7 Direct Mail Marketing Tips for Lawn Care and Landscaping Companies

Looking for a great way to get more lawn care clients?

Well, if you have already signed up as a lawn care vendor on GreenPal, where you can get free lawn care leads. You may want to consider direct mail marketing.

So how can lawn care professionals use direct mail marketing to get more clients?

Well, we reached out to marketing pros. And below you will find their best tips for your next direct mail marketing campaign.

This is what they had to say…

Why should lawn care professionals consider direct mail marketing?

“Direct mail marketing is a low-cost, high-reward marketing strategy. It is an effective way to reach customers that are in your area, and it can be used to create brand awareness.” -Krittin Kalra- Founder of Writecream

It’s true, direct mail marketing is an excellent way to pick up new clients. 

Unlike online marketing campaigns like marketing through FaceBook, direct mail marketing allows you to target new customers down to the street or neighborhood you are targeting. 

This means you can create a tighter lawn mowing route, while you grow your company. 

Best of all using direct mail marketing to increase your route density will save you a lot of time and money in travel expenses. 

Tip #1 Know Your Target Market

Before you even consider finding new clients with direct mail marketing. You really want to consider who you are targeting, and what your goals are. 

Are you trying to dominate a single street or neighborhood? 

Or are you looking to take on new clients anywhere within a 10-mile radius? 

A lot of this will depend on whether you are starting your business from scratch, or scaling your already successful company. 

Either way, you will want to carefully consider your target demographic. 

Pro Tip! "Older demographics respond better to direct mail, it's familiar and they're more likely to take it seriously." -Anthony Martin, CEO & Founder of Choice Mutual 

Tip #2 Personalize Your Mailers

“Personalize your mailing whenever possible. People are more likely to respond if they feel like you're speaking directly to them. Add the recipient's name and address to the envelope and the mailing body, and use a personal greeting instead of a generic one.” -Lindsey Hyland Founder of UrbanOrganic Yield

The next tip for lawn care pros looking to launch a direct mail marketing campaign is to personalize your mailers. 

As you may have experienced yourself, you are more likely to look at mail that is personalized. 

You can personalize mailers by:

• Adding your prospect client's name, 

• Using a personal greeting,

• Or adding a handwritten quote for a one-time lawn mowing. 

Pro Tip! "Remove any apartments, trailers, and PO addresses from your mailing list." -Dan Barret, the CEO of Pacific Precious Metals.

Tip #3 Add a Call To Action

“Always include a call-to-action in your mailing piece. Simply put, this is what you want the recipient to do when they've finished reading your mailing, so tell them exactly what it is you want them to do. For example, you might ask for an appointment or request an order be placed over the phone.” -Lindsey Hyland Founder of UrbanOrganic Yield

Look, we all receive a lot of mail every day. And most of us simply throw it away if it's an ad. 

That is why you want to carefully consider adding a call to action. If you are able to catch their attention with a good call to action. You have helped your next potential client take the first step to booking your service. 

Simple calls to action include:

• Call today for a free quote,

• Get the best lawn on the block today with (your companies name),

• Call us for a free lawn care consultation,

You could also consider adding a scannable QR code for more information.

If you can, you will want to pair this call to action with the next tip.

Tip #4 Create a Sense Of Urgency

“Creating a sense of urgency has been used as a marketing approach from the dawn of marketing history. Lawn care professionals can use deadlines to encourage consumers to act immediately and discourage them from putting things off.” - Marc Stitt, CMO of FMX

Creating a sense of urgency, much like adding a call to action is an essential step to getting the recipient of your ad to respond. 

Using keywords like “act now”, “call today”, or adding a deadline will provoke your prospective clients to respond to the mailer. 

But be sure to also follow tip #5.

Tip #5 Do Not Offer a Discount!

I know this sounds counterintuitive, but you do not want to offer a discount or reduced rate in your mailers. 

Why? 

Simply put you will attract the type of client you don’t want to deal with. You will be more likely to attract clients that want the best deal. 

And when it comes to lawn care, you learn quickly how big of a pain this type of customer can be. 

While a discounted rate may increase your response rate, the quality of your clients will be lower. 

Tip #6 Follow Up

“It is crucial not to give up when you didn't get a response from the first mailing, and a new mailer a few months after might do the trick. You can even take it a step further by adding a personal touch on every mailer as it adds another layer of tailored services that might fit a customer's needs.” -Tory Jon Owner and CEO, Pond Academy

Look, one of the things most lawn care pros and marketing professionals harp on when it comes to direct mail advertising is that repetition is key. 

Some lawn care professionals recommend 4 mailers a season for the best results. 

And reports vary on how successful these campaigns are. With lawn care companies reporting that they receive anywhere from $4.5 to $8 in returns per $1 spent with direct mail marketing. 

Further, many report a response rate of about 1% to 2%.

Tip #7 Pair With Door Hangers

“Door hangers are also a logical and ideal match for Lawn Care and Landscaping businesses. Door hangers will generate even more leads at the same time as your direct marketing pieces are getting momentum and bringing new prospects.” -Dan Barret, the CEO of Plutus Software Inc

Door hangers are another great marketing tool for lawn care pros. 

I recommend getting a box of them and keeping them on your truck. Before leaving each job you can leave a hanger on the door of your client’s neighbors. 

This is a great targeted marketing technique that can help improve the response rate of your direct mailers. 

Bonus Tip: Consider a Lawn Themed Calendar

“This is a great strategy because a physical calendar can be used in a variety of ways. Whether you keep it on your office desk or in your living room, it serves a useful purpose and does not go waste. So, when you send your prospective customers a beautifully designed calendar, it will not only help them stay up-to-date but also pitch your business in a creative way.”  -Scott Spivack Marketing Director of United Medical Credit

I like this idea, it's a great way to get your prospective client's attention. 

It's very easy to throw away a basic boring mailer, but a calendar is more likely to float around and really make someone consider your services. 

Additionally a calendar is also a great way to showcase some of your best works. Whether that is a crisp cut lawn or a freshly mulched garden bed. 

You can really show your next client what your lawn care business can do for them. 

Direct Mail Marketing For Lawn Care Pros At the End of the Day

Look, direct mail marketing can be a costly operation. But if you do it right, you should be able to receive about $5 in new business per $1 spent in the first year. 

And if you retain those clients year after year, you are going to receive much more than that. Not to mention the brand recognition, and the new jobs that will come through word-of-mouth advertising. 

While it can be a risky endeavor. When executed properly, direct mail marketing is a great way to grow your lawn care company. And more importantly, attract the type of clients you want, in the location you want them. 

Still looking for more clients? Try marketing your lawn care company with YouTube.