"The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were
no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys
to traverse."
Helen Keller
I was posting something on twitter, and saw that Paul Stoltzfus had posted a link to a story about 21st Century Communication. I read and loved it, and felt it was a great idea to include it here. This is a condensed version.
21st Century Communication
by Suz Trusty
WiseGrass uses radio, networking sites and the Internet to get the word out
Paul Stoltzfus, owner/operator of WiseGrass in Lancaster County, Pa., uses multiple avenues to reach potential clients. Stoltzfus is on the radio talking about lawn care 365 days per year. “We chose it for reach and frequency. We thought that would give us the best bang for the buck,” he says. “I want to hit each listener a minimum of four times a week so our message makes an impact. We decided what we could handle in costs, and then asked stations to tell us what they’d give us for those dollars.
They spent $1,800 a month on radio since June 2007; that consistency pays. Stoltzfus says that 90 percent of their leads are initiated by the radio ads. Radio moves listeners to the Web site (www.wisegrass.com) to find out more. Stoltzfus considers the site a brochure with a plus: the flexibility to continually fine-tune his message. It’s a combination of need-to-know information and insight into the character and commitment of the company.
The Web site has a link to his blog, which Stoltzfus frequently uses as a mini-seminar. The blog can hit seasonal topics and delivers the message with text and photos, or a combination of text and video clips. For project-related blogs, he posts enough information so a do-it-yourselfer could tackle the project while encouraging them to have it done professionally by WiseGrass. For example, a video he’s developing on over seeding, will show the benefits of slit seeding with his specialized equipment. It’s more a vehicle for information than a traditional sales pitch.
The website is linked to Twitter, it’s limited to 140 characters, and this is a more casual connection. He first started logging in to find out what was happening in Lancaster County; what people were interested in beyond business. He discovered that many of those on Twitter used its resources for networking in both social and work-related situations. “The overall tone was positive and creative,” he says. “As I began participating, I found it a quick and easy way to communicate anything from lighthearted to serious. When I Twittered about wanting a photographer to shoot photos for my Web site, I had five suggestions within five minutes, some recommending other people, some themselves. I’ve also received a request for a lawn care quote from an individual I’d been back and forth with for months that I didn’t know had a lawn.”
Stoltzfus says this multipronged marketing brings him business from neighborhoods he might not have targeted through traditional mailings or door hangers.
The family business peaked in 2006, with six additional employees, 290 lawn installations and revenues of $520,000. Then, the bottom dropped out of the home building market, leading to a drastic reduction in lawn installations. By the summer of 2008, that company ceased operations.
The Web site was a vital part of the growth strategy from the beginning. Stoltzfus says, “We’re continually reviewing and revising the Web site to make it more efficient and user-friendly. We look at the quote process for points of friction, striving to measure and improve every step to make it easier. We made revisions six times during 2008. These weren’t major, just moving a photo or changing or deleting some phrasing. The content remained the same, but the format changed. Comparing the response through mid-March of 2009 to the same period in 2008, we’re getting twice the number of requests for quotes with the conversion of quote to sale now up to 60 percent. That rate was 40 percent in 2008.”
The website instills confidence that we do what we promise. We have testimonials and before and after pictures, but we also go beyond that. Stoltzfus says, “We’ve worked with our guests to set up ‘show lawns.’ These folks agree to allow our potential guests to come by to see their lawns and to answer their questions.”
Clients agreeing to become show lawn sites can field questions in person, by phone, by e-mail or all three. Stoltzfus gets their written permission, then, sets up a Google map showing the locations and giving out their contact information. “I wanted potential guests to see what our lawns looked like in real time and to find out directly what our established guests think about our work. If I want good word-of-mouth references, I have to do good work, and I do.”
Stoltzfus purposely uses a no-hassle sales method. The on-site visit is scheduled the same day as the request comes in. Some guests ask to meet with him, while others give him permission to stop by without them being home. Quotes are sent the day following the visit.
Stopping the service also is no hassle. A cancellation can be made at any time with no penalties. The service simply stops at that point.
This is a condensed version. The whole article can be found at http://www.turfmagazine.com/article.php?id=3404
Making Today's Advertising Work For The Future
Clay Campbell is bringing to this area Wizard of Ads Partner Michael
Keesee from Wichita Falls Texas. Michael makes The Pendulum
presentation that predicts trends and cycles. He will show what the
future of advertising will be like.
Michael Keesee will show this dramatic presentation on:
Monday, June 1st - Murray Chamber of Commerce, from 12 noon - 1:15pm
Tuesday, June 2nd - Marshall County breakfast at Ponderosa in Draffenville, 7:30 - 8:45am
Tuesday, June 2nd - Almost Free Seminar at the Pasta House in Paducah, KY, 12 noon - 1:15pm
*It's Almost Free because you have to buy your own lunch or breakfast!
Perhaps now would be a good time to have a complimentary meeting with a Wizard of Ads Partner. Links to their websites and blogs are listed down the right side of The Wizard Times. Hundreds of their articles with free insightful advice can been seen at www.americansmallbusiness.com 2009 would be a great year to attend a class at the Wizard Academy 21st Century Business School in Austin Texas. What is the Wizard Academy?
See you next week.
Clay Campbell
Wizard of Ads
PS. Need help to attract more customers and grow your business?
