-------- Original Message --------
Subject: TLC, Here's a Long Lost Secret (Green Industry Newsletter)
From: "Larry Brown, CLP"
Date: Wed, February 10, 2010 11:07 pm
To: "TLC Lawn Care"

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Green Industry Success Email Newsletter

Published by:
Larry L. Brown, CLP
http://www.greenindustrysuccess.com

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Innovative Marketing Strategies, Techniques
and Ideas for Green Industry Contractors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are receiving this publication because you have previously
opted in to an email course or because you have requested it.
Should you wish to cancel, simple instructions are at the end of
this message.

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WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE:

* A Long Lost Secret of Business Success

* Motion Beats Meditation

* My Inbox Exposed

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Hi TLC,

First off in this issue, I'm going to share with you a lost
secret from one of the true masters of advertising and
marketing.

Contractors are always looking for something "new" in
promoting their services. Well, there's really not much that's
new anymore.

The best way to use something new in your business is to go
back and study the past.

So with that in mind, let's get going...

_________________________________________
A Long Lost Secret of Business Success
__________________________________________

In the 1920's a man named Claude Hopkins helped build the
fortunes of some best known companies using the secret
strategy of "preemptive advertising".

By telling a story and educating prospects on about how
things are done in your industry whether it's landscaping,
lawn care, tree removal, whatever - YOU can gain the
preemptive advantage.

And it doesn't matter if it is the same thing any one of your
competitors could tell. By simply telling it first you will
gain an advantage.

Here's how Hopkins grew Van Camp's pork and beans
business. There were dozens of companies advertising
canned baked beans. All of the advertising was shouting
"Buy my brand" but there was no benefit that distinguished
one brand from another.

*A Successful Campaign To Model*

Hopkins started running ads explaining how it took 16
hours to bake beans, and how hard it was to make home
baked beans digestible at home. He went on to talk about
how home baking would give you crispy beans on top and
the mushy beans on the bottom.

Then he explained the process Van Camp's used to select
their beans. He talked about the softness of the water they
used, and how they made the skins less tough by removing
the lime.

Then he gave details of the steam ovens where the beans
were baked at 245 degrees in sealed containers so no
flavor was lost. Then finally he offered a free sample for
comparison.

This campaign was a huge success, yet every other
canned bean manufacturer could tell the exact same story.
Their process was really not any different. However, if
they tried people would have thought of them only as
copycats.

Therefore the advantage goes to the first company who
educates the public.

*The Secret Is Educating*

You can educating prospective clients on the details of
how any landscaping job is done. You could educate on
the causes of common problems and issues that arise
within your market. Educate them about the solutions, and
about the good and bad aspects of hiring any landscape
contractor. You can also educate on your equipment and
any systems or products that you offer.

You simply cannot over educate people.

You could run advertisements or create postcards
or fliers that have the headline:

"9 Things You Must Consider Before Hiring Any
Landscape Contractor".

Then in your ad you give consumers the real issues that
most people commonly face and how by choosing you as
their contractor they will receive the best possible solution.

By educating you become a source of solid information that
make prospects flock to you.

So take the time now to write down how you do what you
do in your company (even if it's the exact same as every
other contractor in town). Write down the benefits of using
the equipment that you use. And write down the systems
and procedures that you follow and how those systems
enhance the experience that people have when doing
business with your company.

Soon you'll come up with a list of preemptive strikes you
can use to create a huge advantage in your marketing
efforts.

=====================================
"Motion Beats Meditation"
- Gary Halbert
=====================================

It really excites me when I receive letters and emails
from people who have taken the principles that I teach,
put them into action immediately, and experience positive
results (make money).

Just yesterday I got an email from Carlos Fulton of Sunset
Landscape Services. Here's the first paragraph of the
email he sent:

"Amazing News! Recently, the owner of the company that I
work for has put me in charge of generating more business,
and thanks to your 7 step program I was able to seal a
$130K contract."

[That's $130,000.00 from some f-r-e-e information that
Carlos received from me over the Holidays.. Wow!
I love helping people make money!]

Carlos went on to tell me how he eagerly absorbed the
information that he received from my e-course and audio
Cd. But he didn't stop there. Carlos did the most important
thing he could do. Here's what else he said:

"I was so impressed by the information, I immediately began
thinking of ways to implement the principles into our company.
I began sending out e-mails to current and prospective clients
using as many of the tools from the course as I could."

Carlos did the most important thing he could do.

He took action!

All the super successful contractors that I know have at the
least this in common:

They exhibit a profound bias for action.

In today's business world that's more important than ever.
With fax and the Internet, and now with mobile email gadgets
and such, the pace at which communication takes place and
business is done has been ramped up to lightning speed.

The speed at which you can decipher information and ideas
and then apply them to your business is crucial. The
willingness and ability to take massive action can be the
only difference in marginal performance and excellent
results for your company.


=====================================
My Inbox Exposed!
=====================================

I've added a new section to my newsletter! It's called
"My Inbox Exposed!"

This is where I am going to share with you the answers
to questions that I receive by email from you my readers.
I often receive some very good questions of which the
answer may be beneficial to all.

If there is anything that YOU would like to send me that
you think others can benefit from, then I'd be glad
to consider publishing that as well.

Obviously, I can't answer or publish all of the emails I
receive, but I will do my best to publish the most common
and helpful so everyone can benefit from them.

I also want to hear your FEEDBACK. I am interested in
hearing about any breakthroughs, major insights, or successes
that you've achieved after applying any of these ideas or
strategies. I may choose a few of these to include in future
issues as well.

Okay, let's get to this issue's emails --

====
Q)
Hi Larry, thanks for the reply. My questions are how should
I go about attracting new customers and what is the best way
(cost) to advertise? Thanks,

A)

For small growing companies I recommend the following
advertising methods (for getting new customers):

1. Fliers
2. Card Decks (or coupon decks)
3. Small classified type ads in small local newspapers
4. Direct mail to targeted lists.
5. Yellow Pages

When talking about the cost, you should really talk about
the "cost per lead". And, that all really depends on the
effectiveness of your marketing piece and the target
audience.

Here're a couple of tips for getting the most out of ANY
ad you create:

1. Include a powerful, benefit oriented headline.
2. Include an attractive offer with a deadline
3. Include powerful testimonials from previous happy clients

=====
Q)
Lately, I've noticed that many customers want the cheapest price.
They aren't very concerned with the pro services and just want
the grass cut. So boasting the cheapest price in town would get
the most response.. Why is this approach not recommended?
A)
I personally never want to be the cheap price competitor. Now,
that's not to say that there's not a market for that. In fact, someone has to fill that niche in the market. Also, don't be
fooled into thinking that everybody wants the cheapest price. If that were case then Mercedes, Nieman Marcus and other upscale businesses in every segment you can imagine would quickly be
run out of business.

But to answer your question, the reason that being the "cheap
price" contractor is not recommended is that in order to be the
cheapest, you cannot typically afford to provide the best in
quality, equipment and customer service. You cannot afford to
"wow" your customer and build a relationship with them.

Without relationships, your clients will leave you in a heartbeat
for the next cheapest price that comes along.

You have to figure out ways to "differentiate" yourself in the
market. Otherwise you become a standard commodity and can
be easily replaced by the next guy with the best price.

Competing on price is the hardest way to build a solid business
for the long term. Sure, you can go out and get a bunch of work
right quick. But chances are, it won't be very profitable and you
won't keep the customer for long.

======

Well, it's getting late and I'm gonna get home and spend some
time with my beautiful little girl.I know - it's obvious,
I'm a proud daddy and I love to brag on her!

That's all for now. Until next time...

Make Mucho Green!

Larry Brown

*********************************************
Larry L. Brown, CLP
GreenIndustrySuccess.com
P.O. Box 1587
Natchez, MS 39121
Phone: 1-800-905-6941
Fax: 1-601-442-9464
Email to: larry@greenindustrysuccess.com

http://www.greenindustrysuccess.com

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(C) Larry Brown/Centerex, Inc.

***Attention editors and publishers: You are welcome
to post/distribute/publish this information provided that
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Centerex Inc.

PO Box 1587
Natchez, MS
39121
US


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