What is a good proven successful method to advertise my design services?

I have a landscape design service and it seems that my advertising dollars were flushed down the toilet in the yellow phone book. I do landscape design for homeowners and also take commercial customers if they call. I am willing to spend the money but I don't want to waste more money. What advertising actually works for businesses like mine?

What is a good proven successful method to advertise my design services?
1) A sound professional strategically designed and marketed website.





2) Ask owners if you can leave behind a sign in their yard for a limited time after you complete the project.





3)Pay per Click advertising on the internet, they are not evil if done correctly.





4)Direct Mail at targeted homes at specific times of year (when people are thinking about their yards)





There are several other methods depending on budget and the area your business is in. But yes, reduce your yellow page ad asap.
Reply:What about teaming up with a Builder's Expo or solicit discount design fees for local builders to do landscaping at their model home sights?
Reply:Hi, perhaps you can try Google adwords to market your service/product.





Google adwords is a text-based system for advertising on its site and its partner sites. The service allows you to create your own ads, choose keywords to help match your ads to your audience, and control the cost of your advertising—you pay only when people click on your ad (a cost per click plan). Anyone wishing to promote a product on Google can enroll in this program.





you can get a 5 detail pages information about Google adwords at :





http://www.adcenter.net.cn/google-adword...





Good Luck %26amp;%26amp; Best Wishes!
Reply:you should check out http://www.merchantcircle.com





they are a new site and offer some great tools to reach customers.





worth a look and they have a free account.





hope this helps.
Reply:Would you be interested in a service called GoSmallBiz.com that gives you access to tons of HR documents and hundreds of other business related documents? That helps you build your business and provides some networking and marketing tools? Assitance 24 hours a day?





Contact me at donnys_bride@yahoo.com for more information.
Reply:Hello. One of the most cost-effective and greatest reach of possible new prospects, is by using the Internet and its search engines, like Google, Yahoo, MSN and others, through a form of Internet marketing called search engine optimization (SEO). More and more people today are online, commercial customers as well. It is the best way to reach them, to get more people coming to you on their own without you having to seek them out by cold calling or using direct mail to reach them.





In a nutshell, SEO helps boost a website's keyword rankings across the major search engines...For example, your website could be found when a visitor types "landscaping design services" into Google's search box and your website appears on the first page out of millions of results...got it?





SEO allows your website to be found by visitors across the world (or even just across your city, if you only service one particular local area) by typing many keyword phrases (ie. houston landscaping design services) into a search engine's search box, and your website would be there. It is achieved thorugh a variety of methods, all of which require a monthly maintenance fee (which you are already used to paying, because you've done yellow page advertising). Achieving those high keyword rankings require a qualified SEO professional to continuously monitor your website and rankings, hence the monthly fees.





To find a qualified professional, simply look around the Web and search for one...ask a lot of questions too, to find exactly the company or professional you are looking for. Ask about their fees, how they will be performing these services for your company, if they use any kind of Pay Per Click or are they using natural/organic methods, ask to see sample ranking reports from other clients, testimonials, what professional business organizations they belong to (chamber of commerces or the BBB), etc. Unfortunately, there are many "black hat SEOs", those that practice unethical, or illegal SEO methods, which may get a website de-listed, de-ranked or possibly banned from search engines. Find professionals who practice "white hat SEO" services.
Reply:Search marketing can be effective for you, especially if you target your efforts geographically, which you can do with Google and Yahoo.





But I'd try some more locally focused tactics.





My cousin owns a very successful company like yours in Florida. He builds his business very effectively through referrals. Happy customes are willing (sometimes for an incentive) to give him names of friends and neighbors. Try an referral bonus to your existing customers.





There might be a showcase home in your area that you could approach with a 'total makeover' in exchange for their endorsement.





Or a municipal building or non-profit building that you could 'scape for the PR opportunities.





A business like yours really benefits from word of mouth. There are tons of ads and flyers floating around. But if my neighbor says to me, "try Joe the landscaper" I always do.





Good luck. You can do it.