When is the right time?

[CHEESE2009]

When is it the right time for advertising? How do you deal with close competition? A company sent out a paper last month, and again TODAY, they just changed the paper type to a glossy type. Another company left a card in my mailbox yesterday, they put the card in an envelope & stamped it with there logo. .. It got me pretty ticked off when I saw it, I noticed a few flaws in the card, it wasn't translated in French when it's a regulation around here. I have been BUSTING my butt to hire people to translate my paper! What caught my eye was the price of there service., that's another story... So my fliers are done, I have cards coming in this week sometime, maybe tomorrow. It's the end of March & we still have snow, & maybe a chance of another snow storm like last year. (it happened on Easter) I'm thinking maybe I should do my advertising run the 3rd week of April, so people have it last, & right before cutting season. it will give me time to take calls also. Anyway, competition is heating up, & I refuse to lower my price.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Breeze: A common mistake is to make an advertising run as a one-time shot. It sounds like your competition is following the tactic of sending a flyer, judging the outcome, tweaking his advertising then trying again. This is a great tactic. I know you want to hit it at exactly the right time but, I believe, you should ease into your advertising and not hit it all at once. Multiple hits over a longer period of time targeting a smaller prospective client group will garner more response than a one-time campaign to a very large prospective group.

__________________
Start a profitable lawn care business.

[picframer]

Timing is everything, My first run went today and our weather is a few weeks behind you, why did I send it today? The home show is this weekend, I was too late into this to get a table so I had to some up with some ideas including the show myself each day with the truck, trailer and one of my larger tractors on the trailer, everything is lettered and ready to go.

Putting flyer's on car windows was a thought however the show organizers will not allow it so, I had shirts and jackets made up and will have my 16 year old daughter & friends, Son and his University friends attend at high traffic times and walk around, they will all have cards on them and if someone asks will receive one. The trailer has holders for flyers with a moderate sized sign saying free flyer, may get in a bot of trouble for that but I can always put it away, if I pay for parking then they can't make me remove the trailer which is all decked out.

I have four separate flyer's/post cards, I believe the response from the first run will be light but I will hit the same areas four times in a 60 day period, my mailing is very, very specific in area, you can do the same using Canada Post, it's cheaper than hiring someone to hand deliver.

As for translating, is your flyer in French or English? Either way if it isn't too long email it for me and I will do it for you, wife is from Montreal and I am from Northern New Brunswick, we all speak English, French and the kids speak Spanish as well, daughter has pretty much mastered Italian and is now working on German, no idea why....

You must be in the Eastern Townships is someone is dropping English only as that would not go well in most areas, and having worked in Montreal with the bank, many would want french only from my experience.

Good Luck

Andy

alondon(at)oakridgeyardcare.ca

I send out my first round of flyers last week. I'll hit the same areas again in another 2 weeks. That always seems to work well for me.

[Steve]

When is it the right time for advertising?
How do you deal with close competition?

This is such a great question. One of the great simple answers I have seen on here is send out your spring marketing when you start seeing spring marketing from companies like home depot and other big box retailers.

But from the larger picture, you should always be marketing. Always. That doesn't mean you need to send out flyers all the time, but you need to be doing things that brings attention to you and your business at all times. It should be part of your daily ritual and weekly ritual. How often are you meeting new people in the area? How often are you handing them out business cards? Letting them know you are in business? Are you visit local stores and hanging up flyers?

How do you deal with the close competition? Stand out and differentiate yourself. There is something unique about you or what you can do that you can use to stand out. You have some knowledge or skill or personality trait that is going to make you stand out and you need to leverage that.

What are your thoughts on this?

[CHEESE2009]

Sounds awesome!

I just got home from an advertising run on 2 circle streets ... maybe 30+ houses, not much but I was bored.

It's a beautiful day so I think I'll grab the rest of my million fliers & take a walk!

[CHEESE2009]

I went out to pass fliers with my girlfriend & her 3 friends. We all wore the company hat & mail holding bags door to door to to every house of the perimeter of the city I'd like to take over. It was Saturday & beautiful outside. I met tons of potential customers & was able to talk to them.

By bringing the girls out to help, I think it boosted the company image.
Many customers were interested & said they would hire us if they had woman working. The girls all had a great way of communicating with the elderly which was wonderful to see. Another thing that was asked by a few customers is, "are you a student?" I responded "No, I've been doing this for awhile now. I always hire students looking for work however."

I think by saying you hire students, makes you look more positive in the eyes of potential customers. Especially if you are not a student, your basically saying "NO this is what I do, & it's my life" = I wont be interfered by school or problems students might encounter, the customers can trust me & understand that I am dedicated & will be around always.

Anyway, it was a great day yesterday. Now it's flippin' freezin' !!!

[Steve]

Good for you, you are making yourself known and getting the word out! Thats what it is all about!