When selling a service, you have to know your market – it’s just that simple. On Dec. 11 at the Ohio Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, Don Nichols, chief executive officer of Yes, Marketing, Columbus, Ohio, outlined some of the key ideas lawn care companies must remember when organizing an advertising campaign.
First and foremost, Nichols noted that there is a greater benefit in marketing to potential clients who are likely to invest in lawn care services than in spending time and money trying to convince fence-sitters who take too long to make their lawn care decisions. Once these “marginal clients” are eliminated, 100 percent of marketing efforts can be focused on clients who will bring in more revenue.
To this end, Nichols emphasized, “you have to know who your best customers are and what their similarities are,” in order to identify a target demographic, and made suggestions about how to do this. Creating a profile of top clients provides some of the most useful information. To use this technique, contractors should line up their best customers side-by-side and find answers to the following questions and any others that will help identify their niche clients:
* How old are my best customers?
* What is their marital status?
* Do they have children? If so, how many and what are their ages?
* What kind of lifestyle do they have?
* How much money do they make?
* How many incomes are there per household?
* Is the family active or complacent?
* Where do these customers like to shop?
* What are their hobbies?
* Do they belong to any clubs?
* What kinds of cars do they drive?
* Who is the decision-maker in the household?
Armed with a profile of the best customers to target, making decisions about how to market to these individuals becomes easier. For instance, if the outline identifies two-parent families with an average income of $80,000 per year and three children who play sports as the best customer, advertising in upper-middle-class neighborhoods near schools, parks or recreation fields may yield more clients. On the other hand, if the profile shows the best clients are retired couples who have grown children and like to stay home, gearing marketing efforts toward older, quieter communities may prove more beneficial.
Of course, gaining a new client is a two-way street, so contractors must consider not only what kinds of clients they want, but also what their clients want from them. Nichols listed several qualities that a focus group of lawn care clients said they looked for in the companies they chose. Some of these include:
* Consistent staff
* Quality service
* Qualified personnel
* Well-groomed and –dressed crewmembers
* Responsiveness and timeliness
* Personal contact
* Range of services
* Loyal-customer discounts
* Guaranteed work
* Payment options
Holding focus groups with current clients may draw similar conclusions and provide contractors with information regarding what aspects of their company to “play up” when searching for new customers. Moreover, a focus group can be a great source of feedback about what qualities a company can work on, which can also help secure more clients in the future.
From mowing to lawn care to maintenance, every company can benefit from understanding who their niche clients are. A few questions and a little time and organization can work wonders to increase revenue.
Look for more information on marketing strategies in upcoming issues of Lawn & Landscape.
The author is Assistant Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at lspiers@lawnandlandscape.com.