[Hamons]

In the past I have written a monthly article for local gardening newspaper. I have had very good luck by doing this and it has given my company good market presence in the neighborhood.

However, all fair in love and business. One of my competitors told them they would pull their big ad dollars if they continued to run my articles.

So.... I was considering publishing my own newsletter. Printing it monthly and placing it local doctors offices, starbucks, and such. The newsletter would contain turf articles, general landscaping articles and informative landscape articles -- all of course would of course sell my company.

My first question is: What type of places do you think I should approach about placing the newsletters at their company and...

#2 What do you think I should offer the businesses in return for allowing me to place newsletters there for people to read?

[Lanelle]

Has the paper told you that you are being dropped? Is the other company capable of providing an equal quality column?
Seems that I would play the 'teacher with part-time business card' with the editor.
Maybe if you emphasize your role as an educator to the paper editor, try to make it look as though you are no threat to this other company. Something along the lines of, 'Company X is so much larger than I am, I can't imagine them being threatened by 'lil ole me.'

[leadarrows]

When your doing Doctors offices don't forget the dentist all you get to read in mine is Golf and Airplane magazines.
I would try "Giving them one free cut" in hopes of not only getting your news letter a home but there business as well. Tell them if you get there business you will use pictures of there business in a future news letter with there name and location included of course.
Man I wish I had the talent to produce a news letter. I really think you are on to something there.

[Hamons]

Lanelle,

Honestly - I'm kind of put out with the paper. It was good gig -- but the ehole way this was handled put a bad taste in my mouth. So...

Dentists and doctors offices -- where else do you think?

[Lanelle]

I'd check with another local (competing) paper and see what they charge to insert your newsletter into their paper for distribution. Then place that issue of your newsletter in the medical offices the following week. Come up with a catchy title for your newsletter and use it for local radio spots or maybe a 'crawl' at the bottom of the Weather Channel broadcast. Ask people to call your business phone to get their free copy of the newsletter. You are building your contact list with solid info from folks who are giving you permission to communicate with them.

[Dollar Spot]

Jeff,

I have used a monthly newsletter for years and it is well worth the time it takes to make it. I use it as a teaching tool and a sales aid to recycle customers.

I give it to my current customers and ask them to pass it along to their neighbors when they're done with it. To bad my dentist isn't located near you because you have to wait a hour past your appointment time to get in. That's a lot of reading time.

I send them out to local gardening clubs and follow up with an offer to give a speech on a topic of their choice. I think it's kind of a subtle way of networking with potential clients.

At the golf course, I post one once a month and tie my business into it which is a plus.

If you have local nurseries that don't do installs, they might be a place to leave some. Try any businesses that you buy from. Maybe the local library would display a copy if it's informational.

Bill

[Jake Wolf]

Hit up any public place especially those where people go to on a regular basis. Many cafes/grocery stores have public bulletin boards and welcome local businesses. I've had good luck with flyers and am sure a newsletter would do well to.

Do you send out an email newsletter to your customers and mailing list? It's a cheap way to keep them educated and they get passed around easily amongst their friends. You can add a subscription button on your website in 5 minutes. I use constantcontact.com as they manage all the spam law requirements for me and have easy to use templates.

[GLAN]

Lanelle has realy got a grip on this and is the best advice thus far.

Hamond.....I understand what you want to do.....

To me it's just another flyer