# the crazy stupid ad wars this year, thread...



## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

Okay, so many of you may have seen my post in another thread where I pulled a page from the local advertiser that I'm in with 34 other plow guy ads, and in that mix of piranhas are some really crazy low prices,

well this week was a new low:

Snow plowing: Gates/Greece
area. $160 Seasonal contract,
unlimited trips. Plowed
2 1/2"-3". 24/hour service. Very
reliable, $20 referral program.
Satisfaction guaranteed.

If anyone else has seen some crazy ads from our fellow plowers, please share them, we could all use a good chuckle.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Maybe you didn't read the fine print "unlimited plowing up to 3 times per season" after that it's 50.00 each time!


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

funny grandview, hey is all the tree work done now for the most part? and did people send in contracts like crazy?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

I did get back all the contracts. When we got that snow I plowed everyone even if they didn't send one back. Being the good guy that I am I didn't even charge for that plow.:salute: 

With the trees I've been helping out a tree cutter I know ,no lawn cutting right now , but I'm going to try and get out 1 more time.

You should watch the clean up going on, as the crews are picking stuff up people are dragging more stuff out so by the time they get to the end of the street it dosen't even look like anything was done.
I think I might head over to the Expo next week.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

I can't wait to see mulch prices this year, they better go down

I said that quiet like because were not over on LS at the moment.

Come'on guys, no-one else has any ads to share, or advertising horror stories??? ...Bueler...


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## cjasonbr (Nov 18, 2005)

I bought a 2nd truck this year, so i have been in the customer-getting phase. Anyways, i've been communicating more with my buddy that ownes a very large land scaping/plowing Co. He's phsyched when i call and ask him questions - especially what he and other people are charging for things, plowing, salting, shoveling. He actually thanked me for checking with him. Noone wants a lowballer Fing everything up, and people appreciate it when you play by the 'rules'.

Anyways, the point of the story is: No lowballers around here to F everything up!! payup


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## ALarsh (Jun 12, 2004)

I advertise starting at $189 a season. I have yet to quote a driveway for $189 though... It has to take me under 3 minutes on the current route for it to be $189 a season. :redbounce


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

ALarsh said:


> I advertise starting at $189 a season. I have yet to quote a driveway for $189 though... It has to take me under 3 minutes on the current route for it to be $189 a season. :redbounce


don't you want to be careful about that, thats almost bait-n-switch.


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## ALarsh (Jun 12, 2004)

Grn Mtn said:


> don't you want to be careful about that, thats almost bait-n-switch.


Well if you fit into my requirements, I will honor that price. 

Just because you see $169 doesn't mean the guys is a lowballer, just luring the people in.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

ALarsh said:


> Well if you fit into my requirements, I will honor that price.
> 
> Just because you see $169 doesn't mean the guys is a lowballer, just luring the people in.


and that can get you in trouble with the attorney general here, but the thread is getting off topic, I just want to see other peoples crazy ads, thats all. no "lowballer" discussions etc.


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## jcesar (Sep 14, 2006)

I did not see an ad in the paper for this, but i did happen to see it on the guy's contract, while dropping off mine. His bid has a flyer with it, that said he will plow any driveway for 10.00!!!! And he will do any commercial lot for...... get this.......50.00!!!!!
Of course, it also said certain restrictions apply, .... but come on! Also heard another guy tell one of my best, and longest customers, that he could make him a deal, and do this guy's drive for free, provided he got 4 others to sign up for 10.00 each!


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

$10? Sold. Tell him to come on up and he can plow mine.


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## ALarsh (Jun 12, 2004)

Grn Mtn said:


> and that can get you in trouble with the attorney general here, but the thread is getting off topic, I just want to see other peoples crazy ads, thats all. no "lowballer" discussions etc.


I'm just curious as to how I would get in trouble with the attorney general by putting "Starting at $189" on my fliers? If you do fit my requirements for $189, I will give it to you.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

He can come here and do my neighbors and I get mine free!


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## jcesar (Sep 14, 2006)

I told him that I would give him 25 to do mine, prvided he could do it as well as i did. He took one look at it, and then said no way. Keep in mind, I plow to my house, from the road, then my driveway, all the way back to the edge of the field, for access to my barn!
But Next time I see him, I will ask for you guys, if he does out of town work.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

ALarsh said:


> I'm just curious as to how I would get in trouble with the attorney general by putting "Starting at $189" on my fliers? If you do fit my requirements for $189, I will give it to you.


well this goes back to my retail days, but if we advertised a VCR at $99, but only stocked the $150 ones and up-sold everyone, that is called bait-and-switch and from what I understood is illegal. So to apply that to what you were saying, if you are advertising a low price, but nobody seems to fit the correct parameters, that could get you into trouble here. To get around it you would need to fine print it, saying something like qualifying driveways need to be no bigger than 10' wide by 30' long.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

jcesar said:


> ... His bid has a flyer with it, that said he will plow any driveway for 10.00!!!! And he will do any commercial lot for...... get this.......50.00!!!!!
> ...


This has got to be an urban legend , I heard someone doing that a couple years ago around here. Plowing for


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## jcesar (Sep 14, 2006)

Legend or not I saw it with my own 2 eyes!!!! 
I could not believe this guy. Told him he was not only crazy, but @#$%$^ as well.


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## qualitylawncare (Jan 16, 2004)

Grn Mtn said:


> This has got to be an urban legend , I heard someone doing that a couple years ago around here. Plowing for


Hey Roald--

Saw a $149 unlimited flyer in Pittsford last week.. For the sake of the idiot who passed them out, I will not post anymore information on that one.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

*Saturday November 18th update*

So this week there are still 30 ads, many of them now don't have pricing listed on them, but there was a HUGE ad that had a coupon in it that expired the day the ad came out  This is 7 weeks of ads and the weather has not been very cooperative. Hopefully the phone will start to ring more with the flurries this week.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

*Week of December 1st...*

A+ Snowplowing! $125 Full
Season Contract. (some restrictions
apply) Insured. Senior
discounts. Call.....

pretty soon we'll see $99 unlimited


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

* Snow Plowing *
Residential Clients
Cheapest Rates In Town
Small Commercial Lots
Call for FREE Estimate
Senior Discounts
Free Sidewalk Shoveling
Call Frank
508-864-****



This is good competition for me becuase I know this guy wont last long. Its tough to compete against people who like giving themselves away during a snow storm. I hope he enjoys his end of the season repair bills with no money to pay them.


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## mcwlandscaping (Sep 8, 2005)

Only 7 ads for plowing in our paper and that's including mine......im surprised at the low number!! works out for me though..:bluebounc :bluebounc


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