Posts Tagged advertising

Make Something Happen TODAY with your Lawn Care Business

Is your lawn care business in the doldrums?

I spoke with a lawn care business owner recently who said he was very depressed that he only has 5 customers going into the summer mowing season. When I asked him what he had done today for his lawn care business he said that he had put out over 1,000 flyers. To clarify, I asked if he put all 1,000 flyers out today. He said “no, last Thursday. I didn’t get any results. What’s the point?”

LOL. Just from this very quick conversation, I can identify 3 things that are going on with this guy. He’s impetuous, impatient, and burnt out.

To begin with, he DID get results. Although he would have like to have more customers, his flyer campaign got him 5 customers. That’s not too bad for a rushed together flyer campaign. However, flyers should never be the only marketing plan implemented by a lawn care company.

Once again, I asked him what he has done TODAY. “Nothing, I’m too tired from the flyers.”

HAHAHA Today is Wednesday and he’s too tired from something he did almost a week ago???

As he said this I thought about a book I read about Sam Walton (the founder of Wal-Mart) years ago. He said that slow steady growth is the key to a successful business. Market smart and market consistantly. Do something every single day to grow your business.

This is important because if you burn yourself out by placing 1,000 flyers you won’t have the energy to continue with a smart, consistant marketing plan. Advertising should be performed on a consistant, daily basis.

Successful marketing takes careful planning, forethought, and persistance.

What have you done TODAY for your Lawn Care Business?

If you are interested in learning the RIGHT way to market your Lawn Care Business, consider purchasing our Lawn Care Business Guidebook and Software program. It is packed with information to help you start and grow a successful lawn care company including things you can do every single day to steadly grow your business.





To learn more, visit our main webpage: http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com/order.html

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Lawn Care Business on Facebook

Lawn Care Business on Facebookacebook has almost 1 billion subscribers. Chances are almost everyone you know (including your entire customer base) is on Facebook.

Lawn Care Business owners can benefit greatly from an active presence on Facebook. Facebook can be used as free marketing and you only need a few extra minutes to keep your customers up-to-date with your lawn care business.

We are on Facebook too and you can find us at: http://www.Facebook.com/LawnCareBusiness

If you want to learn advertising methods that really work for your lawn care business,
visit our website at: www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com





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Lawn Care Advertising – Funny Cow or Sad Clown?

http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com
Lawn Care Advertising – Funny Cow or Sad Clown

I often get inspiration for my lawn care business by observing the ways other businesses market their goods and services.

In fact, I am writing this blog post from one of my favorite restaurants – Chik-fil-A. Chik-fil-A does an outstanding job of marketing. Sure, their advertising is great. We’ve all seen the huge billboards with the two cows painting a funny sign that says: “EAT MOR CHIKIN!” However, marketing is more than advertisements on billboards. Marketing includes the way Chik-fil-A actually runs their business on a day-to-day basis. Their restaurants are always clean, their staff is always friendly, the food is always good, and the waffle fries are almost always hot.

As I walked into Chik-fil-A about 10 minutes ago (laptop bag slung over my shoulder) I was greeted by the cashier. There was eye-to-eye contact and she seemed genuinely pleased to take my order. I was treated like a human being and not just some annoying customer. Whether she knows it or not, the cashier is one of the most important pieces in Chik-fil-A’s marketing strategy. Her attitude ultimately determines how likely I am to return to the resturaunt and eat mor chikin.

Today, Chik-fil-A’s marketing efforts are in stark contrast to another business I passed on my way across the parking lot a few minutes ago. A hair cutting place is running a promotion in the parking lot. Someone dressed as a clown is wandering up and down the sidewalk and several of the hair cutters are waiving a “NO WAITING” sign signaling to passers-by that they can come in for an immediate haircut. Now, this is a great strategy since LOTS of families are out this weekend buying new clothes and supplies for their school children. It’s a great time to get a back-to-school haircut.

The sad thing about the hair cutting place’s marketing strategy is that the haircutters could not look more disgusted with the fact that they have to be outside trying to drum up business. As I walked by, not a single hair cutter made eye contact or even smiled in my direction. Their body language and facial expressions were so pathetic that I was certainly not inspired to go inside to get my hair cut (even though I need it). Who wants to get a hair cut from some cranky hair cutter with a bad attitude and a pair of sharp scissors? I am sure they have all had a long day standing in the blazing sun but, for gosh sakes, even the clown didn’t look happy.

There’s nothing more depressing than a sad clown.

If you are looking for marketing ideas for your lawn care business, take a lesson from Chik-fil-A. You are your own best marketing asset. Your attitude and the way you make your customers feel will determine if they continue to do business with you. If you are surly, cantankerous, and have a bad attitude about your work, your customers will look elsewhere for their lawn care service. However, if you present a knowledgeable and pleasant attitude, your customers will readily hire you for all their lawn care and landscaping work and tell all their friends about your lawn care business.

Given the choice, most customers will choose a funny cow over a sad clown every time.

Well, my chicken sandwich is finished, the last two waffle fries are cold, and I’ve just refilled my Mello Yello. In closing, I just want to say that I am with: www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com We are sincere about wanting your business and wanting you to purchase our Start A Lawn Care Business program. We feel we have put together the best lawn care business course available for guys, like you, who are trying to start your lawn care business and make it a success. We have been in the industry for nearly 20 years and it is our goal to give you a GREAT product at a GREAT price.

So, if you are trying to make your lawn care business a success, take a look at our main website and consider purchasing our lawn care business package. It includes lawn care business strategy guides, business manuals, equipment reviews, video tutorials, and the complete line of estimating software. http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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Celebrate Mother's Day with a Beautiful Lawn

If your lawn care customers are tired of buying a potted plant or a pretty scarf for their Mothers on Mother’s Day, tell them to pay for lawn care service for their Mom’s instead.

Mother’s Day is this weekend May 9, 2010. At this very moment, millions of sons and daughters (and husbands) are scrambling in search of ideas for their mothers. You know very well that most of them will buy something lame at the last minute to give to their Moms. “It’s the thought that counts” she will exclaim as yet another figurine gets placed on the shelf as a dust collector.

Instead of buying something silly again this year, tell everyone you know that they should buy a lawn servicing or a landscape project for their Moms this year. When you think about it, lawn care is an ideal present for Mother’s Day. She won’t have to nag her husband about it and the grass will finally look good for a change.

In fact, why stop at one lawn care servicing job. If all the kids pool their money, they can buy lawn care service for the entire year and their Moms will know that they never have to worry about the grass again. If they don’t have big yards or if their husbands insist on doing the grass cutting, landscaping projects such as a large planter installation or a flower bed make over make ideal gifts.

If you operate your own lawn care business, don’t miss out on marketing your business during Mother’s Day weekend. You should be able to pickup quite a few new clients.

Also, if you are still unsure about how to price your jobs and how to make the most money for your lawn care company, check out our lawn care business guidebooks and estimating software at: http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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More lawn mower racing videos.

We received some nice responses from yesterday’s video of the lawn mower race. So, I want to post a couple more minutes from a 5 man lawn mower race video.

Do you participate in these types of events? I think lawn mower racing is fascinating and I would love to give it a try. Also, I would love to hear from any lawn care business owners who also participate in the events and use lawn mower racing as a promotion for their lawn care businesses. Let us know if it has helped your business as a marketing tool and if people recognize you around town. You you incorporate your lawn mower racing in your business name or in your logo?

Enjoy the video. We may have more for you later this spring.

Oh, that reminds me; spring is basically here and I hope everyone is pounding the pavement hard drumming up new customers and contracts. Contracts are still being bid for the upcoming lawn mowing season. If you need some help finding customers and bidding contract, be sure to check out our lawn care business program. It includes the estimating software. This will really help you bidding jobs and giving prices to your customers.

Start A Lawn Care Business
http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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Lawn Care Flyers On Car Windshields

When it comes to advertising a lawn care business, I’m a fan of pounding the streets and knocking on doors. I believe the way to build strong client lists is through face-to-face contact. As such, I tend to shy away from flyers on telephone poles and advertisements on doorknob hangers. These advertisements, along with business cards taped to the outside of mailboxes seem to be an intrusion into your potential customer’s private space.

lawn care business flyer under windshield wiper

I saw this flyer under a windshield wiper recently. I could only think of negative connotations about this flyer.

1) It always ticks me off when people put flyers on my vehicle.

2) I never look at flyers that have been left on my vehicle. I tear them up and throw them away immediately.

3) There are probably rules against placing solicitations on vehicles in this parking lot.

4) If a windshield wiper gets damaged, will the lawn care company have to pay the repair bill?

5) If a strong wind blows the flyer away or the car’s owner tosses the flyer to oneside, can the lawn company be charged with littering?

While I am not 100% AGAINST flyers on cars and private property, I do believe LCOs should be very restrictive in their placement of such flyers.

There are too many legitimate outlets for advertising to risk the downfalls of improperly placed flyers.

If you want to learn correct forms of advertising and advertising that REALLY WORKS, look at our business program located at our main website: StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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Canon Rebel T1i DSLR Camera for Your Lawn Care Business.

The more I think about advertising and marketing for your lawn care business, the more I realize that you must make extra effort to stand above the crowd and bring attention to your business.

As websites and online marketing take precedence over newspaper and other print advertising, the visual quality of your marketing campaign becomes ever more important.

Digital cameras are priced to the point where everyone who wants a digital camera now has one. I’ve recommended for years that lawn care business operators keep a digital camera in their work vehicles for “before and after” documentation of special jobs and for pictures of special circumstances that may arise. For example, if a homeowner isn’t home when you finish a leaf raking job, you can take a picture to prove all leaves were removed from the lawn at the completion of your work. If leaves are on the lawn after the homeowner arrives home, those leaves fell after your leaf raking was complete.

As higher quality digital cameras become more affordable, professional quality photography becomes available even to small lawn care operators. Professional photography equipment can turn an otherwise ordinary looking picture of an outstanding lawn care job into a vibrant masterpiece that screams for the view to call your number and hire you to do their lawn care work during the upcoming season.

If you are looking for a high quality semi-professional digital SLR camera, Amazon.com has one of the best-priced affordable cameras we have seen in a long time.

The Canon D-500 (T1i) features 15 megapixel, liveview mode, and full HD video (use the 720 for best performance).

While I don’t recommend throwing this camera in your work truck, buy this camera to keep in your office and only take it out when you want professional quality shots of your best lawns. If you want marketing shots of your landscaping designs or your lawn striping, this camera will give you amazingly vibrant shots at an affordable price.

The link below will allow you to purchase from Amazon.com at their recently reduced price:

For for information on starting your own lawn care business, visit our website: www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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I Never Even Heard of It.

I was reminded today how difficult it is to keep your business name in front of potential customers who may want to hire you for your lawn care services.

A friend and I decided we wanted to get some Jiffy-Pop after dinner. Jiffy-Pop has been around as long and I remember. When I was a kid I used to love listening to the popcorn kernals shaking around inside the foil pan and watching the aluminum top carefully unfold as the crazy explosion of popcorn inside caused the container to expand.

Walgreens did not have any Jiffy-Pop so my friend asked if she had missed it on the shelf. The clerk’s response was “I Never Even Heard of It.” It took me a couple seconds to realize the clerk was being sincere and had actually never heard of Jiffy-Pop.

Jiffy-Pop has likely spent 10’s of millions of dollars on advertising over the years. To me, it’s one of those products that has always been around and always will be around. It’s a staple to American society.

However, as ubiquitous as it is to our culture, there are still people who don’t know what Jiffy-Pop is. This makes me think about the difficulty of keeping our lawn care brand names in front of our prospective customers. If a multi-million dollar company has difficulty reaching a retail store’s stocking clerk, what hope do our puny lawn care companies have in making sure all the residents in our lawn care service area know our names.

If you are attempting to market your lawn care company and are finding it difficult to keep your name in front of your prospective customers, our lawn care business strategy guidebook and software package will help you with professional business marketing and advertising strategies.

You can read more about the business package by visiting our main website located at: http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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John Deere, Fruit Snacks, and Your Lawn Care Business

I was in a convenience store the other day and I saw a John Deere item on the shelf. 

Now, I’ve long known about John Deere scale model tractors and John Deere keychains but this particular item took me by surprise.  It was a box of Kellogg’s Fruit Flavored Snacks featuring John Deere on the box and tractor shaped fruit blobs inside the box.
 
I have always admired John Deere’s marketing department for their efforts to make John Deere an American institution.  In our minds, John Deere built the American mid-west and currently cultivates the agricultural bread basket.  John Deere puts food on our tables and gives us the ability to sell wheat to the rest of the world.  John Deere has strength to both mow our home lawn and harvest a 640 acre central pivot cornfield.  We all know “nothing runs like a Deere.”
 
John Deere has cross promoted itself into many areas of American life and I think this cross promotion works well for them.  In an age where effects of advertising campaigns are measured in days or weeks, John Deere bucks the trend by using long term marketing efforts.  Who buys (or, at least, uses) fruit snacks?  Kids do.  The fruit snacks might be purchased by adults but it’s the kids who enjoy them.  I can’t believe John Deere is turning a profit selling fruit snacks.  However, that 10 year old kid who gobbles down a fruit snack today will remember the name John Deere 20 years from now.  When it’s time to buy a new tractor or lawn mower, John Deere will be forever entrenched in his mind and John Deere’s investment in fruit snack marketing will finally pay off.
 
I love to think about marketing strategies and I am as guilty as the next guy trying to developing advertising which has immediate dividends for my lawn care business just like John Deere does.  As we forge forward into a new year we should all attempt to develop marketing strategies which will have long term benefits and not just an immediate payoff of days or weeks.

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Landscaping and Homeowners' Associations

by: Lawn Care Business

Free Lawn Care Advertising by Landscaping a Homeowners’ Association Entryway.

Landscaping an entryway can bring many new lawn care customers. (Free Advertising)

The impact made by your landscaping work may be your best form of self advertising especially when you landscape by planting decorative shrubs and colorful perennials.

Bidding lawn care contracts within homeowners’ associations can be very profitable for your lawn care company.  Often, homeowners’ associations bid out contracts for public areas within their confines.  Pools, road right-of-way, and, most importantly, sub division entrances are included within the lawn care and landscaping arrangements.

Allowances for advertising vary from one homeowners’ association to another.  Some HOAs will allow you to place signs on completed project areas while other HOAs will place a free ad for you within their monthly newsletter and recommend you as trusted vendor within the community.

The entrance to a residential complex under the guidance of a HOA is probably the most important initial portion of your landscaping work for the HOA.  The subdivision entrance is the first impact anyone entering the subdivision experiences.  If your landscape work is dreary or unkempt it will make a negative impact on those who notice.

However, if you skillfully design your landscaping and make a spectacular impact every resident of the subdivision will notice your work and many of them will clamor to become your clients.

Free Lawn Care Advertising

Although landscape design and installation will bring you many new lawn care customers, resist the temtation to reduce your price in exchange for “Free Lawn Care  Advertising” as you might be convinced by the HOA. Great landscaping is free advertising for the HOA since residents, seeing great landscaping, will happily continue paying their HOA fees.

When landscaping for a homeowners’ association, charge fairly and do a great job.

Landscaping a subdivision entryway is free advertising for your lawn care business.

Landscaping a subdivision entryway is free advertising for your lawn care business.

Our Start A Lawn Care Business package is on sale right now for quick shipment.   For much more information about the business package, visit our website at:  http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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