September Special

[jasonw]

Ok so I got a call yesterday, Maybe she was pulling my leg being cheep or maybe not. Anyway she wanted her lawn cut for her B day party this weekend. She said its a very small long "Use to take her only 10 minutes to cut" however its 30 minutes from my house so we are going to say 1.5 hours. I explained the problem we have is the cost, My charge would be so high it would look bad because I have to drive so far. Anyway she said all she could afford was $20. I thought on it and figured what the hell "Happy Bday" Why turn down work. Then I thought maybe that would be good for promotion. $20 mowing s for the month of September. Dose that sound like it could bring in some business or am I cutting my own throught?

__________________
White Company

[CHEESE2009]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by jasonw Then I thought maybe that would be good for promotion. $20 mowing s for the month of September. Dose that sound like it could bring in some business or am I cutting my own throught? I'm doing that now. If you figure it wont become a hassle, I say go for it! It's pretty much EARLY advertising Write up a letter saying your giving reasonable prices so people can witness the quality our your work! Don't give the special to your current clients :P

[arthur712]

Monthly Specials is a great way to get your name out there.

Like Breeze said! It will let you show how great your work realy is!!!

[jasonw]

Originally Posted by BREEZE2009

I'm doing that now. If you figure it wont become a hassle, I say go for it!

It's pretty much EARLY advertising

Write up a letter saying your giving reasonable prices so people can witness the quality our your work!

Don't give the special to your current clients :P

Oh yeh for sure only for new clients. I'm not trying to undercut or anything I just figured it would be a great way to draw attention to myself and get me out there more. I am realizing now its a whole different ball game. Its not just me looking for work but now I have an employee that is counting on me to keep him working. I would hope this would be the hook line and sinker to get mew clients. I could do a good job on there lawn, give them a flier with there invoice explaining what the prices are if they wish to continue the service after September and hope some of them call me back.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Originally Posted by jasonw

and hope some of them call me back.

Jason:

You have a great idea with your cutting special. But don't just "hope" they call you back.

Show up at their doorstep with full intention of winning them over as a full time customer. Have an agreement letter ready for them to sign agreeing to let you cut their grass for the next 12 months.

If they decline, have a 2nd option for them. Leaves need raking, driveway needs edging, gutters need cleaning, etc.

Seriously, think about it...you're spending 90 MINUTES WITH AN EMPLOYEE with the intention of only making $20?

Have it in your mind that you are going to make $100 on this job. You may still only come away with $20 but at least TRY right there...on the spot. Don't just "hope" you'll eventually get a new customer out of it.

You're doing great.

Good luck:

Keith
If you want to make serious money, you've got to turn it up a notch.

[Steve]

Then I thought maybe that would be good for promotion. $20 mowing s for the month of September. Dose that sound like it could bring in some business or am I cutting my own throught?

Great thoughts!

You got me thinking. What if you found out when the homeowner's bday was and the week of their birthday, you either gave them a discount for the mow or you gave it as a freebie. You would also give them a birthday card while you were there.

Maybe you could make this provisional on them signing a yearly contract.

[jasonw]

Originally Posted by Steve

Great thoughts!

You got me thinking. What if you found out when the homeowner's bday was and the week of their birthday, you either gave them a discount for the mow or you gave it as a freebie. You would also give them a birthday card while you were there.

Maybe you could make this provisional on them signing a yearly contract.

Well to make a long story short I cant do any of that. I can win them over with good work but I don't and wont use agreements or contracts. The way I see it if I drive down the road and mow a lawn for $20 I still make money. Maybe only $2 but its still more than I had. I don't believe in contracts and just cant use them. Also I pride myself on not pushing the customer for more work. The biggest complaints I get from new customers is how pushing the other guys are about wanting to redo the deck or trim the trees. I tell them if they need something done I will do it but I will not push them. If I see a problem I will bring it up and offer to fix it but I will not push them. I have gotten and kept most of my client using these tactics and think it could be detrimental to business and my name to change now. I am very confident that I will retain at least %50 of the new clients from only quality work and reasonable prices.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by StartALawnCareBusiness

Jason:


Show up at their doorstep with full intention of winning them over as a full time customer. Keith

You know Keith has spoken the golden rule, if you go in with a winning attitude you will win, sure you will have obsticles from time to time, reading buying signals and having the confidence and attitude that this job is yours will show, clients will see it and you will get it.

[Steve]

Also I pride myself on not pushing the customer for more work. The biggest complaints I get from new customers is how pushing the other guys are about wanting to redo the deck or trim the trees. I tell them if they need something done I will do it but I will not push them. If I see a problem I will bring it up and offer to fix it but I will not push them.

This is another topic that is very interesting.

How does one define 'pushing' in this context?

When you see a problem and bring it up, do you offer to fix it for $X price or do you say, I can fix that?

What's the best way for you to bring it up to hopefully create an upsell and what's the best way for a customer to have it brought up so they might buy?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

This is another topic that is very interesting.

How does one define 'pushing' in this context?

When you see a problem and bring it up, do you offer to fix it for $X price or do you say, I can fix that?

What's the best way for you to bring it up to hopefully create an upsell and what's the best way for a customer to have it brought up so they might buy?

Tell them straight up, I should post one of my proposals.

I tell clients, look, there is a host of things that you probably would like done and yes we can do it all however we encourage customers to take it a step at a time so what we do is make a list and price each item, we place it in the priority we think it should be considered however you are free to jump around the list as you wish, you decide what you would like done and when, this way we do things in stages in an orderly fashion, I am here to tell you for me this works every time.