# advertising



## timbertree (Nov 14, 2005)

Just curious if any other Tree Services are placing signs with your company name and phone number in customer properties after completing jobs. We purchased 6 signs ( real estate size) this year an have received numerous calls for estimates from them.


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## TreeJunkie (Nov 14, 2005)

Around here those sort of signs tend to disapear overnight. For that reason we haven't bought any.


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## rfwoodvt (Nov 14, 2005)

Tempted but haven't gotten off my butt to do anything about it. Kinda like one more thing to carry on the truck that I don't have room for.

do you track details like how your customers got your name sufficiently to say that the signs are paying for themselves?


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## Tree Frog (Nov 18, 2005)

I was wondering how long do you leave the signs in your customers yard for?


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## treeman45246 (Nov 18, 2005)

Local company here swears by that method, and puts it in the contract that his sign stays up for two weeks after work is performed. My old company only put the sign out during the job. It would generate plenty of calls within the neighborhood.


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## stehansen (Nov 18, 2005)

I have been thinking about it. A lot of other businesses do it.


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## ShoerFast (Nov 18, 2005)

A nice looking sign can be made by ripping a diagonal slap out of a log. Cut like a 36" oval by ripping a plank at about a 45 degree cut from a 24" log. Using a router and burning or paint the letter and numbers and sealing with poly. had made signs like that have lasted years!


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## Tree Machine (Nov 18, 2005)

That's creative.


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## Darin (Dec 4, 2005)

If you buy the signs (over a hundred signs) the cheapest I found them is at Williams Sign in Texas. Rex is a good guy over there. I have purchased about a thousand signs this year from him. Best advertising by far in my opinion. I get calls all day everyday from them.


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## treesurgeon (Dec 4, 2005)

Darin said:


> If you buy the signs (over a hundred signs) the cheapest I found them is at Williams Sign in Texas. Rex is a good guy over there. I have purchased about a thousand signs this year from him. Best advertising by far in my opinion. I get calls all day everyday from them.


whats the web site or phone number. this season i will put some signs up during our jobs. seems to be a better option than everyone pulling up the driveway and walking over to the tree and asking for an estimate.


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## Wales (Dec 4, 2005)

On the same subject of advertising. I went to a tree conference this week and was told a few basic ideas on smart advertising. The one that stuck with me most was this. Never place on your ads that you can be found in the Yellow pages. The reason for this is that it will give your customers the potential to find another company to do the job. Secondly if you advertise in the yellow pages use the colour red. It maybe a little more expensive but it is rarely used and will make you stand out.


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## Darin (Dec 6, 2005)

Williams signs 18004338535 His name is Rex. Tell him Lorin and Darin from Interstate Roofing sent you.


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## Mr_Brushcutter (Dec 8, 2005)

We don't do that. However we have van parked up outside which is blue with large writing with our company name contact details and work we undertake. Works well best form of advertising since its the kind of think people see and think "i need that" normally when they note your number down when your parked at the chippy.


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## Koa Man (Dec 10, 2005)

I don't advertise....I'm afraid someone might call me.


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## Tree Machine (Dec 11, 2005)

I know what you mean, Koa. I don't even have my name or number on my truck. I hand out business cards sparingly.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Dec 12, 2005)

Applicable to any business:

http://www.joegirard.com/books.html

http://www.gmarketing.com/


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## rebelman (Jan 1, 2006)

I put one up occasionally during the job. No phone number, I'm in the book. I also have a big orange tarp that goes over the cab of my pickup to keep chips and dust out that has my website. A competitor puts them up all over, for months, the city even passed an ordnance that you coudn't keep them up for I think a week. He even puts them up where he's used spikes and done topping or stubbing. Those type guys knock on doors all day saturday, spreading myth and false assumptions at each contact.


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## treeseer (Jan 2, 2006)

rebelman said:


> Those type guys knock on doors all day saturday, spreading myth and false assumptions at each contact.


If they're working in neighborhoods where you want business, it may pay to follow them up with accurate information like the ISA consumer info sheets. $.12 goes a long way with those. "Why Topping Hurts Trees" is good to pass out to neighbors of topping victims.

"if you advertise in the yellow pages use the colour red. It maybe a little more expensive but it is rarely used and will make you stand out."

The yp salespeople tried to sell me on red, telling me that I should try to engage people on a 3rd-grade level. I told them it was not the bottom of their brain I was aiming for, and showed them the door.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Jan 2, 2006)

Most purchases are made on an emotional level, not a rational level. Like it or not, that's the truth.


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