Generating leads

[Lasko1972]

###
## # Been reading this board for the past year or so. First time poster as you can see. Lots of great info to be had here. I know this isn't a new subject. I just wanted to start a fresh thread to get any new ideas in terms of advertising or developing leads for a startup tree company. In the biz for about ten years. Just went solo. I'm a small fish(right now at least) focusing primarily on removals in upstate New York.#
## # Yes, I understand that reputation, referrals, and word of mouth are the backbone of any successful tree companies. Below is a list of marketing and advertising I've employed so far. Please feel free to add.

-Introduced myself to every realestate agency with a stack of business cards within a 45 mile radius
-ads in two local papers that span several counties, 30,000 subscribers total
-realestate sized signs intended to be left at job sites for no more than two weeks after completing a satisfied clients job
-name of co. and phone number on truck of course
-all employees stocked with business cards
-referral bonuses for employees/anyone
-later this month will be attending two separate chamber of commerce events in separate counties.

I know I'm forgetting a few but you get the idea. Thanks in advance for any input.#

 

[jefflovstrom]

Yeah, what is with all the #'s?
Jeff

 

[cfield]

With all that exposure your phone should be blowing up. In all seriousness though it just takes time. You got your bases covered, just be patient. When the jobs do come in do a great job, then the referrals will start rolling in, thats what your buisness will survive off.

 

[Lasko1972]

I didn't type any of those ###. I have no idea how they ended up there.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I got great advice from Yoda (JPS) on this, I took it and ran with it "Stay away from the phone book, most people who flip those open are looking for the cheapest way out, not the customer that u want."
I used to drop almost a G a month on them, I put that money into my web site and other digital media, now I have a alot more calls, all from hi-end hoods.

Never knock on doors, crack head bubba does that. Atleast around here.

 

[Lasko1972]

Yeah haven't heard too many great things about phone books considering their cost. Seems similar to craigslist attracting mostly bottom feeders. You tend to get what you pay for. You might find yourself a cheap tree guy but he most likely wont have insurance and leave your property looking worse after the job. I know, I used to work for a guy like that. Mostly what I learned from him was things NOT to do.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I didn't type any of those ###. I have no idea how they ended up there.

That is what I would say!
Jeff :msp_ohmy:

 

[FLtreeGuyVHTC]

###
## # Been reading this board for the past year or so. First time poster as you can see. Lots of great info to be had here. I know this isn't a new subject. I just wanted to start a fresh thread to get any new ideas in terms of advertising or developing leads for a startup tree company. In the biz for about ten years. Just went solo. I'm a small fish(right now at least) focusing primarily on removals in upstate New York.#
## # Yes, I understand that reputation, referrals, and word of mouth are the backbone of any successful tree companies. Below is a list of marketing and advertising I've employed so far. Please feel free to add.

-Introduced myself to every realestate agency with a stack of business cards within a 45 mile radius
-ads in two local papers that span several counties, 30,000 subscribers total
-realestate sized signs intended to be left at job sites for no more than two weeks after completing a satisfied clients job
-name of co. and phone number on truck of course
-all employees stocked with business cards
-referral bonuses for employees/anyone
-later this month will be attending two separate chamber of commerce events in separate counties.

I know I'm forgetting a few but you get the idea. Thanks in advance for any input.#

Advertise, Workers Comp and General Liability, and Do a Great Job... Without W/C and GL you will miss out on bigger contracts. Don't worry about what other companies do... Get a feel for selling jobs. I'm a smaller company that covers Central New York. I go where the work is though. Explore all options and don't limit yourself to just tree work... Don't be like the other wood chucks running around with just general liability or no insurance at all. Alot of it comes down to how good of a salesmen you really are.

 

[fearofpavement]

Puzzled by the responses that the yellow pages and Craigslist were poor places to advertise because of the clientele it will attract. What does that mean? Do you guys check credit scores before you give a quote? If I were needing a service those are the two places I would look unless I already had a tree service on retainer.

Also, not sure that knocking on doors and leaving your card isn't a good method. I do this regularly but only if there is an issue like a broken tree in their yard, etc. In most cases these people have a need and if you show up to provide a solution, you may get the job.

Gotta get some jobs to gain some rep.

Keep in mind that most people will seek a tree service when an emergency arises and probably won't give it much thought prior to that. I am referring to a removal or that type of thing, not arborist work such as pruning.

Word of mouth is often the best form of advertising but you only have control over it by doing an exemplary job for the customer. I sometimes do small "freebies" to create good will such as pruning a few branches that were blocking a window, cleaning their gutters if I am already on the roof, etc. A few minutes of your time may be more effective cost wise than putting up a billboard, etc. If people feel you gave them their money's worth then they will advertise for you. By their money's worth, this doesn't mean you were cheap, it means you did what you said you would and charged them what you said you would charge and they are happier than they thought they would be.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Puzzled by the responses that the yellow pages and Craigslist were poor places to advertise because of the clientele it will attract. What does that mean? Do you guys check credit scores before you give a quote? If I were needing a service those are the two places I would look unless I already had a tree service on retainer.

It may be the area, here, most of my phone books calls where form the low end hoods, looking for the cheapest price they can get, not the quality. I do throw adds on Craigslist, not to get custys, but to give the person looking the knowledge that there are pros out there, we get some doozys on there, guess its kinda a counter tactic. Get some "will work for food" type of guys.

This is the first year out of the all the books, have had double the calls.

 

[Lasko1972]

Fearofpavement, I do advertise on CL. I take any lead I can get right now. I've also done the door knockers in the past exactly like you describe. Actually got a fair amount of work from them. Had a basic flyer targeting properties with hazardous or troubled trees. My former tree co. I worked for(tiny by the way) had some down times and I would do this to get work for us. As crappy as that co. was I actually got a hefty commission for those jobs that we closed on.

Back to CL. My experience, not always of course, is that people tend to use the Internet to look for the cheapest price. And they are not all from the ghetto. Tonight I had landlord(found me on CL)call me back at 9:45pm about one tree I had quoted him for $2000, about a week ago. Said he wanted me to lower the price. Even told me I was the lowest bidder. I held my ground cause it's rock bottom. He may call back, maybe not. I'm okay with either.

Have used freebies in the past. Love them. Not to scam people into choosing me. I often add it after.

Basic point of the post is to get different, out of the box or not so out of the box ideas that people here have found to be successful. Even ideas that were a complete waste of time would be helpful as to not to repeat.

Thanks guys,
Lasko

 

[PAYLESS]

Sounds like evrybody is the doing the same thing, door knocking, flyers at the door, craislist, yellow book, website, so it just sounds like when you do get that call make sure that u are the best sallesman and close the deal, dont let a window open , and for the guy that gave a estimate of 2000.00 why not lower another 50 to 100 bucks? and close the deal, iam possitive you mere making more than that on the deal and you would have more cash flow and kept working..

 

[mic687]

I do not door knock as we have a couple of guys going around town with the I am broke and need the work story. That being said I saw a house the other day with ribbon around 9 trees so I could not resist dropping off a card. The only advertising I do is signs on my truck and as far as I know I only got 1 call from those the rest of my calls were word of mouth. I do this part time and if I got much more work I could not do it all. In my experiance if you do what you say when you say you will do it and are professional the work just comes in. You may have to door knock a little at first to get the ball rolling but that can creep people out knowing you are eyeballing their property. Your best bet is let everyone you know or meet that you have a tree service and are always ready to give free estimates. My son said to me, dad you are the only guy I know that will cut down a whole tree and walk across the yard after the job is done to pick up one leaf we missed and that is how you keep the calls comming. Quality work, competive price and above all good communication with the customer.

 

[ch woodchuck]

Pavement..
Hang in there brother!...Did all stuff..Whatever it took to find work.No CR when I started(71)Nothing ventured-nothing gained..Fortune seeks the bold...etc..etc..:msp_laugh:
Down the road it all works out for the best.Positive atitude,honesty.good working practices..And the ability to know when your being bullsh...d...Mans's gotta do what a man's gotta do.......:msp_biggrin:

cheers