Successful Ways to Advertise to get Tractor Work

[LD1]

Advertising looks good, but it takes time to get a customer base built up. And there is only so much work out there. Speaking of bushhogging only, because thats what I do.......Remember, the only way to get business it either.....

1. Get new work that has not been done in the past. At least for hire anyway. These may be something that has been untouched for 10 years and one day, someone just decides to get it done, or new owner moves into the area, or a field gets separated and sold. Depending on the market and housing, may or may not have alot of these jobs come up.

2. Stuff that is already being serviced. Either by the owner (owning or renting equipment), or by a competitor.

So its not like the services you are offering is something totally new. Stuff was being handled before you entered the game, and it will continue to be handled if you decide to leave the game.

That said, here is what I would advise......

Stop charging by the hour. When someone who makes $25/hr (which is a pretty good job at least in my area) sees your ad for $65/hr for (in their minds) someone with a tractor wanting to make a little on the side......they think it is unreasonable. Then there is a whole other can of worms that gets opened when charging by the hour. If you have to go slow because the field is rough, and the customer thinks you are "milking" it? Or you feel pressured to go faster to keep the cost down, and end up not doing a good enough job or are tearing up your equipment?? Or if it takes you an hour to get there because of traffic, school bus, train, whatever, but google says its only a 40 minute drive??? Not to mention....when a customer calls and finds out you charge $65/hr, and they say I have XX acres to mow, how long do you think it is gonna take??? What do you answer? If you dont have a clue....you likely aint getting the work. If you say something like "it should take about 2 hours".....you for **** sure better not take 2.5 hrs and try to collect on that. They will say..."I thought you said it was only gonna take 2 hours"?

Its okay to have a target hourly rate in mind. Just dont let the customer be clued in to that information. IE: if a customer calls, and has 4 acres of pasture that need clipped, and are an hour away, and you feel it will take you 2 hours to complete, DONT tell them $65/hr.....instead, just tell them a flat $195. AND STICK TO IT. Unless something wasnt described correct by the customer, or acreage was wrong (I use findlotsize.com ALOT), I stick to my price. If it takes me 1.5hrs....good for me. IF it takes 2.5.....good for them. But I am a man of my word.

My target is $60/hr from my drive BACK to my drive. Sometimes I come in at 50, sometimes I come in at 75. But it all works out by the end of the season.

Final tidbit....get with the local lawn mowing services in your area. Let them know what you do. Some of your services may overlap, but the ones that dont, you can help each other out. Most companies that do lawn mowing/triming/landscaping dont have a tractor and bushhog or tiller. So if currently they get calls requesting such service, if they are telling them "no we dont offer that".........you can have them say "no we dont offer that but here is a guy we recommend"......

I get alot of business this way from a buddy I used to work with that started a landscape/mowing company. And likewise.....I get asked alot if I do lawn mowing, which I do not. So I refer them back to my buddy who does.

So to summarize,
1. Quit charging per hour IMO
2. Get with some lawn mowing companies
3. Just give it time to build a customer base. I took me awhile.

I am by no means a full timer at this. I just do it on the side on my days off. (4-on 4-off 12hr shifts). My first year was 2013, I mowed 112 acres on 20 jobs for a little over $5k. And all new to me customers.

By year 2 I did 55 jobs (21 repeat customers either from last year, or multiple times in this same year), 260 acres, and a little over $13k

Year 3 I was down to 29 jobs, 20 of them were repeat customers. 120 acres, ~$6k. But this year I ddint advertize at all. So the 9 new jobs HAD to be word or mouth. I didnt advertise this year because I had just moved, and had alot of work to do around my property, clearing pond, and building my shop.

Its early in the year this year, and been a wet spring, but have resumed advertising again. Have already done 4 new jobs, 3 repeats, for 20 acres. I expect things will pick up quite a bit in the coming months once things dry out.

Be patient. Do good work. Let your customer base build.

 

[TerryR]

Lee,

As others have suggested, I wouldn't focus on being the low-priced option. When I see the words "I HAVE THE BEST RATES ANYWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA" on your website it tells me to look elsewhere. I never want the lowest price operator. To me that's the same as advertising "I'm quick and careless, and cut corners whenever I think you won't notice." No doubt some customers will be attracted, but not me.

I just hired a painter whose Angie's List recommendations said "he's not the cheapest, but he's the best" because of that recommendation.

 

[EddieWalker]

Like the others have said, the hourly rate is a turn off. I understand the need for it, but in my line of work, I only go hourly when I know there are too many things that might go wrong on a job and the only fair thing for both me and the client is to tell them upfront that I can't predict what I'm going to find, or have to do to make it right, so the only way I'll do the job is hourly. Otherwise, I meet with the clients, see what they want done in person, and then give them a bid for the total amount to do the job. In my opinion, meeting with them face to face is the most important aspect of getting work. They have to like you, or feel comfortable with you, or know that you can do the job better then the competition. Whatever the reason, I rarely got a job that I gave a price over the phone, or in an email without meeting in person. I've also found that the price I charge for the job is rarely the deciding factor in why I got the job. It's the impression I gave them during our face to face meeting. From what I understand, I'm one of the most expensive guys to hire in my area, and as of right now, I'm booked up into February 2017 with three bids on my desk right now who all want that February opening!!!

I've also found that paid advertising is just about a total waste of time and effort. I don't know anybody who has been happy with paying for a billboard. Newspapers are just as bad. You can get some work out of Craigslist, Angies List and the local free classifieds. But I always think that those guys are desperate and worry that the reason they are advertising for work is because they have burned so many bridges that nobody is calling them anymore.

The VERY BEST way to get work has been Facebook. I found out that the more friends I have on there, the more people see what I do, and the more calls I get. I post tons of pictures of what I'm doing, before and afters and just life in general. Potential clients always comment on my animals, vacations, scenery pics and other things that are not work related. They follow me for months, or even years before calling, but when they do call, they have already committed to hiring me. Most of my FB friends are people that I've never met, and never will meet. What's interesting is that they will tell their friends about me when they hear that they are looking for somebody to work on their house. Friends of friends type of thing. It's all about getting your name out there and having people associate your name with what you do, and thinking you're the person to get it done for them.

If I was to hire somebody to work on my place, Facebook is where I'm going to look first. I post a question looking for recommendations, and I go to the Facebook page of everyone that was recommended to me. If I like what I see on their page, I get in contact with them. I've done this for concrete work, tree trimming, roofers and HVAC people. I know who not to use from previous experiences, but finding somebody knew is always a challenge. If I wanted to hire somebody to bushhog my land, I would post it on Facebook.

I also think that when deciding to hire somebody, I want to know something about them, and feel comfortable that I can trust them. Both in being on my land and in them doing a quality job. It takes time, but once word of mouth starts, it just keeps growing. You need to get people to notice you and to remember you.

 

[joefromga]

Good ideas but make a separate Facebook so as to not get mixed up. If you make a business page they have much more ad options and cheap rates to get your ad to people that need to be targeted. They are experts at ad targeting. For 20 bucks they'll hit a few thousand people in a 2 week time period. 2 jobs from that pays you and adds to your customer base.

You want people to know you are the best and the friendliest , not the cheapest.

People pass Walmart a thousand times a day to go to the expensive grocery store down the road.

Also don't be afraid to say you don't know or you haven't done that type of job. If you aren't experienced in a certain type of service they want just tell them and your honesty may get you the sale and it also may save you a major headache. Don't just take jobs because you are desperate.

 

[ldowney]

Okay guys. I took a portion of everyone's advice. Obviously I couldn't follow every recommendation because some were conflicting. After much time spent and about $300, I have done the following as suggested.

1. Removed all pricing details from every point of advertisement.
2. Reduced the wording in my Craigslist ads.
3. Created a web page
(www.advancetractorservices.com)
4. Bought 50 ad signs to post locally at busy intersections.
5. Created a Facebook page (Advance Tractor Services)
6. Left the newspaper ad since I've already paid it through next month.

Thanks again for the many suggestions. I think the fact that it's rained the last 12 out of 16 days hasn't helped much either. We'll see if these new avenues of business advertising will work. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[LD1]

Its a start.

Have you given any consideration to the suggestions of changing your pricing structure. IE: NOT charging by the hour?

 

[ldowney]

Its a start.

Have you given any consideration to the suggestions of changing your pricing structure. IE: NOT charging by the hour?

Yes. I have done that. I will still in my head, estimate how much time it will take me to complete a job and multiply that time by $65 an hour. I know from experience I can bush hog 2 acres an hour. If someone calls me wanting 10 acres cut, I'll figure 5 hours + my travel time to the site then multiply that by $65 an hour. That will be the price I'll offer to do the job for.

I will say pricing not by the hour will require me to actually go and look at every job before I roll out to do it. That is more time time consumed. All the jobs I've got so far have just been using google maps and street level view to look at the property and growth. You would be surprised at how many people say their field was cut last year and I get there and there's 10-14 ft saplings through out.

Well, we'll see how this pricing works.

 

[LD1]

Yes. I have done that. I will still in my head, estimate how much time it will take me to complete a job and multiply that time by $65 an hour. I know from experience I can bush hog 2 acres an hour. If someone calls me wanting 10 acres cut, I'll figure 5 hours + my travel time to the site then multiply that by $65 an hour. That will be the price I'll offer to do the job for.

I will say pricing not by the hour will require me to actually go and look at every job before I roll out to do it. That is more time time consumed. All the jobs I've got so far have just been using google maps and street level view to look at the property and growth. You would be surprised at how many people say their field was cut last year and I get there and there's 10-14 ft saplings through out.

Well, we'll see how this pricing works.

I have never looked at a job prior to mowing it. I do the estimate over the phone, and confirm acreage on findlotsize.com.

Then ask some key questions to determine how fast I can mow it. Like when the last time it was mowed? How tall is it? Knee high? Waste high? Briars and saplings over my head? etc.

A few saplings and small briar patches here and there aint gonna slow me down. But when we venture into "lot clearing" instead of "mowing" its a whole different game.

I tell everyone the price I charge is assuming the acreage and conditions are accurate. I tell them "If you told me it was mowed last year, and I show up and you expect me to mow down 2" saplings and briars over my head....I will not honor my price" But I find that they seem to be pretty honest on the phone, because they dont want any surprises in pricing either.

On average, I can do about 2 acres/hr as well. The jobs I do on a regular basis, 2-3 times a year, I can get about 3 ac/hr. And when it comes to "lot clearing", with alot of backing over stuff or pushing over with the FEL, .75-1 acre per hour. And figure my prices accordingly.

And if their description is accurate, STICK TO THE PRICE QUOTED ON THE PHONE. Thats the biggest thing. If you were guessing 5 hours and it took you 6.......live and learn, but stick to it. Sometimes you may guess 5 hours and it only takes 4. Dont feel like you owe them a discount. You aint working hourly. You quote a price to do a job, they agreed. The job gets done for the agreed upon price regardless of how long or how quick you went.

 

[ldowney]

Good advice. Yeah, I have found most home owners are honest as well. I have had a few that told me the area had been bush hogged last year and I get there and it looks like a jungle. lol. I use that website (findlotsize.com) as well. Great website. I'll try pricing over the phone in the upcoming jobs and see how that works. I'll make sure I let them know if I get there, and the field is overgrown and I'm cutting down stuff as high as my cab, it will take longer than quoted. I think that's fair.


Thank you for your time.

 

[LD1]

Good advice. Yeah, I have found most home owners are honest as well. I have had a few that told me the area had been bush hogged last year and I get there and it looks like a jungle. lol. I use that website (findlotsize.com) as well. Great website. I'll try pricing over the phone in the upcoming jobs and see how that works. I'll make sure I let them know if I get there, and the field is overgrown and I'm cutting down stuff as high as my cab, it will take longer than quoted. I think that's fair.


Thank you for your time.

Yep, if they tell you its about waist high, and the majority is over the cab.....you certainly dont have to honor the quote. If they are honest and tell you its pretty bad and over their head....obviously dont quote it as if it was a pasture that was just done last fall.

Just be reasonable about the pricing and expectations. If they tell you they have 5 acres and it was done last year, and you show up and 4.5 acres of it is waist high or less....but there is maybe 1/2 acre that is out of control......maybe whoever did it last year went around that are because they were using a 9n with 5' hog and didnt want to brave it. I wouldnt charge more for something like this. I would just do what I could. Go around what I cant, or trees too large they will tear up my equip.