We are branching into the residential landscape market. ASIDE form the word of mouth advertise which is far superior to all others. What forms of advertising have you found to be most successful.
equipment placards, and clean equipment tell me they are into detail.... Sometimes you can get free or reduced radio airtime.
I've been running an add in the AT&T yellow pages for several years, last year I made a change to the add, they screwed it up and put my name without a phone #. A business name in the phone book with no number ointhead
They've done that to me twice Pete, I don't advertise with them anymore. Most of what I got from the yellow pages was price shoppers. I agree with Euclid, make sure you trucks and equipment are in good shape, and make sure they are clearly lettered. I can't tell you how many times a phone call from a new client starts out with "I saw your truck". Also, invest in some yard signs to post at jobs, that will bring a lot of interest too. I only advertise in a small local magazine, the newspaper and phone book generally bring price shoppers as I mentioned which is usually a waste of time.
I have used the service directory of the large metropolitan newspaper and had good results. The small local papers I have used have been a waste. Phone book generated lots of calls, price shoppers and wasted traveling/bidding but in the end it was really worth it. I still have several commercial contacts from the phone book I do business with to this day and it's been 3-4 yrs since using the phone book. If I was starting today I would do newspaper svc. directory, yard signs, truck lettering and drop business cards at the checkout counter of local hardware store, garden center type business. When I bought my backhoe (1998) I took a stack of cards to the local wholesale plumbing supply stores and am still working with several plumbers I met from that.
newspaper works well
I have used high quality postcards and they seem to work real well. Especially if you have some really good photography. www.postcardpress.com These guys do printing and mailing services. I have used them for quite a few jobs and they do a great job. They use good heavy stock and a gloss stock is included. I am personally a big fan of direct mail but you have to do it right. If you have an area of town that is upscale and you are targeting that area then see if you can saturate that zip code. This seems to work real well.
Business cards, websites & advertising in those little local papers do well.