How Could I Make Flyers Look More Professional?

[X-man]

I paid $50 for four signs at vistaprint

I used their one deal where you can get 100 free business cards. Only thing I paid was shipping, which was $8.00

 

[LawnBoy97]

Ok you have a nice flyer and you have promoted the business, you have your list of provided services even have your catchy slogan... SO WHO CARES. Now do you want to know why nobody gives a crap, well I'll tell you anyway. It's because your just like the other million idiot lawncare company's out there and have shown me nothing.

I don't care about your slogan or your logo or your crappy colored paper, it's trash and that's where it will go. You guys are more interested in who has the prettiest flyer than gaining clients. The mistake that you guys are making is your trying to promote the business and in doing so your making your business like everyone else's and in the end you gain nothing and quite frankly guys you can't compete with the guy down the road with who is pulling a trailer with fifty thousand dollars worth of equipment that people know is a professional.

DON"T....DO NOT promote your business.... PROMOTE YOURSELF. Make your flyer about YOU then your company and what makes you different and better than the idiot down the road, give me something, maybe a free or trial mowing, how about a one time offer to trim my hedges for free, spray my weeds for free as part of your service, something anything to make you different than everyone else's. Limit your free cut to say a certain number of new clients and let them know the offer wont be around long, give me a price I can live with. Make me want to hire you instead of the other guy.

Truthfully guys your working at a big disadvantage to start with and the whole purpose here was to look more professional in what you do, not like a kid with a push mower looking for a summer job.

Thanks, that actually helps a lot. I like the idea of the free mows, I had thought about that before. I suppose that even if the people who receive a few mows didn't want to be regulars, it would promote ourselves, and the business. I totally understand what you are saying, though. I have seen one example of a more personal flyer, and it was a lot more "grabby" I guess you could say. With a yard sign, I plan on putting it in the yard as we work. This meets both criteria, the people see us doing good work (promoting ourselves), and then we promote our business by giving them a name and number via the sign. I'll think about it and then make some revisions. Thanks a lot!

 

[Ric]

Thanks, that actually helps a lot. I like the idea of the free mows, I had thought about that before. I suppose that even if the people who receive a few mows didn't want to be regulars, it would promote ourselves, and the business. I totally understand what you are saying, though. I have seen one example of a more personal flyer, and it was a lot more "grabby" I guess you could say. With a yard sign, I plan on putting it in the yard as we work. This meets both criteria, the people see us doing good work (promoting ourselves), and then we promote our business by giving them a name and number via the sign. I'll think about it and then make some revisions. Thanks a lot!

Just make sure you put a limit on your free mowing if you decide to use it. Limit that offer to 10 or 15 people, that gets your foot in the door and then it will depend on the job you do as to how many of those clients you actually keep. Remember don't emphasize the business to much, keep it about you and what you can do for the client. Another thing is to spend time at the clients, don't be one of these 10 minute cut and run guys. When people see you spending 25 or 30 minutes on there lawns it makes them feel like there getting what they are paying for, it makes them feel like they have hired someone who really cares about what there doing and not just someone that's there for solely the money. Detail Work will make your business or company.

 

[LawnBoy97]

Just make sure you put a limit on your free mowing if you decide to use it. Limit that offer to 10 or 15 people, that gets your foot in the door and then it will depend on the job you do as to how many of those clients you actually keep. Remember don't emphasize the business to much, keep it about you and what you can do for the client. Another thing is to spend time at the clients, don't be one of these 10 minute cut and run guys. When people see you spending 25 or 30 minutes on there lawns it makes them feel like there getting what they are paying for, it makes them feel like they have hired someone who really cares about what there doing and not just someone that's there for solely the money. Detail Work will make your business or company.

That's exactly what I notice. I always see those guys that pull up, have three or four guys hop out, and then it's like they just attack. We definitely spend extra time with our clients (not in a weird way though). I feel like that is one of the differences between us, being a young business, and others that the workers are a lot older. We often talk to our clients about school, and summer things, and just whatever. One of our clients had some benches that were quite aged, and after talking to her about how I was in wood shop, she asked me how much I would charge to refinish them, and there you go, some extra money (and work) for myself.

 

[X-man]

That's exactly what I notice. I always see those guys that pull up, have three or four guys hop out, and then it's like they just attack. We definitely spend extra time with our clients (not in a weird way though). I feel like that is one of the differences between us, being a young business, and others that the workers are a lot older. We often talk to our clients about school, and summer things, and just whatever. One of our clients had some benches that were quite aged, and after talking to her about how I was in wood shop, she asked me how much I would charge to refinish them, and there you go, some extra money (and work) for myself.

I spend some extra time with my clients too. Actually just yesterday the power went out at my trailer so I went to one of my elderly customers and we talked on his deck for about an hour or so.

 

[LawnBoy97]

I spend some extra time with my clients too. Actually just yesterday the power went out at my trailer so I went to one of my elderly customers and we talked on his deck for about an hour or so.

Yeah, I like it. You get to meet a lot of new people, and learn how to deal with some that aren't too easy too easy to work with:smile:.

 

[X-man]

Yeah, I like it. You get to meet a lot of new people, and learn how to deal with some that aren't too easy too easy to work with:smile:.

All of my customers are easy to work with, however rumor in the trailer park, one of my customers can be a serious prick, which hasn't happened yet (and hopefully never happens :smile

 

[LawnBoy97]

All of my customers are easy to work with, however rumor in the trailer park, one of my customers can be a serious prick, which hasn't happened yet (and hopefully never happens :smile

Yeah, it's always nice when things go the way that you want them to:smile:.

 

[jekjr]

Hi, I have a small lawn mowing business with a friend, and although we have gotten a few more yards, we really only have about 5 regulars. now this does keep us busy, but I would really like to expand for next year. I'd like to get a few more flyers/business card ideas finished with this year, that way we can be ready for next March to pass em out. So anyways, does anyone have any pointers, or even a few examples to make ours look more professional? I'll try and scan our current stuff to give you an idea of what we do (and where we are at in terms of advertising) as soon as I get the scanner hooked up. Thanks a lot!

We started up last August. We have tried numerous types of advertising. By far our best advertising has been by using Facebook. We live in an area that is economically depressed in lots of ways and ere is a whole lot of competition. Our goal is about 60 yards and we have about 30 regulars now.

 

[exotion]

We started up last August. We have tried numerous types of advertising. By far our best advertising has been by using Facebook. We live in an area that is economically depressed in lots of ways and ere is a whole lot of competition. Our goal is about 60 yards and we have about 30 regulars now.

I'm going to stick with craigslist and word of mouth. I have gotten almost all my accounts with craigslist you just have to do it right. And be aware of the craigslister type. But as always word of mouth is by far the best and most important. And having bad word of mouth is worse of all. People remember negativity and spread negativity more than positive ......