[Mac]

Jake, most definately. Not every month, but most months every client will get an insert with their bill highlighting a time-relevant service that they are not scheduled for. When I look through my QX data base and I see a client with only one job scheduled, it bothers me but I also see an opportunity to upsell.

[Lawn Lad]

Call it "Integrated Direct Marketing." After you understand what you're selling (not just a list of services) and who your customer is and why they would/should buy from you - have a professional design your piece.

You can buy lists over a larger geographic area that meet your criteria by demographic, or you can do saturation mailings by postal carrier routes. Doing a satruation mailing gets you in the neighborhoods where you are already working and where the deomographic is likely to be the same, depending on the areas you work in.

Once you have your list mail to them several times. Use a mail house to keep your costs down. A'deas printing charges 26.5 cents per 4 color 2 sided 6" x 9" post card. That's printed, packaged, labeled and mailed. $1325 for 5,000. Doing this in house would be absurd unless you have the equipment, in which case you're likely not in the landscape business. Make the mailing fresh and seasonal, but keep a theme so the customer recongizes the pattern.

Use other techniques as well. Leaving door hangers for neighbors where you're already working is another way to call attention to your company. We just did one we call "Pardon the dust" with a construction theme to the card with our services on the back. We do inserts in our invoices to our existing customers. We mail letters with offers and information at various times during the season.

I think a website is critical to having a successful mailing campaign. Get people to your website to learn more about your company. A post card or brochure is only going to catch their attention, they won't read a lot on paper. But they may browse your site and stop to read what interests them. Use Google Analytics to track how your site is being used and then improve upon it.

Track your responses from various methods. Give your customers a reason to act, a call to action. A list of services says nothing. Why should someone be compelled to stop what they're doing and call you?

Some of what I've shared are things we do, others are things that I've heard at classes/read, etc. I'm no expert, but I've learned that marketing is as much science as it is art. You must track what you do to know if you're being successful and if you make a change to see if it brough more responses. You don't just want to change multiple things for any reason, you'll never know if you're reaching the customers in the right way. You can try to shorten the learning curve by talking to your customers and getting their words worked into your message. If you hear a theme from your customers, you may want to repeat it since likely others are buying for the same reason.

[Stonehenge]

Lawn Lad, I found A'deas and something isn't adding up - I'm seeing their 6"x9" postcards, 5000 for $695. That only leaves around $.12 apiece for postage, labels, etc. And I don't think it's even possible to get a $.12 postcard rate.

Are you getting the "insider" deal?

[Lawn Lad]

Mail costs are 13 cents. A flyer sent out with their samples for 4 color/1 color (4/1) is 24 cents. Add 2.5 cents for 4/4 color, to 26.5 cents per. They're printing, sorting, etc. for 13.5 cents per.

Now, the rates may vary for your mailing list. A postal carrier route list is going to price better than your own list that they have to sort/verify run through the cass dohicus, etc.

Admittadely I have not purchased from them, but we are going to be sending them our first order at the beginning of the week. I'll let you know how it goes.

[sandim]

We've done direct mail. Not a huge response but my theory is...if you at least gain back in profit what your marketing cost you, it was successful. You have lost no money, you have gained a client or two who will hopefully continue with you, generating revenue, and you get your name out there. YOu never know who is looking when. Perhaps someone will save your mailing, or your client will refer you to someone.
I like postcards, the bigger one. Vistaprint.com is a great website for good quality postcards very inexpensively.
Also, get a list. Based on your current clients, figure out income, property value, and zip codes.
Here is my contact and she's awesome: suzanne@prospectsinfluential.com
A list is well worth your while as your targeting the correct market.
Give your potential client an offer that's of interest to THEM.
Maybe a percentage off, free tips, etc.
Sometimes it's nice to check out some other landscaping websites and see who's doing what.

I think we are going to send out 4 marketings this year. I think repetition is important. Even if the recipients aren't looking now, they may be in a future mailing.

My ten cents.

[jamesn162]

stonehedge last winter you said that you were going to make your own diect mailing list....i am curious on how you did with that because after having mixe results with buying a list i am thinking about doing my ouwn list driving area to area picking the houses i think will fit my kind of work

[Stonehenge]

After comparing my list and the list I purchased, I prefer my list. Granted it'll end up being more expensive because of the time you spend (even driving one-handed, entering into a laptop as you crawl along, it'll still go pretty slow), but I feel the results were more comprehensive and reliable.

As for the results from the mailings themselves - it was within my expectations and warrants further use.

[jamesn162]

jeff how many houses did you send out......how many calls did you get from the mailings..........how many times did you do the mailing process this past year...and lastly when is the best time of year to do the mailings...

[Stonehenge]

5,000.

Don't recall at the moment, but it was worthwhile.

2.

Not sure - this was our first year. I believe Hamons just posted something about this recently.