advertising?

[moblogo]

what is the best way to get your bussiness name out there on the street and get work.and what are some other jobs besides lawn maint.any advice will be highly appreciated

[PearceTurf]

Welcome to the forum

You will find this forum to be a valuable tool to gain advice and insight into the green industry. You will also find that most everybody here owns their own business and does things completely different than others. There really is no 'best way', because what works for me may not work for you.

It all depends. It depends on how big your market happens to be, what you are able to handle or want to do. Are you solo or have multiple employees with lots of overhead? Is your market flooded with LCO's underbidding each other? Do you have lots of friends or contacts to get referrals or relying on outside sources to get your name out there?

You will find wonderful free advice here on this forum. I have recieved a whole lot of help, but I learned that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Everybody is different. How do you feel about the best way to drum up new clients? I'm not bashing you at all, in fact, I'm glad you joined this great forum. But what I'm trying to say is to come up with some ideas and throw them out to the old pros here and they can tell you about their experience trying out the same ideas. My ideas and prices in upscale NC may not be feasible in downtown Detroit or wide open Utah, etc...

As far as related jobs besides lawn care in this green industry, there are many. Major/minor landscaping, pruning, installs, leaf removal, sod, etc.. and the list goes on. Do what you are able and willing to do and the rest will come to you. For example, I have never operated a skid steer, but I drove a forklift many times. I'm willing to give it a try, but only renting one first, not buying it and having it sit in my driveway to use 3 or 4 times a year. Remember the old saying "jack of all trades, master of none" is often true. Find your niche and come to this site often. It is full of pros that offer valuable advice to help you along. Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress.

[Phil Nilsson]

moblogo,

You are located in a "hot market" to say the least. For you personally ... $1,000,000 plus in sales is available to you for starters. How to do it? ... no problem ... give me a phone call next week and I'll give you 10 minutes of my time to you, explain it, send you to a website ... and you will have a biz direction that will take you on a definite path for the rest of your biz life. Merry Christmas.

Phil

P.S. Just moblogo respond to this only ... thanks!

[Elwood]

Come on Phil, you don't want to hear from ME?? LOL

There are many forms of advertising and all work to some degree. Peaceturf said it best when he said what works for him may or may not work for you in your area.

The most important thing to remember about advertising is this: Track your results!! For every call you get, you MUST ask where they saw or heard your name. Tracking your results will tell you what methods of advertising pay off and which ones are a waste of money.

Good Luck and be careful, with Phil, 10 minutes can get pretty long sometimes!! LOL

[Phil Nilsson]

If moblogo calls me next week it could be the start to a long and prosperous career. If he doesn't then so be it.

Actually, it will take under one minute.

Phil

[Elwood]

Phil, I have known you for a long time now and have spoken to you a few times. You can not excuse yourself to go to the restroom in under a minute!! LOL

Good Luck Moblogo!! LOL

Have a great weekend!

[Phil Nilsson]

If moblogo takes my advice ... and uses it ... given his market ... he CAN do $1,000,000 in sales and it will happen in way under 10 years. It will take under a minute to point him in the right direction. Who said Rome wasn't built in a day?

Phil

[BravesFan]

You gonna have him running a street sweeper after Mardi Gras Phil?....or better yet...producing those Girls Gone Wild videos?

Dennis

[Phil Nilsson]

My "plan" for moblogo is so simple, basic that it is easily overlooked ... Elwood didn't have a big enough market for it in "flyover country" but moblogo is where the action is and it will work.

Phil

[Elwood]

Just make sure that if he grosses 1 million, there is some net left for him to live on.

"NET" dollars is key, not so much "GROSS".

Of course a great combination of large numbers in BOTH catagories is the best result!

BTW, you would be suprised at what goes on in "flyover" country!

[andersc1]

Phil,
Southeast Texas area here! Any hopes for this part of the country? We're not that far from New Orleans.

Actually Phil things are pretty good. Although there is a huge amount of competition down here, there is still mountains of potential.

Will start 2004 off with two new contracts which we were awarded this month for aprox. $24,000 annually. That's a good way to start a new mowing year off right. Have double our advertising budget for 2004, and will be bringing on two additional workers right off the bat this spring. Picking up a new 3/4 ton company truck in a couple of weeks, and a new trailer on order. All equipment but one mower is paid off.

But... if you have any words of wisdom for a biggie wanna-be, please feel free to pass them along.

Curtis

[dave_n_mulberry]

My best form of advertising is the customer . They want service that is on time and the work they pay for is done the way they want it done not the way I think it should be done.

I ask all of my customers if anyone has asked them how much I charge. And I ask the all important question of what was the response to the price? I get names and address. Those are hot prospect. i do not waste anytime in calling on those folks with a letter that has quote for service and a 12 month price guareentee. I have averaged one new customer a week because of this.

It is a sales games which means it breaks down to numbers. if you have 10 customers that know 100 people that want service and you get 10 of those as new customers those 10 new ones should know 100 people that you can grab another 10 from and the wheels keep turning.

I started out in October of this year with one customer. I now have three large propertys a 5, and 2 10 acres, 17 under 3/4 acre lots and 20 lots in a retirement community. All but three came from my customers.

[alpine692003]

welp

welp, I just got my door hanger designed and printed in full color for 1000 copies.

8.5 x 3.5 with a hole punched in the top middle. I will be hanging them on door knobs with elastic bands, they tend to stay on much better and won't fall off like the die cutting types.

I will also print out 1000 copies of flyers that I designed myself on full color as well.

I haven't started distributing them yet, I will begin on the Jan 4th, which is on a sunday during the afternoon..