return on marketing / advertising dollars?

hl_tree

hl_tree

Location
New Fairfield, CT
So I am sure that there is a formula out there that can be used to say that X dollars spent on advertising should yield Y in new business. This year I've spent almost 10K between getting my 2 trucks and chipper lettered, and uniform in appearance, plus a bunch of new company shirts (something I've never really had before) and had my website re-done to generate business. It was not a one shot deal, and has been an ongoing effort through the course of the year. However I'm not seeing a return to justify all this money going out, as my business continues to be coming in from networking with other contractors, and WOM from my current clients.

I'm just curious if I am missing something, or if this is typical return for the investments that I have made so far?
 
Website looks good.

Matching uniforms imo are a good thing.

Curious on how you did the trucks.

I think these things may not bring immediate business but will maintain a clean professional image.

Question for you is in your area what is your target audience and how are you going to reach out to them?
 
IMO when you show up in your new look to work, that's what it's good for. Clients are impressed, so they spread that name. Other than that the only thing sharp looking tree service driving around or working on the property means is sharp tree service. It's not a bill board people drive by every day. It's not a commercial on TV/Radio people hear everyday. It's just while you're there, you look sharp, so that there's no shame in calling you back or referring your number to the family and friends because it makes you look good for referring the sharp looking tree service instead of a hack squad. LOL

Tell me if I'm wrong.
 
We have a couple of outfits that run around in full g-unit gear. Pants hanging off there @ss, spiffy white nike shoes, t-shirts 3 sizes to big, Flat brim hats my fave =)

If you show up looking like $hit, generally your work is $hit. You will attract shitty, haggling customers.

Look professional, act professional, work hard and people will notice.

All that is off topic.

According to quickbooks advertising was 2% of my gross for the year. Last year was more like 5%. This year I dropped all print ads. Seems like they are high cost, low return.

Your return on crew and vehicles looking good will be long term as Casey said..
 
I wouldnt expect to see a return on lettering trucks or uniforms. I would however expect to see an increase in return customers. It may not yield instant ROI but lettering/paint, and professional uniforms distinguish you from the hacks.

Things like radio, tv, print, etc will produce a more 'measurable' return.

Congrats though on the improvements to your company image, good luck!
 
Looking sharp is like the foundation of a house. Invisible but what the visible part is built on.

Look sharp...work sharp!

Successful people will notice and you'll be building a good foundation.
 
It's not so much the shirts that I am curious about, it's more the investment in lettering the trucks up as well as the money that I've spent on the website.

For the most part the clients that I pick up tend to be repeats... I just want more of them. We just did a job for one of my "regulars" on saturday, summer - weekender, took out 2 trees, 1 more to go... she came out at the end of the day with her checkbook... what do I owe you? The problem with this type of client though is that they are rarely around, and posting signage is a big no-no, plus they tend to be rather quiet... in the sense that they don't talk with many of their neighbors. I figured that the website would be a good way to get more of them, but nothing so far.
 
Improving the website wont do anything unless you promote the site. You need to drive traffic towards the content, otherwise the quality of the content is moot.

Check out google adwords, basic SEO, and other paid search services.
 
Yes having a nice site is the first step. I've found a better investment to be paying google Adwords to drive traffic to the site instead of the high seo costs companies charge.

Jp
 
Do you guys thInk a nice website and a clean appearance wIth lettered trucks and company shirts can help deter the price shoppers?

There is a difference between SEO (search engine optimization) which helps where you place in the organic section and SEM (search engine marketing) which is paying for a company to run your Google AdWords campaign and other PPC ads (pay per click).
 
Marketing is a bit of voodoo science that requires monitoring and determining what your draw is. EG., large retail electronic store does major advertising in all media, 150% price matching guarantee, etc... When customers were surveyed the overwhelmingly #1 reason they shopped there was cleanliness and store presentation. So, the staff focus was on maintaining clean stores, well organized and stocked shelves, clean uniforms worn properly. Sales were measured in multiple ways; year over year, same store, market share, retention, penetration.... Current market conditions are vitally important. While you may not be seeing growth, you may be outperforming the market or your competition.

Do you track where people hear about you?

If you really want to know what the ROI is on those investments you'll need to survey your clients to better understand their buying motivations and what leads them to refer. Here's a summary of Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" http://www.wikisummaries.org/The_Tipping_Point.

The advantage of high visibility vehicle signage is that it is a rolling billboard that can clearly convey a message to the market that shows who you are and what they may expect. That is surely a good investment and one that is not measure over the first year but amortized over the life expectancy of the signage.
 
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