Tree Surgery - Advertisement advice

[Little Butch]

Hey all!

I’ve been an arborist for 12 years now, I guess I’ve technically ‘ran’ a tree surgery company for years but most of my work has always been sub contract climbing with a little bit of private work on the side. This has changed over the last year or so and I’m trying to pull more work in.

I live in Spain and have got two contractors doing the work for me back home. All I’m doing for advertising right now is making posts every 2 days to my Facebook business page and then sharing it to 30 different village groups on Facebook and am looking to ramp that up! What would you recommend for a trade like mine? Parish mags? Leaflet dropping? More online presence?

Thanks.

 

[Shopclicks]

What would you recommend for a trade like mine? Parish mags? Leaflet dropping? More online presence?

There are 18,200 searches on Google across the UK every month for the term 'tree surgeon'. If you're not taking advantage of this, you're missing out.

Your two weekly posts on Facebook are a waste of time. Your posts are only shown to 10-20% of your followers unless you're paying to boost posts or running Facebook Ads. If you were posting 4 times a day, it wouldn't be too many. The posts you're sharing to Groups will only be shown to a small percentage of the group's members unless they visit the group page.

People see posts on their own feed, not on the your page or a group page unless they visit those pages.

You need a website with optimised, localised pages for the surrounding area you travel to. You need to optimise your Google Business Profile and include your service locations.

Advertising in local magazines could also help but use a QR code to get people to your website where they can request a quote.

 

[WaveJumper]

Apart from advertising most people around my development go on recommendation from neighbours how do you know your contractors are not picking up loads of additional work that you know nothing about

 

[KM-Tiger]

FWIW: I've just engaged an arborist company to trim my trees.

Started with Checkatrade and chose a '9.9' rated company, then checked out the company's website. A visit led to a proper written quote with annotated pictures showing the trimming lines.

The price was reasonable so I have not bothered with a competitive quote.

Proof of the pudding will be in the actual job of course, but it feels like it will be a better than expectations result.

 

[Little Butch]

Thanks for the speedy replies. Online advertising is something that I know little about so I’m all ears! I do have a website as well as a google business profile.

One of the contractors is my dad and the other a very good friend so although possible, I don’t see them taking work from the neighbours without me knowing about it.

Check a trade and the like os something that I’ve thought about but unsure if it’s worth it?

 

[Nick@Daydot]

I've started hanging out in a couple of local FB groups (OMG all of life) and in the last couple of days someone was asking for a tree surgeon. Maybe some posts there would be worth trying.

 

[Paul Carmen]

As @Shopclicks says, that's how the majority of customers start looking for a tree surgeon.

This means unless you rank in the local area map packs on Google, and for the relevant "tree surgeon Town/City/near me" searches organically or via PPC you miss out on ll that business, as you're not even in their consideration process.

That should be the basis of your marketing plans, you can now create area based Google Business Profiles, plus add relevant local landing pages on your website to match and build up your organic traffic, supplemented by very tightly targeted local PPC. We've generated thousands of high performing leads for local tree surgeons and several locksmiths with this method.

 

[Shopclicks]

Online advertising is something that I know little about so I’m all ears! I do have a website as well as a google business profile.

If you become a paid member of this forum, you can get a website review which will point out what you have right and what could improve.

 

[Nick@Daydot]

I've started hanging out in a couple of local FB groups (OMG all of life) and in the last couple of days someone was asking for a tree surgeon. Maybe some posts there would be worth trying.

Ooops @Shopclicks did mention this with more context. Write 1000 times 'I must pay more attention'

 

[cjd]

I'd try village magazine in areas with a high percentage of older detached houses. If you feel qualified and insured enough, try to get onto council lists.

 

[Little Butch]

I’ve just contacted a local parish mag, they deliver to every property in the village which is only 260 houses bi monthly and there’ no other tree surgeons advertising in there. So few houses but the majority are fairly wealthy, rural older people so hoping that’s a good demographic.

 

[DontAsk]

I've used two tree surgeons recently, whittled down from a number of ads in local parish and free advertising magazines. These types of ads definitely work. Just be sure to respond to all enquiries. I now recommend them when people post on the local FB group looking for a tree surgeon. Do a good job at the right price and word of mouth can also be a good source of business.

 

[MarketingQuote]

Online advertising would be a good route.

Anyone looking for a tree surgeon would do a search on Google/Bing which should bring up local results.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I assume the contractors do not drive about in your branded vans? What branding is there?

One of the best ways to get business is, whilst on site at one job, ensure your brand is everywhere. A couple of days before your guys go (or, latest, during their visit) they at least leaflet neighbours with a message 'we are here this week - what can we do for you?' or they knock on doors.

Who knows, as they are not your employees, they could be doing that already!

 

[fisicx]

We found the tree surgeon on NextDoor

He turned up with his truck that had his contact details on the side panels. His blokes were all dressed in branded clothes. He got two inquiries by just being parked in the drive.

You say you have a GBP @Little Butch. Do you post about all the jobs you do? Do you upload pictures (before and after)? Are you collecting reviews? Do you get in contact with clients each year with discounts for repeat work?

 

[Little Butch]

Thanks, I’ll get a small batch of leaflets printed off and make sure the lads are posting them to the neighbours on every job. Who do you recommend using?

I do get my customers to leave google reviews but I rarely post pictures there. Should I be?

 

[Shopclicks]

I do get my customers to leave google reviews but I rarely post pictures there. Should I be?

Go to YouTube and search 'how to optimise my google business profile'. Watch a couple of videos and see what they agree on.

Hint: Don't watch 2 year old videos

 

[fisicx]

I do get my customers to leave google reviews but I rarely post pictures there. Should I be?

YES!

And post about every single job on your website with pictures, locations, description, tree types and links to reviews.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Parish mags definitely provide a sense of trust, which is useful.

Otherwise, community groups - online or otherwise.

Local pubs are great for this type of business - but obviously not appropriate for you

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Otherwise, community groups - online or otherwise.

Facebook groups, NextDoor & In Your Area at least!