Business is slow

Barc Buster said:
X2 I almost always end up selling extra work while I'm working on a Saturday. Get a small yard sign from vista print and ask homeowner if it's okay to put it out while your there.
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Oh please don't. Those things drive me up the wall. I can understand those who use them but jeez, it's like election time 100% of the time.
 
I hear ya and surely don't fault ya. I do many things I disagree with in the name of $ and say "it is what it is".... while my soul cringes. Advertising can become needed when the overhead or competition increases which I fully get, just don't like.
 
Norsetreeman said:
Well as of now I have big magnets on doors of truck from Vista print I have business cards and flyers all professionaly designed by myself they look nice. As for the website it's through go Daddy and I don't feel I'm getting enough traffic there but I know nothing about internet marketing. I'm also on Google help and some of those other sites. I do need to make the box on my truck alittle taller and then paint a whole ad on both sides of box to make it stand out. For some reason the phone basically stopped ringing I have a few jobs but not enough to get by on
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HomeAdvisor.com until you get your name out there.




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Homeadvisor. Hmm. There's a lot of small businesses in landscaping and other trades on YouTube who strongly advise against that. Look it up. Same probably goes for any other paid referral service. I do know that I signed up for H-A then backed out after the first week (and yes it was a HUGE fuss involving threats of litigation). They take way too much control of your business. They will get into your public advertising and try and insert themselves between you and the public. The fees are no joke, many hundreds a month, many set to automatically renew, and there was a constant drone of nuisance calls per day by their salespersons even AFTER I had pulled the plug on them months prior. In my opinion they are a bunch of telemarketing sharks set off in some call center in Colorado who will drive you nuckin' futs to get your money. A new business really does not need that much overhead anyway- as others have said, what you really want is to network on the local level. Spend small money on truck signage, Craigslist ads, Facebook page, website, and business cards. Churches can be a gold mine of referrals if you attend one. A new tree service is a local referral word of mouth type business, not a high cost advertising sort of thing.
 
I opened up my own company 04/23/2018 and I know there are a lot of negative things about home advisor but they kept me busy all last year and this year as so far this year as well, there is a lot of bullshit that comes with it like leads that don't answer your phone calls and some people that just want the lowest price, but if you know how to work the leads and have good customer service skills you can do really well with it, Im booked out right now until the beginning of June and 90% of it is from home advisor and we also do well with craigslist.
 
Make decent business card on Vistaprint, start walking neighborhoods near you and put them on the outside of mailboxes, on doors. If you're not afraid of knocking on doors do that as well if you see trees that could possibly need pruning or removal. Everywhere you go have business cards with you and hand them to people, from your barber to a waiter everybody. If you don't have money for advertising on Google, Angie's List, Yelp or Facebook, then just build your website and add it to all this platform free of charge, advertise on Craigslist, Facebook for free and start getting jobs, then have those clients leave you reviews online so you can start building a reputation. Give small incentives for referrals when you're done with a job. Remember you're not selling tree service, you're selling yourself at all times. If you have a decent truck spend some money on nice graphics for it, it will bring you business and people will see you all over town all the time.
 
treeracket said:
Homeadvisor. Hmm. There's a lot of small businesses in landscaping and other trades on YouTube who strongly advise against that. Look it up. Same probably goes for any other paid referral service. I do know that I signed up for H-A then backed out after the first week (and yes it was a HUGE fuss involving threats of litigation). They take way too much control of your business. They will get into your public advertising and try and insert themselves between you and the public. The fees are no joke, many hundreds a month, many set to automatically renew, and there was a constant drone of nuisance calls per day by their salespersons even AFTER I had pulled the plug on them months prior. In my opinion they are a bunch of telemarketing sharks set off in some call center in Colorado who will drive you nuckin' futs to get your money. A new business really does not need that much overhead anyway- as others have said, what you really want is to network on the local level. Spend small money on truck signage, Craigslist ads, Facebook page, website, and business cards. Churches can be a gold mine of referrals if you attend one. A new tree service is a local referral word of mouth type business, not a high cost advertising sort of thing.
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It worked for me but I suppose every market is different.


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southsoundtree said:
What makes you different?
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X2.
How do you differentiate yourself from all your competitors? Price? Quality of work and clean up? Friendly and approachable? Prompt service?

You dont want to become known as the cheapest outfit around. Or the most expensive. Treat your customers (and your helpers) how YOU would want to be treated if the proverbial shoe was on the other foot.

I try to leave a site cleaner when I leave then when I arrive. Go that extra mile. If a customer asks me to do some additional little thing while I'm there, it gets done and at no charge. In two or three years, they will call you back for additional work.

edit: and do not do verbal quotes. A buddy of mine does, and it drives me nuts. I cant even remember what I had for breakfast most days by the time supper rolls around. At a minimum
Get yourself a decent quotation/estimate book at Staples or wherever, and a self inking stamper with your business name and address.
 
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