What is the best way to target 78254 for new mowing accounts? (Houston: credit card, how much)

[jules07]

Originally Posted by firstclassflyer

You should...now cut my lawn!

Mine too!!

Oh wait, mine's too big. You wouldn't want to do it.

[catriona]

What forms of advertising would you most likely respond to?

Door hangers - hate them being on the door and hate it that people come up to the door in the first place.

Letters Introducing a Local Service - these I will look at, are more professional in most cases, and are not intrusive

Door to Door Personal Soliciting (I ring the bell) - HATE this with a passion!!! I don't answer the door if I don't expect anyone, not to mention that it frightens the kids if they are home alone. hate it! hate it! hate it!

A sign at the corner of the road as you drive in - TRASHY! Hate this, too.

I agree with other posters -- try the Valuepack ads - we do read through those and use their coupons. Try the neighborhood assn's newsletter, online or in print. Also, if there is a neighborhood bulletin board, use it - it maybe at the pool or clubhouse if you have one. Bulk mail is a great option -- I used to work there! Great way to reach a targeted zipcode or neighborhood. It would work for your 5 mile radius plan as well. Try putting a coupon in your bulk mailout. Get referrals from your current clients. Maybe offer them a discount on the next service if someone mentions them as referring you. Offer a special service every so many lawnmowings, like frequent flyer miles.
Can't think of any more, but the ideas are bound to be endless.

[V3rtigo]

1. marketing doesn't work unless it's a service you need (or might need.) if people need you, make it easy to find you. easy-to-remember phone number and company name? easy to google you?

2. are you a real company? have a real office? licensed, bonded, etc? professional looking (you, vehicles, equipment)?


of the servicemen that i have called, i have either gone by word of mouth or seen good work done and inquired. i avoid companies that solicit me and i avoid shady looking companies/vehicles/etc. have a PO box and a magnetic ad on the side of your '79 f150? great, i wont be calling.

also, if youre not willing to sacrifice to work more than 5 miles away, then i hope your prices are VERY low to make up the volume. seems like the wrong attitude to have starting out. what would you do if you had a great long-time customer who moved out of the subdivision? quit on them?

[V3rtigo]

oh, and signs on the street, i take those down and throw them away. i can't stand that garbage.

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by V3rtigo

1. marketing doesn't work unless it's a service you need (or might need.) if people need you, make it easy to find you. easy-to-remember phone number and company name? easy to google you?

My website is easy to remember, and my company name indicates a family business. I am a small company, so customers get my cell phone number. I show up first in the google maps listings if you type "landscape company san antonio" along with many other searches.

2. are you a real company? have a real office? licensed, bonded, etc? professional looking (you, vehicles, equipment)?

I am a registered business with the state, licensed with the city, insured across the board, and all my ads are professional looking. I have not yet put the vinyl wrap around my 2002 Chevy, but it is white and always clean. I wear jeans and a khaki button up shirt to work unless it gets too hot (if I am digging or something) in which case I remove the buttoned shirt and just wear a short sleeve t-shirt.

of the servicemen that i have called, i have either gone by word of mouth or seen good work done and inquired. i avoid companies that solicit me and i avoid shady looking companies/vehicles/etc. have a PO box and a magnetic ad on the side of your '79 f150? great, i wont be calling.

I am based out of home and do list my address publicly. A lot of business is coming from word of mouth, but advertising is required for most types of businesses to expand enough to support costs.

also, if youre not willing to sacrifice to work more than 5 miles away, then i hope your prices are VERY low to make up the volume. seems like the wrong attitude to have starting out. what would you do if you had a great long-time customer who moved out of the subdivision? quit on them?

This is a nasty conclusion you are drawing here. I actually have mowing accounts all over the city. The problem is that I need to get a bunch close together to increase my profit margin.

I could explain all of the math but basically if I am mowing yards all beside each other my net income will soar to $85+ per hour before any costs. Mowing with just a 5 minute drive in between houses drops it dramatically. The other reason I want to target one area is the size of the lawns. If I have to drive 10 minutes between lawns of 10,000sqft, I can only make $15 per hour - which is not enough to ever hire someone to work for me, and my body can't do this forever.

So although I value all my customers, I have to give preference to marketing in tight groups when I choose to spend money on expansion. We have been called as far away as Lubbock to work for old customers who moved and miss our quality and service. Construction is my forte - I mow because I am not lazy and I recognize the value of a steady additional income.

Thanks for the reply.

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by firstclassflyer

You should...now cut my lawn!

Sure man. I'll be right over. Just post your address and phone number. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about.

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by V3rtigo

oh, and signs on the street, i take those down and throw them away. i can't stand that garbage.

So far the votes are saying that the introduction letter is the way to go. I'm definitely going to be aiming in that direction. It sounds like a real winner.

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by jules07

Mine too!!

Oh wait, mine's too big. You wouldn't want to do it.

How big a lawn is it?! We do one 25,000sqft monster. The guy pays good money for that one, though. Most people call us for the $28 mow.

[jules07]

Originally Posted by Reallybigshoe

How big a lawn is it?! We do one 25,000sqft monster. The guy pays good money for that one, though. Most people call us for the $28 mow.

Ah. Well, ours isn't THAT big (it's about 21,000sqft). We've NEVER been able to get a service to show up to do our yard, and CONTINUE to come! Once we paid about $90 (including a tip) and they STILL never returned our calls to be a regular service. Now we pay our teenagers to do it.

edit ~ and that 90 bucks was for 2 guys at 1-1/2 hours each. Soooooo...... 3 hours = $30/hour. I don't think that's so bad, is it?

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by jules07

Ah. Well, ours isn't THAT big (it's about 21,000sqft). We've NEVER been able to get a service to show up to do our yard, and CONTINUE to come! Once we paid about $90 (including a tip) and they STILL never returned our calls to be a regular service. Now we pay our teenagers to do it.

edit ~ and that 90 bucks was for 2 guys at 1-1/2 hours each. Soooooo...... 3 hours = $30/hour. I don't think that's so bad, is it?

It's not bad, or it wouldn't be if I had other lawns right there and could continue to earn $30 per hour... The problem is another man hour is tied up in transport. (If you don't want to read the math, stop here.. lol)

$90 (one lawn plus 15 minutes loading and driving each way)
- $13.50 :: taxes and SS (15%)
- $25 :: 2 hours to helper (@12.50/hr)
- $4 :: gas
- $2 :: insurance
- $2 :: truck payment

So $43.50 goes to me, or $21.75 per hour.

Now if I were on the small lawns here's what it would look like in two hours:

$112 (four lawns in a row)
- 16.80 :: SS and taxes
- $25 :: 2 hours to helper
- $2 :: gas
- $2 :: insurance
- $2 ::truck payment

So $64.20 to me, or $32.10 per hour

Now which should I chose? You said that the agreed price was lower (you tipped them) and that this is the most you have ever paid. If the price was lower than this my hourly would drop below $20. I could just go wait tables in that case, risk nothing, and live life in the air conditioning. That's why you're having trouble keeping people.

Did those two guys have a big rider (i.e. a big ZTR)? There are a couple companies in town with the Dixie choppers which could mow that lawn in 20 minutes (not kidding). Those are your guys. They pay like $15,000 for that capability. Most of the time once they have them they move on to commercial, though. If you can find some then they can take care of it for you for around $60-70 I bet, maybe $80. Alternatively, you could just pony up $2000 and get a riding mower, which would put you on easy street for mowing. Or you could give me the rider and I'll mow you free for a year.