# Advertising via Craigslist?



## Plasmech (Mar 29, 2009)

Has anybody had any luck advertising via Craigslist? I'm trying to get some jobs to build more experience. Obviously I'll have to be upfront with people and let them know that I am still very limited in my abilities. Is Craig's a worthwhile avenue to go down? Thanks!


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## TheLumberJack (Mar 29, 2009)

imo....


the price is right..

BUT my experiences have been poor. I have been able to sell a few products (used saws, ladders, furniture, etc) but no services.

Whatever you decide, DO NOT list your real email address or you will instantly be bombarded with hundreds of 'lose 50 pounds in 10 days' and 'We have a $7,000,000 bank transfer waiting for you' emails.


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## Plasmech (Mar 29, 2009)

TheLumberJack said:


> imo....
> 
> 
> the price is right..
> ...



Yea I got the 5-finger discount and couldn't resist 

The thing that sucks is that in this economy nobody has any money to pay for anything anyway


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## TheLumberJack (Mar 29, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> Yea I got the 5-finger discount and couldn't resist
> 
> The thing that sucks is that in this economy nobody has any money to pay for anything anyway



You can't think like that though...even if it's true.
I don't lie to myself but the truth is that all day every day someone out there is making money and growing a business. Rich people are still rich people. Everything is relative. For every guy eating a $5 foot long for lunch there is another guy eating filet mignon at the country club.
Get your name out there, network and market. Craigslist might not be the proper audience but like I said...the price is right.


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## tree md (Mar 29, 2009)

Yes. I do it to be competitive. Can't say that I get the best leads from CL though. Most on CL are looking for cheap labor and freebies. Not the crowd that I try to target but I figure it is best to compete in every venue I can. You get a lot of tire kickers from CL but then again you get the a lot from the yellow pages too. There are a lot of "will beat any estimate by 10%" ads here and it's not easy for a legitimate service to compete with the uninsured ladder crews but I notice a lot of legitimate services are placing ads in CL now too. Hard times for sure around here.


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## Plasmech (Mar 29, 2009)

Thanks for the advice guys. How did you make it when first starting out, what's your story if you care to share?


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## clearance (Mar 29, 2009)

CL, Vancouver B.C. right now. 1) Looking for guys to dig ditches, etc-$8 hr.

2) Looking for bucket truck, $45 hr, and my nieghbor has trees to trim. 

Tree MD is right, cheap- Try $15 hr to dig and $150 hr for a bucket truck.


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## tree md (Mar 29, 2009)

I made up fliers and hit neighborhoods that were about 3 years old that had trees starting to deteriorate from construction damage. Plus there were lots of dead pines where I come from and I would leave a card, flier or knock on the door. I had already had a few years experience climbing and working for tree services by that time though. I also contracted with my old boss so I always had money coming in. Didn't take long to have a pretty decent word of mouth business going. It is important to have insurance as well.


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## TheLumberJack (Mar 29, 2009)

I haven't "made it" yet...will be sure to post when I do!!! 

This is my second year climbing. Am getting isa cert soon.

Learned what I know by spending a lifetime growing up on a 300 acre farm in WV, always asking questions and when in doubt talking to people and introducing myself.

I also have a Bachelor's in Business Administration which I like to think helps a bit with sales, marketing and management.


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## Plasmech (Mar 29, 2009)

tree md said:


> I made up fliers and hit neighborhoods that were about 3 years old that had trees starting to deteriorate from construction damage. Plus there were lots of dead pines where I come from and I would leave a card, flier or knock on the door. I had already had a few years experience climbing and working for tree services by that time though. I also contracted with my old boss so I always had money coming in. Didn't take long to have a pretty decent word of mouth business going. It is important to have insurance as well.



See the thing that's going to kill me (besides falling out of a tree due to lack of experience) is the chicken-and-the-egg issue of a woodchipper...when you're trying to start up you can't afford a chipper but how do you get any jobs without one? That's going to be really difficult.


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## tree md (Mar 29, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> See the thing that's going to kill me (besides falling out of a tree due to lack of experience) is the chicken-and-the-egg issue of a woodchipper...when you're trying to start up you can't afford a chipper but how do you get any jobs without one? That's going to be really difficult.



You have to get creative grasshopper. Unless you come from the Rockefeller family, I doubt many treemen start off with a chipper. Lol, back when I was in my 20's we would cut blocks out of limbs to put under the leaf springs, use a saw to cut brush down and load an old pickup to the gills. Not that I'm advising you to do that as it is dangerous and illegal I'm sure. Just one of the crazy things we used to do when I was young. Got a trailer??? Hell, I've even been know to haul away debris with a Uhaul in my youth... :hmm3grin2orange:

Many ways to haul or arrange hauling. I've seen guys advertising on CL to haul for $75 a load with a dump truck...


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## tree md (Mar 29, 2009)

Here's the thing Plas, once you acquire the knowledge, gear and equipment then you can focus on a decent clientele. There are always going to be different levels of consumers. Just like some shop in the dollar store or buy generic at the supermarket, you are always going to have the segment of consumers who are shopping for the best price on tree work. They are going to hire whoever gives them the best price regardless of whether the service is equipped or insured or even competent. When you are a one man band with little gear/equipment, knowledge, experience, no insurance you are going to have to hunt for the bargain hunters who are hunting for you on CL.


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## ropensaddle (Mar 29, 2009)

tree md said:


> You have to get creative grasshopper. Unless you come from the Rockefeller family, I doubt many treemen start off with a chipper. Lol, back when I was in my 20's we would cut blocks out of limbs to put under the leaf springs, use a saw to cut brush down and load an old pickup to the gills. Not that I'm advising you to do that as it is dangerous and illegal I'm sure. Just one of the crazy things we used to do when I was young. Got a trailer??? Hell, I've even been know to haul away debris with a Uhaul in my youth... :hmm3grin2orange:
> 
> Many ways to haul or arrange hauling. I've seen guys advertising on CL to haul for $75 a load with a dump truck...



Yup crazy man like in 83 pulling a log behind my truck with a chain ten blocks then noticing there were funny looking marks on the pavement leading up to my house lol. Nothing came from it but wow not gonna do that again.


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## Rftreeman (Mar 30, 2009)

craigslist ads have been paying my bills for 3 years now.........


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## M.D. Vaden (Mar 30, 2009)

Not sure if asking us will do more than make you feel more enthusiastic or not. Works great for some folks - not great for others. Since it's free, you will know in a very short period. Consider rotating your ad between skilled trades and home services.

I get a ton of work from the internet in general, but in the past few years, got not one job from Craigslist. Every so often, I repost my ad merely to leave my mark - sometimes suppliers will email a lead for new suppies and stuff.

But work-wise, I don't expect anything from it.

Some guys are able to get almost all thier business from it.

If you have an image host, there are ways to put photos in a Craigslist ad for skilled services. Not a need - but maybe a want.


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## treemandan (Mar 30, 2009)

ropensaddle said:


> Yup crazy man like in 83 pulling a log behind my truck with a chain ten blocks then noticing there were funny looking marks on the pavement leading up to my house lol. Nothing came from it but wow not gonna do that again.



I don't see the big deal with that. "Just draggin my log home". I used to scrape up against cop cars with my brush trailer driving by the police station... other cars too. Used to pile it in the truck so you couldn't see the truck... it was a tree truck for sure. Man, I miss those days. Check out
" Vintage Dan" for pics.


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## treemandan (Mar 30, 2009)

Plas, ridin that CL circus train is going to tire you out quick but you could land something easy as long as you were cheap, and up for getting your mind blown away from all the mutants that will call you.
But you know that, I really don't cause I have never advertised on CL for tree work. 
I pulled a snow plow account off of there though but it was a fluke. That is what CL is, a fluke.
As far as telling people you aren't that good? not a good idea. Just look at the job, if you feel you can do it then just say you will do it and then just do it. Skip conversations like that alltogether. 
Personally, I think you might bang a job or two from CL and that is what we both know you really want, to get on the job. I wish I could help but maybe rather than advertise your ineptness to the world of mutated CL trolls why don't you see if you can land a job by putting up a shingle here. I bet it would work out better, I just know it.
You are going to be a tough sell though. I don't have anything for you right now but go over to the job forum and start busting balls for some work, I am sure someone could use an apprentice for a little while. You might even find a great job but that would be a fluke too.


PS. Personally, you made The Dan boof back into his coffee cup when he heard you were taking your show on the road via CL.


The Care of Trees, they are in KOP, they will love you and vise-versa


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## Plasmech (Mar 31, 2009)

Thanks DanBen. I guess the one thing bad about advertising *here* is that my cat has well let's say gotten out of the bag, screwed every other kitty in town, then took a trip to Europe as far as my inexperience goes. Appreciate the advice though, I will take you up on it. 

How's your work load been anyway?




treemandan said:


> Plas, ridin that CL circus train is going to tire you out quick but you could land something easy as long as you were cheap, and up for getting your mind blown away from all the mutants that will call you.
> But you know that, I really don't cause I have never advertised on CL for tree work.
> I pulled a snow plow account off of there though but it was a fluke. That is what CL is, a fluke.
> As far as telling people you aren't that good? not a good idea. Just look at the job, if you feel you can do it then just say you will do it and then just do it. Skip conversations like that alltogether.
> ...


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## familytreeman (Apr 5, 2009)

*cl*

I have had an ad in a yellow page directory for two years only, and generated about 250-300 new calls each year.

I have still got more work going through neighborhoods, cherry picking until I get one, doing the job, and getting neighbor referrals...

I have never even posted a cl ad, because I like to avoid cheapie price shoppers!


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## stumpjumper83 (Apr 18, 2009)

*cl has worked for me*

I was able to get 6k and a motorcycle thanks to cragislist advertising. Were there low ballers on there, yes. People that were not sure they wanted it done anyhow, yes. Were there picky, pain in the butt types on there, yes. But wake up folks, there are CUSTOMERS on there. Most of all, its getting your name out there, and its free. 

Besides, you will have low ballers, knit-pickers, undecided, and cheap skates with any advertising source.


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## Torquin (Apr 24, 2009)

I get about 40% of my work from CL. I advertise there and in a little classifieds newspaper in my area. I bid the jobs the same, regardless, which is about 100.00/hr. Some I get, some I don't. I just have to remember to relist it often.

Chris


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## bowtechmadman (Apr 24, 2009)

I've had good luck selling a boat, and log splitter. Never advertised for services. It's free so can't be too bad...what other advertising source is free.


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## lacky (Apr 24, 2009)

I am like you Plasmech, new to the business. I worked for a tree service for a few years, starting as a groundie and learning to climb on my own (climber of tree service I worked for wore spikes for everything). He was also very dangerous to work for so I decided to start doing jobs on my own. There is still stuff I am learning and I hope to continue learning as long as I do this. I am lucky that I all already have a full time career as a FF so I do this on my days off. Yes, I do have insurance. I use a trailer to haul away debris when I need to. I will buy a chipper/truck in a year or two when I have the cash to buy them outright. Back to the topic, CL is great for smaller jobs that the big companies don't want to bother with and the HO doesn't want to pay their minimum job rate. I had a small job today, cut 2 branches hanging over house and leave debris, easy as could be and it turned into a job at the neighbors house. Free advertising is great anyway you look at you at.

Chris


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## Dave's TLC (May 4, 2009)

I tried craigs list for free a month ago and it put me out on the front page of search engines for a whole month but when youd go into it it goes by days and after 3 days and 40n more people posting you can't even be found I've been doing this internet search engine stuff for a month and its worn me out. your best bet is to go to go daddy and buy a domain name and get on traffic blazer for $ 33.00 a year and don't let the ad people who will call you constantl from their site and others talk you into any more thats all you need and wou get a free bad ass website search engines all that and a domian name like mines www.davestlc.com. instead of doing it on there web call em and they'll give a-1 pro help advertising and search engines ect. Itll take around two weeks but youll be in google yahoo all that. i didnt get no hits off any thing i tried but in 2 weeks I got a decent job thats paid for 20 years from go daddy wb site domain all that. just a little advise from somone who was just there a month ago. but you never know if you keep it updated craiglist might work the more ads the better. especially free!!!!!!!!!
:greenchainsaw:


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## Dave's TLC (May 4, 2009)

and I just read the rest of your replys all right on the key. especially about the cl troll and not using your business email set up a different email oh and try vista print for cheap but really good prices I started by ordering 2 11 X17 magnets and a big window sticker. for like 35 dollars then got free business cards, brochures, t shirts tons of stuff for like 13 dollars shipping lawn sign. any way I pasted the print i chose to my website and it looks really pro like for only around 100 dollars adverting and every thing matches


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## Happy trees (May 4, 2009)

*Yeah, I get good ones*

I think it depends on the size of your town, the # of advertisers, and how you write the ad. 

Put down a price instead of just saying $1. Inside the ad, give them a range to work with. There's no need to say that you are inexperienced, unless you get there and you're scared to do the job. 

Now if you get a job off CL, don't be shy when you pull up to do the job! Put out some traffic cones. Have your number on the side of your truck. Get a sandwich board that says "Tree care and removals (xxx) 555-1212" 

What usually happens is, all the neighbors will be out in their lawn chairs, watching me clear up in the top, trying to get my p.o.s. saw started again, and somebody will yell up "Hey! how much to do my sycamore?" 

I have a legal pad sitting on the seat of the truck, just for occasions like this. So I have them write down their info for me. But if they're asking, you know you're going to get it. Just a matter of how much.

I also have an ad for rototilling on there. I get tons of response for this, cuz it's a bargain. But I have never gone out to do a rototilling job, and failed to come back with a tree job, see? I talk to my clients, and either they need something done, or they know somebody.

You can use CL, but you have to make something out of it. Even a tirekicker has friends who have friends with money.

I am just a :newbie: but this has been workin for me.


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## WillyStDruid (Jul 1, 2009)

I was a traditional yellow page only advertiser until a few years ago. I scaled back my business significantly and quit advertising altogether. I was subcontracting out my bucket truck, skid loader, climbing and arborist certification to a couple of companies. Recently, they got a bit greedy and with the economy decided they'd hoard all the gravy jobs and only call me in for the pita work.

They're regretting that play and now I'm regularly on Craigslist advertising my services. Yeah, there's a ton of lowest common denominator cheap skates on there. I've had to low ball a few bids to get cash flow going. I call these "gatekeeper" jobs. The job you do a bit lean to get in the neighborhood and hope some walk ups from non cheap skates follow. It does work though and you will get some leads out of it. Best advice is to distinguish yourself and your credentials if you have them in the ad. You have to stand out from the "jack of all trades and I'll service a tree too" people who think the ability to start a chainsaw makes them a professional.

I'd encourage you to use it but not solely rely on it. There's a good deal of low cost advertising mediums out there. Consider each one a strand in a large promotional web of getting your name out there.


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## Coalsmoke (Jul 1, 2009)

I didn't read all the above posts, so this might be a duplicate of what someone else has already said. This is what I have found with Craigslist, it is good and bad. Lots of tire kickers on CL, I think much more so than anywhere else, and you must have a lot of patience and be really good with people because you will get contact from people wanting things cheap or in trade for your services, etc. But it can be good, I get the odd job off of there, usually the small homeowner stuff that has a log or two that wants sawn or wants a few boards or beams cut for a small project. My experience has been, that in small business, your best leads will come from word of mouth, professionally produced advertising, and public access listings like the phone book. People need to be able to find you, and so ask yourself, for your area, where is the first place people look, phone book, online, etc. Hire a trained researcher to find out where people look when they want rough cut lumber. It might seem like a lot of money, but if it means you spend your money on advertising in the right place, then it will be more than worth their professional fees, or, take some courses at a local university and do the legwork yourself. I have a degree that covers this sort of thing, and it is well worth the time and effort being able to spearhead this type of thing yourself. Not saying you need a fancy piece of paper, but a few business and research courses will really hone you in to how to properly conduct, collect and interpret data about your target fields.

all the best.


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## Brush Hog (Jul 2, 2009)

Just went to look at a CL job yesterday. I don't advertise there but saw this one under labor gigs. Two 50 pines next to the house and this guy is a cheap skate. Already did the well how much to do it this way, well what if you do it this way. Like many have said people on CL are lookin for cheap labor not wether you can do the job right.


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