Marketing Hints and Tips
Entry twelve: How to Make Lawn Care Sales in June
In the last entry of our Marketing Hints and Tips series, we discussed different services to sell during the long summer months. Some of these services included: Tree and Shrub, Flea, Tick and Perimeter Pests and Lawn Aeration and Seeding. Now that you know what to sell in June, how are you going to go about doing it?
First off, your target should include all current customers. These people already know and trust you; furthermore, they’ve already proven that their landscape is important to them.
With that in mind, contact all your current customers with mid-season check up calls. Not only does the customer service call make them understand you care about their lawn, but it allows you to mention your other services and make some sales. Sending out personal, handwritten messages on invoices is another great way to get your idea across. Handwritten messages are more intimate than typed messages and make the customer feel special. Real Green Systems has a great template for creating invoices with messages and are definitely worth checking out.
If you’re finished running through your current customer lists, backtrack and focus on a cancel campaign. Call all the people who have canceled in the last eighteen months. Figure out why they canceled and try solving these problems. Push hot summer services and get them on schedule for the upcoming fall lawn care season.
Just because sales have slowed down doesn’t mean you should stop to smell the roses. Maintain the awesome momentum you’ve built up during the spring by pushing hot summer services to your current customers. This also gives you time to go back to your canceled customers and rebuild relationships with them. In the words of Patricia Fripp, award-winning speaker and expert in presentations and sales, “You don’t close a sale, you open a relationship if you want to build a long-term, successful enterprise.”
The Science Behind Holganix
Entry fifteen: Mycorrhizae Unveiled!
In entry 10, we talked about some of the awesome things that help achieve natural weed suppression. One of the secrets we shared was a little-known fungi called mycorrhizae. What is this and why is it so special? There are numerous benefits to incorporating mycorrhizae products into your lawn care treatment plant. Some of them include:
Natural Insect Suppression
Mycorrhizae helps create an explosion of root growth that builds huge density in your lawn. Root density is vital because weeds thrive off of pockets in the soil. Having big root density helps suppress their growth by crowding out weed seed germination.
Drought Resistance
When a healthy plant has a vast root network (a benefit of mycorrhizae), it can hold onto more moisture. The more moisture the plant is able to hang on to, the better its chances for withstanding droughts! Having a longer root mass also allows the plant to look deeper into the soil for water.
Protection Against Root-Born Diseases
Some of the root diseases we deal with on a continuous basis are summer patch and brown patch. Summer patch is a 100% root-born disease while brown patch is both root-born and thatch. Mycorrhizae layer a protective mantel over the roots, helping prohibit root disease from forming.
Other Great Benefits
The benefits of adding mycorrhizae to your plants doesn’t just stop there. They also help in many other functions including enhancement of plant health and vigor, seedling growth and plant transplant establishment.
Check out this video to hear Holganix specialist Mike Reed explain the benefits and importance of utilizing mycorrhizae in your lawn care treatment plan.
Mycorrhizae act in phenomenal ways, but how can you acquire it? One way to start using mycorrhizae is through Holganix. Holganix doesn’t just contain mycorrhizae but also contains numerous other ingredients targeting overall plant health.
Works Cited:
Image: http://www.finegardening.com/cms/uploadedimages/images/gardening/issues_91-100/041096082-01_ld.jpg
Marketing Hints and Tips
Entry eleven: Lawn Care in June and What to Sell
June is on its way and with it, lawn care sales will come to a halt. Unfortunately, in most situations, no matter how hard you press your prospect database, people don’t want to buy lawn care in the summer. Although the halt gives you a well-deserved break after a busy spring, don’t lose your momentum! Just because lawn care sales have halted doesn’t mean you still can’t sell.
Take the opportunity to sell other services your lawn care company may offer. Specifically, try to sell to your current customers. Your current customers already know and trust you. Talk to them and figure out what services they are looking for and fulfill those needs.
There are three big services that are great sells for these long, hot summer days.
1. Tree and Shrub: Insects and disease aggressively attack trees and shrubs in the summer, and evidence of this is clear to your customers. It would be ideal to start selling tree and shrub applications during the summer, when you can point out the damages insects and diseases are posing on their landscapes.
2. Flea, Tick and Perimeter Pests: We all know pesky bugs come out in the warmer months. Why let them attack your customers’ children, pets and homes? Offer at least a 3-step program to provide a barrier for their home and landscape.
3. Lawn Aeration and Seeding: The need for lawn aeration and seeding is most obvious in the summer, since they are suffering from the scorching heat. Although you don’t actually start aerating and seeding until the fall, it’s easier to show your customers why they need this service from you now rather than later. Absolutely, the latest you should start selling this service is mid August.
Check out this video, starring Holganix CEO Barrett Ersek, to learn more about lawn aeration and seeding sales in the summer.
Want to learn how to best sell these services? Stay tuned for next week’s Marketing Hints and Tips to see how.
Works Cited:
image: http://www.caribbeanlawncareservice.com/lawn-care-spring-tx/
The Science Behind Holganix
Entry fourteen: Chemical Fertilizer Prices Have Gone Through the Roof
What in the world is going on with chemical fertilizer prices today? If you were in business in 2008, you remember just how much pain fertilizer prices caused our industry. Today, chemical fertilizer is still high and may be on the rise again. Many companies have been forced to contemplate rising the price of their services in order to avoid taking a cut in profits. However, with the economy in the slumps, raising prices can be down right dangerous. We’ve seen signs of economic revival and hopefully your sales are reaching expectations, but raising prices can potentially lose you customers - your present and potential clients.
The time has come for those of us in lawn care to start thinking up creative answers to solve our problems. In 2008, my former lawn care company stockpiled $500,000 worth of chemical fertilizer in a warehouse. We saw that prices were only going to rise and hoped that the fertilizer would get us through the peak. Unfortunately, the warehouse stockpiling the chemical fertilizer caught fire and burnt to the ground. Worse of all, our company was insured for less than half of the supply. Gone was $500,000 worth of chemical fertilizer and gone was our warehouse.
To our lawn care company in 2008, this was a tipping point. We were forced to either search for creative answers or to buy more fertilizer at higher prices. We chose to do the former and that spring we discovered Holganix. We were shocked by the great results and even better… the overall lower cost. A year later, we sold that lawn care company and teamed up with the inventor of Holganix to spread the word.
It is possible to survive and even thrive through the high prices of fertilizer. Holganix allows you to use 75% less chemical fertilizer while also reducing the amount of herbicides and pesticides needed. It’s effective… and saves you money. There is an answer to rising chemical fertilizer costs and that answer could be Holganix.
To learn more about Holganix technology and how it can help you save money, please visit our site here. If you have any questions about the science behind Holganix, explore our numerous blog articles or ask away in the comment box and we’ll be sure to get back to you. Remember to stay tuned for next week’s entry in the Behind the Science of Holganix series!
Works Cited
Image: http://midwestbiosystems.com/blog/
Marketing Hints and Tips
Entry: Blogging in the Lawn Care World
Today, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of the information age, where the man or woman with the most valuable information wins. One way to become one of the winners is by incorporating a blog and other forms of real-time marketing on your website.
The lawn care industry is no exception to this new, dynamic way of marketing. Today, companies can’t just sell a product or service; they must also sell a relationship to customers. Part of accomplishing this goal in the modern world is through blogging. Blogging allows you to communicate with your audience in a way that is useful to them. You make yourself seem like a leader in your industry and ensure that when your potential customer’s need for lawn care has reached its tipping point- you’re the company they come to for service. Not only does it help bring in potential customers and keep present customers engaged, but it also aids your website by increasing page ranking and driving traffic.
Blogging is also super easy to do and many blogging templates are free or cost very little. Include key words in your blogs to get the blog and your website better traffic. Also keep blogs short and sweet. In fact, many bloggers recommend an average of 200 to 400 words. This ensures that there’s valuable information and insight in your blog but still allows it to be a quick, easy read for your followers.
The video below is super useful for new and experienced bloggers. It features Eric Keiles, the Chief Marketing Officer from Square2Marketing, with tips on blogging and why it’s so important.
Stay tuned for next week’s entry in the Marketing Hints and Tips series or subscribe to the Holganix Blog and we’ll send it to you automatically for free. The subscribe button is located to the left of this article. Do you have a question or would like to learn more about lawn care marketing? Let us know and we’ll be sure to get back to all of your questions (use the comment box below or send us an email).
Works Cited:
Top image: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30311/10-Amazing-Blogs-About-Blogging-to-Start-Reading-NOW.aspx
Video: http://blog.square2marketing.com/Get-Bold-Blog/
The Science Behind Holganix
Entry thirteen: Achieving Natural Insect Suppression
With the present green trend come new high expectations from our customers to keep things as environmentally friendly as possible. Chemical products work, but there are also some easy ways to incorporate natural insect suppression that will appeal to your customers and save you money. In fact, there are four ways to improve insect suppression naturally: having and creating healthy plants, utilizing milky spore and plant oils, increasing the natural predators and practicing integrated pest management (IPM).
It all comes down to having healthy plants. Healthy plants resist insect damage better than those that are unhealthy. Plants are just like us: when we are injured or sick, we recover better if our bodies are healthy. Creating healthy plants is key to achieving natural insect suppression. One way to help plants stay healthy is by applying a compost tea or biological meta-catalyst. They are full of nutrients aimed to increase the health of your plants.
Milky spore is also a natural insect suppression tool. It is a beneficial bacterium that works as a deterrent to grubs larva of Japanese beetles that are harmful to the lawn. It helps balance the relationship between predator and prey in the environment. However, it’s complicated to use and tends to be costly. Better tools include plant oils like tea tree oil, neem oil and melaleuca oil. These are natural plant extracts that generally repel insects, creating a natural suppression. They are especially great for controlling insects without exterminating all the bugs. After all, we aren’t exterminators; killing all bugs isn’t the goal. If we destroy every insect, then we no longer have natural predators to fight off the bad insects. Therefore, maintaining the population of natural predators is another great way to achieve natural insect suppression. IPM also incorporates this same philosophy. IPM is a practice where you spray insecticides down sparingly and only when and where you need them most. It’s about finding the problem and treating it, not the entire landscape.
All of these points can be achieved by using a biological meta-catalyst like Holganix. Check out the Holganix Secret Recipe to see all of the beneficial ingredients Holganix has, aimed toward achieving natural insecticides and other benefits for plants.
Works Cited:
Image: http://www.nacsetac.org/Shortcourse/Pesticides%202009/sprayingweeds.gif
Marketing Hints and Tips
Entry nine: Utilizing the Power of Real-Time Marketing
An important facet in business today is real-time marketing. What does that mean? It’s an idea developed by marketing guru David Meerman Scott that means taking action now on something that has happened today. A lot of big companies are caught up in bureaucracy and red tape. In order to take any action, they must consult committee after committee, only to wind up acting on yesterday’s stale news. We lawn care companies can transform this flaw into a positive and use it to get ahead of big companies.
With today’s fast-paced world, there are several ways that you can help get your business in real time. Social media is free and easy to use, so long as you’re willing to give your time and attention. Get on Facebook and start tweeting on Twitter, connect with others in your industry and pay attention to what’s happening now. Other great tools to utilize are Google Alerts and Google Places. Google Alerts allows you to track and follow certain terms and receive alerts automatically to your email address. For instance, Holganix tagged the term “bio stimulant” on Google Alerts. Every time the phrase “bio stimulant” is mentioned, the Holganix CMO receives an email allowing her to act in real time, immediately. Google Places is a super easy way to get in real time. It allows you to input your location information into Google’s database so it shows up correctly when an individual searches for you or lawn care companies in the area.
Even as a lawn care provider, real-time marketing can make all the difference in your marketing strategy. It allows you to speak directly to your audience, which in itself is a valuable tool. If you offer helpful advice, you are seen as a leader in your industry. It also builds customer loyalty, gets your name recognized and creates customers. Best of all, putting you and your company out before your audience ensures that, when your potential customer’s need is greatest they’ll choose you over a different company.
What it all comes down to is, taking action in the now and not waiting for tomorrow. When the whole world can be connected with a single tweet, procrastination is your undoing. Cut the red tape and don’t stumble through the bureaucratic details, act now and win big time!
Stay tuned for next week’s article on Blogging and learn how it can help you act in real time.
Want to learn more about real time marketing? Check out this video of David Meermen Scott and his take on real-time marketing!
Works Cited
image: http://cdn2.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/how-important-is-real-time-data-it-e2-80-99s-all-relative.jpg
Real-time marketing credit goes to David Meermen Scott. Check out his site http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/books/real-time-marketing-pr/ or his book entitled Real-Time Marketing & PR
Behind the Science of Holganix
Entry twelve: Accomplishing Our Earth Day Greater Green Goal
At Holganix, we aren’t just about making money; we are about making a difference! Part of how we do that is through our Greater Green Goal: to eliminate 100,000,000 pounds of nitrates, 25,000,000 pounds of phosphates and 100,000,000 ounces of concentrated pesticides by 2016.
Nitrates, phosphates and pesticides (NPK) have been helping to feed our country and the world for years now. Without them, we wouldn’t have access to fresh crops or beautiful green grass that has become associated with the American dream. However, NPK also have some side effects. They are polluting and killing marine life.
Today, we are proud to say that we have helped eliminate:
- 1,539,495 pounds of nitrates
- 384,872 pounds of phosphates
- 1,443,278 ounces of concentrated pesticides
We could never have accomplished such a huge step in our awesome goal without the help of our distributors and the support of lawn care companies and homeowners across America. Thank you for helping us make a difference in our world. Help us reach our goal to eliminate 100,000,000 nitrates, 25,000,000 pounds of phosphates and 100,000,000 ounces of concentrated pesticides by Earth Day 2016.
For more information on how you can be a part of our Greater Green Goal, visit our link for more information. Stay tuned for next week’s article on The Science Behind Holganix or subscribe and receive it automatically via email! Look for the subscribe button at the bottom of this page, near the comment box.
Works Cited
Image: http://free-extras.com/images/earth_day-13845.htm
Holganix Bloggers Video Series
Entry nine: University Testing Unveiled
One key player in the new direction of lawn care is biological meta-catalysts or bio-stimulants. These soil amendments introduce and promote more efficient use of nutrients by plants. However, at the end of the day, biological meta-catalysts are creating more of a commotion because they help lawn care companies save money and improve agronomics, while meeting strict legal regulations and catering to green friendly customers.
The biggest thing that has held lawn care companies from making the switch has been the lack of university studies. No longer is that an issue. This past winter, Holganix has unveiled their latest university testing results from colleges like: Perdue University, North Carolina State and Penn State University. Their testing results prove just how beneficial biologicals can be for lawn and plant health. Watch this short four-minute video to view their findings and make the switch today.
For more information on the university state tests on Holganix click here and read just how beneficial they can be. Stay tuned for next week's article in the Holganix Blog or subscribe and we’ll send it to you automatically.
Works Cited
Photography by: http://www.sodahead.com/living/do-you-like-the-feeling-of-grass-between-your-feet/question 1687073/?link=ibaf&q=feet+walking+on+grass&imgurl=http://www.barefoot-healthy-blog.com/wp-content/themes/thesis_16/custom/rotator/bare_feet_in_grass.jpg
The Science Behind Holganix
Entry nine: The Secret to a Weed Free Lawn
This year, homeowners and lawn care companies alike are going to be hit with a nasty surprise: weeds… and much more than usual. Mother nature has given us a mild winter and an early spring, which spells trouble. Temperatures weren’t able to kill off weeds from last year and with the early spring weeds have a head start on growth this year. All of this only makes weed control strategies more important than ever.
Perhaps the most popular form of herbicide for post emergent broad leaf control is Trimec. Other names for this herbicide include but are not limited too: Triplet, Three-Way, Threesome and Strike Three just to name a few. It’s a chemical that specifically targets dicotyledon or broad leaf plants, effectively killing weeds without destroying monocotyledon plants like grass. Traditionally, we lawn care guys have had to repeatedly use the herbicide to kill off tough weeds like violets, clover, ground ivy and wild strawberry. This spring, we are going to have an even tougher time controlling these tough weeds and other dicotyledon plants.
One thing that can help strengthen Trimec is utilizing a biological meta-catalyst, like Holganix, alongside the herbicide. Biological meta-catalysts help herbicides work more effectively at lower rates and in some cases can enhance the results. It also means saving money and reducing your environmental footprint by not incorporating more chemical than necessary.
The key to Holganix when it comes to herbicides is the effect it has on the plant stomata. Holganix contains plant hormones (like auxins) that help further open the stomata in the plants, allowing herbicides to penetrate the weeds easier and kill it faster. This is especially important since hard to control weeds like violets, ground ivy, clover and wild strawberry all have very tight stomata (one reason why they are so difficult to kill). By opening the plant stomata you can kill these tough weeds with just one round of herbicide spray.
Holganix also has several natural defenses to fighting off broad leaf plants. For example, mycorrhizae (an ingredient in Holganix) improve root development in grass. The best defense against weeds is to have a thick, web like root system so there is no space for weeds to germinate. Holganix can help you achieve this goal. In addition, Holganix contains gluten (like corn gluten meal) that acts as a natural weed deterrent. Furthermore, the beneficial bacteria in Holganix lawn product are specifically designed to feed monocotyledon plants and take food sources from dicotyledon plants. The result is an environment that’s pro monocotyledon, essentially giving them the advantage.
For more information on how Holganix can help you effectively control weeds, save you money and help reduce your environmental footprint visit our website here. Stay tuned for our next article in the Holganix Blog or subscribe and we’ll send you updates automatically.
Works Cited
1. Top image: http://www.jasonslawn.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/WeedAttack.gif