Brand recognition is incredibly important for lawn care and landscaping businesses. To get a steady stream of new customers, your local community needs to know your name and be reminded of your services on a regular basis.
One of the most effective ways for lawn care companies and landscapers to target their ideal customers and get them on board is with a strategic direct mail campaign! Direct mail marketing works for landscaping companies because it can be targeted to a specific audience and used to consistently build brand recognition overtime. While your competitors wait for prospects to seek them out, you could be ingraining your message in their minds by bringing your marketing right to their doorstep!
The first step is to build a mailing list that targets not whole areas, but specific neighborhoods that would be interested in the services you are advertising. Below are some tips to get you started on an effective mailing list:
- Start by eliminating all apartment buildings and businesses, unless your goal is to get commercial landscaping customers.
- If you are offering expensive services like intricate hardscapes, patio installations, fountains, etc. you should only be mailing to high-income homes.
- If you’re offering basic mowing services, lower-to-middle income homes should be targeted.
- The best thing is to mail to neighborhoods where you’ve already done or are currently doing work, because nothing motivates a homeowner to hire a landscaper like seeing their neighbor get set up with a beautiful lawn.
There are several formats of direct mail that can be effectively utilized by landscapers to market their services. The most common examples are:
Postcards
Jumbo-sized postcards work best because they stand out in the mailbox and always get read. They also have enough space for you to display photos of your work and prominently advertise an enticing offer. Get your phones ringing off the hook with offers like “Call to schedule a free consultation”, “New customers get your first mow for half price” or “Schedule your first mow and get fertilizing for free”.
Letters
Letters get opened because they appear to be personal and not automatically identified as junk-mail. Hand addressing and putting stamps on letters can be time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort because it adds a personal touch. Use your letter to introduce yourself, tell the story of your business, and outline the services you offer.
Door Hangers
Door hangers are great for when you’re on the job and you want to make sure the neighbors of your customer know who to call if they want similar services. There’s no way they will be overlooked if you place them right on your potential customer’s front door handle!
