New ideas to get my lawn care business recognized

ChrisFarley

I am looking for ways to grow my business that other local companies have yet to think of. What are some ideas, i have a website and business cards and i will soon have magnetic signs for my trucks. Thanks for the input.

DaleKing

Chris, try purchasing leads of homeowners in your area. You can find a list broker online or in the yellow pages by searching for "mailing list services". Try to get a list that has the phone number of the homeowner. That way you can follow-up after you send out your mailing.
If you decide to take my advice and go the direct mail route, using postcards is an excellent way to announce your business to local homeowners, and generate leads for your lawncare business. Again, for best results, be sure to follow-up your mailing with a phone call.
 Dale King
DKing11/9/2007 12:52 PM

ChrisFarley

I`am cincinnati Ohio

DaleKing

Chris, I disagree with what Joan says. Direct mail is definitely the best way to go for your type of business. I know of many service oriented companies that have built their businesses exclusively with direct mail. Of course, you should use other marketing methods as well, including newspapers and the yellow pages. But direct mail, if done properly  can be extremely effective for your type of business, because it`s fast and it goes directly into the homes of your target market - homeowners. Word of mouth business will happen eventually, but only after you`ve built up a sizable number of satisfied customers - but you first have to get the customers.
 
An excellent alternative to direct mail is "Welcome Wagon."  Welcome Wagon is a professional welcoming service that targets new homewowners. You can read all about them here:
 

http://www.welcomewagon.com

 
Dale King
DKing11/10/2007 1:23 PM

Swaney

Chris,
 
There are many ways to grow a business, but nothing is more compeling then giving your service away or at least offering it at 50% off for your first cut.  I have grown my business by giving away my service to begin with.  I offer one complementary report and if nothing else, it gets you in the door to speak with them and understand their true needs.  The people/corporations that take me up on my offer tend to hire my company 2 out of 4 times.  They feel obligated, if you believe in your business so much that they just have to try it to like it, it can work for you.
 
I just moved into a new sub-division and I do not have a lawn service yet, but if someone offered me a complementary service to try them out and they did a good job, I would tip them well and then ask them how much they would charge to keep doing it.  More then likely I would hire them without even shopping their service out.  Try it with 10 potential customers and see what the take rate is.  If no one takes you up on it, dump it and try something else.  Business is tough these days, you need to earn your right to a person`s business these days and this is the way to earn it.  Let me know how it works.

UrbanMelt

I know this seems like shameless self promotion, but we are on a mission for small business.  If you`d like to have more web presence you may create a free listing for you business on our site.


Take care,

marketingdude

One of the best ways for marketing a lawn care business I've seen are placing flyers on peoples doors. First of all, you can especially place the flyers on the doors of people who look like that don't care for their lawn. And second of all, people always have to either remove the flyers from the door or they check door.

Gladys837

Years ago, I helped my husband get his lawn care business started and did a lot of research doing so.
 
The best lawn care marketing method I have found was going door to door. Meeting people. Shaking hands. Saying hello has been so much more effective than any amout of money I had spent sending out flyers or mailers or whatever.
 
I read a lot of lawn care business books too. Books along with internet resources are your best bet to finding success. There are a lot of ways you can trip up in this industry. Underbidding jobs is so easy to do because you feel you would rather work than not work. But it is no fun working for free. Or worse, it is no fun PAYING to work. So be careful of falling into that trap.
 
The best way to make money with a mowing business is to know your costs. Know how much everything costs you and break it down per hour so you know what you have to charge on top of that to make a profit.
 
Best of luck to you!
Gladys

BrandiBrandi

We've been using Lawn Care Marketing Expert for our lawn care marketing. They do our Google Adwords and Search Engine Optimization. We do our own flyers and direct mail. 
 
They publish a blog Lawn Care Business Tips you might find some useful information there.  http://www.lawncaremarketingexpert.com/lawn-care-business-tips/