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In my opinion a website is no use whatsoever. They obviously do work for all kinds of businesses, but not for what we do. Not if we are talking about Grounds Maintenance, i.e. mowing and hedge cutting etc. at local level.
If I need a Plumber or a Builder for example, I don’t hit the internet [who does that?]. I get a personal recommendation from someone I know and trust. I will likely already know someone in these trades anyway.
So, I have never had a website or used/had cards or flyers.
What I have found over forty years is this. You have to identify potential clients, i.e. the people you would like to work for, and go and speak to them face to face. Be friendly, disarming and basically chatty. This works with businesses, PCCs and local Councils equally as well, if not better, than with potential domestic clients.
About fifteen years ago now I was on a particular commercial mowing job and noticed a nearby business with extensive grounds where the grass had not been cut for a while. So I went and introduced myself. I learned that their previous gardener had decided to quit and so I was taken on. It’s mainly mowing with a few shrubs to trim twice a year and one glyphosate application. I have had a really good and friendly relationship with the owner all these years.
But, I had to go and ring the bell. I suspect they would never have found me via any website I may have had.
You will get to the stage where they come to you. Then the stage where you are so busy that you can pick and choose the work you accept.
Good advice, we still have clients from 40 years ago when we started, these were gained by going and asking if we could quote.
Firstly, what type of gardening are you offering? If it is a certain speciality (such as garden design), then your advertising might need to be tailored to that.
If however it is general gardening (lawn maintenance, hedge and shrub trimming, border weeding, planting etc) then I would suggest looking at Facebook. Join all your local area Facebook groups (you will find that each local village etc will have its own group page) where you can place free adverts, and where you will also regularly find people posting looking for recommendations for gardeners.
These days, many people don't use websites, directories (such as Yell etc), since they often don't know who to trust.
Hi
thank you for your response. Yes I offer general gardening and will look at Facebook, which I've never used.
I''m looking at the gardener's guild this year, as I've grown tired of Bark. Where it now costs typically £20 to get the lead details, to phone them.
For the " Bark what's that? , Who are you?, Why have you rung me? Dunno what you're talking about? et etc etc
Hi
thanks for your reply. I used to be in the Gardeners Guild but never got an enquiry through them, though it is good to say to clients you are a member!
How is everyone finding enquiries this year?
I'm very busy currently with an almost full schedule but I have noticed that I have had very few new enquiries this year. Normally the phone is ringing daily but its not even weekly at the moment.
Is it down to the weather being very warm and dry at the minute nothing is growing or the financial uncertainty it the world currently with people being squeezed financially or worried about what might be around the corner?
Andrew, it's probably no consolation but remember if it was easy everyone would be doing it!
When I started there was no internet etc and we had to use yellow pages and Thompson directory. But marketing yourself needs to be a multi faceted approach we did the flyers, posted the flyers on local notice boards and in shop windows ads in local papers etc, throw everything you can at the internet and the above there is no right and wrong approach. Try to get your local paper to do an editorial on your business they are always looking for content using the promise of paid for advertising as leverage
Don't ignore independent garden centres to leave flyers, and as both myself and Vic has said get that finger on door bells the worst scenario is a no .
Good luck, don"t get disheartened ! Throw enough s**t at the wall and some will stick!
Hi Andrew
I went self employed over 12 years ago after Twenty years Estate gardening .
Domestic gardening v Estate gardening are like chalk and cheese , worlds apart and I found it very difficult to adjust but I started the ball rolling by advertising in a local community publication which is still distributed by royal mail and a very successful format it reaches around 21.000 homes and businesses in each surrounding village .
It's a bit like casting a fisherman's net in the sea you end up with fish you want but loads you want to throw back .
I found it was worth the £50 a month investment with no long term commitment to a regular contract , nice , simple and effective ..
I also invested in Bark and got some excellent leads which were all one off jobs but those customers contacted me on every occasion but I don't know if the format has changed over time .
There is another local publication which is distributed to busy shopping centres and many of the advertisers write a monthly column , check your area for such publications .
The libraries here are like community hubs and have notice boards a valuable resource .
Don't forget to spot opportunity such as houses sold with overgrown gardens and neglected hedges and put a nice card through introducing your services .
Also I found the best response month was May when the Gardens start to spring back to life and advertising prior to this may be noted by a potential customers and not acted upon immediately when you place it .
Thank you ☺️
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