The majority of the time, most marketers make the mistake of giving up on a big account after being rebuked only once or twice. To illustrate the importance of being persistent in marketing to these big accounts I’m including a recount of an experience by 1-800-JUNK as relayed in Profit Magazine in May 2005.

In a nutshell, the company approached the Dr. Phil show about doing a story about a pack rat that had a ton of junk that they needed to throw out. The Dr. Phil show told them ‘no’ on more than one occassion. Rather than give up however, they continued to contact them every month of six weeks. They didn’t just send them letters or cards either. They sent them dozens of squishy foam balls shaped like dump trucks with their company name on the side, cards signed by everyone, and a blue wig just to name a few. Basically, things that would get them noticed.

One day out of the blue, a man emailed the show saying, “You’ve got to help my wife. She lives like a slob and there’s stuff everywhere and she’s starting to lose it.” One of the shows producers happened to have one of the squishy foam dump trucks with the 1-800-JUNK name on it as he read the story. Who do you think they called?

It took 8 months from the time they originally contacted the show about their idea until they finally received the call. When the show ran, their phones didn’t stop ringing.

Now, Dan Kennedy recently shared some very important points about this story and how it relates to use as marketers. He pointed out 4 key lessons:

1. Decide who you want something from.
2. Do not accept ‘No’ as an answer.
3. Stay in touch frequently.
4. Send things that get you noticed AND that hang around.

So how does this relate to your lawn care business? First of all, don’t take a non-response or a ‘No’ for an answer. If you’re sure you’ve spoken with the right people about a commercial account and they’ve told you ‘No’, don’t just disappear. While they may not be ready or need you right now, stay in touch with them and at some point I guarantee you’ll get a call.

With residential customers, staying in touch can be way to set yourself apart from the herd. How many of your competitors stay in touch with their potential customers by sending period cards, fridge magnets, or other goodies that keep their name front and center?

Send things that will get you noticed and that will hang around. Don’t just send a boring ol’ letter either. Here’s an idea, get some golf balls imprinted with your logo and send them along with a note that says, ” Do you want your grass to look ‘country club’ quality?” if it’s a commercial client or, “Wouldn’t you rather be playing golf instead of fighting with your lawn?”

Don’t be the same as every other lawn care business out there using the same ol’ boring, uninspiring, uncreative ways of marketing their business. There are lots of ways and things you could use to stay in touch and remain front and center when their need arises. Again, don’t give up after one ‘No.’ Stay in contact and be creative with the ways you stay in contact.

Here’s a place you can get cheap products in bulk that you can use to stay in touch:

http://www.impactproducts.net

Thanks to Dan Kennedy’s ‘No B.S. Marketing Letter‘ for bringing the case of 1-800-JUNK to my attention.

One of the most under-utilized ways to promote and grow your business is by taking advantage of current events. People get tired of hearing the same old sales pitch time after time. If however, you’re able to change it up and inject some creativity that plays on something going on in the world, it will make people sit up and take notice.

Believe me when I say it doesn’t have to be anything grand or spectacular. While it could be something related to world events, it could also be an annual event taking place in your community. In many states, high school football playoffs are going on. Use them to create a special promotion. Basketball is also getting ramped up and provides an excellent opportunity to create a related package. In other words, be creative and use the things going on around you everyday to market your business. Don’t give the same boring sales pitch again and again because your customers and prospects will get tired of hearing it.

To give you an example, I’ve attached a shot of an email I received on Monday from Home Depot. If you follow NASCAR at all (I’m somewhat forced to living here in Charlotte, NC…basically the birth place of the sport), then you know that Tony Stewart just won this year’s Nextel Cup title. To celebrate, Home Depot is offering 10% of your purchase through their online store. This is an EXCELLENT example of using current events to promote a business.

What current events could you use to promote your business?

I love getting emails from my readers and really enjoy answering your questions about how to grow your business. This week I wanted to share a question I received from one of your fellow readers and the response I sent.

Here’s the question:

“Regarding advertisement, I liked your idea about sending multiple flyers to the same houses. We had thought of targeting a select 300 houses in one area and sending 1000 flyers to those houses. That way they get at least 3. Also, we were wondering if you though it a good idea to put “second notice” or something to make them think that we aren’t accidentally sending the same flyers to the same houses. Anyways, we would like your feedback.”

Here’s my response:

When sending multiple flyers/door hangers/letter/etc., you DO want to put ‘2nd Notice’, ‘3rd Notice’, or ‘Final Notice’ on it. In fact, here’s an excellent way to capture your prospect’s attention. Put together a special offering and advertise it in your flyer. Be sure to put a deadline on it as well to create a sense of ‘urgency’. Then, next time you deliver a flyer, make the message slightly different but be sure to refer to the previous flyer and put ‘2nd Notice’ at the top of the flyer. Be sure to refer to the impending deadline as well. Do the same thing with the 3rd flyer you deliver. Mention the previous messages, put ‘3rd Notice’ or ‘Final Notice’ on the top, and the mention the deadline once again.

Something else to keep in mind is to make it easy for them to respond and TELL THEM how and when to do it. Don’t make any assumptions that they know they need to pick up the phone and call. You need to tell them to pick up the phone RIGHT NOW and call before they forget.

If you’re looking for tips, tricks, secrets, and just plain ol’ good advice about running a successful lawn care busines, you really need to check out David Fiveash’s (also known as GrassMaster) Lawn Service Forum. It has over 11,000 members and contains more quality information that you could possibly read in your entire life.

I started a discussion about successful direct mail and a lively conversation has ensured. I just posted about 3 key elements to using direct mail successfully. You can check out the full conversation here:

http://www.lawnserviceforum.com/showthread.php?t=14765

If you haven’t checked out the forum yet, you really need to do so if you’re serious about having a successful lawn care business.

You can find the forum here:

http://www.lawnserviceforum.com

This comes directly from an excellent daily email series I’m subscribed to. It’s called ‘Early To Rise‘ and it comes from publishing powerhouse Agora. I highly recommend you check it out.

Anyway, today’s message referred to three very simple tests you could put your USP through to see if it’s really a USP.

To quote directly from today’s message by Bob Bly:

In his 1960 book Reality in Advertising , Rosser Reeves introduced the notion of a USP … and he said that, to be successful, a USP must satisfy three criteria.

To quote Reeves directly:

1. “Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Each advertisement must say to the reader: ‘Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.’”

2. “The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique – either a uniqueness of brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field.”

3. “The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions, i.e. pull over new customers to your product.”

Would your lawn care USP pass these tests? Do you even have a USP?

If you don’t want to be forced to compete on price alone, you absolutely MUST have a USP. For it to be an effective USP, it must pass these three tests. If it does, with a well thought out marketing plan you’ll soon have more business than you know what to do with.

Every small business has the goal of growing. That means more customers, more profits, and ultimlately more money for the owner. There are really 4 basic areas this goal can be achieved.

They are:

1. Attract more new customers.
2. Increase the average sales amount.
3. Get your existing customers to buy more.
4. Keep your customers for life.

I just posted an article to my website that talks about these 4 areas and some ways lawn care companies can use them to grow their lawn care business.

You can find the full article here:

http://www.lawncaremarketingmagic.com/Articles/4growthareas.htm