# Advertising for work



## gregory sojka (Jan 26, 2012)

Where do you get the most results for your advertising $$$$ ? Yellowpages, website , online, billboards, or signs in yards ?


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## 2treeornot2tree (Jan 26, 2012)

Most of my business is from referrals. I do get some people that call me because they see my truck out and about or I am working next door. I found with craigslist, everyone wants the cheapest price, and most dont care about quality. I tried yellow book this year. Gonna have to see how it works.


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## superjunior (Jan 26, 2012)

I've found that yellow book gets me all the calls that I just don't want - wrong customers, wrong neighborhoods...Wasn't worth the money so we just quite using them. Of course I'm simply speaking my neck of the woods.. 

Like 2tree said - REFERALS from satisfied customers
Best advertisement money can buy


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## ronnyb (Jan 27, 2012)

You can list your business on Google Places for free.


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## CNBTreeTrimming (Jan 27, 2012)

There are several free online listings. Google, hot frog, manta, merchant circle, yahoo and many more. These don't get the best results but it is free exposure. Get a website even if it is a cheap one page site. Do a Facebook page also. The more you are on the web the more you will be seen.


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## ForTheArborist (Jan 28, 2012)

This question will probably get the least answers since advertising is the name of the game and all tricks included.


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## CNBTreeTrimming (Jan 28, 2012)

ForTheAction said:


> This question will probably get the least answers since advertising is the name of the game and all tricks included.



If you do good work then you get referrals. No "tricks" needed.


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## ForTheArborist (Jan 28, 2012)

CNBTreeTrimming said:


> If you do good work then you get referrals. No "tricks" needed.



You know I believe that is true. A lot of people here say it all of the time. I have to say that the market I'm in is not the market that people refer in. I have very few referrals, and I don't do crap work. I've always been above and beyond kinda of worker. 

I just can't imagine people going out of their way to get me another job after I finish their trees. Mostly cheapskate dime baggers if you ask me, but I'm changing the market I'm in. It's just taking a little time to get it rolling. 

You know it might be this danm city. I know Jeff says he gets only referrals, but he is not this far south. They're actually human that far north where he's at.


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## ddhlakebound (Jan 28, 2012)

ForTheAction said:


> You know I believe that is true. A lot of people here say it all of the time. I have to say that the market I'm in is not the market that people refer in. I have very few referrals, and I don't do crap work. I've always been above and beyond kinda of worker.
> 
> I just can't imagine people going out of their way to get me another job after I finish their trees. Mostly cheapskate dime baggers if you ask me, but I'm changing the market I'm in. It's just taking a little time to get it rolling.
> 
> You know it might be this danm city. I know Jeff says he gets only referrals, but he is not this far south. They're actually human that far north where he's at.



The facts don't lie......If you're not getting referrals from your customers, then you are doing crap work. You aren't the person who gets to judge your work. The people who are paying you for your work are the ones who judge.

And their friends and family are going to pass judgement on them if they refer a crappy contractor, and they know it. So once they've determined that they think your work is crap, they're not going to inflict you upon people they care for. Quite the contrary, they're telling everyone they know NOT to call you, and why. 

Leave a customer unsatisfied and they'll tell everyone they know about it. Leave 'em happy, and they'll tell a couple people, who may at some future date make your phone ring.

I'm sure that thinking of your customer base as less than human starts you off in the right direction every time. Keep up the "good" work man.


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## ForTheArborist (Jan 28, 2012)

Guy, you live in the country. Point 1. Point 2- the people I've been catering to can't afford friends. Don't tell me my work is crap when people crap their pants and polish my heiney because they are in love with it. We're perfectionists in a bad market making a transition. I'm in the business of truth telling. I'd tell you know lie, man.


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## sgreanbeans (Jan 28, 2012)

ForTheAction said:


> Guy, you live in the country. Point 1. Point 2- the people I've been catering to can't afford friends. Don't tell me my work is crap when people crap their pants and polish my heiney because they are in love with it. We're perfectionists in a bad market making a transition. I'm in the business of truth telling. I'd tell you know lie, man.



Not true, I worked from San Dimas to East lake, from National city to Black Wolf, out on the 8. Nothing wrong with that market Ed.
Phone books are, IMO, a waste, they cost more than they bring in, to many adds, all claiming this or that, phone book does not care if a hack has ISA badges all over the add.


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## deevo (Jan 28, 2012)

2treeornot2tree said:


> Most of my business is from referrals. I do get some people that call me because they see my truck out and about or I am working next door. I found with craigslist, everyone wants the cheapest price, and most dont care about quality. I tried yellow book this year. Gonna have to see how it works.



I have done the yellow book last 2 years, going to end it this year. Thinks its becoming a waste to pay for it. There online advertising isn't bad, isn't a whole lot, will likely do it again this year. I get a lot of work through referrals as well, website and I advertise in a small local paper, not a lot of $ to do and I usually get a lot of jobs from the older crowd who aren't up to speed in the technological era!


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## tree md (Jan 28, 2012)

When you finish a job and the client asks you for a card and tells you that they will recommend you then you know you are doing something right. Advertising will take you only so far. It's a double edged sword. You may get boo coo work for a year or two but if you're doing shoddy work it will come back to haunt you "in your advertising". Believe me, those little rating stars and review sections tell a story and people pay attention to that.

It's nice when you go out to bid a job and the client tells you that you come highly recommended. That they saw some tree trimmers down the road and decided to look for references when they chose you. As long as you are reasonably priced they usually don't bat an eye at your bid nor do they usually get a second estimate. That is the clientele I am shooting for.


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## Tree Pig (Jan 28, 2012)

In my opinion referrals are the main driver of the tree work business... its hard to get tree work referrals if your not doing tree work. I would bet there are a few people in the SD area that are going to give FTA a call for some wood splitting though.


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## lone wolf (Jan 28, 2012)

Stihl-O-Matic said:


> In my opinion referrals are the main driver of the tree work business... its hard to get tree work referrals if your not doing tree work. I would bet there are a few people in the SD area that are going to give FTA a call for some wood splitting though.



And shiite themselves over his work then shine his:deadhorse:


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## Walt41 (Jan 28, 2012)

You guys ever heard of the Mother in Law call? Want honest answers without paying for it? 
When I started my first business, there was no Internet, cell phones etc.
Here is how it works, you have to have a customer who has a listed number and you have a friend or relative call saying they are looking to hire up a service and they happened to see that they recently had work done by....all they have to ask is would they recommend them? and what they didn't like about the service, you will get your answers fast.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Feb 29, 2012)

Walt41 said:


> You guys ever heard of the Mother in Law call? Want honest answers without paying for it?
> When I started my first business, there was no Internet, cell phones etc.
> Here is how it works, you have to have a customer who has a listed number and you have a friend or relative call saying they are looking to hire up a service and they happened to see that they recently had work done by....all they have to ask is would they recommend them? and what they didn't like about the service, you will get your answers fast.



I did this regularly for QC when I ran a pruning division for a TG/CL branch, it is very effective. I'd give an office worker or spray tech a cell phone and ask them to call a few recent customers "I saw their trucks at you place..."


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## squad143 (Feb 29, 2012)

The majority of the work I do is referrals or repeat customers. I also get quite a bit of work with walk-ups. (Doing work at a customers and someone in the neighborhood comes and asks for an estimate). Sometimes it's difficult to get off a street.

For me, I believe that advertising results will depend on what your market is and the work you're performing. I specialize in full tree removals (occasional limb removal) and I primarily work in three areas. Cottage country, large metropolitan city and the suburbs.

Up in cottage country I like working within the sourrounding lakes of my cortage. I used to put up coroplast (cardboard plastic) signs on back road trees, however the county established a sign bylaw and would take them down. Was getting too expen$ive to keep that up. Now I put up the plastic lawn bag signs on the Fridays before the long weekends. They're cheap ($3 each). I get a fair bit of business from them. Additionally I put up a small sheet (with tear-a-way phone number) at the marina and the local corner/grocery/liquor store. I get a ton of business from these - and it's free. I tried the local paper, but received limited results, and a lot of them were further than I wanted to travel. I decided against the yellow pages for the for the same travel reasons. If I wanted more work than I could handle, I'd put up a highway sign. Right now I'm not prepared to hire another crew.

Most of my City work comes from the cottage owners requiring work on their trees at home, referrals and walk-ups. Last season I did a few jobs for a demolition company and they were quite pleased with our work. When this economy picks up, their work will pick up and I expect to be busy with their needs.

Suburb work is primarily from word of mouth, referrals and walk-ups. I have a few contractors that use me as well.

This year, I plan on expanding the amount if city removals that I do by targeting neighborhoods with EAB. I plan to do this with the plastic lawn bag signs on the main strees leading into the neighborhoods and sub-divisions.


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## NCTREE (Feb 29, 2012)

My first 3 to 4 years I had to advertise untill my name got out there and I built up a customer base. Now its pretty much all referral, I still advertise but the return is nowhere near as good as my referrals. 
If after 5 years you still need to advertise to stay afloat then your doing something wrong.

It's kinda funny FTA I remember you said to me when your first got on AS that in five years you'd be better off then me so where are you at now. I think you have your foott stuck I'm your mouth.


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## jefflovstrom (Feb 29, 2012)

NCTREE said:


> It's kinda funny FTA I remember you said to me when your first got on AS that in five years you'd be better off then me so where are you at now. I think you have your foott stuck I'm your mouth.



He's probably lurking. 
Jeff


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## Jeffsaw (Mar 2, 2012)

I still advertise in the Yellow Pages because people in our area still use them to find businesses. I have a web site also and it is a good deal for the price. I tried mail-out brochures one spring but they were a bit expensive.


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## jefflovstrom (Mar 2, 2012)

Just do what what ya gotta do!
Jeff


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## sgreanbeans (Mar 3, 2012)

I use the internet and Valpak, ValPak is pricey, but it works. Targeted hoods, so no money is spent on neighborhoods that don't have 3 car garages!


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## TreeAce (Mar 3, 2012)

sgreanbeans said:


> Not true, I worked from San Dimas to East lake, from National city to Black Wolf, out on the 8. Nothing wrong with that market Ed.
> Phone books are, IMO, a waste, they cost more than they bring in, to many adds, all claiming this or that, phone book does not care if a hack has ISA badges all over the add.



And ISA doesnt seem to mind either! At least in my experince, which is limited for sure. I pointed out some improper use of the logo and the logos are still there. They also told me they would keep me up to speed on whats being done about it....they didnt.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 3, 2012)

TreeAce said:


> And ISA doesnt seem to mind either! At least in my experince, which is limited for sure. I pointed out some improper use of the logo and the logos are still there. They also told me they would keep me up to speed on whats being done about it....they didnt.



How long ago? they've started taking people to court for using the logo and title.


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## TreeAce (Mar 3, 2012)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> How long ago? they've started taking people to court for using the logo and title.



About two years ago. The case that bothered me was a company who claimed they(the company) were "accredited" by the ISA. i couldnt even find that the company owner is even a member. And it is my understanding that ISA in no way backs or guarantees any company. They back people, not companies. I will PM you a link to a web site and you tell me? I dont wanna post the site on here for several reasons. Also worth noting, I can show a couple other places where this company claims ISA affliation. I have not, however, seen any cases of anyone claiming to be a CA which I think ISA takes much more serious (and prolly should).


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