1st time hand outs

[ematthews]

I took my first step into this business today and started handing out flyers in a local neighborhood. i am still just doing this part time on weekends and would like to go full time in the future. After handing out the flyers and coming home I feel a little discouraged. Most people dont like soliciters and the majority seemed to not want any body mowing thier yards.How can i get new business and not have people fear my soliciting of my business.This is a big risk for me because i am walking away from a good paying job to do lawn servicing.I need to feel secure about doing this and after tonight i dont. Need help. What do i need to do?

[Leone Lawn]

reply

ok im sorry for being 16 and giving advice to an older person. I hand out flyers but the key is timing. How many people do u think dont have a service at this time of the year. The only time i hand out flyers is in febuary or march right before every company calls up their customers and ensures another year. Another way is to go through your neighborhood and look for overgrown or torn up lawns from companys that have too many and have to go too fast and tear the ditchs up or what ever. Just find propertys that u know u can improve on. i wouldnt leave a job until u had at least 10 but thats still small. say u get 20 bucks a long it would only be 200 dollars a week. try to get a relationship with customers by doing their shrubs or gardening. It pays more and then u can keep hinting at them to have u cut their lawn. Or be a lowballer( sorry guys) it works get customers by charging a couple bucks less. Good luck

Leone Lawn

[srlawnservice]

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It's a little late but I still wouldn't be discouraged. Last year was my first and we didn't advertiste until April.

Where and how much probably depends on the type of neighborhood you are targeting. Dense population, wealthy, single family, townhome, types of services, etc.

Last year we used well placed flyers with tear tabs. Targeted playgrounds, blockbuster, grocery stores, etc and got pleny of single parents/dual working parents who didn't have time. You will be surprised how many new customers you will get once the heat and humidity kick in so late is still better than never.

This year I used direct marketing with door knob hangers. You can make your own or get them from NEBS.COM for about 65 dollars/thousand. I got about a 2 - 3% hit rate. You can also just print out flyers, invest in some rubber bands and hang on the door know/garage door handle. People aren't as likely to be irritated because it's not verbal soliciation.

Stick it out, it will be there.
RL

[Phil Nilsson]

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Door hangers work ... but timing is everything ... keep doing it because one customer leads to another ... about 80% of the bizz you'll eventually get will come by referral one customer to another ... the trick is to get a foothold, get started. I would also try direct mail. Go to the best neighborhoods, pick out several streets like 200 or 300 names, do a consistent mailing to those targets ... (every month) ... for at least a year!

Phil Nilsson
Nilsson Associates Consultants
Visit Lawn Service & Landscaping Book Store

[GrassMaster]

reply

Hello:

Try running a Few Ads in the Local Paper!

You Only Need 3 Lines, Bold Faced!
<b>
Lawn Service
GrassMaster
555-555-5555</b>

Do it on all Sundays & you might Pick another day During the Week, Like Thursday! But Sunday anyway!

If you are Happy working at the Areas you have Now, Really work over your Customers, tell them you need more work in that Area!

Pass out Fliers & or Door Hangers, Really Work that Area over Real Good!

Do you have Signage on your Vehicles? If not get them ASAP!

Do you have Business Cards? Give all your Customers Extra Business Cards.

Pick out Bad Looking Lawns & Talk to them? LOL, They will get the Picture!

I picked up the Majority of my Work in July, August & September. This is when it's the Hotest & Most Busiest time of the Year! Everybody that has Plenty of Accounts has a Hard time during those Months, just Trying to Keep up! Hang in there!

Put your Business Name on Everything you can! In my Area after about 3 Years, if Lawn Service was Even Mentioned, GrassMasters Lawn Service was first thing they thought of!

Remember Image Means Everything. Make Sure Everything Looks Good, if it don't Paint it! It's Very Hard to Be Successful, If you don't Look Professional! Image says a Lot these Days! That's Why Applebys can get $6.95 for a Hamberger!

Look like a Pro, Act Like a Pro, Work Like a Pro, Then You Will get Treated & Paid like a Pro! Money is Work Divided by Time!

<b>GrassMaster
Lawn Care Service Business Resources
Click here PM to the Forum Administrator</b>

[Leone Lawn]

reply

if u advertise in the papers u will get scattered customers and thats no good unless u get tons of customers. focus in your neighborhood and go door to door thats what i do and when they say no to the lawn tell them u do other things. Tell them infact u do anything to do with landscaping.

Leone Lawn