Advertizing does and don'ts - what has worked for you?

[AAASTUMPSERVICE]

I am very new to all this and i want to drum up business so i have handed out cards to family friends, i put up biz cards in hardware stores and even knocked on a few doors.

Has anyone done the sign advertizing you see staked into the ground on the side of the road or nailed to a tree?

Any help would be appreciated, and any creative ideas to get the word out about my new company, keeping in mind cheap or free ways of advertizing..thank you much!

 

[Jeffsaw]

I am very new to all this and i want to drum up business so i have handed out cards to family friends, i put up biz cards in hardware stores and even knocked on a few doors.

Has anyone done the sign advertizing you see staked into the ground on the side of the road or nailed to a tree?

Any help would be appreciated, and any creative ideas to get the word out about my new company, keeping in mind cheap or free ways of advertizing..thank you much!

The cheapest advertising I have had luck with has been a sign beside my driveway which is on a main road into town. Plywood, paint, 4" high stencils and a few hours of tedious work though. I just put what I was selling and a phone number. Professionally done signs are way better looking if you can afford it.

 

[CNBTreeTrimming]

Best advertising is an easy to read decal(s) on your truck. People see you work and take note. I can't tell you how many times I never new anybody was interested in having me do a job until they called out of the blue and said "I saw you working over on...".

 

[jefflovstrom]

Have you tried marketing? Maybe call all the tree co's in your area? Landscape co's too?
Jeff

 

[mikewhite85]

Set up a free account on Yelp.com and have clients write reviews. I get tons of business this way. White's Tree Service - North Hollywood - North Hollywood, CA
The thing is though that those who write reviews must use yelp somewhat regularly. I have 6 reviews that disappeared because of this. Angie's list is good too. Also try blocherlist.com

Also, shell out a couple bucks for a fancy website if you do not have one. Well worth the expense. Web advertising is where its at. PM me if you want to hook up with a good web developer.

Due to yelp and my website I am usually getting a handful of calls a day and I am not currently paying anything for advertising.

Also, google adwords is a sure way to bring business your way. You can get 100 dollars of free pay per click ads to get jump-started.

 

[mic687]

Word of mouth has worked for me sometimes its my mouth but I figure if people don't know I do it they aren't going to call. I pick up most new work I do from people watching me and then asking for a bid. I just did some major trimming for a guy who is trading me for signs for my truck and tee shirts so that is next. I started out door knocking and quality dependibility and insurance has kept the work comming.

 

[mikewhite85]

Use quality pictures too. This makes a big difference

 

[jefflovstrom]

Set up a free account on Yelp.com and have clients write reviews. I get tons of business this way. White's Tree Service - North Hollywood - North Hollywood, CA
The thing is though that those who write reviews must use yelp somewhat regularly. I have 6 reviews that disappeared because of this. Angie's list is good too. Also try blocherlist.com

Also, shell out a couple bucks for a fancy website if you do not have one. Well worth the expense. Web advertising is where its at. PM me if you want to hook up with a good web developer.

Due to yelp and my website I am usually getting a handful of calls a day and I am not currently paying anything for advertising.

Also, google adwords is a sure way to bring business your way. You can get 100 dollars of free pay per click ads to get jump-started.

Good post, Mike.
Jeff

 

[mikewhite85]

Good post, Mike.
Jeff

Thanks. Don't show it to anyone in Los Angeles though

 

[TreeAce]

Best advertising is an easy to read decal(s) on your truck. People see you work and take note. I can't tell you how many times I never new anybody was interested in having me do a job until they called out of the blue and said "I saw you working over on...".

I get that alot. If you have a decent lookin truck try and get a nice lookn logo goin or even just a name and number. Don't get crazy tryn to jam a bunch of crap on it. A person should be able to look over n see your number and hopefully a website and see it fast. A truck will be ,by far, the best bang for your buck in advertising. I have job signs that I use here n there. They are ok. Actually, they are pretty sweet considering that last season I would bet that they paid for themselves maybe 4X over that I know of. I bought like 28 of em with wire stands for like 325. They are good to ues over n over. They can also be a pain to go and get outa someones yard after a week or so. I never thought I would mind but for real it can be a pain keepn track of them. Its no good to just leavem there. HO be like wtf? Get a website going if u can. I also think of working on a job as advertising. keep it in mind with what u do, how u do it, and who you have doin it with u. The older retired folks love to pull up a chair and watch. Often from inside and u dont know they are watchen. These people are often future customers or they know sombody who was talkn bout tree work and they will pass on your name with u none the wiser they ever was watchn. Word of mouth is easily, by far, the top dog of all ways to get more work. I would bet that word o mouth is about 60% of the work I get. The internet supplies prolly 20% and 15% is from my truck. The other 5% would be from signs and droping biz cards around. One thing I do know is that people do NOT want pens...LOL..but atleast I have a near lifetime supply of cool (to me) pens. AND one more thing to keep in mind, If you have a happy customer they will tell a couple people that you did good...BUT..if you have an unhappy customer...they WILL tell everyone who will listen that u are no good and NOT the person to call. Even when they have no one to recommend they still say who NOT to call!

 

[jefflovstrom]

Thanks. Don't show it to anyone in Los Angeles though

Ha ha, No worries!
Jeff

 

[TreeClimber57]

The cheapest advertising I have had luck with has been a sign beside my driveway which is on a main road into town. Plywood, paint, 4" high stencils and a few hours of tedious work though. I just put what I was selling and a phone number. Professionally done signs are way better looking if you can afford it.

If you are in right spot.. this works well and low cost. But do get professional signs, speaks volumes about you to the potential customer.

 

[ducaticorse]

I am very new to all this and i want to drum up business so i have handed out cards to family friends, i put up biz cards in hardware stores and even knocked on a few doors.

Has anyone done the sign advertizing you see staked into the ground on the side of the road or nailed to a tree?

Any help would be appreciated, and any creative ideas to get the word out about my new company, keeping in mind cheap or free ways of advertizing..thank you much!

Whatever you do brother, don't spell things wrong on your "Advertizing" however you decide to do it. Highly unprofessional, and just makes you look like a total ass.

 

[alpineman]

Yard signs are great if you buy enough of them to just have the homeowner throw them away after a week or so! I just picked up 500 of them for under $3/each. Picking up yard signs is a total waste of time and ultimately money. When I need extra work, I turn on my leads from Service Magic and I get a lot of work from them. Downside is that it costs $17/lead. I just started doing bulk discounts for homeowners associations and that is going well. Find the biggest loud mouth person on the board and have them email or send out a mailing to everyone in the neighborhood that you will be working in their neighborhood for 3-5 specified days and that they can receive a group discount. People love discounts! Website, website...can't say enough about that!

#1.....CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!! Good professional service will pay for that new equipment, that boat, or whatever the heck you plan on spending your money on!! Be on time, get your crew some nice looking shirts, don't smoke in front of the client, send them a thank you letter/email, go out of your way to please them, etc. You get the jist.

 

[TreeAce]

Yard signs are great if you buy enough of them to just have the homeowner throw them away after a week or so! I just picked up 500 of them for under $3/each. Picking up yard signs is a total waste of time and ultimately money. When I need extra work, I turn on my leads from Service Magic and I get a lot of work from them. Downside is that it costs $17/lead. I just started doing bulk discounts for homeowners associations and that is going well. Find the biggest loud mouth person on the board and have them email or send out a mailing to everyone in the neighborhood that you will be working in their neighborhood for 3-5 specified days and that they can receive a group discount. People love discounts! Website, website...can't say enough about that!

#1.....CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!! Good professional service will pay for that new equipment, that boat, or whatever the heck you plan on spending your money on!! Be on time, get your crew some nice looking shirts, don't smoke in front of the client, send them a thank you letter/email, go out of your way to please them, etc. You get the jist.

That service magic works out for u ok? They still call me about once a month. I had to press em pretty hard but turns out there was 4 other companies using them right in my area an I worried I would be paying to much for leads that I have to fight over to get. But, people DO go through them eh? I def agree about the signs, HUGE pian n my butt chasen those things...I just tryn use them at only the best spots now. The throw away signs r prolly the way to go as long as its a customer thats cool with u askn em to pick it up an toss it for u...some people wouldn't like that but others would be more than happy to. Also I think they turn into an eye sore fast for many neighbors. Personally...i think yard signs look like crap and I wouldnt mind a bit if my city would just ban em altogther....ESP during election time! But until then i will use mine at choice spots.

 

[alpineman]

That service magic works out for u ok? They still call me about once a month. I had to press em pretty hard but turns out there was 4 other companies using them right in my area an I worried I would be paying to much for leads that I have to fight over to get. But, people DO go through them eh? I def agree about the signs, HUGE pian n my butt chasen those things...I just tryn use them at only the best spots now. The throw away signs r prolly the way to go as long as its a customer thats cool with u askn em to pick it up an toss it for u...some people wouldn't like that but others would be more than happy to. Also I think they turn into an eye sore fast for many neighbors. Personally...i think yard signs look like crap and I wouldnt mind a bit if my city would just ban em altogther....ESP during election time! But until then i will use mine at choice spots.

Service magic is only good if I get out there immediately and do the estimate. I have learned over the years what regions are good and which ones aren't. Still, its hard to lose even one at $17 each. I am going to start a new thing this year that another tree co. owner friend told me about. He printed out a nice professional letter that he hands out personally to the surrounding 8-10 houses around his jobs. He says that he gets "tons" of business that way. He claims it really impresses people when you have all your nice equipment parked at their neighbors house. I am going to give it a try if I can remember and not be in too much of a hurry.

 

[treeman75]

I am working on a website now, thinking about 3-4 pages. Im having a metal chipbox built and painted then getting my signs on it with my website. I have wooden sides now so it will look like a new chip truck when im done. The only time the phone books work for me is when a customer lost my card or cant remember my name. They also work after storms people start calling, I get a sighned contract and a deposit to lock it in. 80 percent of my work is repeat and referrils. Keep the customers happy spend an extra 10-15 min to get it real clean!

 

[squad143]

Post notices, with tear-a-way phone number, in busy grocery/convienance stores, gas stations, nurserys, etc.

i've put out the plastic lawn bag signs on busy intersections going into promising neighbourhoods during the long weekends.

Put your company name and phone number on the back of your truck & chipper (more people will see it while driving). * Don't drive like an idiot. *

 

[arbor pro]

nice looking equipment and decals along with yellow pages ad in phonebook works for me. Think of your trucks and equipment as moving billboards.

Of course, nothing beats word of mouth so, you have to make sure you work on treating every customer like he/she is your best customer so they tell their family and friends. P.O. a single customer and he/she will tell 50 friends not to use your company!

AP

 

[TreeAce]

Your equipment looks good Arbor pro! Very sharp. How does that mini skid set up work out? That whole thing is str8 up custom right? I remember seeing a thread when I first came here I think U just had your trucks done up. Here are pictures of my truck and a job sign. The truck is a much more basic design but I get alot of compliments and I like it alot myself. The job sign I dont care for. I went with one color because of the cost of multi color signs. They cost alot more. I never got a final approval on the signs and they just printed em. I think the company name isnt centered up right. I also think that the tree looks like a "mushroom cloud" at first glance until u get good and close.Thats not the printer guys fault though..needs to be brown n green!(the tree). I have mixed feelings about the mushroom cloud effect........I also have a magnet on the back of my chipper that looks basically the same as side of truck.