an install for center ring. When I say bid on it that mean free, we only get advertising out of it. The major player (Landscape Co.) has had it for a long time, and I want it. (LOL). Time to let them (other landscape co's) know I'm going to be their BIGGET thorn-n-the-side.

[LGYardService]

Tim,

Thanks for all your help and advice but I have a few more questions. I know "more" can be a good thing but what if I contact a business and they want full-time winter snow removal? At this time, since im still in school, I cannot do full parking lot and commercial snow removal. The grass and lawn care are no problem since they are in the summer but the winter I'm a little worried about. Don't you think a business is looking for a provider that can be "full-time" in both? Will that be a turn off for me? Thanks again!

Luke