# Where has your money been best spent on advertising in the past few years?



## ForTheArborist (Oct 3, 2011)

I understand that word of mouth can often be the strongest form of advertising, but initially the tried and true "pay-to-display" advertising has to work for now. 

I'm ready to go with what works, and I have my ideas about what are the most sure ads to invest in:

Yellow Pages
*Book
*Online

Google Adwords

Angie's List

Service Magic


I've given a lot of thought to flyers either by mail or self-delivered. Also billboards high in the air or on bus stop benches and such (lots of bus stops around here). The newspaper. 

Money well spent on advertising is what's right. The best return on investment is critical to make it work. With new technologies I'm sure that right way 10 years ago is not the right way now to advertise.


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## TheLumberJack (Oct 4, 2011)

I am in the yellowpages and three local newspapers. Beyond that I use craigslist once in a while and have done some mailers (not purchased).


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## jefflovstrom (Oct 4, 2011)

We dont advertise.
Jeff


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## ForTheArborist (Oct 4, 2011)

TheLumberJack said:


> I am in the yellowpages and three local newspapers. Beyond that I use craigslist once in a while and have done some mailers (not purchased).


 
All those places to advertise work out for you??? What do you gross per year if you don't mind my askin?


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## MARAZONAGT (Oct 4, 2011)

jefflovstrom said:


> We dont advertise.
> Jeff



we seek out new life, new civilizations we boldly go where no man has gone before


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## ForTheArborist (Oct 4, 2011)

marazona said:


> we seek out new life, new civilizations we boldly go where no man has gone before


 
'Star Trek Forestry'
_Your Local Expert Tree Phasers_


:msp_thumbup:


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## sgreanbeans (Oct 8, 2011)

I was in 3 books, but dropped out this year. Wasnt seeing the return, one book gave one customer, the salesman! Spent 2600 to get a 700 job? Really nervous about it, but the numbers dont lie. So I have put my focus on the internet and ValPak. Hope I am right.


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## TheLumberJack (Oct 8, 2011)

ForTheAction said:


> All those places to advertise work out for you??? What do you gross per year if you don't mind my askin?


 
I'm not going to throw out a dollar figure, but we (3 of us) do very well.

I know I have done enough advertising when there's not enough time in the day to finish the incoming jobs.

Believe it or not, craigslist has been excellent. I get A LOT of stump grinding jobs through craigslist.


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## ForTheArborist (Oct 21, 2011)

TheLumberJack said:


> I'm not going to throw out a dollar figure, but we (3 of us) do very well.
> 
> I know I have done enough advertising when there's not enough time in the day to finish the incoming jobs.
> 
> Believe it or not, craigslist has been excellent. I get A LOT of stump grinding jobs through craigslist.


 

Yeah, I actually began to like craigslist customers once I started telling them I only work for an hourly rate. So this way I don't have to drive out there home, and tell them what it really costs which they in turn run away from right away. That's the usual craigslister. I'm not sure why they go for the hourly rate though. I suppose after I explain everything about the rate and us over the phone, they feel like they trust me over all of the pirates of the craigslist that they would have to pick through. I guess I stand out next to them.


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## mikewhite85 (Oct 23, 2011)

I get 90% of my work from yelp... and it's free! The rest are referrals and assumedly people who stumble upon my website.

White's Tree Service - North Hollywood, CA

One negative review but the good reviews keep me pretty busy. Stupid mistake and planning on my part. I do not think it hurts my cause, however, because it shows I am human (and that my reviews aren't forged!) 

Peer to peer reviews are an excellent way to get business nowadays. I won't go to a restaurant without "yelping" it to see how good it is.

Servicemagic and angieslist are also good if you build up reviews. With sites like these people are looking for quality of work, not just the lowest price.


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## MNGuns (Oct 27, 2011)

If you are going to spend money on advertising, spend it on the web. Phone books an the paper are dead, at least when you compare the cost to the result. CL, and Google Adwords drive my business at times more than I care for.


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## OLD MAN GRINDER (Oct 27, 2011)

Get most of my business from signs on truck, people actually call me
going down the road, other than that, word of mouth, and i work with 
a lot of tree men..

Hope that helps..

Bob..


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