Like the growth of a tree, each stage of tree care marketing may have different and even opposite needs. A young tree may have its roots burned out by fertilization but once that tree passes its maturation point it may require fertilization for the right nutrient balance.
One constant in marketing a tree service is change. The season, the size of your company and the services you offer are all considerations when trying to figure out how to generate leads and turn leads into customers.
However, the size, shape and stage of your business directly influences the marketing approach, something few businesses fully understand.
Understanding the stages of your business from startup to year five help guide you to a profitable marketing program. Here is an account of my experience going through these stages and the most valuable lessons I learned.
First stage
When I first started ArborScape, referrals and side-work initially got the business going. That was the pickup-and-a-chainsaw stage. This was the easiest stage because you don’t really have to do marketing; you’re just looking to make extra money or make enough to get by, working for yourself. In my case, I was trading in my Mustang for another Mustang every two years with money I made doing tree work on the weekends. I still had a job as my bread and butter thing. I did this for about 10 years and it worked.
Once I bought a bucket truck and decided to turn the business into my main gig, the Yellow Pages were still the main thing to do and for a little while, made the most sense. I didn’t have to worry about a whole bunch of stuff that internal marketing requires. Things like how to build a good website, for example. All I had to do was pick up the phone when potential customers called.
In this first stage, you basically own a job, not a business. When business consultants talk about the idea of owning your job, this is the stage they talk about. If you’re not there, operations cease and no money comes in.
Join us in this three part series as David Merriman from ArborScape Services shares his experience in marketing his tree care business. Stay tuned for the next stage!