home and garden show

[Wiggins]

I am going to be in a home and garden show here coming up in feb. I was thinking of using pamphlets, business cards, and all my pictures. My other idea was to have lawn care packages that would involve three different kinds of packages they can buy all at once with discounts on other services with the purchase of that package. Does this sound good to you guys or do you all have better suggestions or perhaps more to add?? My other problem is the scheduling of my lawn care services, like fertilizing, aerating, etc. Thanks for all the help hopefully in a while i will be very successful and can be one of the guys that answers questions instead of always asking them.

Thanks a lot
Wiggy

[chriscampbell]

My suggestion to help you stick out from the competition would be have a good looking display. Image is everything. Maybe have some green sod or some forced tulips (tulips that you make them think it is spring, most nurseys have them, order them now most take 3 months) in the booth. Use eye catching colors. When ever I have a booth at a similar shows, I always have some bushes, flowers, pavers etc. Whatever it takes to make it eyecatching. All the other things suggested are good. Make them commit to appts and tell them incentives of signing up today. Hire some good looking females/males and have them hand out pamphlets for you and make sure they tell them to stop by your booth.

As for scheduling, after you get a few customers in different areas. Go out and flier the homes/properties around them. This is to tighten the routes. Make sure you leave yourself a few weeks so you can fliers them atleast 2-3 times before the grass starts to grow. Then continue advertising/ fliers after the grass continues to grow.

Hope some of these suggestions help.

[Elwood]

This is the very best way to gain new clients when doing a home show.

Have a give away!

I know, I HATE the word "FREE", but it is a very powerful word and it works.

I will try to put this in a nutshell, so stick with me on this. If I get out of control, even Grassmaster will call this one a "mile longer"!

At your booth, your table is the most important thing there. On your table, you need brochures, business cards, photos of work YOUR company has done and in your brochures, a list of references. You also need a registration form You need to give away (these are just example numbers, use whatever you are comfortable with, but something worth them signing up for): Grand Prize, $250 worth of FREE lawn care services, Second Prize, $150 worth of FREE lawn care services, Third Prize, $100 worth of FREE lawn care services. Don't be specific!! This enables you to visit their property, give them an estimate for ALL the services you provide and they can choose what they want, not what you want them to have. Also, by seeing all your other prices, more than one service may appeal to them and they may overrun their FREE amount and start paying YOU!

On your registration sheet, they need to give you their name, address, phone number and most importantly, ask these two questions: 1) Do you already use a lawn care service? 2)Would you like a FREE estimate for our services? Let them circle "yes" or "no".

The money spent on the prizes is really buying this list of people, not just 3 potential clients (the winners).

Now, with all your new wealth of information, you should do this. Naturally, call on everyone who wants a FREE estimate for services. For those who use currently use a lawn care service and do not want an estimate at this time, it is your job to constantly bombard them with mailings, one each month. At some point, they will be unhappy with their current provider and YOU will be the "go to guy" for them. It is easier to gain a new "existing lawn care purchaser" than to create one. Put those who do not use a provider today, but are located close to your current service areas on this list too. Mail them once per month with seasonal specials! For all others, mail them, but not as often.

Now, for your winners. You should give them an estimate for ALL your services and let them choose what they want. Let them see how good of a job you can do for them. If you do your job well as a saleman, you will retain 50% of your winners as long term clients.

Doing this will draw out a ton of people who just want something free. Fine. So be it, but the number of quality leads and new revenue generated from them will far outweigh the number of "loose ends" you will chase. This process is a lot of work, but worth it for good company growth. You are pre-qualifying a lot of leads by just asking your two questions.


Also at the show, you should network with these people. Introduce yourself and personally put a brochure in their hand. You should also network with other venders there. Relationships with other business people in your area is priceless and can lead to a lot of other work, especially commercial work and work in areas that you only dreamed of getting into. Ever wonder how you get your start in that gated community you dream of working in? How about that commercial complex that needs better care than what they are getting?? 90% of the time, it is due to networking. People make the world go around that people help others get into places like this by referal. If someone trusts a current service provider, they will generally trust someone they recommend for other types of work.

This combined with a good looking booth like Chris suggested to help draw them to you will make your booth a huge success!

Best of luck and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[dave_n_mulberry]

take a brand new mower with you and and old push mower. have a picture (real one) blown up of some baggy old lady pushing the mower thru a wheat field with 4ft high grass and a picture of you on your new mower working a lush piece of property and a picture of a golf course . then have a sign asking how do you get to the course early A or B

have everyone fill out a card to put in a box for one person to win $50.00 worth of free lawn service. get names address then use that as a direct mail out.

dress up in a good polo shirt with your company name etc on it have everyone at the both dressed the same. have hundreds of business cards to hand out.

don't be bashful

[Team Gopher]

Hi Wiggins,

There is another post here that deals with this topic.