Shoestring Marketing

Today's economy is rippled with uncertainty. One day, consumer confidence is up and things look promising. The next day, bad economic news casts a dark cloud over the outlook. In uncertain times like these, it may seem natural to pull in your horns – take shelter until things look more promising. But, that's exactly the wrong thing to do.

There are still plenty of potential customers out there. Right now, your smartest move is to ratchet up your marketing efforts while your competitors are slacking off. When the smoke clears, you'll be stronger than ever and your competition will be wondering what happened.

Here are seven ways to help build your landscaping business on a tight marketing budget.
 

Use the telephone wisely.
Independent studies consistently show that the telephone remains one of the most underused business tools. In one study, researchers called 5,000 Yellow Page advertisers to say, "I saw your Yellow Page ad. How much does your service (product) cost?"

The responses clearly indicated lost opportunities. More than 78 percent didn't bother to ask for the caller's name. More than 55 percent took eight rings or more to answer.

According to the researchers, many spoke so rapidly that the caller had a difficult time understanding what was said. Less than 10 percent answered the phone in a way that made the caller feel welcome.

To harness the power of the telephone as a potent business tool, you must regard every ring of the telephone as a marketing opportunity.

Chances are that all or most of the callers to your number will be met with an answering machine message. That makes your outgoing message a critical marketing tool. Here's how to make best use of it:

1. Speak slowly and clearly. Your own voice is usually best because it gives a personal touch to a personal business. If you're not happy with the sound of your own message, don't hesitate to use someone else whose voice may be more businesslike.
    
2. Thank the caller and say that you're sorry that you're not available to answer personally, but that you will return the call promptly.
    
3. Perhaps most important of all, never fail to get back to every caller, existing customer or prospect. Failing to answer phone messages is a certain way to alienate customers and prospects.
    

Use cross promotion.
Landscapers are ideal candidates for cross-promotion – an inexpensive and effective way for non-competing businesses to help each other.

Here's how it works: John, a landscaper, works out a cross-promotion arrangement with Jim, a plumber in the same town. Each agrees to hand out brochures or business cards of the other's business to each homeowner they visit. The cost? Nothing more than the cost of printing.

Combinations for cross-promoting are limited only by the participants' imagination. Cross promotion may include such tools as window signs or posters, discount coupons or personal referrals.
 

Put networking to work for you.
People prefer to do business with people they know. If you need a plumber, an attorney or any professional, who are you most likely to call?

A stranger from a listing in the Yellow Pages, or someone you know – perhaps a neighbor or the friendly fellow you met at last week's Rotary meeting?

Service organizations such as Kiwanis, Lions or Chamber of Commerce are populated with entrepreneurs and professional people, and most are as anxious to meet you as you are to meet them.
 

Capitalize on your flexibility.
In good times, it's easy to stick to the tried and true – the most profitable and most familiar projects. In times like these, flexibility could be your most valuable asset. To keep you and your staff busy and avoid layoffs during slow times, it may be necessary to take on jobs at rates that don't satisfy your usual standards of profitability.

On a temporary basis, less profitable work is better than no work at all.
 

Grab your share of the best publicity – free publicity.
Advertising professionals know (but usually won't admit) that free publicity is generally more effective than the best paid ads. Most prospective clients will be far more receptive to a simple news item about your business than a typical advertisement.

So, how do you go about getting a piece of the free publicity pie?

First, you need to learn what makes a good story. Then you need to learn how to sell it your local news media.

Your news item doesn't have to be of monumental importance to gain a free spot in the media, it just has to be "newsworthy."

That simply means there is something about your or your business that the public might find interesting. Here are some newsworthy story ideas about your business:

• Employee news – Many neighborhood papers run columns dedicated to residents of the community. Such things as hirings, promotions and special awards are ideal candidates for submissions to these columns. Another area of interest is employees who have unusual hobbies or who have performed public service to the community.
   
• Your own activities and accomplishments – Don't be shy when it comes to publicity for you or your business. If you're involved in community service, invited to speak to a local service club, have an unusual hobby or operate your business in an unusual way, don't hesitate to grab a spot on the free publicity bandwagon.

To get free publicity for your business, you have to go out and seek it actively.

The media isn't going to come looking for you. While it isn't necessary to have a "contact" in the local press to get your share, it doesn't hurt. That's another reason to put networking to work for you.

Shoestring marketing techniques such as these may not seem as challenging or exciting as other methods for building your business, but they can be an effective and inexpensive way to add dollars to your bottom line in this tough economy.

The author is a freelance writer based in Abington, Pa.