Another New Service, well actually two

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I try to spend one night a week looking at comments I recorded from clients, I enter this in a spreadsheet and keep track of services asked about we do not offer, if it happens on a regular basis then I start my research. Black flies and Mosquito's are a serious issue here, in keeping with our Organic only policy I started to research, contacted my friend at Natures Magic who put me in contact with a company here in Canada that makes an Organic product, lasts 6 weeks, mainly Garlic and boy does it work and work well, so now that I have the product I wrote 11 clients who had asked last night, I have 9 replies this morning for a quote. It is made by http://www.bjedistri-organic.com/cgi...n&id_produit=4 So now that I have my son home from University and on board, he hired three University friends Monday, all experienced equipment operators it has taken some of the heat off me so I can focus on clients needs and quotes. I asked him last night to hire to more that would do spraying so we should be good to go by Friday. Another new product is weed burning, I bought two kits out of Kansas, most of our current clients are on wells so we have to be desperate careful what we do to their lawns. For pricing we will spray the Mosquito product by the gallon and leave it to the customer how much they want done, explain coverage etc. it lasts for about 6 weeks so this means we will be back which is what we want. Weed busning is by the square foot, we have a number to do, just waiting for the equipment. Anyhow folks a couple of things to consider. Andy

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

That is very interesting! Does that company offer you any marketing material to show how well it works on keeping away mosquitos? WOW if you had a video or something to show the effect of it, something visual, I bet it would sell really fast.

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Originally Posted by Steve

That is very interesting! Does that company offer you any marketing material to show how well it works on keeping away mosquitos?

WOW if you had a video or something to show the effect of it, something visual, I bet it would sell really fast.

Yes, I have a conference call this morning then a call with the local news paper, they want to do an interview that will be posted in mid May along with customer feedback, this will be huge.

[Steve]

That is fantastic! Keep us updated on how it all turns out.

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Originally Posted by Steve

That is fantastic! Keep us updated on how it all turns out.

It's raining hard here today, at the moment too hard, we had 8 employees out spraying since 7 plus myself, I just sent them an email to hold off until it calms down. Anyhow at our morning staff conference call I introduced this new mosquito spray to all the staff and ask that they mention it to clients, reports back to me say we have 17 clients who either said do it or what will it cost. Still waiting to hear from the manufacturer. I am going to contact day care centres and schools, it will be ab easy sell and there are over 100 day care centres here, being classified as a food grade product by the USDA, it's going to be a hit.

[Steve]

How do you mention this to customers? Do you warn them of the dangers of diseases that Mosquitos can transmit like West Nile Virus? Or do you simply say we have this organic spray that can keep bugs away? Whats the best way to go about this?

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Two ways, on a visit the first time they swat one which is generally within a few seconds you simply state, Mosquito's are a pain, we have an Organic product proven to drive them away if you are interested, works 100% of the time.

Here is the newspaper ad:

Mosquito’s Driving You Out?

Oakridge Yard Care has an Certified Organic spray for your backyard, cottage, daycare marinas, back yard pool, barbeque area, that will drive them away, each application will last up to six weeks and best of all it will not harm your children or pets. For a free estimate or should you have any questions, please contact us. Visit our website at www.oakridgeyardcare.ca or call 488-4673 for a free estimate

[Steve]

Andy,

I gotta hand it to you. You are always thinking and you are a great salesman. That is very creative!

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Originally Posted by Steve

Andy,

I gotta hand it to you. You are always thinking and you are a great salesman. That is very creative!

I'm in this to make money and great relationships with customers by filling needs that make sense to me. We are up to 11 employees as of noon today and more than enough work to keep them going.

It's about being aware of what the competition is doing well and not well, listen closely to the customers concerns, I picked up three more clients today from Lawn Rangers, they are a massive Canada wide company, I know know their weakness and am going after it full force, by the time they notice me we will be too big, same thing happened in the last company I took from the bottom to the top.

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Originally Posted by Steve

Andy,

I gotta hand it to you. You are always thinking and you are a great salesman. That is very creative!

I had to pull the spray crews at 10:30, it's raining like no tomorrow here so it's an on the phone day, paperwork etc.

Decided I would call 9 childcare centres, I know the owners fairly well as I served on the Childcare board for three years, explained what I was up to, and the new Mosquito spray product as they will be a serious issue in about two weeks, I have a four month program as the product only lasts 4 to 6 weeks, sold all 9 and have 5 appointments for tomorrow to look at their lawns and lawn care.

Years back in my security monitoring company I went after the schools in Halifax and area, they are all controlled by one board, there are 128, the chairman is a client and a very close friend, I just got off the phone with him as we haven't spoke since I ventured into this lawn care, explained the Mosquito product, they want a presentation Friday for all schools outside the city limits as bugs in the city are not a major issue, that is 103 schools, I guess they are not happy with their lawn care provider either and I know the company and the owner well but I explained it would be far too big for me this year however we can talk in the fall for next year.

Things are rolling, I now have 6 solid products that are going like wildfire, I have two on the burner I could announce but we need to grow into our shoes, at the moment even with my son taking on a large workload it's crazy busy.

This is going very well, better than planned but not in the areas I thought when I did my plan, sales wise I am way ahead of where I thought we would be.

Back to the phone, I want 15 childcare centres before supper.