# What is your most effective way of Advertising/Getting Clientel?



## PlowKid150 (Nov 3, 2003)

Hey Fellas, 

I am in SouthEast Pa Right outside of Philly, and i was wondering what you guys around me, even guys not around me do that is the most effective way to recieve new customers? Flyers in mailboxes, Newspaper, Flyers with tear off Phone numbers.....? Let me know guys, talk to ya later.

KEvin


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## The Boss (Oct 22, 2003)

plowkid, here's a link that Mick posted some very useful info. in. Check it out.
Thread


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## gmack616 (Nov 22, 2004)

PlowKid150 said:


> Hey Fellas,
> 
> I am in SouthEast Pa Right outside of Philly, and i was wondering what you guys around me, even guys not around me do that is the most effective way to recieve new customers? Flyers in mailboxes, Newspaper, Flyers with tear off Phone numbers.....? Let me know guys, talk to ya later.
> 
> KEvin


if philly is like d.c. people loose their minds as soon as a decent storm is predicted. if you have the time to place flyers in mailboxes i would do that, if people get a freakin snow removal flyer in august , you had better believe that sucker is going straight in the trash. you start handing em out when the white stuff starts falling and you should get atleast a 10% callback rate.

granted i dont have any plowing experience, but i have been involved in other business ventures and such practice is common place.


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## The Boss (Oct 22, 2003)

Johntwist had some good input also. He couldn't find the link so I posted it for him. He was the one who suggested it.


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

plowmeister gave some good advice here


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## Dwan (Mar 24, 2004)

Don't put thoes flyers in a mail box without a stamp on it!! it is aginst the law.
Most efective way for me has been on the side of my equipment.


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## RidgeCon (Jan 3, 2001)

Do good work and make sure the sides of vehicles, equipment etc are lettered with your numbers. That is how we get the most business once the season is under way or getting close to starting. Take a truck and park it at the mall for the afternoon cleaned up with the plow on it, it will attract attention and phone calls. Then take it to coffee shops, grocery stores etc all the places where people talk about the weather and say hey I just saw a guys or girls truck on the lot, they do powing and so forth. It will generate business.


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## ebonang (Jan 13, 2004)

I started by getting an handful of accounts from co-workers and friends that live nearby. Then I started getting referrals from my existing accounts. I like doing for business for people that know me personally, that way they don't have a problem referring me to their relatives, friends, or neighbors. 

If I'm in a neighborhood where I have a few customers I handout fliers to the neighbors of my customers when I'm done with the job. That way the people I'm giving them to have a chance to see me work. Finally, I place fliers with pull tabs and business cards at the local store. 

Snowremoval is a side job that I use to supplement my income. I only take 12-15 accounts (mostly residential) and this method of getting accounts seems to be working fine. Remember this though, many people don't respond to fliers until the white stuff is on the ground and they want the driveway's or parking lots done ASAP.


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## RidgeCon (Jan 3, 2001)

[ Remember this though, many people don't respond to fliers until the white stuff is on the ground and they want the driveway's or parking lots done ASAP.[/QUOTE]

But that is where we can make up some good money on those accounts raise the price for those folks.


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## DJL (Oct 28, 2003)

Best advertising is by far, for me at least, word of mouth. Do an excellent job for someone and chances are you will get recommended to two or three more and so on and so on.

Another good one is networking. Make all of your friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, whomever know you have a plow (again, whatever) business and are accepting contracts and the like. Got me a few good accounts.


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## Crumm (Nov 5, 2003)

I hung up a few flyer's around the neighborhood last year but don't think they did much good. I found that the best way I got work last year was by doing a good job on the few accounts I had. Those people told other people about the good job at a fair price and first thing I knew more people were calling than I had time to do. I would say be dependable and provide a good service at a fair price. If you do the phone will ring. If you price gouge people when the snow falls just because they didn't sign up early they will tell there friends to call someone else. Good referrals from satisfied customers is the best way to get work I know of.


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## Metro Lawn (Nov 20, 2003)

Keeping your name in front of people is always the best. I give away things that do just this. Just ordered these custom calanders. Good for keeping my name out there for a year and also a practical gift.


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## ProWorkz.com (Nov 29, 2004)

*advertising*

One sure thing for advertising in the internet. A correctly placed, search engine friendly website can bring in a lot of business for a very low fee. This is my first year plowing on my own and did not have time to get my plow site up. But check out my other business at www.motomafia.com We average over 200,000 individual visitors a month. ( The site is currently under construction so please excuse the empty pages )

If anyone needs a website built please email me at [email protected] . I can get web hosting for as low as $2.95 a month. And I can have your site up and running in a day with complete search engine placement within a 72 hours. I can also do complete graphic art design for company logos, ect...

No where else can you advertise like you can on the internet.... And you would be suprised how many people search for "snow removal" company's everday..

With the website you can also add video footage of you equipment in action. Pictures are worth a thousands words. And videos are worth even more.....


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## plowman350 (Jul 19, 2004)

*First year- too much work*

First year going out myself, and after buying a new truck and putting a plow on, I was worried about not having enough work. I turned down 2 customers today and we haven't even had 2" of snow here yet.

Here's what I did:

1.) Contacted my existing lawn customers (only got a few this way)
2.) Put business cards at my barber shop, and my favorite coney island
3.) Put out 1000 flyers - they can be put in paper boxes, not mailboxes.
4.) Contacted a couple business owners I know personally and offered to bid their properties.
5.) My mother in lawn works for the local school system, and they have a monthly electronic newsletter, where you can post things for sale/services, etc for free...goes out to EVERY school employee. This was my biggest response, and they're still coming.

Hope a few ideas helped. Don't worry about getting too much work, that's a great problem to have. There are only so many hours you can work and get the job done. It'll fill up in no time when you start adding it all up. This just means that next year I can raise prices.....Supply of labor is exceeded by demand.


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## Goose2169 (Jul 30, 2003)

Wait till we get a big storm and drive around. You'll for sure fill your quota!


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## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

I put a small ad in the local weekly paper and I'm getting 2 to 3 accounts per week and I just started the ad 3 weeks ago.
Funny thing is I only got 2 calls from people that want it cheap or free ( they were trying to talk me down so I gave them my price and said have a nice da :waving: 
One person called me back after none of the other plowers would even call them back.

Dan
10 accounts and counting


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## Robhollar (Dec 27, 2003)

plowman350 said:


> 3.) Put out 1000 flyers - they can be put in paper boxes, not mailboxes.


Plowman I hate to say this but your wrong. The paper boxes belong to the news paper. Every time I find a flier in my box I call that company to let them know that i will be calling the newspaper to alert them of their advertising practice's. My paper lady will take the flier out of the box and throw it on the ground (not rite on her part). Yes I even turned in a member on this board. Dont leave your crap in my box, Mail it like everyone else. Sorry if Im harsh bit im sick of seeing someones fliers blowing all over my yard.....Rob


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## trinitygrove (Nov 22, 2004)

drive around after it snows and knock on people's doors. Charge them a good rate and who knows, they could call you again or become a client.


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## dlcs (Sep 2, 2004)

Word of mouth is my best advertisement. My phone book ad doesn't generate squat for business and neither does newspaper ads. Do good work for someone and they usually tell their friends or relatives.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I drive around an area I want to do, write down the addresses of the houses I want. Go to the town hall purchase a "list of persons" or "voter List" names are listed by street address. send them letters. 
When I get a customer, do good work and give them a discount for referrals. If a customer sends me 3 people that sign up with me I will plow him for Free for the season. Why put it in the paper? I don't want to drive allover town, or at the mall people from allover go to the mall. I have 76 driveways in a 1.5 miles.

ThePlowmeister


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

opr:waving:


wow! It sat dormant for almost a year...

I guess the info is just as good...
I didn'i see an expiration date on it.


At this point the most for me the most effective way is "referrals"..


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

theplowmeister said:


> I have 76 driveways in a 1.5 miles.
> 
> ThePlowmeister


Congrats and good for you. That is like a dream route.

Christ, out here in the Boonies of Mass, I live on the most major street in town. 11 miles long it is. I do not think there are 76 driveways on the whole thing, unless you count the ski mobile paths. I am going to count next time.

I need to move.

Chris


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I meant a 1.5 mile radius or a circle 3 miles in diameter.


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

theplowmeister said:


> I meant a 1.5 mile radius or a circle 3 miles in diameter.


Oh I understand.


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## Dwan (Mar 24, 2004)

why would anyone want to plow a circle 3 miles in diameter?


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

Dwan said:


> why would anyone want to plow a circle 3 miles in diameter?


Money?


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

theplowmeister said:


> When I get a customer, do good work and give them a discount for referrals. If a customer sends me 3 people that sign up with me I will plow him for Free for the season.
> ThePlowmeister


Free for the season? Don't you feel any kind of a hit for that? It's a good tactic, but I'd do more like half off. The more referals made means more drives done for free. I gave discounts for elderly customers and I'd clean off cars and bring up the trash barrel or get the paper for them.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I have no regrets about free plowing. In order to get free plowing they have to get 3 people to sign up with me. If they give me a referral to people not in my area I don't sign them up, they don't get credit for them. Maybe I could offer 50% off, but they work hard to get that 3rd customer for me. besides I'm in it for the long haul they'l pay next year


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## murray83 (Dec 3, 2005)

You gotta spend money to make money


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

I agree with you. Like I said it's a good tactic. Yes, you have to spend money to make money. What would be sweet if the refferer was next door to the three new accounts and it kept going like that payup .


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