How Word-of-Mouth Marketing is like a reel mower

I talk to a lot of lawn care professionals.  I mean A LOT.  Other than bumping into your competition at a trade show or at a gas station, how many do YOU talk to every day?  I bet you’re too busy to even attend that trade show you wanted to attend.  And if you did talk to your peers or competition, do you think that they’d share the secrets of their success with you? Of course not.

So, at least once a day, when I ask a lawn care, landscaping or Maintenance Company about their marketing plan and get told that they rely on Word of Mouth (WOM) as a primary source of new business, I immediately know two things: they’re small and are on their way to being out of business.   If you only rely on your current customers to refer you to family and friends, not only have you limited your prospect pool to the size of their collective networks but you also EXPECT them to do your marketing for you.  Tragic, really. 

Here’s why WOM is an ineffectual strategy.  Let’s say that you have 100 customers.  And let’s assume that those customers each have 20 friends who live in your market area.  In any given year, how often do you think any one of those 2000 people will have a critical need for your services, so bad in fact, that it requires them to ask their friends for a referral?  Once? Maybe twice?  Chances are, the friends of your customers already have an adequate source for the services you provide.  So, your WOM “strategy” may pick you up two new customers a year, at best.

Why DO YOU rely on WOM?

You’re in business to provide a service.  As many lawn care companies start small, often the business owner has direct involvement in performing the actual service. And, as long as you don’t “screw up” and make a horrendous mistake at the customer’s property, you’re more than likely to retain that account.  Human nature is such that we want to believe that we have done a good job and, barring any criticism, feel our customers think we do an excellent job.  Having fooled ourselves into believing that, the next logical assumption then, is that we EXPECT our customers to brag about our work.  And, unless you’re adept at turning dandelions into golden eggs, they won’t.  They just won’t.  So, what now?

Who needs leads? YOU need leads

If your business isn’t growing, then guess what?  A lot of people get into this business with the goal of passing it down to future generations and/or selling it and making a handsome profit.  What are you currently doing to make your company stand out from the crowd?  It seems like anyone with a truck and a mower is a “lawn care company”.  You’ve worked too hard for too long to get trampled by all of the amateurs or low-ball Johnny-Come-Lately’s.

 Modern marketing for Lawn Care Companies

How many times a year do you still break out a reel mover?  It can do the job of cutting grass but, despite the environmental benefits of using reel mowers, you know why you can’t use these on every job.  They’re just too inefficient.  And that’s why you need a modern Inbound Marketing strategy.  

When you need a new piece of equipment, hardware or consumer product, 9 times out of 10 you turn to the internet and one of the giant search engine companies like GOOGLE.  It’s how the world shops.  If prospective customers are looking for lawn care services, it’s a given that they will turn to the internet to provide a selection from which they can choose.  I bet you remember before your company had a web site.  Do you recall why you spent the money (or took the time) to build that?  You wanted to be FOUND.  Yep, having a web site today is as important as the telephone was to the communications industry.

Imagine trying to find a person’s phone number without knowing their name!  It’d be an exercise in futility.  That’s what the internet is like today.  Unless your prospect knows the address for your web site, a smarter marketer is going to grab all your potential new business. What to do?

Getting on Page 1 of Google Search results

If your prospective new customers are searching for “lawn care” in their area, you’re going to do battle with all of the larger lawn care providers like Scotts, TruGreen and Weed Man, who have much larger marketing budgets than you.  The only way to “game” the system is to beat them on your own “turf”.  Local search is still a very winnable game and really the only game you should be in, unless you’re a multi-million dollar corporation with company cars, a 401K match and a corporate jet (painted green, of course).

We’ve developed a lead generation source for new members of the BeeSafe® Applicator Network.  Using this new tool, we’re able to rank on page 1 (usually at the top of page 1) of Google for any search terms you’d like.  Of course, keyword selection is critical but we now know the secret of being at the top of the leading search engine’s results pages.  We’re building and using these tools to drive prospective new customers to our network of fertilizer applicators.  

The Key to Winning New Business

Using our new tool, you’ll be able to generate lots of new estimates which can turn into new business for your company.  If you already have an existing web site, we can link the search tool to your site. If not, we can feature your phone number and direct those new leads to call.   

To learn more about our inbound marketing tool for the lawn care market, go to dealer.beesafelawns.com and look around.  Or call us at (603) 587-0384 and ask for the Sales Department.

Tommy, can you hear me?

It's happened again.  I've tried to make plans with friends and the whole thing has gotten "bollocksed-up."  The cause?  Too many choices of communications mediums.  If you want to connect with someone these days, there's just too many choices.  There's land line phone, mobile, text messaging, email, Skype, IM, Facebook.  Did I miss any?  So how best to connect with someone, that you have a personal connection with?

I have a small group of friends that likes to hang out once in a while at a local watering hole.  Every other Wednesday, they hold an Open Mic night.  What that means for us is that we get a free show from some of the best area musicians, while we kick back and relax.  So, I post a note on Facebook, for the handful of those that follow me, as well as this bar.  I get interest from four of them, plus I'm sure a couple of wives, girlfriends or significant others will be in attendance.  A manageable crowd.  One friend is arriving from a long trip overseas and is the primary reason for this celebration.  Later, I learn that his flight arrives too late for him to join us and, I post this news in the original place that I sent out the invite, Facebook.  No responses.  Hmm, okay.

The day of the event, I get a call (great, instant communication) from one of the guys and we discuss whether we will go or not.  We decide together that there isn't enough interest and decide to skip it, in favor of a quiet night in.  Today, I turn on my cell phone and get the following message, laden with loud, background bar sounds:  "Jeff, are you coming out tonight?"  This from the one single gal in our group, who was brave enough to walk into a bar solo.  I immediately felt like crap.

After a heartfelt apology, I realized that AT&T ought to be promoting the hell out of it's telephone service.  Miss your friends again?  Call them.

Are you connecting with your "friends" and customers?  Or, are you just adding to the white noise that our in-boxes have become?  Do you have a one-to-one relationship with your best customers?  Social media is a great tool, but it's only one method of communication and not necessarily the most reliable. 

I recently met a local business owner who had a revolutionary idea for promoting his business:  He went out and met his customers.  Can you believe that?  When was the last time you met any of your customers?  I mean, in person?  Too many companies and Marketing departments are guilty of hiding behind web sites, email and other forms of communication.  Think of it this way, would your mother rather see you, get a call from you or get an email, text, Facebook post from you?

In these days of many multiple communication methodologies, I think it's time we all took a step back and looked at our communications methods, from the receiver's perspective, for their effectiveness.  Go talk to someone and see how that goes.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

The distracted workforce

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with a teenager who's holding a cell phone in her or his hand and is sending text messages?  That's the level of focus the younger workforce will have as they enter the job market.  What's a manager to do about non-work distractions in the workplace?

Social media is a great tool for marketers.  But, when everyone's carrying a smart phone, what are the rules on employees checking email, Facebook updates let alone gaming, video chatting (which is a new feature on the new iPhone and some of Sprint's 4G hardware)?  How does one reign in these time-wasting, non-work activities?

I'm waiting for the day to come (I hope not too soon), when I'll approach a clerk in a department store to get assistance or ring up a purchase and to find them planting corn or tending their hogs on Farmville.  I know that I'll probably come unglued and cancel any thoughts about making a purchase from that establishment.

If there are any retailers out there who come across this blog, I'd like to hear your comments about what steps you've taken, or plan to take, to address this issue.  It's time to put some rules in place.

Well, I have to go.  It seems that my iPet needs to be walked...

Be somebody's "guy" (or gal, as the case may be)...

When I’m sick, I go see MY doctor. I don’t shop around. Why? Well, my doctor knows my medical history, works within the confines of my insurance plan and is an expert in everything ME. I don’t see a different physician each time I go in, I see MY doctor.

When I need my car repaired, I call Zak, a friend who's a mechanic. He's my "guy" when I need car maintenance. When I need an electrician, I call Ziggy, my guy for that. And no, not all my guy's names begin with the letter "Z", just these two. They are two of a small but valuable list of people I use and frequently recommend.

Part of being a consumer (and a homeowner) is the need to find someone you trust for all those services. I suppose I could have my car repaired at the dealership where I bought it or, at any number of local shops who would be happy to do the work and take my payment. But, when you have a "guy", you know that you are going to get a good deal or, at the very least, a fair deal. Isn't that all any of us really want, to be treated fairly?

Having a gal or a guy is simple: Find a business that you work with and become a repeat customer. If you’re fortunate enough to make a connection with an employee there, you have an opportunity to create a relationship. These take time to develop and only occur after a series of regular exchanges. If you shop at a different florist every time you need flowers, you may get the best price each time or you may get burned each time. Think about your favorite retail experience. Doesn’t it include an interpersonal component? Don’t you often look for that one person who knows exactly how you like your hair, the style of clothes that you wear or what oil filter you need for your car? The personal physician is a relationship that gets fast-tracked by the circumstances of your medical needs.

Part of this is familiarity, becoming a “regular” but part of it is also in the nature of the establishment and the size of the company with whom you do business. For example, what are the odds of walking into a Home Depot or a WalMart and seeing the same employee twice? Compare that to the privately-owned local hardware store and you can expect that the people you get help from today will be the resource you rely on in the future.

If you had to go through each purchasing experience or transaction, not trusting anyone, the stress and strain would wear you out. We naturally look for positive experiences with the vendors we use and hope that they build trust through a series of positive business exchanges.

The same holds true for online retailers. With so many choices of where to buy everything, shoppers will tend to return to web sites of companies of whom they have a positive feeling. My wife will ALWAYS look first for something she “needs” at LL Bean. If she needs dressier apparel, there is one retailer that she often returns to, even if it means a special trip.

Social media is having a large impact on internet and retail shopping. Now, people routinely share their experiences through Facebook, Twitter and other sites. If I have a good (or bad!) experience with the cable company, now I often share that with my network(s). Similarly, people are using their networks to make the shopping experience more beneficial. What kind of tires should I buy? Who has a coupon deal in time for Mother’s Day? My new router is acting funny, what can I do about this?

Repeat customers deserve a better level of service than a one-time customer. But, because you don’t know who will become a repeat customer, all customers must be given the best possible service. The bonus for the Consumer is the warm, personal relationship with some of the people whose services you use regularly.

I now also have a tree guy (thanks to Jay) and an IT guy (thanks to Daryl). I’m still looking for a plumbing guy and a painting guy. If you can recommend anyone, please let me know!

The End of Delivered Mail

Well, it's the beginning of the end. It's a slippery slope when you begin to chip away at conventions for all the wrong reasons. Where do you draw the line?

The USPS Board of Governors has approved the cessation of Saturday mail delivery.  (Copy & paste this link:  http://directmag.com/news/BOG-five-day-delivery-0324/ )

While the BOG requires Congressional approval for this change, it will most likely be given, in the face of a $3.1 billion dollar shortfall. At a time when the country will be coming to grips with the trillion dollar healthcare bill, a billion saved is a billion earned.

Most businesses will not protest the change. Many are Monday-Friday offices anyway and only retailers and small business will be marginally affected.

But where do you draw the line? The Post Office is requesting this change due to the reduced volume of mail. The real culprit here is that USPS costs are out of line with current and projected volumes. If you, as a business owner, had too many employees for the amount of work, what would you do?

The root of this problem, and had been for the past fifteen years, is labor costs. According to the USPS site, there are 550,000 career employees. What does this mean to you and me? That the post office cannot reduce its workforce without long, prolonged negotiations for fear of a total shutdown of delivery services.

Back in the '90's, I was employed by a large catalog retailer. Postal costs were our single largest expense and one over which we had no control. As the rates for postage increased, we took on more of the sorting, at our printer's facility, to deliver our mail deeper into the system, as a cost-savings method. So, rather than dump the mail in Lynchburg, VA, we trucked the mail, at our expense, to Sectional Center Facilities (SCF's) all over the country, to drop the sorted mail for those regions.

Another trick we employed was to reduce the weight of the catalog itself. This became a constant game of reducing the weight of the paper, on which the catalog printed. The paper manufacturers were experimenting with all sorts of ways to reduce basis weight, while still providing a good, printable substrate. Still, quality suffered. Magazines (remember them?) suffered from this reduction of print quality as well.

One final option was to reduce the physical dimensions of the catalog, as a means of reducing the weight of the book. Little by little, over a period of years, we shaved a quarter of an inch here, an eighth of an inch there. And pretty soon, our catalogs had shrunk to a size that was a less effective promotional vehicle. When do you actually fall off the cliff? It's hard to say, but we slowly nudged ourselves closer to the requirement to find a lower cost alternative to the USPS.

So, first we lose Saturday delivery. Letter writers will decry this change as they no longer can look forward to a missive, bon mots or other mail on the weekend. But guess what? Your Grandmother's on Facebook (she is). And if she's not there yet (she will be!), she is certainly using email (and E-cards) now as a replacement for letter mail.

Instead of resolving the problem with its cost structure, the post office has decided to degrade the service they're providing. And it's a sure start down the path towards the end of mail delivery. It will be interesting to see where this all ends. Privatization anyone? It remains to be seen.

Our online store's aisles are 31% wider than our competitor's!

I had some errands to run today and, on my way home, flipped on the radio. What poured forth was nothing but "classic" rock. Sure, station selection has a lot to do with what I heard today but, I was struck by how original these artists had to be, to break through and get their music accepted.

Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Chuck Berry. Each time I changed the radio station, I heard yet another break-through artist whose music is still commercially viable on terrestrial radio. Some of this music is over 50 years old!

Early in their career, when interviewers asked The Rolling Stones how much longer they would be playing their music, they stated that they couldn't imagine doing so for more than a few years. Many years later, they still set records for having the highest-grossing concert tour. One of the reasons for the success of this band, among others, is that they broke the mold of all the rock bands that came before them. They made something new. But, what is the price for this originality?

Well, for one, acceptance doesn't come easy. It's fraught with rejection and hardship. For each artist that succeeds, many thousands more fail, give up on their dreams or work on, in obscurity. To succeed, the artist must create something totally new, unheard or unseen.

Business is like this too. We've seen the death of the me-too retailers, the consolidations, acquisitions, mergers and bankruptcies of these unoriginal companies or service providers. What does it take to break through, in the retail marketplace? Who are the innovators today?

Life is Good has a unique concept. The stores themselves are independently owned and the retailer acts more like a distributor than as an extension of the company. They order only the product their market area will support; from color selection to individual products and accessories. Sort of like your local car dealer, ordering new cars for the lot. Each boutique is unique in its selection and product mix choices.

Dollar stores, an extension of the old Five and Dime store concept are enjoying a resurgence. While not an entirely new idea, it's a retail concept that has not been seen by shoppers for 40 years (or more) so, in effect, it IS new. The bad economy is helping these stores to succeed but I'm always amazed when I see a new Dollar store opening.

There is no shortage of online stores only a shortage of good, unique ideas. The larger retailers will always have an online presence and the lion's share of site traffic. But, with a unique idea, a new concept and through the use of Search Engine Marketing, you can win traffic.

So, what will it be? Will your store be Elvis, The Doors, Pink Floyd or The Beach Boys? Whatever you decide, make sure it's different and new.

Social Media is here to stay.

I thought you'd like this chart from Marketing Sherpa, re: the strength and value of Social Media:



The question was -- Which statement best describes how social media marketing is perceived within your organization at budget time?

Considering that social media is at a very early stage in its lifecycle, a 7% confidence rating that it is producing measureable ROI and should be funded liberally is outstanding.

Conservative budget increases by half of all organizations at budget time -- based on the promise that social media will eventually produce ROI -- is another vote of confidence in the medium for the longer term.

The 17% of organizations who still believe social media marketing is basically free and should stay that way, are destined to get what they pay for.

Not surprisingly, those who have reached the strategic phase of social marketing maturity are far more likely to be producing measurable ROI or at least seeing signs of a return on their investment on the horizon.

On the other hand, marketers in the trial phase of social marketing maturity are more than four times as likely to not recognize the value this tactic has for organizations willing to invest appropriate time and resources.
(Source: Marketing Sherpa)

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=31495