# Tree Care Marketing Solutions > REAL Results, Not Just Tools & Tactics --- ## Pages - [Subscribe - All Publications](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/subscribe/): Publications & Free Resources! Stumped for ideas about what to post on social media for your tree service company? Get... - [Jumpstart Growth System](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/jumpstart/): Designed for tree care companies earning less than $1M/year in revenue, this program does what you need most - generate tons of high-quality leads. - [Google Ads Budget Calculator](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-ads-budget-calculator/): Google Ads budget calculator for tree service companies. Calculate your Ads budget based on CTR, CPC, conversions, # of leads needed & close rate. - [Our Team](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/our-team/): - [Terms & Conditions](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/terms-conditions/): Terms & Conditions Tree Care Marketing Solutions sends appointment confirmations, message notifications, and offers for marketing services to existing customers... - [AI Guide Download Page](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/ai-guide-download-page/): Get Your AI Guide & Power Prompts Here! Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your... - [Monthly Revenue from Qualified Leads: Calculator](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/revenue-calculator/): See how much revenue you can expect each month based on the number of qualified leads we bring in for your tree service business. - [About Monica Hemingway](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/monica-hemingway/): About Monica Hemingway, Founder & CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions. Brief bio, certifications & qualifications, awards, publications. - [Media Room](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/media-room/): TCMS in the News! - [Podcast - 9. HMI & Insurance Companies](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-2/hmi/): Learn how HMI can help you, whether you’re a homeowner who needs help or a tree service company looking to streamline your emergency service pipeline. - [Book - Free Book Order Page](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/free-book/): Get the #1 new release on Amazon for free! The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing for Tree Service Companies shows you how to get more leads. - [Podcast - 8. Acquisition with Sherlock](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-acquisition/): Hear about Jonathan’s journey to creating the Nature’s Experts consortium of businesses through strategic acquisition of other companies in the green industry. - [LeadConnect Automation Demo](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/leadconnect-automation-demo/): see a LIVE demo of lead follow-up automation in action! This quick video reveals how to 3X your lead conversion... - [Webinars](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/webinars/): TCMS Webinars with Monica Hemingway These videos cover the essentials of online marketing for tree service companies, from Google Ads... - [Complete This Information to Get Started with Reputation Builder](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/rb-client/): - [4. Appointment Funnel - Pre-Call Questionnaire](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/discovery-session-questionnaire/): Your discovery session is scheduled! Please check your email for access details and be sure to block this meeting in your schedule. - [LP - SEO Checklist](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/checklist/): This free checklist reveals how your tree care company can dominate the search engine results by properly optimizing your website. - [Resources for Tree Service Companies](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/resources-for-tree-service-companies/): Articles, free downloads, subscriptions, and special offers for tree service companies looking to improve their online marketing. - [5. Appointment Funnel - Alternative Options](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/alternative-options/): Based on the information you provided, you may not be a good fit for our Agency Services - but we have a ton of free resources for you! - [3. Appointment Funnel - Discovery Confirmation](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/discovery-confirmation/): Your discovery session is scheduled! Please check your email for access details and be sure to block this meeting in your schedule. - [1. Appointment Funnel - Survey](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/discovery/): This free session reveals how your tree care company can dominate your local market, increase your leads & take your business to the next level. - [LiveChat Setup Fee - Payment Page](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/livechat-payment/): Payment page to begin the LiveChat from TCMS setup process. - [Podcast - 7. Biochar with American BioChar](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-biochar/): All about biochar: what it is, how it's used, its benefits for soil quality and sustainability, and how you can market it to your customers. - [Podcast - 6. Footwear with Haix](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-footwear/): What to look for to help you buy the best boots for tree work, including materials, fit, size, lacing, insole, waterproofing, cut protection, and more! - [Subscribe - GROWth Report](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/growth-report/): Get the Monthly GROWth Report Each monthly newsletter tells you - the important changes in the online marketing world, how... - [Subscribe - Monthly Marketing Ideas](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/monthly-marketing-ideas/): Download This Month's Tree Service Marketing Ideas! Stumped for ideas about what to post on social media this month for... - [Podcast - 5. Uniform Programs for Tree Service Crews](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-uniforms/): Pros and cons of a uniform program, what it costs, the many benefits (hiring & retention? yup!), design ideas, ordering process, and more. - [Podcast - 1. Business Software Systems](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-businesssoftware/): When it's time to upgrade to a business software system with Mike Triplett ServSuite / Service Pro Learn how an... - [Podcast - 3. Photos](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-visualmedia/): USING IMAGES (& VIDEO) TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS with Joel Spooner InTreeMedia Learn why images make such a big difference... - [Podcast - 2. Tree Service Insurance](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-insurance/): Tree Service insurance with Tom Doherty TreePro Insurance Contact TreePro Thomas Doherty - SVP, Specialty Programs 900 Route 9 North,... - [Podcast - 4. Financing](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-financing/): Financing Your Tree Care Equipment with JoAnn Cucciarre Northern Atlantic Financial Contact Northern Atlantic Financial JoAnn Cucciarre 410 Turnberry Way... - [Privacy Policy](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/privacy-policy/): Our Privacy Policy describes what data we collect and how it may be used. - [Resources & What We Do (TCI EXPO)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/resources/): Articles, downloads, subscriptions, and special offers for TCI EXPO attendees. If you visited our booth, these are the resources we mentioned. - [Podcast - 0. The Tree Care Business Show](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-2/): Business Growth Tips from Industry Experts This video series answers common questions about services many tree service companies use as... - [Blog](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/blog/): Digital Strategies Blog & RESOURCES Quick Reads What's New & What to Do About It Blog Articles The Tree Care... - [Services (Green Industry)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/services-green-industry/): Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - [GMB Set Up Form](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/gmb-set-up/): Google My Business - getting Started To set up and/or optimize your Google My Business profile, we need some very... - [GMB Optimization & Management](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/gmb-optimization-management/): - [Events & Speaking Engagements](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/events-speaking/): See where the Tree Care Marketing Solutions team will be next or contact us to book a workshop, webinar, or speaking engagement. - [LP - GROW Your Tree Care Business With Digital Marketing](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tcia-2/): Online marketing for arborists by arborists. We don't just know marketing, we also know the tree care industry inside out! - [Reputation Builder - Sites On Which You Can Request Reviews](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-sites-on-which-you-can-request-reviews/): Listing of review sites on which you can request, monitor, respond to, and display reviews through the automated Reputation Builder platform from TCMS. - [STEP 1. Reputation Builder - Fully-Managed Plan](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-fully-managed-plan/): - [STEP 1. Reputation Builder - Self-Managed Plan](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-self-managed-plan/): - [Reputation Builder - Pricing](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-pricing/): Pricing Choose the Reputation Builder plan that's right for your business When you select your plan below, you'll be asked... - [Reputation Builder](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder/): Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - [LP - ITG Multimedia Multimedia](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/itg-multimedia/): We've Moved! In 2008, I started this business under the name ITG Multimedia. But, over the years, as the demand... - [Subscribe - [OneThing]](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/subscribe-to-onething/): Subscribe to the weekly email with helpful tips that you can actually get done in 10 minutes or less! - [Our Clients](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/clients/): Meet Our Clients Who Do We Work With? We work with professional tree service providers with an annual revenue of... - [Subscribe - Tree Facts!](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tree-facts/): Tree Facts FREE WEEKLY SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGES & CONTENT Looking for interesting social media content your customers will love? Every... - [Services - Build Your Brand](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/build-your-brand/): Build Your Brand Because Image Is Everything 1 Day To A Better Brand Image 1 day is all it takes... - [Speaking](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/speaking/): Monica Hemingway presents workshops and talks about building a profitable online presence that are tailored for green industry professionals. - [Online/Website Review & Strategy Session](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/free-website-review/): - [Contact Us](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/contact-us/): Contact information for Tree Care Marketing Solutions - phone number, mailing address, contact form, email address. Contact us any time! - [What We Do (Our Services)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/services/): Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - [About Us](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/about-us/): About the arborists and award-winning team behind Tree Care Marketing Solutions. See why we're the best choice for tree service marketing. - [Home](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/): Bring in more business today with marketing for arborists and tree service companies - web design, review management, local SEO, Google Ads & more. - [Services - Audits – Analyze & Optimize Your Online Activities](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/options/): We Are Dead Serious About Your Business What About You? Online Audits to Build Your Business Not sure where to start?... - [Learn More](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/learn-more/): - [Awards](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/awards/): Award-winning digital strategist. See what results my clients get... - [Resources - Email Lists 101](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-lists-101/): This 5-part series describes everything you need to know create and develop a thriving email list that helps you grow your business. ## Posts - [How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-much-will-google-ads-cost-my-tree-service-company/): Google Ads costs have been rising in the tree service industry. Here are the guidelines for cost per click, budget, conversions & ROI for tree care companies. - [Google's Helpful Content Update Hits Tree Service Websites](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/helpful-content-update/): Many tree care companies will see huge website ranking changes from Google's helpful content update. Learn why and what to do if you get hit. - [Domain Name Expiration Letter Scam: Don't Fall For This!](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/domain-name-registration-renewal-scam/): Many people fall prey to a common scam in which companies send misleading invoices for domain name registration renewals. Not... - [Are Online Reviews Still Worthwhile?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-online-reviews-still-worthwhile/): With more fake reviews, less trust in online reviews, and more extreme ratings affecting your business reputation, what should you do? - [Google Analytics is Moving to GA4](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-analytics-moving-to-ga4/): Google Analytics 4 is now the default version - and it's VERY different! Learn what to do before you lose access to your analytics data. - [Is Your Online Reputation Killing Your Business?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/online-reputation/): Nowadays, your reputation is developed for you. And it can make or break your business. Here's how to build, fix & maintain your online reputation. - [Why You Should Ask Customers to Take Photos](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-you-should-ask-customers-to-take-photos/): A recent study of consumer behavior by Bazaarvoice found that: Two-thirds of consumers prefer customer-generated images to images created professionally... - [10 Common Mailchimp Mistakes - And What To Do Instead](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-common-mailchimp-mistakes-and-what-to-do-instead/): You're probably making some common Mailchimp mistakes that hurt the success of your email marketing campaigns. Do this instead. - [Citations Are ‘Table Stakes’ for Tree Service Businesses](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/citations-are-table-stakes-for-local-businesses/): If you don’t have your citations in order, you’re killing your chances of appearing in the local pack and organic listings in the Google search results. - [Why Getting Online Reviews Is Critical for Tree Service Companies](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-getting-online-reviews-is-critical/): When it comes to online reviews, the biggest deciding factors in whether a consumer will do business with a company are things you CAN influence. Here's how - [Major Change to Google Ads (formerly AdWords) - Use It To Get Better Results](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/major-change-google-ads-use-get-better-results/): Google recently added an extra headline and description to expanded text ads (there are now 3 headlines & 2 description fields). What does it mean for you? - [Google is Recording Calls From Your Ads](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-is-recording-calls-from-your-ads/): Google will now record a sample of calls to your business from Google Ads that have call extensions enabled. Agree to it or you can't use call extensions. - [Google+ Is Shutting Down](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-plus-shutting-down-august-2019/): You’ve probably already heard that Google is shutting down its beleaguered social network, Google+ in August 2019. What should you do? - [Instagram: Should You Use It For Your Business?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/instagram-should-you-use-it-for-your-business/): The days when you could jump into Instagram and quickly gain an engaged audience without paying for it are coming to an end. - [The Goal of SEO is NOT to Rank #1](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/goal-seo-not-to-rank-1/): A #1 ranking in the Google search results is completely worthless if your website is not designed to convert that traffic into leads and sales! - [Not Using Google Search Console? Then You're Losing Business](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-search-console/): Not using Google Search Console? Without it, you're flying blind and can be blindsided by website problems. Video tutorial on how to set it up properly. - [Google Local Services: Should (and Can) You Use It For Your Tree Service Business?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/use-google-local-services-for-tree-lawn-service-business/): Google has expanded Local Services ads to tree care companies in most of the USA. Should you use it? Here's what it is and why you should use it. - [The Quickest Way to Speed Up Your Website](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quickest-speed-up-website/): With Google's Speed Update, load time on mobile devices became a critical factor in getting your website found online. Here's how to speed things up quickly - [Can't Use Apps to Post Content to Your Facebook Profile? Here's Why](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-cannot-use-apps-post-to-facebook/): You can't use 3rd-party apps to post content on behalf of your personal Facebook profile. Here's what you can do to keep scheduling posts in advance. - [Ways to Outrank the “Big Guns” in the Local Search Results](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-ways-to-outrank-the-big-guns-in-the-local-search-results/): QUICK SUMMARY You’re trying everything you can think of to get your website ranked on the first page of the... - [Are You Taking Advantage of the Facebook Cover Image?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-facebook-cover-image/): The obvious thing most people miss on their Facebook business page is the huge amount of prime real estate at the top of the page – the cover image. - [Why You Cannot Ask Customers For a Yelp Review](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-cannot-ask-for-yelp-reviews/): Yelp's terms of service expressly prohibit you from soliciting reviews. Here's what you can do to ensure you stay compliant AND get reviews. - [6 Things You Must Have On Your Tree Services Homepage](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-must-have-elements-tree-services-homepage/): As a local service company, your goal is to bring in business from tree care customers within your local service area. Here are 6 simple (but often overlooked) things you must do on your homepage to bring in more local leads and convert them into customers (plus 4 bonus tips). - [How Local SEO Really Works in the Tree Care Industry](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/local-seo-really-works/): Frustrated that your business isn't showing up in the local search results for the neighboring town? It's because of the way local SEO and the Google search algorithm work. Here are the details and what you can do about it. - [Three Massive Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make That Cost Them Customers And Lost Revenue](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/three-massive-mistakes/): When business owners ask me why they're not bringing in more customers, I usually find that they’re making one or... - [Why Your Tree Services Website Is Hurting Your Business](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-your-tree-services-website-is-hurting-your-business/): Most tree care company websites are a business liability - they're more likely to turn potential customers off than to turn them into customers. Here's why. - [Does Search Engine Optimization Still Work? 7 Facts You Need To Know](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/does-seo-still-work-2/): You've heard rumors that "SEO is dead". Is it true? What still works? What doesn't? We cut through the crap and give you the straight story... - [Online Safety in the Tree Care Industry](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/online-safety-tree-care-industry/): Our online presence is an important asset for our business (just like our people) and is vulnerable to "injury" if we don't make online safety a priority. - [Get Them Out Of Here! Why You Should Prune Your Email List Monthly](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-marketing-good-list-hygiene/): You're proud of your growing email list. But is it bringing you the value you need or expect? One often... - [10 Questions to Ask Your Tree Service Website Designer](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-to-ask-your-website-designer/): You need more than just a pretty tree service website, it has to deliver business results. And you need a... - [The Two Reasons You’re Not Getting More Tree Care Customers (and How to Fix the Problem Today)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/two-reasons-not-getting-more-customers/): There are only 2 reasons you're not getting more customers. That's right - only two. But they can make or... - [5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/5-things-to-consider-before-hiring-a-digital-marketing-agency/): You probably get hundred of calls and emails from "marketers" promising to get your company ranked #1 on Google. So... - [Why a #1 Google Ranking Doesn't Always Get You More Tree Care Customers](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-a-1-google-ranking-doesnt-always-get-you-more-tree-care-customers/): Right now, thousands of tree care companies are fighting for that # 1 Google ranking that supposedly “solves their cash flow... - [Tree Care Marketing Claims You Should Never Believe](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tree-care-marketing-claims-you-should-never-believe/): Just about every day, you may get calls from marketers promising to get you ranked on page 1 of Google.... - [6 Online Marketing Myths That Will Lose Customers For Your Tree Care Company](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-marketing-myths-that-will-lose-customers-for-your-tree-care-company/): Think online marketing won't work for your tree care company? Don't believe the myths! Learn the real truth about what works and what doesn't. - [Website Metrics: Measure What Really Matters](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/website-metrics-measure-what-really-matters/): Are you tracking the right things with your website analytics? Probably not! Here's the one thing to measure if you... - [Increase Email List Subscriptions with High-Converting Opt-In Forms](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/opt-in-forms/): To benefit from an email list, you need as many emails as possible. Here's how to create a high-converting opt-in form for your website. - [Email Marketing: What The Heck Do I Write About?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-marketing-what-to-write-about/): You know that email marketing works best when you're consistent in sending out valuable emails. But what the heck do... - [9 Reasons No One Reads Your Tree Company Blog](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/9-reasons-no-one-reads-your-company-blog/): Don't waste the time, effort, and money to keep your blog going if you’re not bringing in readers and keeping... - [The 2 Keys to Keeping Your Email Marketing Legal](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/2-keys-keeping-email-marketing-legal/): Anti-spam laws. Privacy. How do you stay compliant with all the laws and still send impactful marketing emails? Here's what you need to know ... - [The Two Reasons You’re Not Getting More Customers (and How to Fix the Problem Today)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/two-reasons-youre-not-getting-more-customers/): There are only 2 reasons you're not getting more customers. Discover what they are and how to overcome them to bring in more business today. - [Business Owners: Get Out Of Your Own Way](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/get-out-of-your-own-way/): If you're sick and tired of working IN your business instead of running it, maybe it's time to get out of your own way. Here's how ... - [6 Simple Website Tactics to Attract More Customers For Your Tree Care Business](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-simple-website-tactics-attract-customers/): Using your website to bring in more customers for your tree care or landscape business can save you time and money - if it's done right. Here's how ... - [10 Questions to Ask Your Website Designer](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-absite-designer/): You need more than just a pretty website, it has to deliver business results. And you need a website designer who can do that. Here’s what to ask them. - [How To Get People To Open Your Marketing Emails (Without Being Spammy)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-get-people-to-open-your-emails/): Have you got a sizable email list but people aren't opening your emails? Here's how to encourage them to read each email you send. - [20 Ways to Get More Subscribers & Grow Your Email List](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/20-ways-to-grow-your-email-list/): If you build it, they will NOT come... So here's some practical, actionable advice on exactly how to get more... - [15 Reasons Why You Need An Email List](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/15-reasons-why-you-need-an-email-list/): If you're a small business, you need an email list. It's as simple as that. Not convinced? Here are 15 benefits of an email list. - [6 Things You Need to Know About Your Website Visitors](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-your-website-visitors/): With all of the available options in Google Analytics, how do you know what to look at? Here are the 6 things that will help you drive your business and website. - [How to Write Website Content That People Will Actually Read](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-write-website-content-that-people-will-actually-read/): Wondering why no one is reading or commenting on your blog or website content? Because they're not reading it! Learn how to write content that people will actually read. - [To Scroll or Not to Scroll? A Website Design Debate Answered](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/scrolling-on-websites/): Here are some sound, research-based reasons why people WILL scroll on a website and how it can help your site - when done properly. - [How to Build a Small Business Website](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-build-a-small-business-website/): As a small business, you want a website that will get traffic and bring in customers. Here are the basics you need - and can be done on a limited budget. - [7 Best Reasons to Include Video on Your Website](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/7-best-reasons-to-include-video-on-your-website/): Have you ever opened a website and been blasted with loud music and a splashy video that immediately starts playing?... - [8 Essential Pieces of Content Every Tree Service Website Must Have](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/8-essentials-every-website-must-have/): To help you get found online, answer questions that potential customers may have, educate them, and convert them into real, paying customers ... - [How To Stand Out in a Crowded Niche](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-stand-out-in-a-crowded-niche/): In an industry where there's not much to differentiate one business from another, something as simple as the appearance of your brand can make all the difference. - [I Don’t Want to Hear About You - Talk About ME!](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/i-dont-want-to-hear-about-you-talk-about-me/): How often have you landed on a website only to wonder "What are they talking about?" Capture reader attention by talking about them, not about you. Six things you... - [Are Blogs and Social Media Dead?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-blogs-and-social-media-dead/): Words like "blogging" and "social media" are sending business owners running for the hills. Let's rethink our terminology and talk about what we're really doing. - [Why Your Business DOESN'T Need a Website](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-your-business-doesnt-need-a-website/): The first question I always ask a potential web development client is “Why do you want a website? ” The... - [What's the Point? Keeping Web Pages Focused](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/whats-the-point-keeping-web-pages-focused-2/): Most web pages lack focus - and viewers quickly leave. Determine the purpose of each page and make everything on that page support the purpose so that ... - [10 Questions to Answer Before Launching a Blog](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-to-answer-before-launching-a-blog/): Last week a client called me to say “I want you to build me a blog. ”  Hmmm.   OK.... - [Top Ten Website Mistakes for Small Businesses](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/top-ten-website-mistakes-for-small-businesses/): Most small businesses will benefit from a website – but only if it’s done right. Here are the top ten things to avoid when building your website. - [SEO and Branding - Which Drives Which?](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/seo-and-branding-which-drives-which/): In the internet age, is branding an outdated and limiting concept, or should your brand drive everything? ## - [Person](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=2203): - [Review: Karen B (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1516): - [Review: Arbor Experts (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1517): - [Review: OPC (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1518): - [Review: Barts Tree Service (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin)](https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1519): --- # Detailed Content ## Pages ### Subscribe - All Publications - Published: 2024-11-05 - Modified: 2024-11-05 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/subscribe/ Publications & Free Resources! Stumped for ideas about what to post on social media for your tree service company? Get Tree Facts and never be at a loss for what to post! Wondering about topics for blog posts or newsletters? Check out our Monthly Marketing Ideas! Looking for ways to improve your marketing, business operations, sales processes, and more? You'll love the GROWth Report, as well as our up-to-date webinars and informative podcasts! Whatever you need, we've got you covered! Get Your Tree Service Marketing Ideas & Resources Subscribe to Our Publications & Resources Get our free publications delivered straight to your inbox each month, plus download helpful resources to get your marketing on track! "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Email* Cell Phone*For text reminders of upcoming webinars and podcasts so you won't miss a thing! PublicationsWhich of our publications would you like to subscribe to? * Tree Facts - Social media images and content sent to you each week (free to use however you want! ) Monthly Marketing Ideas - Ideas to help you engage online with prospects and customers each month GROWth Report - A no-BS marketing newsletter with actionable tips for tree service companies Tree Care Business Podcast - Interviews to help you grow your business SEO Checklist - What to look for to know if your website is working for (or against! ) you Marketing Evaluation Checklist - How to know what's working and what isn't AI Guide & Power Prompts - Get AI working for you in no time Google Ads Calculator - See how your ads are performing and get instant improvement recommendations Select AllConsent* I agree to receive content. I have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy provided by Tree Care Marketing Solutions. By submitting, I agree to receive content from the company using the contact information I provide. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. --- ### Jumpstart Growth System > Designed for tree care companies earning less than $1M/year in revenue, this program does what you need most - generate tons of high-quality leads. - Published: 2024-10-04 - Modified: 2024-10-18 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/jumpstart/ JUMPSTART GROWTH SYSTEM GENERATE QUALIFIED LEADS NOW & BUILD YOUR TREE SERVICE QUICKLY! Designed specifically for tree service companies doing less than $1 million in annual revenue, this program is built to do the one thing you need most - generate qualified leads. About the Jumpstart Growth System The Jumpstart program was built based on years of lead and sales data from our tree service clients. We took the marketing activities that generated the strongest ROI and the most revenue and incorporated them into the Jumpstart Growth System. There's no fluff, no extra costs, no expensive pay-per-click ads - just the things that we've proven, time and time again, result in the highest quality leads, the most new customers, and the greatest sales amounts. What's Included in Jumpstart Here's what's included in this completely done-for-you marketing system for tree service companies. High-Converting Website Getting the leads you need to keep your business running year-round has never been easier. Based on results from millions of website visitors, we've built a powerful lead-generating website template that can be fully customized with your branding and services. Hosting is even included. Lead Management System Track and easily respond to your website leads by text, email, or phone from any device, including desktops, tablets, and phones. Get an instant text notification when a new lead completes your contact form so you can quickly respond to close the sale. SMS & Email Automation Dial up lead volume whenever you need it with our pre-written email and SMS automations, built specifically to convert your prospects into paying customers. Stay top-of-mind with customers, leads, and referrals with lead nurturing campaigns and upsells. Custom Chatbot Never miss another lead with our conversational chatbot. Trained on your business info and available 24/7, you'll be able to quickly engage leads, answer questions, and even book appointments with no effort or time spent. GBP/Google Maps Management Our clients get up to 60% of their revenue through leads from their Google Business Profile! Dominate the local tree care industry on Google Maps with professional profile setup, optimization, and ongoing management, regular photo uploads, and weekly posts or offers. Review Building Online reviews are the new word of mouth; without a consistent flow of new, positive reviews, prospects won't give you a second look. Use our automated processes to request and respond to online reviews, build a portfolio of glowing customer feedback, and showcase it all on your website. All this, plus monthly strategy sessions with your Client Success Manager, for only $1,249/mo! Think Your Marketing Is Working? Think again! Most tree service companies are using outdated and ineffective methods to try to reach new customers. Use this checklist to evaluate what's working and what isn't. Download Your Checklist Ready to GROW your business? Get in touch and let's talk! BONUS: I'll send you a FREE Local SEO Report showing a complete overview of how your business is performing online, including your website, local listings, reviews, search rankings, social media, and more! "*" indicates required fields Step 1 of 3 33% Do you own or operate a tree care business? * Yes No What kind of business do you own or operate? What is your company name? * What is your website address? *Please put N/A if you don't have one. Where is your business based / what is your main area of service (primary city)? * Do you have a verified Google Business Profile? * Yes No How many crew members do you currently have on staff? * I have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy provided by Tree Care Marketing Solutions. By submitting, I agree to receive content from the company using the contact information I provide. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. FAQs Is there a setup fee for the Jumpstart program? No, there isn't! Your monthly fee is all you'll pay. How much will this cost me? Marketing is an investment in the future of your business, not a cost or expense.   But, for budgeting purposes, plan to spend $1,249 per month (that's just $15,000 for the entire year! ) on your Jumpstart program. Are there additional costs I'll need to budget for? The Jumpstart Growth System is designed with everything you need to grow your tree care business for one simple flat-rate monthly amount. You may have a few small charges for SMS/email marketing and/or your custom chatbot; those usually don't go over about $10/month. As you grow larger or if you have more aggressive growth targets, there are additional services we can add to your program, such as Targeted Direct Mail, Nextdoor ads, or Local Services Ads. Those are not required or necessary, especially for smaller companies. I have a smaller business. Can I really afford this? As long as you're earning 6 figures per year, the Jumpstart program should be within your reach. The SBA states that B2C Service Businesses, such as tree service companies, spend on average 11. 8% of their revenue on marketing. Another general guideline is to invest 5% to 10% of your target revenue (that's the amount you plan to reach, not your current revenue). The newer or less well-known your company is, the closer your marketing investment should be to the top of that range. Let's say you've been in business for only one or two years or have moved to a new service area, you're currently earning $150k per year, and your goal is $250k. Your marketing budget should be close to $25,000/year. If you're not looking to grow, it would be about $15,000/year. The entire Jumpstart Growth System requires an annual investment of only $15,000, putting it well within the recommended range for a small business marketing budget. What Tree Service Companies Say About Us These case studies will help you get a sense of what's really possible with a great digital marketing agency on your team. Play Video --- ### Google Ads Budget Calculator > Google Ads budget calculator for tree service companies. Calculate your Ads budget based on CTR, CPC, conversions, # of leads needed & close rate. - Published: 2024-06-16 - Modified: 2024-09-21 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-ads-budget-calculator/ Google Ads Calculator This calculator will help you evaluate how well your current ad campaigns are working and estimate what it will cost to generate a specific number of new customers through Google Search Ads. It will then give you personalized recommendations, based on your data, for how to improve your results. IMPORTANT: This calculator and associated recommendation only applies to Google Search Ads. Instructions STEP 1 - Enter Your Estimated Inputs In the Estimated Inputs section, enter this information: The estimated or current average cost per click (CPC). If you don't know this, use Google's Keyword Planner tool to see the data for your service area. The expected or current click-through rate (CTR) for your ads. Your Google Ads conversion rate. The average percent of leads you turn into paying customers (your average close rate). The average price of your services. This can vary considerably based on the type of job (e. g. , hazard tree removal vs PHC treatment for a single tree), so you have two options here: 1 - Go with an overall average 2 - Focus on one type of service AND then revise the CPC, CTR, and conversion rate entries to reflect the ad campaign you're running specifically for that service. The number of leads you want to acquire through your Ads campaign. If you're not sure of the CTR and landing page conversion rate, use the default values (. 8% and 4%) as these are typical for tree service campaigns that haven't been fully optimized. STEP 2 - Look at the Results Section As you add the numbers into the inputs section, you'll see the number of clicks and ad views (impressions) needed to acquire your desired number of leads. You'll also see how much it will cost you to acquire one new lead through your Ads campaign, as well as your total required budget. Try changing the CTR and landing page conversion rate to see the impact on your acquisition costs and total budget. STEP 3 - Click the 'Get Recommendations' Button This will generate recommendations specific to the inputs you've entered and the corresponding results. It will give you ideas for how to improve the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns (for example, by reducing CPC, increasing conversion rates, and decreasing your cost per new customer). Read this first How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company? One of the most common questions we get from our tree care clients is "How much will a Google Ads campaign cost? " It's a fair question - but not an easy one to answer. Here are the basic rules of thumb for cost per click, total budget, ROI, and more. If you’re thinking about running an Ads campaign for your tree care company, you need to read this. Read More about How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company? Estimated Inputs Cost per Click (CPC): $ Ad Click Through Rate (CTR): % Google Ads Conversion Rate: % Average close rate: % Average job price: $ Number of customers you want to generate: RESULTS - Leads Generated Number of leads needed to meet your goal: 0 Number of clicks needed to meet your goal: 0 Number of impressions needed: 0 RESULTS - New Customers This is what it will take to acquire the number of new customers you specified. Total Ads budget required: $0 Cost per lead (CPL): $0 Cost per new customer: $0 Get Recommendations Recommendations to Improve Your Results Looking for help with Google Ads? You'll find what you need in this book! Our founder, Monica Hemingway, wrote THE book on all aspects of digital marketing specifically for tree care companies - including everything you need to know about running successful Google Ads campaigns. GET YOUR FREE BOOK! Just pay for shipping - the book's on us. #1 on Amazon for Search Engine Optimization & Online Marketing! Other Free Tree Service Marketing Resources A FREE newsletter for the tree care industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and what to do about it so you can GROW your business New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Check out our step-by-step guide on how to quickly create useful and effective prompts that will help you put AI to work for your tree care business! Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions © Copyright 2024. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### Our Team - Published: 2024-05-07 - Modified: 2024-05-07 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/our-team/ --- ### Terms & Conditions - Published: 2024-04-18 - Modified: 2024-04-18 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/terms-conditions/ Terms & Conditions Tree Care Marketing Solutions sends appointment confirmations, message notifications, and offers for marketing services to existing customers or new customers who have opted in to receive SMS notifications. The communications are sent via website forms or webchat. You can cancel the SMS service at any time. Simply text "STOP" to the shortcode. Upon sending "STOP," we will confirm your unsubscribe status via SMS. Following this confirmation, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us. To rejoin, sign up as you did initially, and we will resume sending SMS messages to you. If you experience issues with the messaging program, reply with the keyword HELP for more assistance, or reach out directly to info@teamtcms. com. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. As always, message and data rates may apply for messages sent to you from us and to us from you. You will receive messages in response to your queries and occasional messages with alerts and helpful information. For questions about your text plan or data plan, contact your wireless provider. For privacy-related inquiries, please refer to our privacy policy. --- ### AI Guide Download Page - Published: 2024-03-28 - Modified: 2024-03-28 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/ai-guide-download-page/ Get Your AI Guide & Power Prompts Here! Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions © Copyright 2024. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### Monthly Revenue from Qualified Leads: Calculator > See how much revenue you can expect each month based on the number of qualified leads we bring in for your tree service business. - Published: 2023-11-12 - Modified: 2023-11-12 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/revenue-calculator/ See how much revenue you could bring in each month based on the number of qualified leads you get! This calculator is based on the average revenue generated per qualified lead by our clients. We only look at leads that can be explicitly linked to the marketing work we're doing for our clients. Enter the number of quotable leads you receive per month: Calculate Monthly Revenue --- ### About Monica Hemingway > About Monica Hemingway, Founder & CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions. Brief bio, certifications & qualifications, awards, publications. - Published: 2023-08-22 - Modified: 2024-05-30 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/monica-hemingway/ About monica Hemingway Monica Hemingway, PhD Founder & CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions As the award-winning founder of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, Monica helps companies in the tree service industry maximize their presence online to grow their business. Experience Monica earned a PhD in Industrial Psychology from Bowling Green State University before spending 19 years working with some of the world's largest companies, such as Pepsi, Walmart, Google, and Facebook. Much of that work included online strategy, branding, and business development. In 2008, Monica founded Tree Care Marketing Solutions to serve the tree care industry in North America, allowing her to combine her passion for horticulture and arboriculture with her extensive experience in digital marketing. Today, her focus is on developing and implementing a company's digital strategy in alignment with its overall business strategy to drive growth, enhance efficiency, and increase profitability. She is also the former owner of Hemingway Horticulture, a landscape design and consulting business with a focus on organic practices, native plants, and sustainability. Monica founded and served as the Editor of the Gardening Products Review, where she was a recognized expert in lawn and landscape products and equipment. Her reviews were frequently mentioned in publications such as Total Landscape Care and she served as a judge for new lawn and landscape product introductions at the National Hardware Show. Certifications, Awards, Achievements & Memberships Monica has been an active member of the Tree Care Industry Association since joining in 2014. She has spoken at the annual TCI EXPO several times and served on committees to select TCIA Board members and revise the process for selecting booths at the trade show. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Community Tree Council and is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture. As a digital strategist, Monica has won numerous awards, including the Business Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners (Tucson). Her work also led to winning the TCIA Professional Communications Award three times. Monica has been a Licensed Arborist (CT License S-5869) since 2011 and has a Supervisory Pesticide Applicator Certificate. She also earned a Certificate in Environmental Gardening from the New York Botanical Garden and certification as an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional. Publications & Presentations Monica Hemingway has been a professional speaker since 1997, with audience sizes ranging from small workshops to 3,000+. Recent presentations include sessions for: TCI EXPO Oregon Association of Nurseries Landscape Alberta's Green Industry Show & Conference Great Lakes Trade Expo (Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association Annual Conference) Arizona Community Tree Council (ACTC) Annual Conference International Society for Arboriculture, Western Chapter New England Grows Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association As an author, Monica's most recent book, The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing for Tree Service Companies, was the #1 New Release on Amazon in several categories. She has also been published in Lawn & Landscape magazine, Landscape Today, and on the TCIA website, as well as appearing on podcasts such as Easy Organic Gardening and The joe gardener Show, and being featured in publications such as the Stamford Advocate, ArborTimes, and the TCI Magazine. --- ### Media Room - Published: 2023-08-22 - Modified: 2023-11-11 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/media-room/ TCMS in the News! --- ### Podcast - 9. HMI & Insurance Companies > Learn how HMI can help you, whether you’re a homeowner who needs help or a tree service company looking to streamline your emergency service pipeline. - Published: 2023-07-12 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-2/hmi/ Back to all episodes See the next episode Get More Storm Work & Emergency Tree Service Customers with Tom Pope Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI) Looking for more storm work? Want to grow your emergency tree services but not sure how? See how partnering with a company like HMI can bring you more storm cleanup jobs and emergency work without all the hassles! On this episode of The Tree Care Business Show, Tree Care Marketing Solutions founder Monica Hemingway interviews Tom Pope of Horticultural Asset Management Inc. (HMI). HMI serves as an intermediary between tree care companies and customers who need emergency tree service, working with insurance companies to match the right customer with the appropriate tree service company. HMI creates peace of mind for customers, insurance providers, and tree care companies by connecting qualified customers to vetted tree service companies. Don't want to watch or listen to the episode? Keep scrolling for the transcript! IN THIS EPISODE (TOPICS) READ THE TRANSCRIPT CONTACT TOM Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio - so you can listen on the go. On this episode of The Tree Care Business Show, Tree Care Marketing Solutions founder Monica Hemingway interviews Tom Pope of Horticultural Asset Management Inc. (HMI). HMI serves as an intermediary between tree care companies and customers who need emergency tree service, working with insurance companies to match the right customer with the appropriate tree service company. HMI creates peace of mind for customers, insurance providers, and tree care companies by connecting qualified customers to vetted tree service companies. Learn how HMI can help you, whether you're a homeowner who needs help or a tree service company looking to streamline your emergency service pipeline. Monica: When a storm comes through, tree service companies know that the phone is probably going to blow up with people who've had a tree come down on their house or on another structure on their property. We also know that after a storm, fly-by-night storm chasers are going to come out of the woodwork, along with untrained and uninsured guys with a chainsaw. Now, that leaves homeowners and insurance companies in a bit of a bind. How do they know that they're getting the quality of work that they need that is going to be done safely and professionally, and that is going to be done at a realistic price that doesn't take advantage of the fact that this is an emergency? That's where a company like HMI comes in. Essentially, they act as the intermediary between insurance companies, tree service companies, and the homeowner, and they facilitate that important relationship between the homeowner and the tree care company. If you've ever wondered how that process works, how to become part of a network like that, or what the pros and cons are of joining a network like HMI's, then you've come to the right place. I'm your host, Monica Hemingway, and today we're going to look at how you can get more high quality leads after a major storm while minimizing paperwork and the headaches of dealing with insurance companies. Joining us today is Tom Pope. He's an arborist and project manager with HMI. So, welcome to the show, Tom. It's a pleasure to have you here. Tom: Thank you so much, Monica. It's so nice to see you, so nice to get to talk with you, and such a pleasure. Thank you for having me. Monica: I'm just happy that we actually had booths next to each other at TCI EXPO, so we did have a chance to talk then as well. So this'll be a sort of a follow-up Tom: On the very last day of it, on that Saturday afternoon as we were packing up, you stopped by and chatted briefly with myself and the excellent Natalie Van Gurin from our company. We were there kind of packing stuff up at our booth. Indeed. Monica: Yeah. It was a good show this year. It was nice. So, before we get into all the details, can you just give us a sort of a brief overview of what HMI is? What do you do? Tom: Yeah. HMI - or actually the full name, the proper name is Horticultural Asset Management Incorporated - so I guess a proper acronym would really be HAM or HAMI. I think it was determined early on that those weren't considered dignified enough for what we're trying to do, so we usually use the quasi-acronym, HMI, which is how we usually refer to ourselves and I think that we're known in the industry. HMI has been around for, almost 20 years. We're actually celebrating our 20th birthday, our 20th anniversary this summer, we were founded in 2003. And after some experimenting with different business models in those early days, they became focused on an insurance work around 2008, specializing in work at intersection points between the insurance industry and the green industry, providing various kinds of support services to primarily insurance company clients on matters and topics pertaining to, again, green industry stuff. Trees and plants and landscapes and outdoor property, as we say. And in that time, HMI has done all sorts of things that fall into that broad category, but over the years as it's shaken out, it's developed into essentially two main service lines, one being consultative services. We offer a wide range of consulting services, again, related to green industry subjects and trees and plants and landscapes, primarily to insurance or legal contexts and scenarios, although we do some non-insurance consulting as well. And then tree removal, project management for tree removal claim work, primarily in storm damage scenarios, and that's probably what we've become best known for, what we do the most by transactional volume. And that's, probably what's of most relevance and most interest to the majority of your listeners and viewers for a show like this. And then we do other things too. We've also begun to do more and more other sorts of project and contract work outside of insurance, including in non-claim or non-weather-related scenarios. So we're continuing to expand our offerings and provide more and more different kinds of services and opportunities, both to our partners in the green industry and to our clients. Monica: Okay. So if we're looking at the green industry side of things, it's not just tree service then, it's landscape and other aspects of the green industry. Tom: Yeah, we do, although our bread and butter - again, what we do the most of by volume and I think what we are best known for and where, you know, probably the greatest opportunities exist, at least currently - is in tree work. But, yeah, we do - the 'H' does stand for horticulture, and I myself have a horticulture degree and that's my background, and that's - a lot of the soul of our business is all across the green industry, but tree work is and has been a big part of that. Probably the biggest part of what we do. Monica: Okay. So we're talking storm work and we're talking insurance. Tom: For the most part, yes. Monica: Two things that, for many people, both of them raise the blood pressure and, you know. Tom: As well they should. Monica: So, what is the role that HM I plays there? Tom: Well, HMI, provides value to both parties. HMI serves as a project manager and sort of an intermediary between the tree companies and our insurance company clients. HMI has established contractual relationships, program agreements with a number of insurance company clients, including big, well-known insurance names as the companies who have commercials on the Super Bowl and well-known jingles and taglines and that sort of thing, as well as some smaller regional carriers. And those clients, when their policyholders experience damage, typically in storm events - although that can occasionally be in other sorts of damage scenarios too, but most especially in storm events - if they have damage involving trees that they file a claim for and if their insurance company is lucky enough to be an HMI client and they request tree services, then those files can get routed to us. And then we in turn take those files, review them, vet them, contact the homeowner, verify that we have working contact information, that it is a valid, high-quality lead, and we assign it to a local tree affiliate in their area, one of the members of our network in that homeowner's local area based on their zip code. And then we help to manage the process along the way for both sides, again, serving as sort of an intermediary between the two, handling the paperwork and the credentialing and the information flow between - actually, between all three parties: between the tree company, the homeowner, and the insurance company client to ensure that things move as swiftly and smoothly as they can, for the best interest of everybody involved. And we've been doing this for years. We've at this point run thousands and thousands of these claims, and for the most part, really successfully. Obviously, there's ups and downs with everything, but I think on the whole we've provided a lot of good value to all three sets of clients. We view the insurance companies,  our tree care partners, and the homeowners all as important customers and clients of ours, and I think all three benefit greatly from the work that we do. Monica: Well, just one of the few things that you said - you mentioned paperwork. That alone probably makes it worthwhile, to have somebody handling the paperwork. Tom: Agreed. Monica: So, from the standpoint then of a tree service, what would the process  they're part of your network, one of your partners - what would the process look like for them? Tom: Yeah. So the process in those scenarios, in a situation where a storm goes through in a given area and trees start falling and people start filing insurance claims for the damage associated with those trees falling, then HMI, as I say, will start receiving those files from our clients and we distribute them, assign them to our local affiliates in that area. And so, those affiliate companies receive those files from us by email. It's an email you'll get, your inbox will start popping with HMI emails, with each one containing a little bit of information about the specific request, the specific claim, the insurance company, the claim number, the homeowner's name and contact information and so forth. And then the company is asked to contact the homeowner and offer them the best reasonable help they can - under the circumstances, clearly - and sometimes in big storm events some triaging has to occur. But we ask that they at minimum communicate well with the homeowner. And in those cases, things tend to go very well. We get a consistently high close rate - conversion rate on these. Importantly, the homeowner is not obligated to hire us, to hire HMI or our tree care companies. They are free to hire somebody else if they want to or handle the tree removal work some other way on their own if they want to or whatever. But if you provide - if you're prompt and communicative and provide good service, then our, affiliate companies close a very high percentage of these leads and they, again, for the most part go very well, very smoothly for everybody involved. Monica: So are there any pricing guidelines for the companies that are - they're providing an estimate to the homeowner? Are there any guidelines they have to stick within? Is it up to their discretion entirely to decide what the price of the job is going to be? How does that part work? Tom: Yeah. Ultimately, the pricing is entirely their discretion because the companies we work with are affiliated with us, but, of course, they're separate entities from us and they are - it's their business ultimately to determine what the correct price for their work is. We have general guidelines from having now run, again, thousands and thousands of these claims in all kinds of scenarios, big and small, in every conceivable situation all across the country for years and years. We've seen so many of these that, based on that experience, we have some general kind of observations and guidelines about what typical pricing is, which doesn't necessarily mean it's right or wrong, but at least kind of what typical pricing is and what - you know, when we see something that seems abnormally high or low we may, you know, at least ask some questions to try to understand what the rationale for is. But at the end of the day, the companies that we work with are entitled to charge whatever the correct price for a given situation is, and as long as we can explain it and understand it, then we can support it, and it's seldom, if ever a problem. Monica: Okay. And so, do you have to approve those estimates or is it, it is what it is, the company sets it? Tom: Well, we don't approve it per se. Part of our role, kind of the - in that the role functioning as that intermediary between the tree company and the insurance client is to take the information that we receive from our tree care companies in the field, the photos and paperwork and some descriptions, and break down information about the work being estimated or the work that was performed and convert that into a format that are consistent with the insurance company guidelines, preparing the insurance-friendly submittal documents. And so, in that process, we do review them and do a certain level of auditing of those details, just kind of making sure that the photos match the descriptions and that sort of thing. So, we do quite a bit of reviewing and we do a fair amount of discussion and interacting and asking questions if something doesn't make sense or if something is incomplete or whatever, but it's not really our role to approve it. Fundamentally, the approval comes - either comes from the homeowner, because at the end of the day it's their house, their tree, and it's their decision and their prerogative to hire anybody they want to. So, number one, it's their decision to hire - you know, to authorize the tree affiliate to do the work or not. And then, ultimately, the payment is hopefully coming from the insurance companies, so it'll be up to them to approve coverage and approve payment for it. Although they - the insurance companies we work with tend to trust HMI's judgment and tend to rely on HMI's experience and knowledge about reviewing and assessing these projects, so they rarely push back much, if at all on the stuff that we submit to them. But at the end of the day, the true approval comes solely the discretion of the insurance company to approve payment or not. So HMI doesn't really approve stuff, although HMI is an involved partner in that intermediary role. Monica: Okay. So the tree service is submitting all their paperwork or whatever's required to you or to the insurance company. Tom: It's submitted - the standard process, the general process is that it's submitted to us. HMI has an area on our website where materials, notes and documents and photos can be uploaded to us, as well as a mobile app, which functions as an extension of our website where folks in the field, arborists at a job site on their smartphone or a tablet can take photos and take - record documents and upload them directly to us that way. And then those are - we review them, you know, verify the information is reasonable and correct and makes sense, and then submit it to the insurance company through their online portals and systems that we have access to. So, obviously there can always be an exception to everything, but in most cases, that's the flow, that's the pattern. And so, as you said, you know, paperwork, it does tend to be - it is obviously crucial to succeeding with insurance work, but it also can be a natural source of some frustration and consternation at times for tree folks and others in the industry. And so, we at HMI, I think we certainly do everything we can to make that as smooth and seamless and easy and intuitive as we can, and to serve as sort of a buffer so that, hopefully, in most cases, the tree guys, the arborists and tree companies that we work with don't have to mess with that too much, don't have to me mess with a whole lot of, direct, direct interaction with the insurance companies. Monica: Okay. That would take a lot of stress off in many cases. Tom: That's the idea. There's certainly - I think that is one of the ways in which we deliver a great deal of value to our partners. Monica: Okay, and so then how long does it take to get paid? Does it - the payments go through you or do they go directly to the tree service or the homeowner? What happens with that? Tom: It can be either - it can be any of those three. All three of those scenarios do happen. Sometimes the insurance companies will send payment directly to the homeowners. Sometimes they will send it directly to our tree company. Most often they send it to us. And really, per our program agreements with our insurance company clients, they're really supposed to, in most cases, send payment to HMI. So, kind of the standard default process is  -or, you know, once the work has been completed and all the paperwork and documentation has been processed and submitted correctly, then the insurance company folks review it. Assuming that everything was all right, they approve coverage and payment and issue payment to us. They send the money to HMI, and we deposit it and then relay it onto the insurance - I'm sorry, onto the tree companies. Monica: Okay, and how long does that process take? I'm going to guess there's variation there, but. Tom: Yeah, it does vary quite a bit. Typical turnaround time, just broadly speaking, average is somewhere four, five, six weeks or so. There are a lot of scenarios where it can be faster than that. There are, unfortunately, scenarios where it can take longer than that, especially in the big CAT events, the hurricanes and stuff, sometimes there can be delays. But it's certainly something we're very sensitive to, that clearly doing this work is great and it's satisfying work. It's exciting work. It is both doing a good deed and there can be a significant adrenaline rush to doing this sort of work. But, obviously, it doesn't count for much if you don't get paid for it, you can't get paid for it reliably and dependably, know that you're going to get paid for it, know how and when you're going to get paid for it. So, in managing this program and in managing this process, it's vital to us, and something that we work on constantly is trying to figure out how to ensure that happens as quickly and smoothly and reliably as we can. And, importantly, HMI doesn't get paid for any of these tree removal projects, we literally do not get paid a penny, do not get paid a dime until the tree company gets paid. So, we obviously have a strong incentive to ensure that payment goes as well and as quickly and as smoothly as we can. And we have in-house collection specialists. We can't directly collect, we can't perform actual collections activity on behalf of our tree company partners, but we can offer some guidance and some general assistance and advice. And we certainly do everything we can to aid them in getting paid because it's important both directly and indirectly to us, of course. Monica: Okay, so you get paid when they get paid. Very blunt question. How much - is it a percentage? How does that work? Tom: Yeah. The standard arrangement is that we take a percentage. We collect a percentage of the work sold, and that's the model, yes. Monica: Is there a standard amount or is that proprietary information? Tom: Yeah. I'm not sure I'm supposed to say. Monica: I'm not going to ask you to say anything you're not supposed to say. Tom: Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure I'm supposed to say. Monica: So one of the questions several of our clients have asked me when I told them I was going to be talking with you was, what makes it worthwhile for them financially, then? I mean, there's obviously the - you kind of grease the wheels, make things work a little more smoothly. But if they're paying you a percentage, why is that better for them than, in a storm event especially, that their phone's ringing off the hook anyway? Tom: No doubt. Well, I think that, first of all, I would say that for a tree company in that position, if you are fully satisfied or even 85, 90% satisfied with your current response to storm work, then you're probably fine. Whether or not you need HMI is up to is up to each individual decisionmaker. But if you've already got enough leads, enough high quality leads, enough high quality referrals in those kinds of storms, then that's great. But if you're in a situation where, for one reason or another, more high-quality, vetted referrals are of value to you, then HMI can be a source. Monica: Okay. So if you've just bought a crane or a Tree-Mek or something, then the storm comes through, it might be worthwhile to have more leads being fed to you. You've got to pay that off, so. Tom: Yeah. I mean, for all sorts of reasons, sure. And, you know, in HMI's model, we work with a quite a range of tree companies. We work with over a hundred. We passed a hundred members of our network in late 2022. We're up to 110ish, something like that. Currently, those range from very large companies, a couple of the big name companies, the national brands in the tree care industry, down to some fairly small companies, some relatively mom and pop size companies in various places. And I think that our model can work really well for both and does work. It has proven to be successful for both. And so, I think that at least for companies who like doing storm work, and I recognize from, you know, operating in the industry and talking to a lot of folks across the industry, there are some people, there are some very good tree companies out there who, quite frankly, don't really like doing storm work that much. As you say, inevitably, if you're a tree company and you're findable on Google, when a storm goes through, your phone will be ringing and your inbox will be blowing up regardless. And if you're somebody who's sort of lukewarm on that or doesn't necessarily get excited about that, then, yeah, HMI may not necessarily be the right fit for you. But if you're somebody who likes doing storm work and have a growth mindset when it comes to doing storm work, then I think HMI can be a part of helping to grow that base of leads. Monica: So what do you look for in a company? I'm assuming there's an application process. What are the criteria that you use to decide whether somebody's a good fit for your network? Tom: Yeah, there certainly is. There's an application process, and credentialing is an important part of HMI's model. I mean, looking at it the other way, as far as the value that we provide to our insurance company clients and to their policy holders, the homeowners, a key part of that is credentialing. So, credentialing is essential to what HMI does, the fact that we are quite selective about who we work with as far as tree care companies. We choose to work with only companies that we deem and judge to be high-quality, serious companies. And so, that is an important part of what we do. And so, we have - yes, we have an application process. I believe the application materials are available on our website, and so anybody who'd like to can go and check it out. But, essentially, we have some minimum thresholds for insurance that the tree companies have to be carrying. They have to have been in business for at least five years, I believe, to have an established presence in their local market. There are some approximate revenue thresholds, depending on the market size and the local conditions. And then we do require that each company we work with has to have at least one ISA Certified Arborist on staff or equivalent in places like Connecticut or Massachusetts, where there's a state equivalent to that. And so, that right there, you know, I think that alone tends to kind of weed out a lot of the less serious companies out there. And then we have, you know, background check requirements as well. So, I mean, we're quite choosy. And, again, we've turned away lots of tree companies. And so, yeah, that's an important part of what we do as well. Monica: I guess that helps the insurance companies as well as the homeowners feel more comfortable or confident that they are going to get a good job done by the companies that are in your network. Tom: Yeah, and that's right, and that's a big part of what makes this program work is the trust that the insurance companies have in us and that they then instill in their policyholders viewing us as a preferred vendor. You know, per our program agreements, we get to be labeled as a preferred vendor, which is an important responsibility. It's something that we take very seriously is to maintain those standards and to be trustworthy. So, it's important to us that both in terms of our own conduct and the folks we work with, our partners, that we meet that standard, that we are somebody that both sides, both the insurance folks and the homeowners, can trust. You know, at minimum, are serious, high-quality, professional companies who know what they're doing and are going to take responsibility if anything does go wrong and aren't going to rip them off and aren't going to do anything too crazy or too stupid. Monica: Yeah, and they're probably going to follow best practices with certified arborists on staff and all of that, so. Tom: Of course. Monica: Yeah. Okay. So, now, what kind of work - storm work can mean a lot of things, from tarping a house to just taking photos, you know, either with a drone or a crane or a bucket, you know, down into the house to see what's happened, to actually doing the work. So, what are you expecting these companies to do? Tom: Well, all we fundamentally expect them to do is to offer the homeowner the best service they reasonably can under the circumstances. I mean, fundamentally, that's what we're asked to do is to view that homeowner, view that policyholder as their principal customer and offer them service, offer them help with the need and that they're looking for. Our services, the services that we offer are exclusively tree services. In these scenarios, we are offering exclusively tree services. We're not offering to take, you know, drone photos of roof damage or things like that, or deal with any kind of structural work. In these scenarios, we are tasked specifically with offering tree services, and so that essentially means removing trees from manmade structures. That's the primary goal of insurance when it comes to these sorts of tree damage claim scenarios is to remove broken or fallen trees or parts of trees from manmade structures on the homeowner's property, their house especially, and other buildings: fences, swimming pools, other things like that. So, those are our sole goals. Many of the companies we work with do offer roof tarping too. You know, if they're there anyway taking a tree off of a house or some other building that has roof damage, and it's - obviously, it can be a nice service, it can be a nice add-on service both for the homeowner and for the insurance company to go ahead and do tarping as well. We don't - in most cases, we don't promise that because, again, all the tree companies we work with, they run the gamut. Some of them like doing tarping and do a great job with roof tarping. Others refuse to do roof tarping, and others somewhere in between. So, in most cases, we don't promise it or don't guarantee that roof tarping will be done, but some of our partners do that. Monica: Okay. Now, do they just work in their own local area or do you have companies that will travel to, say, hurricane or tornado zones? Tom: Yeah, we do some of both. Most of the time, through most of the year, most of our work is day-to-day work, the sorts of, you know, just on an average day when a thunderstorm pops up in some given area and trees start falling in that area, then we get our local companies who are based in that area to respond to those claims close to home. But, in the case of the bigger storm events like hurricanes and even some other large storms - there was a series of derecho storms in the Midwest, in Iowa and Illinois back in August of 2020 which generated a level of claim value and tree damage that was almost to the extent of a hurricane, and we had folks traveling there for that too. Then, in those cases, yes, we do have opportunities for tree companies that we work with, if they choose to, to hit the road and to pack up their stuff and pack up their crews and - voluntarily, of course. We don't ever, you know, instruct somebody or compel somebody or require anybody to do it. But, if they choose to do it, then they can have those opportunities to go to a severely impacted location, such as a hurricane zone, and offer tree removal services there too. And so, those can be - everything that's true of the day-to-day storm work is magnified and multiplied in those big storm events, including both the challenges and the stresses, as well as the opportunities and the adrenaline rushes. So, we do a lot of both, and our program and our model has plenty of room for both. Monica: Okay. As a homeowner, I would think that - certainly, if our home had been impacted by a hurricane or a tornado - not that we have those in Tucson - but if we did. Tom: You've got the monsoon storms in August sometimes blowing in from the Gulf of California, right? Monica: Yeah. Flash flooding, trees down, electricity goes out every week. Tom: But, relatively safe from big storm damage, as opposed to lots of other parts of the country, which are absolutely much less. Monica: Absolutely, yeah. But I would think as a homeowner - well, I know personally as a homeowner, I would really appreciate in those situations having somebody like HMI - knowing that there's a company coming to give me an estimate who's backed by HMI, recommended by the insurance companies, because those events bring out everybody who owns a chain saw and suddenly they're a tree expert, and we certainly don't want them doing that kind of work. Tom: Yeah, we certainly wouldn't recommend it. And so, no question, that is a large part of our value proposition is that in those scenarios, you're right, obviously, it's a traumatic and highly stressful position that somebody's in when they've had a tree fall on their house. You know, it's something that we think about a lot and talk about a lot and always try to remain empathetic to is that, you know, while we deal with this stuff literally every day, for almost all homeowners who have this happen, it's the first time they've ever dealt with it. In many cases, that may be the first homeowner's insurance claim they've ever filed, let alone the first time they've ever had a tree fall on their house. And so, that is a frightening and vulnerable position they're in. And, yeah, all the more reason to do everything we can to provide them both high-quality service and confidence that, you know, even if things aren't perfect, we and our partners will do everything we can to get them taken care of. Monica: And they won't be taken advantage of when they're in a vulnerable position, which is hard. We had a tree, our neighbors' tree fell on our house, 4th of July last year in a monsoon. I stood there watching it as it came down on top of us. And my husband and I, we, we look at our chain saws and we look at the tree and we're like, no. Tom: Oh, is that right? Yeah, I was going to say, I thought you of all people would be unusually well equipped to deal with - you'd, you'd spring into action. Monica: Yeah. An Argentine mesquite that was about, I don't know, 50 feet tall, spikes this long. We're like, "We're not going near it. " Tom: Fair enough. So, what did you do? What was your approach in that scenario? Monica: Well, we're arborists. We're in Tucson. We know a lot of the local arborists. We called around. Tom: Yeah. Work the network. That makes sense. Monica: We got somebody that same day, which I don't think we would've otherwise. Tom: Yeah, that's right. Monica: But it is frightening seeing that thing come down on top of - literally on top of you, so. Tom: Well, no question. Although, I mean - something that I try to remind myself of and remain cognizant of is that while, again, through doing this at HMI for several years, I've dealt with, you know, thousands of these scenarios and talked to literally thousands of homeowners who have been in that position. But I myself, I'm fortunate. I've never had that happen. I've never had a tree fall on my house. I've never had tree damage anywhere that I've lived that was significant enough to rise to the level of an insurance claim. So, it's something that I cannot relate to directly. But I always try to bear in mind and try to be a good listener, if nothing else, for those folks who have had that happen, it's a totally hectic thing. Monica: So, okay. Now, one of the things you mentioned is you can't force people to take a job. So, is it up to the tree service to decide whether they want to do an estimate on a particular job? And what happens if they say no? Is there a limit to how many times they can say no before you're like, "You know what, this isn't going to work"? Tom: Yeah. Certainly, they certainly can say no. I mean, all of this work is done on - strictly on an at-will basis. And so, any of these leads or referrals that we're handling and that we send out to a local affiliate, a local partner of ours are, you know, purely at their own discretion, of their own volition. And so, there's no formal way in which anybody would be penalized for declining jobs. Virtually everybody - probably everybody we've worked with has had to decline a lead for one reason or another due to circumstances or manpower issues. Certainly, over the last few years during the pandemic era there have been times where, you know, an entire office was decimated by a COVID outbreak or something like that, or all sorts of things come up. So, for one reason or another, and, you know, everybody has to decline a lead from time to time. Clearly HMI's program, in order to work, you know, does rely on having folks be responsive for the most part. So, naturally, we like it and we do everything we can to encourage the folks we work with to be as responsive as they can, within reason. Which doesn't necessarily mean dropping everything they're doing to rush out to every property, but, you know, at least being generally responsive and communicative. Communicative with us and to the homeowners, and trying to prioritize and triage as best they can. Those are, you know, definitely what we try to encourage in our folks. So, there's not a penalty, per se. It's not like the - Monica: Three strikes you're out or anything. Tom: Yeah. Or, like, I've known people who drive for Lyft and Uber, and I think those algorithms really do penalize you if you decline a certain number of rides. So, it's not like that. But, at the same time, we - obviously, you know, again, we certainly want our folks to be responsive. We want to create incentives for them to want to be responsive to the leads we send them, so we certainly hope that they will, for the most part. But, at the same time, certainly they're - Monica: Yeah. I suppose it makes sense. I mean, you are delivering leads to them. Everybody I know, every company I talk with, "We need more leads! " So, yeah. It would seem like they would want to be responsive. Tom: Yeah. Well, right, yeah. And, again, the companies we work with are great, and they are generally extremely responsive to virtually everything we throw at them, even in wild storm events and even on weekends and holidays. And, yeah, we've done a great job at developing our network. We've got some great folks that we work with. Monica: So is this program - do you have companies in every state? If somebody was in a state, does it matter which state they're in? Can they apply? Tom: Yeah. I think anywhere in the 50 United States, I believe we would certainly be interested in talking to them. We've got folks in most of the states. I know we don't have anybody currently in Hawaii, and I think a couple of the mountain west states we don't have, and maybe one or two others, but certainly 40-something of the states we've got companies in. And, so, yeah, virtually anywhere in the United States we'd be interested in talking with folks about. Clearly, the bigger and more densely populated regions just tend to generate more volume just because there are more policyholders, more houses for trees to fall on. There's obviously large parts of this country, they've got a lot of trees but not a lot of houses for - so if the metaphorical tree falls in the metaphorical forest, it doesn't tend to generate an insurance claim. But, in places with a lot of trees and a lot of houses, we tend to get a lot of work. But there are opportunities. We've got folks in every major city in the continental 48 United States and lots of smaller cities and some semi-rural areas. And so, I think there are opportunities. There's some kinds of opportunities out there because, you know, literally everywhere there are trees, there are storms. Monica: Okay. So, if somebody was interested, they should go to the HMI website, which is HMIadvantage. com. Tom: Exactly right. www. HMIadvantage. com. We overhauled our website last summer and it's looking good. We've got a lot of good information, hopefully it's pretty easily navigable for anybody who's interested in getting more information about any of the stuff we've talked about or any of the things we do. So, by all means. And you can also feel free to reach out to me directly. I'm on LinkedIn. I'm fairly active on LinkedIn. Feel free to connect with me there or by email. You can email me at tpope@HMIadvantage. com and I'll be happy to speak with you about whatever you've got going on. Monica: I'm sure some of our listeners will take you up on that because it sounds like a really interesting program that could be really helpful in growing a business. Tom: It can be really helpful. I think it has been. Again, I think we've been doing this steadily for 15 years or so and it's been great. We're continuing to develop and growing it. We're having a record-setting start to 2023 so far. And, you know, as we know our about our pearl planet, the climate doesn't seem to be getting any less weird anytime soon. So, there certainly will continue to be lots of tree-related stuff going on for the foreseeable future, and I think HMI can be a part of it. I think we've shown that we can help to grow business for all sorts of folks, big and small, and also, you know, it's fun, too. This is a great industry and this is - you know, this work does have a lot of stresses and it has its share of challenges, but it's really rewarding and satisfying. And I think, again, this kind of thing, doing these kinds of storm damage tree removals, you know, by definition you're out there doing good deeds, you're helping people out, and hopefully making some good money and getting to deal with good people. You know, HMI, we're a small, but tight-knit community and we're nice folks, and we really do view these relationships as partnerships. We view our - the folks we work with as at least professional friends, and in some cases personal friends, and do everything we can to support them just like they support us and our mutual clients. Monica: Oh, I knows several of our clients work with HMI and have only had good things to say. Tom: Yeah, I know at least some of your clients do. In fact, I was just dealing with one of them earlier today or earlier this afternoon. We had kind of an interesting scenario with one of your clients, indeed. Monica: Really? Okay, I'll have to ask them about that. Tom: Yeah, you do. Monica: Right. Okay, well, I think that certainly covers a lot. I certainly learned a lot. I always knew HMI and that you were essentially like a middle man between insurance and tree companies, but the full breadth of the program and what it involves, that was really good to learn. So I think our audience is going to get a lot out of this. Tom: Of course. Yeah, and again, having said this, we do some other things too. But, yeah, this category, this service line that we've been talking about is certainly a big part of what we do. And, and as you can tell, I'm excited about it. You can tell I'm enthusiastic and passionate about it, and it's pretty cool stuff. So, yeah, I'm happy to talk further with you or any of your listeners, your viewers, or anybody. Look us up. We attend lots of shows. You and I, of course, met at the TCI EXPO, and we'll be back at the EXPO again coming up this fall in St. Louis, and go to lots of other shows. Monica: Okay. Well, thank you so much, Tom. This has been educational. This has been fun talking with you. Tom: Thank you, Monica. It's so cool. Oh, I read your book. Monica: Oh, you did? Oh, awesome. Tom: Yeah. And look, it even got a little damage from getting carried around in my bag back and forth while I was perusing it over the last couple weeks. I got my post-it notes in there for things I want to revisit. So, I would definitely recommend that for anybody who hasn't yet checked it out. It's a serious deep dive into - this is not just kind of high- level, you know, "content marketing is good," that kind of thing. This is serious nuts and bolts kind of stuff. And so, I loved it. However, I think even before this I've been known to get a little annoying to HMI's marketing department by wanting to kind of inject myself into stuff, and of course, this has only about tripled that now after reading this. Monica: Uh-oh. Created a monster. Tom: I know. Like I had done Google Ads a little bit here and there, but something I'd never done, I wasn't even aware existed was the Google Ads keyword planner functionality, and so I wasted/invested a whole Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago messing around with keyword planner going, "This is pretty good stuff," figuring out how to - Monica: The deeper you dig, the more there is - you go down the rabbit hole. Tom: I have no doubt. Like I said, one of these days when these tables are turned and I'm interviewing you, then we're going to get into all that. Yes, indeed. Monica: Oh boy. Well, I mean, I'm glad I can say at least one person read my book, so thank you for that. Tom: No. I think it was the best-selling new release on Amazon in search categories and parameters for online marketing or something like that, right? Monica: Yeah. Online advertising and search engine optimization. Tom: There you go. Who was number two? Who did you beat out? Who was nipping at your heels? Monica: I don't know. But at least I can honestly claim to be best-selling. Tom: It wasn't, like, Malcolm Gladwell or Michael Lewis or something like that? That would be pretty good if you could say that, that you vanquished - Monica: In my dreams. Tom: Yeah, probably. Well, anyway, keep plugging away. Monica: I will. And if anybody's interested, I do monthly webinars as well, so there's lots of resources out there on marketing, so. All right. With that, we're going to wrap up for the day. Thank you again. I look forward to seeing you again soon and chatting some more. Tom: You too. Monica: And that wraps up this episode of the Tree Care Business Show. Thank you so much for joining me. I hope to see you on a future episode. You can find details about this show on the Tree Care Marketing Solutions website at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/HMI. There are also a lot of other episodes there, and you'll also find webinars and a lot of helpful information about marketing and business for the tree care industry. If you're watching this on YouTube and you enjoyed it, I hope you will give me a thumbs up. Like this video. You can also click down below to subscribe and be notified when the next episode comes out, or you can sign up on our website as well. If you have any questions, leave your comments down below, and I will answer each and every one of them. Thanks again for joining me, and I hope to see you again on the next episode. Thanks everyone for joining us on this episode of the Tree Care Business Show, where we looked at how biochar. You can watch more episodes at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/tcmspodcast, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more content created just for tree care business owners. Thanks again for joining us, and we look forward to seeing you again next time. In This Episode Here's what you'll find in this episode: 00:00 Introduction 00:51 What is HMI? 04:35 HMI's Role in Storm Damage Mitigation 07:16 What Does the HMI Process Look Like? 10:43 HMI as an Intermediary Between Homeowners and Tree Companies 13:08 How HMI Helps Homeowners 15:03 How is Payment Handled through HMI? 17:54 How Does HMI Get Paid? 18:31 The Advantage of Working with HMI for Tree Care Companies 21:44 What Tree Care Companies are Right for HMI? 25:00 What is the HMI Definition of "Storm Work? " 33:34 Accepting Storm Work Jobs through HMI 37:56 Getting in Touch with HMI 45:24 Outro Contact Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI) Tom Pope Phone: 877-406-3232 Mobile: 919-538-2556 tpope@hmiadvantage. com hmiadvantage. com Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio so you can listen on the go. --- ### Book - Free Book Order Page > Get the #1 new release on Amazon for free! The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing for Tree Service Companies shows you how to get more leads. - Published: 2023-06-04 - Modified: 2023-06-04 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/free-book/ Get your FREE copy of the #1 book on digital marketing for tree service companies! What's Inside If your tree service business needs more business, this book will help you get it. Are you in control of your online presence and the results it generates, or are Google, Yelp, Facebook, and HomeAdvisor deciding how, when, where, and even if you show up? Don't let them determine the fate of your business! Take control now with the digital strategy, online tools, and simple-to-implement plans described in this book. Even if you're an online marketing novice, you'll learn how to use the internet marketing tools that work well in the tree care industry and generate the greatest ROI. The step-by-step instructions will show you how to: Develop a strong online marketing plan and then implement it to achieve your business goals Master the online tools and platforms that deliver REAL results without wasting time and money on tactics that just don't work in our industry Measure the impact of your marketing campaigns so you know what's working and can avoid what isn't From websites to Google Maps, SEO to online reviews, email marketing to Google Ads, and much more - if it will bring in quality customers at a reasonable cost, this book will show you how to do it! FREE Book Order Form Just fill out the details below and your book will be on the way! 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Sorry, we're only able to ship books within the USA. Credit Card(Required)Please complete all required information below, including the expiration date and security code (found to the right of the credit card number). Card Details Cardholder Name Great info on marketing for tree companies Helpful info, super easy read. Monica does a great job making marketing for tree companies understandable and gives ideas we have never thought about. Definitely recommend. Jennifer Atkinson THIS is the book for Tree Service Companies! Want to grow your tree service company, then this book was perfectly written for you. Christina Marketing for tree companies made easy Marketing for tree companies made easy. Definitely recommend if you're looking to take your tree company to the next level. Logan Jones Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions© Copyright 2023. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### Podcast - 8. Acquisition with Sherlock > Hear about Jonathan’s journey to creating the Nature’s Experts consortium of businesses through strategic acquisition of other companies in the green industry. - Published: 2023-04-07 - Modified: 2023-07-12 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-acquisition/ Back to all episodes See the next episode strategic growth and acquisition in the green industry with Jonathan Wolfson SHERLOCK TREE COMPANY / NATURE'S EXPERTS On this episode of The Tree Care Business Show, Tree Care Marketing Solutions founder Monica Hemingway sits down for a chat with Jonathan Wolfson of Nature's Experts to discuss "Strategic Growth and Acquisition. " Hear about Jonathan's journey to creating the Nature's Experts collection of businesses, starting with a few flower shops, then strategically acquiring other businesses in the green industry. This episode is loaded with information on: -Strategic growth -Branding and rebranding -Creating synergy among businesses Jonathan also provides helpful tips such as considerations for buying an existing company, managing people, expanding services, and much more! Listen now and learn the tricks and strategies Jonathan has used to grow and acquire all the businesses under the Nature's Experts umbrella! Don't want to watch the episode? Keep scrolling for the transcript! IN THIS EPISODE (TOPICS) READ THE TRANSCRIPT CONTACT JONATHAN Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio - so you can listen on the go. On this episode of The Tree Care Business Show, Tree Care Marketing Solutions founder Monica Hemingway sits down for a chat with Jonathan Wolfson of Nature's Experts to discuss "Strategic Growth and Acquisition. " Hear about Jonathan's journey to creating the Nature's Experts collection of businesses, starting with a few flower shops, then strategically acquiring other businesses in the green industry. This episode is loaded with information on: -Strategic growth -Branding and rebranding -Creating synergy among businesses Jonathan also provides helpful tips such as considerations for buying an existing company, managing people, expanding services, and much more! Listen now and learn the tricks and strategies Jonathan has used to grow and acquire all the businesses under the Nature's Experts umbrella! Monica: When you're looking to grow your tree care business, you've got several options. You can grow organically, which means maybe increasing your service area, expanding into other niches within the tree care industry. It also means you're probably going to have to bring on more employees, more equipment, and definitely have to do more selling to bring in more customers. Growing organically usually means that you're going to be growing a little more slowly at a more measured pace. The other option is to grow through acquisitions or mergers. That's typically going to be a little bit faster, but there are definitely some pros and cons there, and it's not always as simple as it might look. The question then is: Which is the right option for you, growing quickly through acquisitions or growing organically? If you do decide to grow through acquisitions, what are the keys to success and what are some of the pitfalls to avoid? Those are the questions that we are diving into on this episode of the Tree Care Business Show. I'm Monica Hemingway, your host, and I bring you interviews with tree care industry experts to get you the facts that you need to know to grow your tree service business. Joining me today is Jonathan Wolfson. He is the owner of Sherlock Tree Company in South Florida. At least that's how I met him, but he is much more than that, and I'm going to let him explain to you exactly what it is he does and what his job title is, if there is such a thing. But we're going to be talking today about growing your business and doing it quickly through acquiring other companies. And if anybody can walk us through that, that would be Jonathan. He is a master at doing this. So, welcome to the show, Jonathan. Jonathan: Thanks, Monica. I appreciate you having me on here, and I really appreciate the relationship we've had for the last couple of years, and it's been a really important role as far Sherlock Tree Company's growth, my growth of understanding marketing, and just how it's related to all of our different companies. And I really appreciate all the hard work that you've done so far. Monica: Well, thank you. It's been fun working with you and your family of companies - because it's not just Sherlock anymore. So, why don't you tell us about what the larger company is? It's called Nature's Experts. Jonathan: So, Sherlock Tree Company is part of a consortium of companies. Nature's Experts is the overarching brand that they're all connected by. So, Sherlock Tree Company is one of the largest divisions within our company, but we actually own Sherlock Tree Company, Maximum Pest and Fertilization, Threlkel Botanicals, Coastal Gardens, Garden Couture, and Dias Brothers. So we have three landscape companies, a tree company, pest control, and interior plant maintenance and fertilization. And our group of nature's experts that work for us, really, we treat it like one big family, but we all are experts in our own respective field. So, no one really acts as a jack of all trades. We all work together as we are all professionals in what we do best. We don't try to act like we're somebody that we're not, and we don't try to be something to the customer that we're not. When we do tree services, we are tree professionals. When we are given an opportunity to do an installation, we leave that to our professionals at Dias Brothers, Coastal Gardens, or Garden Couture to execute to the level that we know that we can achieve. So, Jeff and I - I own the company with my brother Jeff. Jeff is 52, I'm 35, and we have an interesting story as far as how we met. We met when I was 21, so about 14 years ago, and we met through Facebook. And when we met through Facebook, we just instantly connected on a really a personal level. And I at the time didn't really - I haven't really started my career yet. So, not having started my career and meeting somebody like my brother, it just really - he captivated me, and trying to understand like what this crazy world is all about and how do you make a name for yourself and a life for yourself. And at the time he owned seven flower shops. So, you own seven flower shops, and that was the big deal back then. And from seven flower shops at the time I started working for him. I was a flower cutter, I was processing flowers, I was throwing out the trash, I was helping in any way possible just to be a part of what he was about. And at the end of the summer when I came to be with him, he was like, "Maybe you should just stay and you can start your career now. " So, then I was like, why not? I'm like, I love being down here and I just love my brother so much. And I just instantly connected with him, and I was like, you know, this is the life for me. And through the years we've been learning more about each other and using our strengths and weaknesses to help grow the companies. So, the seven flower shops went down to one, and through the years we had to figure out new ways of doing business. So, we slowly started increasing our own internal services where it was interior plant maintenance and holiday decorating and lighting. And then we started to look outside of our company to be like, you know, what else can we do? We were subbing out a lot of tree work and landscaping, so we were looking at both different avenues at the time to figure out, you know, what is going to be our secret sauce? Like what can we do to kind of get out of this situation where you're like beholden to subcontractors. It's not a great situation to be in. So our solution was looking for a new company, and we actually got the lead for our first tree company, Sherlock Tree Company, because we had a bucket truck that we purchased for holiday decorating and lighting, and we subbed it out to our subcontractor, and he was using it for tree trimming across the street from this tree company, Sherlock Tree Company. It happened to be someone who was one of the first couple hundred arborists in the state of Florida. So, he was one of the first people, so he had a very good reputation, but he saw our truck and he sent us a letter along with other people in the industry saying, you know, "My name is Jim Sherlock, and I'm looking to sell my business. " So me and my brother, it was really like the right timing. So we went there and we met with him, and at the time it was the owner, he had one trimmer, he had one driver and one ground person. So it was like four people that worked there. So we ended up making a deal. We bought - it was one bucket truck, two dump trucks, a Bandit 1890, and a whisper chipper, and that's what we bought. We bought a company. It did $450,000 in sales, and it had one trimmer, one driver, I was another one of the drivers, and a great reputation. And, you know, myself and my brother are really business builders and developers, but we are also happy to get in the field and do whatever is necessary at any point in time. So, for the first year of the business, I was answering the phone, I was doing the estimates, I was learning how to trim trees, I was driving the truck, I was dumping the truck, I was figuring all of this out of how do you manage a business and try to grow a business and start adding - he didn't have a website at the time, he wasn't doing any marketing at the time, and he really wasn't utilizing his name how he could. I really remember it clearly that it was very hard lessons. Like I remember the first year we bought the business we almost didn't have any work in December, and feeling that nature of just desperation I don't think is ever going to leave me, that we literally didn't have any other work. And me and my brother had to figure out how we were going to get more business in the door. I was entirely responsible for the tree division, and my brother was responsible for doing the fresh flowers and interior plants, and I was still ordering flowers while I was running the tree division and figuring it all out. And, you know, one day at a time I was just like, you know, "I want to become a professional. " So, within the first year or two, I became an arborist, and now, since 2013 to now, I'm an arborist, I'm a CTSP, I'm Tree Risk Assessment qualified, and Sherlock Tree Company is TCIA accredited. So I think I've definitely done my job since 2013 in becoming a professional in the industry. Monica: You've certainly taken the company a long way from those early days when you just saw something and it was the right time and there it was. So, that that first acquisition that was part of growing Nature's Experts - and that was before it was called Nature's Experts - was almost luck. It just was happenstance. You weren't necessarily planning on it being a tree care company? Jonathan: Well, we knew we wanted to - we were subbing out services that we knew that were businesses that we needed to be in control of, so our direction was to grow the company. How we've developed it into this different consortium of companies where they're all independent but they're part of a brand is something that we've figured out that works really well on our particular area. So, you know, the plan of buying Sherlock Tree Company was part of the plan. We wanted to find - you know, the tree care industry is so great. It has such great margins, and there's really no one doing it that well. You know, in our area there's the big utility contractors, but there wasn't any tree care professionals. There were small companies like Jim Sherlock that had a bucket truck and a dump truck, and they had professional owners but they didn't know how to break out of being the owner-operators. And it was important to me being so young in the industry that I want to figure that out. But it was definitely important that I had to learn it from the very bottom to hauling trash, figuring out how to fix equipment, 5:00 on a Friday you blow out a flat tire and you've got to change the tire on the side of the road. You know, all of these were valuable lessons that I really wouldn't want to replace. And I think that actually is the reason why we took Sherlock from $450,000 to over $6 million last year. And it also helped in just me understanding more about people and the process and the work and us figuring out our direction that we want to take the company in the future. But with advancing and making it a career, it's a lot of pressure to keep growing the company. Monica: It is. So, Sherlock was your first acquisition, and then since then there have been several others. So, what are you looking for? Like, why are you buying specific companies? Are there any indicators that this is the right choice for you? Any warning signs that you would say, "well, maybe not"? How do you - Jonathan: Well, one thing was is our, our second company that we purchased actually was another tree care company. It was called Frames Tree Service, and Frames Tree Service was a company that - in our area, Sherlock did only commercial and residential, like single-family homes, and Frames Tree Service did only HOAs. So they only had about 20 or 30 customers, but they were only large HOAs. So they had like one customer that did $120,000, another one that was $50,000 and $60,000 and so on and so forth, and that business, did around $800,000 in sales. So, we were like, you know, that really is a market that's hard to get into. Being a residential small tree care company and then being able to manage a project that is $60,000 is a big step. You can't do that with four guys and a truck. So, Sherlock had already grown significantly and we were doing around $3 million in sales by the time this opportunity came up to buy Frames Tree Service, so we found it as a strategic plan of getting into the HOA market. So there really is a lot of strategy in it. It happened to be that the owner of the business was someone that my brother Jeff had known when he was much younger that his dad knew and that Jeff knew. His name was Dennis. Dennis Forgione actually is the owner of Frames Tree Service, and he actually still works for us to this day actually. So, five-plus years later he still works for us, and he's just - it's really worked out great that we were able to find a role for the previous owner who's an arborist and be able to help him also see the business to what it can be. Because it actually has been equally as rewarding for him to see how the business has grown to the potential that it has. Because a lot of business owners are stuck and they're like, "How am I going to be like this guy? " or "There's no way I'm going to be able to do that. " And a lot of times you can really get people together to create amazing things, and that's really what happened with Dennis is that he was the rocket fuel to trusting, like he was like the first real manager that we trusted, and he ran that whole division for a long time until we've continued to grow the company to today. And, you know, that was a big leap of faith. When you have a company, relinquishing responsibilities is tough, and you can't just do it in a day, you know? Monica: For sure. Now, that's something interesting, because you mentioned you bought Sherlock and it kept the Sherlock name. You bought Frames, the name's no longer there. Why the difference? How did you make that decision as to whether to keep a name of a company you're buying versus not? Jonathan: So when we purchased Frames, the invoicing went out to Sherlock Tree Company, but on the logo it said Sherlock-Frames for the invoices that went to that customer. And we felt like the Frames name was good, but it was for a small group of people. So, Frames, the person who owned it before Dennis did, it wasn't as big of a reputation, but they had a great reputation with their customers. Dennis held that reputation. So, since he held the reputation, we were like, for six months or a year it'll be Frames-Sherlock, and then we're going to phase it out and it'll just be Sherlock Tree Company. Sherlock Tree Company has been around since 1974, so Jim Sherlock was one of the first 200 or 300 people to become arborists in the state. That really means something. Frames Tree Service really didn't. And the fact that we had grown Sherlock to a few million when we bought Frames, it made sense that we didn't need two tree care professional names in the same industry. Because the tree industry is kind of the same in different fields. There are different reasons I think why you keep the names, which we can go into for some of the other companies that we purchased, but the tree service it is the same, you know, if you're working in a specific area, you know, you don't want to confuse your customer also too. But the goal is to directly communicate to the customer what you are doing. So in tree service, tree trimming is tree trimming and being capable is capable. So having three names is just confusing. Monica: Right. So consolidate into one name. The one that had the stronger reputation, the been around the longest. Jonathan: Correct. You can tell since we kept all these names there are no egos here. We just wanted to do a really good job and take care of our people and our customers. Monica: Right. So you didn't name it rename it Jonathan's Tree Service or anything like that. Jonathan: No. Doesn't quite have the ring to it, though, does it? Monica: I don't know. Could be, but no one would know who you were. Probably early, at least in the early days. Jonathan: No, not when I was a little younger. No, I don't think I would've gotten the respect that Sherlock Tree Company has. Monica: No. So, you grew Sherlock partially through acquisition and partially through organic growth by your own marketing, sales, all the rest of that. And now you are the largest family-owned independent tree service in South Florida. Jonathan: That's right. And possibly, I would say we do some vegetation management for like right-of-ways and everything like that also too. And it's amazing how, you know, as we continue to grow there's different opportunities that come your way based upon your willingness to do anything. You know, some people kind of make a line and they're like, "I only do these kinds of jobs," instead of really creatively thinking, you know, "How can I add more value to my customer? They have a problem, I'm a professional, why don't I just figure out a solution for them? " Monica: And sometimes that solution is buying what you need to serve your clients. Jonathan: Well, one of them that actually got us into doing work for FPL was we did work for the All Aboard Florida Railroad Project, which is the - it's called the Bright Line now, and it's a railroad from Miami all the way to Orlando, and the project started from Miami to West Palm Beach, and we had gotten the contract to do right of way clearing for the railroad. Never have worked for the railroad, never did right-of-way clearing, but I knew we could do it. You know, it's tree work ultimately at the end of the day, right? And we figured it out. We went through all of the training. The project took over two years to complete. But that situation connected us with Florida Power and Light, which is another one of our customers. Which, we're not doing mass quantity line clearing work, we're doing specialty removals and right-of-way work, which is great because we're professionals. We're not looking to work that mass market category in the middle where it's extremely competitive and it's high volume with low margins. We want to be paid what we deserve to be paid for the work that we do and charge a fair price for fair work. Monica: Okay, and so you took that model and moved into buying more companies. At what point did you decide to buy something else, and why that? Was there a plan? I'm assuming there was. Jonathan: So the plan was - after we purchased Sherlock Tree Company, we had grown that. We bought Frames Tree Service, we had grown that. Now we had this other problem. We were still subbing out landscape maintenance and we weren't entirely in control. And what if that guy doesn't want to do the work? Or what if he wants to raise his prices and, you know, what are we going to do? It's not a long-term stable model to be able to be associated with. So we started looking at different landscaping companies that were for sale, and it happened to be that one of the landscaping companies that was for sale was one that subbed out Sherlock Tree Company to do some of their tree work. So it was the perfect scenario that I knew the account managers, I knew the office managers, I knew the quality of their work, and the business had a great name. So that business was Dias Brothers, and Dias Brothers had been around since the '70s also, it had an unbelievable reputation, it only serviced super high-end residential customers, and it had about 120 accounts. And me and my brother were thinking, you know, we only do some of their tree work. That's 120 new customers we can get just for our tree company. That's amazing. So we felt the synergy was there for that, and we ended up pursuing - going after that business because it was in an interesting situation. Dias Brothers used to do $6 million in sales, and then when we purchased it, it was doing $2. 5 million in sales, and the business was just on the downward trend. But it still had really good people that worked there. The quality of work was amazing. They still had great management. They just lost two key employees that had taken a lot of the business. So, with that being said, we were able to buy the business at a very reasonable rate, and we still solved our problem. So their problem wasn't our problem. Our problem was our problem. Our problem was we needed to be in control of the work that we were representing, that we were doing, that we were subbing out. So it solved that problem. So moving forward, it was definitely extremely difficult to get everything going in the right direction. Everyone was very guarded because these two people had taken so much business from them. They're like, who are these two guys coming in here? What's going to happen? So on and so forth. And, you know, really just by being honest with people and expressing the level of commitment that you're willing to take and work with people - You know, me and Jeff have different values that we both bring to the company, and everyone sees that we're very aligned together, but we operate very separately, and how we operate separately are really great in bringing out different strengths and weaknesses with other people. Most times they say family businesses don't work. For us, it really wouldn't have worked out as good if it was me by myself and Jeff by himself. So we've really been able to use each other's strengths and weaknesses where my brother is a unbelievable salesperson and he can sell anything to anybody. Me, I can sell anything to anybody, but I like to sell with knowledge. He likes to sell with salesmanship and he likes to meet people and he likes to network and go to these different events, and it's amazing. So we really have the full ball of wax as far as when we're trying to, you know, further the business is, we both have two different customers we're going after, so we're never going after the same customer because we're both going in different paths as far as trying to connect with people. Monica: Right. Excellent. So, you brought up a couple of things with this Dias issue. So the business itself wasn't in necessarily the best shape because of some of the things that had happened, so you were able to get it for a reasonable price, which brings up the question of how do you determine what is a fair price, or what is the maximum price you're willing to pay for a business? Jonathan: So while we've gone through this business buying process, it's really a lot of different components, and I would say when we were first looking at businesses to buy there's one way to look at it, and then as we've acquired more there's multiple benefits that you don't even realize that we're starting to understand. So when we first look at a business, you know, it's ultimately a multiple of the net profit of the business. The thing is, with every business you buy there's always weird stuff that's going on. There's things that don't make sense and numbers don't add up, so you really have to trust your gut with what you know you're capable of doing and where you can take the business and where the tools of the business are going to give you what you want. So, for example, at Sherlock Tree Company, we bought it for $450,000, and it came with a bucket truck, two dump trucks, and two chippers. They were all 1999 and 2000 trucks and chippers, so it was no shiny pennies here. So, you know, maybe it was $100,000 of equipment maybe at the time, possibly, but it was a great steppingstone. But people don't realize when you buy a business you get certain things for depreciation, which is an intangible value. So me and Jeff had our other business that was creating profits, so we were able to take that $100,000 equipment value and use that towards our taxes to help reduce our taxes, actually, for that first initial year. So, you know, we only bought the business for I think it was $180,000, which we were like, this is a steal. He was saying that he made approximately that much money also too, so we felt like this is a bargain. You know, he just was somebody who was in his seventies. He was wanting to retire, and it was just a great opportunity for us to get it at a very good price. It didn't work out that way for Dias. At Dias, the business was doing around $2. 5 million, and we bought it for $850,000. The business was representing that it made around $250,000. So, unfortunately, when we opened the hood, that's not what we found. It was possibly losing money or breaking even when we looked into it further. Monica: So don't you look into it before you buy it? Isn't that part of the due diligence getting the, the P&L, the balance sheet, all of that stuff? Jonathan: So if every business we looked at, we looked at the P&L and the balance sheet, I don't think we would've purchased any of the businesses because it's a lot of something's wrong. But the opportunity is there and you have to know what the industry can yield. So, you know, at Dias they had 120 customers. They had 50 people they were able to take on the management of all of the work that we had without increasing any of the labor. But the owners were very rigid with what they wanted for the business, so it was up to Jeff and I to be like, is this name, is this opportunity worth it? Can it really be worth the purchase price that we're going to pay? You know what I mean? And through looking at it, you know, it was a four-time multiple or more. But a lot of times you can look at it at a way of what's the equipment worth? So they had like 10 or 12 trucks, 10 or 12 trailers and loaders and skid steers and all of that stuff, so it probably made up around $250,000 or $300,000 of equipment. So we really bought the business itself maybe for $500,000. So, you know, the thing is what are your options? You know, your options are you can start a business. Your options are you can keep looking for a business. A lot of times there aren't that many businesses that you actually would be interested in purchasing is the problem. So when you find something that actually fits your build, you have to see if you're really willing to take the risk to actually make that work for you, because just because it worked for somebody else doesn't mean it's going to work for you. It's just supposed to be a track record of what you're buying and give you a little bit of an insight of what it's going to do the next year. But you don't know what the next year is going to yield. Could be a pandemic, it could be a recession, it could be they had the customers all for 10 years and the customers are now sick of them, hey've had them for too long. You know, sometimes that happens as well. And with this particular situation, it fixed it. It fixed the solution. So since it fixed the solution that we had, we were like, you know what? It's the right business. It's the right people. We had looked at other businesses before that. Like, this is definitely the one. We need to take the risk. And we did, and it definitely was really painful in the beginning. Not getting information to where there was accounts that were losing money, there were accounts that were breaking even, there were employees that were ready to leave. There was management that was apprehensive if they should even stay or not. The whole thing was about to implode the time that we bought it, actually. So we're lucky that we did because when we did, we really restored all of that to its greater glory. So where we bought it, it was doing $2. 5 million, and then last year we did $6 million at Dias, and we've only owned it for two and a half to three years now. So in a pretty short time, we've completely turned it around. And the irony is that I would say 75 percent of the people that work there are still the people that worked there when we bought the company. Monica: All right. So that's making a big difference. So you're not just basing it on the numbers, the financials, when you're making these decisions as to which companies you're going to buy. You're looking more long-term, broader, strategic fit, all the intangibles that come with it. Jonathan: So it's about knowing the numbers. Once you have the numbers, you can do with it what you want. So you have to be smart enough to be able to digest the P&L, do some accounting to figure out where the problems are, search for the problems, find the solutions. You know, we personally - when we do this, we use a business broker, and when we find businesses we use them as a consultant. When they find them for us, they're obviously still our consultant. But we utilize them as a tool to help educate us more in the industry, educate us more about the customer. We have a CPA over an accountant, and our CPA goes through all the financials, they go through and they highlight all the different things that don't make sense in the business that we need to find solutions for and that just because you find problems doesn't mean that you don't buy the business. It means that you need to understand the risk in buying the business. And I think people don't understand the two things can happen at the same time. The numbers can be less than what they represent. It can be not as profitable and you can be paying more for the business, and it still can be a good business to buy because once you own that business, the opportunity is yours to take and to do whatever you want with. Monica: And you have a good track record of turning companies around, so that makes a difference as well. Jonathan: It's a little, it's a little easier now. I have to say it's a little bit easier. We have a little bit of a track record now that I think the buy-in period is a little bit shorter where you don't know if you can trust people. And now we have 225 or more employees. We're going to do $25 million this year. And, you know, literally people meet us and they make their opinions, but you can gladly call someone, one of our other experts, and ask them what they think and what they think of Jeff and I and what we've done. And how long everyone has stayed and worked for us is representative to the kind of business that we run. Also, too, most people are worried about themselves, and we're worried about taking care of the business, and when the business takes care of everybody, everybody wins. You know, we're not out just for ourselves. We're out for the company to do well. And when the company doing well, people need to make more money. And it's not a plateau, it's not a formula where you get to keep all of it and you keep everybody down. You have to sacrifice in the beginning to pay people what they're worth, not what you want to pay them. Monica: Right. You pay them what you want to pay them, you'll probably lose them. Jonathan: That's right. And the thing is, I don't think we've ever - we've never made that mistake, because for the first five years of the company me and Jeff didn't really take any money at all out of the business. We kept rolling it into the business to buy different companies, and by doing so the intention was on growing the business. And it was great to show that we were netting a lot of money, but we were spending a lot of it on buying new trucks, on hiring new management on risking for the next year. Monica: So that's a question I'm sure a lot of people have is how do you pay for buying a new company? So you're obviously funding it out of your existing businesses. Do you have to look elsewhere as well for external funding or anything like that? Jonathan: So the first business that we bought, Sherlock Tree Company, we paid for in cash because the purchase price was relatively lower. We could have gotten financing for it, but it wasn't necessary. The second business, Frames Tree Service, we didn't need actually to pay for the business, and I told my brother that I didn't want us to take any money out of the business as we were building the business. We just kept all of the money in the business, and we had a very good year. And the year was so good that I said to my brother, "I would rather not make any money this year and for us to buy this business. " Because at the end of the day, you're risking it on yourself, right? And I'll risk anything on myself. So we literally took all of the profits of one of the years and paid for one of the businesses. We took no profits, and this happened - it was multiple years to get to have that much money in the bank. So it wasn't like one great year and we're like, oh, what's the big deal? This was multiple years of not making any money. And we did the same thing with the pest control company that we had. We bought a pest control company for $400,000, and we negotiated to put $200,000 down, and then the next year we're going to put another $200,000 down. And you know where that money came from? Sherlock Tree Company paid for it on both occasions. And, you know, still leveraging all of our hard work into smart new acquisition that we knew the industries weren't utilized to its fullest potential. And even ones that are, they're not. The markets are way bigger than even people realize. Monica: Right. So I know you've got the Maximum Pest now. You also have Coastal Gardens on Palm Beach Island, and another one out there that you've just acquired. Jonathan: So after we purchased Dias Brothers we looked at what did we want our strategy to be? You know, the goal originally was we want our tree company to be in all of the major cities in Florida because we feel like the markets are so large in each one that we started pursuing and looking at that. And we're like, well there was one in Orlando, there was another one in Tampa we looked at, and they were smaller businesses, and we're like, is that really the right direction? Are we ready to move out of our local area? So ironically, you know, we're talking about this in our weekly meetings to all of our managers, what we're trying to do, what we're wanting to look for, so on and so forth. And one of our managers, his name was Brian Moore, he was at a nursery, and he heard that there was a landscaping company called Coastal Gardens that was for sale. It was being sold with 2. 5 acres of land, and it had about 50 people and did about $3 million in sales. So we're like, this seems great. It's not very far. It's a few miles from another office, and it's a market in South Florida you can't really get into. So Palm Beach Island is an exclusive island where a lot of the millionaire, billionaire people of the world live. So, they had about 50 people that work there and about 50 customers, and going through it we were like, this is a way to get into a market similar to Frames Tree Service that we couldn't normally get into. And we really wanted to buy a tree company. That was really what we were looking for. We're like, we've got it down. We have all the professionals. We have the arborists, you know, Sherlock Tree Company. We have six licensed arborists, we're TCIA accredited, we're certified pest control operators, and everyone's safety trained. We got it dialed in pretty good. And then this opportunity came up. We do a couple customers on the island for tree trimming. They are really large tree customers, and we do them multiple times a year. So we figured, you know, this is another situation kind of like Dias. Then maybe we can move in with the landscaping company and then work our tree company to be a prestigious tree company on the island. So we ended up making a deal for this business. We bought it at three times its net, which is pretty standard, and we bought the land also too, and by doing so we've actually doubled that business in a year and a half. And I'm really proud to say that it was definitely the right decision to buy the company because it added some excitement within our company also too. So, as difficult as it was to get everyone to kind of work together, it was also really exciting for everyone to see new opportunities and new ways of looking at things where the business isn't getting stale, the business is moving forward. Everyone is a part of it. You know, we have Nature's Experts meetings where we all get together every quarter, we have other meetings where the managers just get together, and it is a big family and we're all experts. So it's exciting that we all do different things every day because it just creates more variety and ideas and situations that come up where you can utilize everyone's talents. So that's Coastal Gardens, and then three months ago we just bought another company on Palm Beach Island called Garden Couture, and now we probably have the largest landscaping company on Palm Beach Island. So, as glamorous as that might sound, it's actually really difficult because there are bigger companies that are known more than us that we have to fight through the street cred that we don't quite have yet with these two companies working together. But to me it's exciting. Get out of the way because we're coming. Monica: Fair warning. Jonathan: That's right. Monica: So, you've mentioned several times sort of the things that you do to when you acquire a company. There is going to be understandably concerns, maybe resistance on the part of the people who were there. And you've mentioned several things that you do or ways you look at it to sort of bring them into the family and make them feel like they're part of something larger and better and that there's a future. Can you talk a little bit more about that? Because I know the people aspect of an acquisition is often the most difficult. Jonathan: So it's actually the most nerve-wracking, but it's the easiest because the thing is that everyone really knows how to connect with people. And you know how you do that? You literally just start by saying hi. And I think people get intimidated by the not knowing how to handle people because you're not supposed to know - I don't know you, you're not supposed to know me. I would like to get to know you. And if you just have that mentality that you respect the person that you're sitting across and you want to get to know them and how you can both mutually benefit each other, it's really an easy conversation. But you do have to say what you mean and mean what you say. Monica: And followed through on it, I guess. Yeah. Jonathan: And you know, when we bought Dias, that was our first acquisition with multiple management. There was nothing so glamorous. We had told them at a small restaurant. We met them there with the old owners and we told everybody, and we sat with them and we just told them, "Listen, we are so excited for this opportunity to work with you guys. We have done this, this, this, and we are really looking to - excited to have you guys join our team because we are really want to make a difference in this landscaping. No pun intended. And we want to really kind of carve out our own name, and we want to bring this company back to where it used to be. " And you know, it's nothing so crazy. It's just getting to know people, and we got to know them, and then the next morning, guess what? We were there ready to get to work. And you don't get to work by putting off stuff on people. You start it by taking on responsibilities. If you look for problems to solve and you solve them, you get buy-in. You don't get buy-in from riding the gravy train and just sitting back and watching everyone do their job. You get it by getting to work. And it's typically really easy when you buy a business to see what needs to happen. Trucks are not serviced, customers are not taken care of, the facilities in disarray, the uniforms are bad, etc. Find things that are obvious problems. Start creating solutions. Start creating value. Monica: One of the things you just mentioned, the uniforms are in disarray. So one of the things I noticed is that with each of the companies you've acquired, you rebranded them in a way so there's a consistent look and feel across all of these different brands, but they're still separate companies. Why did you choose to do that? Jonathan: So, you know, me and my brother are brothers, right? We're family, and we want this to be a family-run kind of business. But we also understand the uniqueness of people in your family. And Sherlock Tree Company, when we bought it, the logo was old. It was literally a logo from like, whenever, so it's completely old and tired. So we're like, we definitely need to update it and really bring it to where it's up to the standards of now, for a company that's been around since the '70s that's supposed to be one of the most well-known arborists in the area. It doesn't fit what it should be. How the trucks looked didn't fit what it should be. The logo didn't fit what it should be. It wasn't advancing with the industry. So we ended up coming up with the idea of branding them all the same but different by wanting to figure out how to elevate the existing brands and how to - like at Dias and Sherlock, we were like, you don't want to tell the customer, but you want to tell the customer. So, for example, at Dias they were able to say to the homeowner, "Monica, our tree division is going to be taking care of your trees this year. " And when they see the trucks pull up and it's the same logo-ish - it says Sherlock Tree Company, but it looks the same - and you see the maintenance truck there and it looks the same, you get more of a buy-in and acceptance that it really is a family and it's not like a line of whatever that you're being sold that's not true. And that was our initial reasoning behind it is we wanted to figure out how people can look at our company and when they see all the trucks on the road they start thinking in their head that "I see Sherlock" or that "I see Dias. " Whatever one resonates in their head, that's what they saw. So if they know Dias but they see a similar logo and it's a tree company, they think, "Oh, Dias does tree work? " And then vice versa. With Sherlock and Dias, it was the same kind of mentality, and it really just grew from there to kind of being like, it really makes sense. You know, Dias has a certain group of customers, Sherlock has a group of customers, they had their expertise, and their respective fields were different. Their customers were different. And you know, it's a way of marketing also too. You know, with marketing it's difficult. Actually, if you have one name it's actually more difficult. So if you're one name and it's Nature's Experts, and Nature's Experts has now five different offices, it's difficult to market actually. You would know that from a marketing standpoint. Monica: It is. And it's also people worry that you're, as you said earlier, a jack of all trades. When you've got that consistency or continuity across the different divisions - however you want to refer to it - of your company, each one is positioned as an expert in their niche within the larger green industry, there's more credibility and it is easier to market. Jonathan: Yeah. Who knows what will happen in the future, but I think that as far as how we've done it now and creating the overarching Nature's Experts brand, I think that it ties it together as far as our management team. So on the trucks it says Sherlock Tree Company, A Trusted Florida Organization, Nature's Experts. So, you know what, that's where we're at right now. And you know, our Nature's Experts is our whole management team. We are the experts of nature and nature's experts. So it really actually worked out in twofold to where it's been like a management tool to connect us and bond us all together as a team, but it also has made sense to a lot of customers where you can direct them to naturesexperts. com. They can educate themselves about the company and they can see how it all works together. And we're not just a bunch of random companies; we're a bunch of companies that are vertically integrated within the market that Sherlock can sub out work to Dias to do landscape installations, Coastal can call Sherlock to do specialty removals. Our pest control division does work for all of our companies, because I think everyone would know in the tree care company you get a lot of leads that you can't convert on. So I think that somebody in the industry, depending on their tree care experience and the customers that they're getting, if you're getting a lot of pest control type leads, you should figure out how to convert those leads into dollars. And if you're getting a lot of landscaping leads, you should figure out how to connect those into dollars. You know, it doesn't mean you get one means that you do it, but if you're starting to get something that has traction, figure out how you can start doing it yourself. You know, I got my certified pest control operator's license, and then same thing, from becoming an arborist and tree risk assessment qualified and going through tree appraisals and educating myself on landscape installation processes by each city. You know, these are all different skills. Monica: Right. Truly an expert. So if somebody is thinking, "Okay, I want to give this a try. This makes a lot of sense," what advice would you give them? How would they start thinking about and pursuing an acquisition? Jonathan: I would say the best thing to do is to find a business broker. And it doesn't mean you have to use one, but you should use somebody who has more knowledge about buying a business than yourself. And you might know the exact target business that you want to buy, but you shouldn't do it alone given whatever fee that they get. It doesn't really matter if you're buying a business. You're buying it for the long term, you're not buying it for the short term, so there's no reason for anyone to think, "I can do it myself. I can find a business. I can call people. I can negotiate a deal. " You can. You might one day. But why not surround yourself with people that you trust and to find - like we've found a business broker that we really trust, and there's been different ways that he's really earned his money, and it's been by finding business. It's by being a consultant on different businesses. And, you know, when you have somebody like this and you have a relationship with, you can go find businesses yourself and ask them questions and then bring them in on the deal. It's not like you have to just sit back and wait for them to find the right business at the right price. You can be an active role and an active participant in trying to figure out your solution or your problem. Monica: Where do you find a business broker? Jonathan: So we use Transworld Business Advisors, and they actually have a lot of offices in a lot of different states. So I would literally just search your city and look for business brokers, and you'll find somebody. In South Florida, there's ones that specialize exclusively in landscaping. There's ones that - like Transworld, they sell all different types of businesses, and it's amazing. You'll understand that a lot of people that sell businesses, there's a lot of similarities in other businesses not in our industry, but just in business in general, that you can really understand and see how great of a market that we have, and the landscape and tree field is a great business to be in. Monica: Okay, so you've got a broker. You're looking at a business. What should somebody think about next? Jonathan: The next thing I would do is you need to understand financials. And it doesn't mean that you need to understand them. It means that you need to have someone who can help you understand them. So it's better if you know what you're looking for, but if you don't, you need to get someone who can speak your language to help you understand the financials so you understand what you're buying, and what kind of problems that you're going to have, and what the upsides are. There are upsides that you might not understand that are on the table. You know, there's depreciation. There's the synergy of the two companies. There's insurance benefit that you can maybe save on different insurance policies. There's management savings. You know, if your business is undermanaged but you're making a lot of money, and this business is a lot of management but it makes a little bit of money, you can kind of think, "Well, you know, I'm working too hard managing my business. They actually have a manager that can help take the load off of my shoulders and I can go out and sell more, creating more revenue for the business. " You have to pay for that, you know? Monica: Right. Okay, so they'll help you think a little more broadly than just the hard numbers. Jonathan: There's opportunity that you don't realize that can be captured in understanding the business owner. So some business owners are very niche where they only look for a certain type of customer, and you might want to change what that company is specifically doing. You know, some companies only want to do commercial. Some companies want to do HOA. Some companies only want to do residential, and that might be great for them, but there's a whole other market out there that they're not tapping into. Or they might only operate in a certain city, but they don't operate in the other city right next to it. So you need to realize the untapped potential too, of their existing business model. Monica: One of the things one of these words that's always thrown around is due diligence. "You've got to do your due diligence. " In simple English, what does that mean? Jonathan: Due diligence is understanding what you're buying, and to understand what you're buying you do need to have all of the facts, and there's a lot of facts to understand. There's the gross that the business makes and understanding and making sure that it's true and accurate, which an accountant or a CPA can verify through the deposits. There's also understanding industry standards. So different business sections can have different profit margins. So a lot of times what we'll do is the very first thing you look at is business industry labor and where that falls to see if there's any red flags from there because that's kind of where you can do a quick check on a business and be like, well, how much are they spending in labor? So just by knowing that labor should be less than 50% or whatever margin that you're looking for on your labor, you can use your own business as a model and say, well, my business only has a blank percent labor, so why do they have this percent labor? And you can ask those questions and get answers. And it might be that they have more management than you. It might be that they're actually just underpricing jobs. So if they don't have a good explanation, it means that they're underpricing jobs. Do you feel like the opportunity of - if it's a tree care customer, well, you can do all the jobs this year and then next year you can raise them all. So which ones are you going to raise? How many can you raise? If you raise all of them, how many would leave? Maybe 20 percent. But if you raise all of them by 20 percent, you'd be making a lot more, and you'd have a lot less aggravation, possibly. So it's really about analyzing what you know, what you're buying, so you can formulate your strategy. Monica: Okay. So a lot of this is where a business broker comes in handy, helping you understand that, and some of it's going to be I guess you learn as you go. So you've, you've done a whole bunch of acquisitions at this point. What do you think is the major thing to watch out for? Any pitfalls people should be aware of? Jonathan: I would say the biggest thing to watch out for is making sure that you are ready for it. So it's kind of a catchy thing to understand because you're really never ready when you purchase a business, but you need to be ready for anything that's going to come in front of you. That's really the biggest pitfall and thing to be mindful of. Because as great as the numbers could be - because we bought businesses that have really good numbers and we bought business that had really bad numbers - and the thing is that they're both the same. One did not make me sleep better at nighttime than the other did because they're both equally as difficult. And it's really about making sure that you are in the right mental space to really be able to handle the ups and the downs because each business, good or bad, is going to have ups and downs. And with the ups and downs, you need to be able to make sure you're making the right business decisions on a daily basis. Because the business isn't created by five decisions, it's created by 500 decisions for 5,000 days in a row. So it's really - I think that's the biggest thing that you really need to be worried about because there is no magic key to buying a business. There's no magic thing to look out for in buying a business. It's making sure that it has what you're specifically looking for, what you're potentially lacking if you're buying a business out of your area. You have to have strong management. If you're buying a business in your area, you don't have to have strong management because you can help manage it. You know, there's different key components, but you have to understand the difficulties in doing all of them. So managing out of your area with the strong management crew that you haven't done before, that's a new problem. So just because they're great and they make a lot of money doesn't mean they're going to make you a lot of money. Monica: All right. So a lot of stuff to think about. So - I don't know if we can ask you this - what's next? Do you have some other things in mind? Where is Nature's Experts going next? Jonathan: So, Nature's Experts now - so we have five offices. We have two 2 and a half acres properties, another half-acre property, and a 12,000 square foot warehouse. And for all of our different companies we're in, we have five different locations I think for our local area. We want to keep growing. We've grown all of our businesses organically, significantly, and it's really exciting to see that growth potential. But I think that me and Jeff have figured what we want to do with our businesses, and we've taken definitely a lot of calculated risks to get here, but we know that we want to continue growing through acquisition. So, for us, I think we bought a business in January. We're probably not going to buy anything else this year. We're going to keep working on our businesses on a daily basis and happy to, and we want to buy another business. Every other year is what our plan is now, and we want to expand into Naples and Tampa and Orlando and Jacksonville, and we want to eventually have - tree companies we feel like is the best way in, in all of those different areas. We feel like that type of business is - you know, a lot of people are not doing it to the level that it can be done to in almost every single market. There's always people that are doing a really good job, but there's way more business that's out there than what that one really good company in that area can do. So you might know a really great tree company in the city that's near you, but trust me, they don't have all the business. We don't have all the business. There's still plenty out there. 20 times, 30 times more business than Sherlock even does in South Florida. It's probably even more than that. So there's still opportunity here we're just waiting to find, but now we're starting to organically pick up one reoccurring customer a year, one at a time. And it's going to be a slower process. But it's also too, you know, with tree companies it is a reoccurring service. It's once a year, typically. So we're lucky that we're in the field of reoccurring business and transactions. So we want to look out for other areas that we can get into where we feel like buying a tree company will be the stepping stone to get in there. And then we'll be utilizing the Nature's Experts brand to help introducing other companies that can help more customers to feed other ways of giving each other business back and forth. So it could possibly be buying a tree company and then buying a landscaping company and having them work together to have similar management, or have some overlapping responsibilities of the office to help reduce costs, but to be able to have two streams of customers coming in the door that we have more opportunities to help them with more. Monica: Okay. So slowly taking over all of Florida, by the sounds of it. Jonathan: I'm pretty, I'm pretty confident, too. Monica: So, thank you so much, Jonathan. This has been really interesting and I think informative for a lot of people. I think you've probably gotten a bunch of people thinking about, Hmm, how can I start following the Nature's Experts model of growth? So I wish you all the best. Jonathan: I think there's something there, too. Like at one point we looked into doing like a franchise or whatever, and we might end up doing something maybe with the franchise where we figure out with people where we actually help business owners versus people looking to buy the business, you know what I mean? Monica: Yeah. That would be interesting. Jonathan: So a model of somebody who already has business that we helped them grow their business. Monica: Well, you've proved you can do it so, people can learn a lot from that. Jonathan: It's a different model, though, because if you connect with somebody who is doing a million dollars a year and you can help them grow their business to do a lot more - starting from zero in the tree industry is pretty difficult. Monica: Definitely easier to come in with something already set up for you. Jonathan: Well, we only started with $450,000 in sales and we're doing $6 million, so it's not impossible. Monica: No, that's awesome. All right, well, thank you. Jonathan: Monica, you're welcome. Monica: This has been interesting. I mean, I had a really good idea of what you'd been doing, but not quite at this level of detail. Okay. So any final words before we wrap up? Jonathan: The only final words I have is that I really - anybody who's ever interested in talking about growing their company or acquiring companies, I really am interested to learn more myself. So even though we've been through a lot of different experiences in buying companies and we might seem to know a lot, there's still a lot to learn. And I definitely would extend to anybody who's interested that they can call me or email me to talk about it, because I'm looking to learn more about the industry and the opportunities and ways of doing things to keep making sure that we are ahead of everyone else in our industry. And I don't think that we're specifically more ahead of anybody else. I think that we've learned how to keep people, I think that we've learned how to manage people, and I think we've learned how to take care of our customers, but we certainly haven't figured out how to do it all. We've just figured out a couple small things that really help round out our business. So I think that if anyone's ever interested, they can call me on my cell phone, (561) 245-0933, or you can email me at jonathan@sherlocktree. com. Monica: Awesome. And I am sure some of our listeners are going to be reaching out to you. I hope they do. Jonathan: I look forward to it. Thanks everyone for joining us on this episode of the Tree Care Business Show, where we learned about how Jonathan Wolfson has grown his business, and got some of his advice for how others with tree care businesses could do the same. You can watch more episodes at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/podcast, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more content created just for tree care business owners. Thanks again for joining us, and we look forward to seeing you again next time. In This Episode Here's what you'll find in this episode: 0:00 - Introduction 2:33 - Overview & history of Nature's Experts brand 11:30 - The strategy behind acquiring companies 16:50 - "How can I add more value to my customer? " 18:50 - Acquiring the subcontractor 22:44 - How much is a business worth? 32:30 - How do you afford to buy a new company? 34:32 - Acquisition growth strategy 38:34 - Managing company culture through transition 41:19 - Branding & rebranding 46:41 - Advice for getting started with acquisition 50:48 - Due diligence 54:53 - What's next for Nature's Experts? 59:32 - Getting in touch with Jonathan Wolfson Contact Sherlock tree company Jonathan Wolfson Co-owner 697 SW 9th Terrace Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Phone: 954-788-4000 Mobile: 561-245-0933 jonathan@sherlocktree. com sherlocktree. com Facebook | Instagram Don't Miss Another Episode! 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All Rights Reserved. --- ### Resources for Tree Service Companies > Articles, free downloads, subscriptions, and special offers for tree service companies looking to improve their online marketing. - Published: 2022-08-29 - Modified: 2023-09-01 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/resources-for-tree-service-companies/ WELCOME! you've come to the right place for FREE marketing resources to help your tree service company grow arrow pointing down Start here to learn what we can do for you! THE Complete Online Marketing Solution Specifically For Tree Service Companies If you're tired of chasing after new customers and wasting time and money trying online tactics that just don't work, then you owe it to yourself to look into a different way of growing your business. Not something you've seen dozens of times before, something that all those "marketing experts" are selling, or something that will take up all of your "free" time and waste a lot of money. But something that provides a real solution that will generate leads, repeat customers, and referrals. Use the resources below to help grow your business. And if you need any help, just give us a call! Schedule a call 3-time winner of TCIA's Professional Communications Award for website design Resources for TREE SERVICE COMPANIES A FREE newsletter for the tree care and green industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and clear, simple advice for what to do about it so you can GROW your business. New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Email marketing is still the single most effective way to generate repeat business for your tree service company - but only if it's done right. Grow your list with these handy tips for a wide range of situations. NOTE: The Local SEO Audit comes with no strings attached! Although I'll ask for your email address (so I can send you the report), you won't be signed up for anything and you won't get any marketing emails from me (unless you sign up for the GROWth Report). Articles & Downloads Website Design & SEO Website Optimization Checklist Top 10 Website Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make 10 Questions to Ask Your Website Designer Is Your Website a Business Liability? 6 Simple Website Tactics to Attract More Customers Three Massive Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make That Cost Them Customers And Lost Revenue ** Some of these links take you to my personal blog at monicahemingway. com TUTORIAL: How To Claim & Optimize Your Google My Business Listing Go to business. google. com and follow the instructions. Be sure to fill out as many fields as possible and add images for your logo, a cover image, and photos of your work - more is better! You'll also find instructions in the video tutorial (although be aware that some of the screens will look different - Google likes to change things up! ). "Our digital marketing solution has been proven to work, time and time again, with tree care companies just like yours. And the best part is that we do it all FOR you! " Monica Hemingway Founder and CEO, Tree Care Marketing Solutions Schedule a call with me You're busy running your business. You don't have time to manage all the digital marketing yourself. That's why we do it all for you! There's a reason our customers stay with us year after year. WE GET RESULTS SEE CLIENT CASE STUDIES SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MONICA As an arborist and the founder and CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, I love helping tree service owners. That's why I do these calls myself, rather than passing you off to someone else. On the call, I'll quickly analyze what you're doing online right now, identify the most important gaps, and give you a roadmap to help you bring in more customers with online marketing. Whether we work together or not, you'll get valuable and actionable tips that you can implement right away. It will be one of the most helpful marketing conversations you've had all year - I promise! Schedule a Call If you're not quite ready, check out our SEO and website audits that'll get you started quickly and effectively. Ready to Take Things To the Next Level? Build your tree care business with our complete online marketing solution. Get in touch and let's see how we can work together. --- ### 5. Appointment Funnel - Alternative Options > Based on the information you provided, you may not be a good fit for our Agency Services - but we have a ton of free resources for you! - Published: 2022-08-06 - Modified: 2024-10-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/alternative-options/ Thanks for submitting your details! Based on your submission, our full-service Agency Services may not be a fit for you at this point, but I think our Jumpstart Growth System could be a game changer for you! Designed specifically for tree service companies doing less than $1 million in annual revenue, this program is built to do the one thing you need most - generate qualified leads. About the Jumpstart Growth System Here's what's included in this completely done-for-you marketing system for tree service companies. High-Converting Website Customize our powerful lead-generating website template with your branding and services. Lead Management System Track and easily respond to all leads by text, email, or phone from all your devices. SMS & Email Marketing Pre-written messages built to convert prospects into customers. Use this to dial up lead volume whenever you need it. Custom Chatbot Trained on your business info to quickly engage leads and even book appointments. Never miss another lead! GBP/Google Maps Management Profile setup and optimization, photo uploads, and weekly posts to dominate Google Maps. Review Building Automated processes to request and respond to online reviews, and showcase them on your website. Only $1,249/mo! Let's Talk! Book a Zoom meeting using the calendar below. What Tree Service Companies Say About Us These case studies will help you get a sense of what's really possible with a great digital marketing agency on your team. Free Tree Service Marketing Resources Helpful Resources 1 Download or subscribe to the free resources below to get ideas, tips, and tools to help with your online marketing. 2 Get a FREE local SEO audit report (no strings attached - it's just for your information to help you learn what to improve). 3 Check out some of the videos on our YouTube channel 4 Read and subscribe to our blog - it's always full of helpful tips that you can implement yourself. 5 Watch or listen to the Tree Care Business Show podcast for interviews with service providers to the tree care industry, as well as successful business owners. Looking for more? Join the private Tree Care Marketing Group on Facebook to be part of our community of successful tree service business owners. Join the Tree Care Marketing Facebook Group A FREE newsletter for the tree care and green industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and what to do about it so you can GROW your business. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to quickly create useful and effective prompts that will help you put AI to work for your tree care business! New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Email marketing is still the single most effective way to generate repeat business for your tree service company - but only if it's done right. Grow your list with these handy tips for a wide range of situations. NOTE: The Local SEO Audit comes with no strings attached! Although I'll ask for your email address (so I can send you the report), you won't be signed up for anything and you won't get any marketing emails from me (unless you sign up for or the GROWth Report). Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions © Copyright 2024. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### 3. Appointment Funnel - Discovery Confirmation > Your discovery session is scheduled! Please check your email for access details and be sure to block this meeting in your schedule. - Published: 2022-08-06 - Modified: 2022-12-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/discovery-confirmation/ Your Session is Booked! STEP 1 - Put this appointment on your calendar. Please check your email inbox for access details and be sure to block this meeting in your schedule. STEP 2 - Complete the pre-call questionnaire so we can make best use of the 30 minutes you've booked. If you're not able to complete the form at least 4 hours before our scheduled session, I recommend that you reschedule to a later date. You'll find a reschedule link in the email confirmation you received. STEP 3 - Join the private Tree Care Marketing Group on Facebook to be part of our community of successful tree service business owners. STEP 4 - Watch the case study videos below so you'll know what to expect. Complete the pre-call questionnaire Join the Tree Care Marketing Facebook Group These case studies will help you get a sense of what's really possible with a great digital marketing agency on your team. What Tree Service Companies Say About Us These case studies will help you get a sense of what's really possible with a great digital marketing agency on your team. Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions © Copyright 2022. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### 1. Appointment Funnel - Survey > This free session reveals how your tree care company can dominate your local market, increase your leads & take your business to the next level. - Published: 2022-08-06 - Modified: 2024-09-09 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/discovery/ Are you ready to take your tree service business to the next level? Let's get you started! Just fill out the form below to apply for your FREE 1:1 Online Marketing Strategy Session. "*" indicates required fields Step 1 of 3 33% Do you own or operate a tree care business? * Yes No What kind of business do you own or operate? What is your company name? * What is your website address? * Where is your business based / what is your main area of service (primary city)? * How many crew members do you currently have? * Just me 1-5 5-15 15+ How much are you currently investing in marketing (online & offline) per month? * < $1,000 $1,000-$2,500 $2,500-$7,500 $7,500+ What is your current annual revenue? * < $750K $750K - $999k $1M - $2. 5M $2. 5M+ Do you have an ISA Certified Arborist (or state-licensed equivalent) on staff? * Yes No What is your name? * First Last What is your job title? * What is your cell phone number? (to send you a text reminder)*What is your email address? * SMS Consent* I have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy provided by Tree Care Marketing Solutions. By submitting, I agree to receive content from the company using the contact information I provide. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Discover how building a Complete Online Presence with Tree Care Marketing Solutions ... can get your phones ringing nonstop with calls from people searching online for a tree care company in your area. Tree Care Marketing Solutions helps tree service companies like yours increase your sales and grow your revenue by building a strong online presence. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions © Copyright 2024. Tree Care Marketing Solutions. All Rights Reserved. --- ### LiveChat Setup Fee - Payment Page > Payment page to begin the LiveChat from TCMS setup process. - Published: 2022-07-21 - Modified: 2022-07-21 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/livechat-payment/ LiveChat Setup - Payment Page To get your LiveChat setup process started, please use the form below to submit your setup fee payment. Work begins when payment is received. Thank you!   --- ### Podcast - 7. Biochar with American BioChar > All about biochar: what it is, how it's used, its benefits for soil quality and sustainability, and how you can market it to your customers. - Published: 2022-05-04 - Modified: 2023-04-12 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-biochar/ Back to all episodes See the next episode How to Grow Your Tree Service Business with biochar with Laurie Mann AMERICAN BIOCHAR Many people have heard of biochar, but may not know exactly what it is or how it can be used. Is it a fertilizer? Is it alive or dead? Animal, vegetable, or mineral? On today's show, you'll learn all about biochar and its many benefits! We'll even give you some ideas about how you could put it to use in your own yard, how you could add it into your tree care services, and how to talk to customers about the benefits of biochar. Don't want to watch the episode? Keep scrolling for the transcript! IN THIS EPISODE (TOPICS) READ THE TRANSCRIPT CONTACT LAURIE Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio - so you can listen on the go. Many people have heard of biochar, but may not know exactly what it is or how it can be used. Is it a fertilizer? Is it alive or dead? Animal, vegetable, or mineral? On today's show, you'll learn all about biochar and its many benefits! We'll even give you some ideas about how you could put it to use in your own yard, how you could add it into your tree care services, and how to talk to customers about the benefits of biochar. Monica Hemingway: Today, we're talking with Laurie Mann. She's the co-owner of the American Biochar company. It's a company that's been manufacturing biochar blends for more than seven years. Laurie has a Master's of Science Studies, and she taught high school chemistry and biology for more than a decade. Today, she's helping companies and practitioners improve soil quality to improve the health of the plants that are growing in it. Welcome, Laurie! Laurie Mann: Thank you, Monica. Hi. Monica Hemingway: So, we're really excited to have you here to talk about something that a lot of people don't know much about. So many people have heard the term biochar, but may not know what it is. I mean, I know when I first heard it, I thought of charcoal briquettes. I don't think that is what this is. So, can you tell us what is biochar? What's it made of? How do they make it? How's it different than charcoal? Laurie Mann: Well, that's a really good analysis on that. Most people think of it as charcoal and charcoal briquettes and things like that. It is not the same thing! There's a relationship to it, but what happens is biochar is produced through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is very similar to combustion, but it's at a higher temperature and there's practically no oxygen where combustion needs the oxygen. Oxygen is removed and it rushes through the organic matter and leaves behind only this carbonized material. And because we use Southern Yellow Pine, we're very specific with what we call feedstock, that's what goes in to make the biochar. We use Southern Yellow Pine. And what it does is pyrolysis burns off everything, including the volatile organics, and leaves behind only the lignans skeleton of the tree. If you visualize all those vessels in a tree, it's very porous and we can crush that down into smaller parts. Then, that's just the biochar. It's the carbon skeleton of a tree. The porosity of our biochar is very good because of the feedstock and because of how we do it. In fact, a six-gallon container of the biochar by itself represents over 550 acres of surface area; which means, that's an area where biology and water can be held and food and air, and everything else. So, you can increase the surface area and just a small area around a tree by using the biochar. Monica Hemingway: Biochar itself, those little pieces of it- Laurie Mann: (Holes within it). Monica Hemingway: If you were to look at the surface area on all of those little pieces- Laurie Mann: You spread it all out. Monica Hemingway: That's where you get the 550 acres? Laurie Mann: Yeah, we've been able to do testing to verify that amount. Some biochar's have that amount and many do not. But, we've been able to use a certified test to show that amount of biochar space. Monica Hemingway: So that is unique to Southern White Pine or Yellow Pine? Laurie Mann: I believe so because we can clean it out. If you cannot clean out the organic compound being used burned, then you're not going to have that kind. It's going to be filled in with what was originally there. Monica Hemingway: Ok, so you've got this black stuff, and you've crunched it down into little pieces. Now, what do you do with it and why, what does it do? Laurie Mann: Why? Is a good question. First thing you do is you want to get into the ground. It doesn't have to be deep in the ground. A lot of people will just put it over the top, and then it works itself into the soil. A lot of people mix it with soil and put it in there, like a follow-up to planting a tree. What we have is a liquid that we also can do, and it can work itself into this. I'll talk about that later if that's okay. It's a good product, but no matter what, we're getting it into the soil. Why are we doing that? Because we have so many different kinds of soils that plants are trying to live and grow in. Real heavy clay soils, or extremely sandy soils, those two have their own, pros and cons. But clay always has a problem with water percolating through because they're so compact. And sand allows everything to go through so it can't hold organic matter very well. So, it's improving the structure of the soil that biochar does a good job of. Medium tight mixes of soils do well, as well. You get that in there and you're creating a change and improvement in the structure of the soil. Monica, biochar can take over 800 years to break down. It's not going to be gone. Mulch and things like that compost? You come back the next year. You come back later that same year it's gone. This (biochar) is going to be here. It's going to be here for way beyond our lifetime and our children's lifetime. Most importantly, it's going to support the growth of soil biology, that we really are lacking in many of our soils in the urban trees, as well as an agriculture, the whole gamut. When putting biochar into the soil, you're going to immediately see up to 30% increase in water-holding capacity. Not just water-holding capacity, but also in reduction in compaction and water percolation through the soil. But that's not the most important part of what you're ending up doing. What you're ending up doing is increasing that soil biology. It's the soil biology in that area, around the roots that rhizosphere that actually is going to hold water better and allow water to percolate through and reduce compaction. So, it's only the starting. The soil biology, such as the bacteria, they create a biofilm that is kind of sticky and helps the soil kind of aggregate. By aggregation, that allows the water to flow through the soil, but it also holds water. The fungi will increase and fungi create what's called glomalin. And glomalin too, will increase holding capacity of water around the root system. So, although we start with the biochar, it's not the biochar, that's actually doing most of that water holding capacity or air compaction, etc. It's actually that increasing support of the biology around the group hairs. Monica Hemingway: So, it's kind of creating the environment for the biology to thrive. Laurie Mann: That's perfect. Monica Hemingway: Biochar itself then is inert. There's no innate biology. Laurie Mann: Nobody's eating it or anything like that. It's a good point too, because I have to explain that to people sometimes. It is not plant food, it doesn't feed the plant or the biology. What it does is it supports it all around. Monica Hemingway: Well, given all the good things that biochar can do, if you look at a tree service company that's offering plant health care in some form, how would they incorporate biochar into their services? And why would they do it? Laurie Mann: First of all, the way arborist companies should look at it is as a way to take what they're already doing and up its ability and its effectiveness. What I mean by that is this, when we have put in different types of nutrients and/or fertilizers, when we have that kind of a program - a lot of times the actual volume that's put into the soil is higher than is necessary because the whole point is a lot of that fertilizer that might be easy to mix with water will also move through the soil and get past the root hairs and leach away. So, one of the neat things about the biochar's, is it's going to hold a lot of that there. So, one of the things we tell people is they should reduce. They can reduce the fertilizing or a nutrient program by 50%. Now a lot of them feel that's a lot. So, we suggest, them to reduce it by 25% or reduce it by 10. But the bottom line is this, you're not going to need as much and get more out of it mostly because of two things. I'm going to keep coming back to this. One, you're going to reduce that leaching, but also Monica, we're increasing that soil biology health, and the soil biology is going to be able to utilize a lot of what's being put into the soil around trees, and then effectively get that to the tree. Side note: Breathing. Side note: We feed trees. Agriculture in turf, lots and lots of fertilizer and it's going to start getting really expensive in the near future. The reason we do that is because we don't have the kind of soil health soil balance that we should have. Therefore, we have to feed a plant a lot more direct, it's like baby feeding. It's like a liquid diet, whereas if more organic material was in there and the biology was working at the point it should be - that's their entire job. Their job is to take material and present it to the planet, to the tree, to those roots, in the form that is best for that tree. We are actually helping that tree utilize what the arborist is putting into the soil. We don't need as much. So, there might even be a more effective response to what they've been doing, but less by incorporating the biochar blend. You don't want to put biochar in all by itself, on a turf or around, you need to blend it. The actual term is charging the biochar. By charging or blending the biochar, you end up filling up some of the little holes there. Because it's like, if you were to dig a hole and it rained, where would most of the water go? They would fill in that little hole. A lot of the nutrients that already are in the soil, if you put in biochar all by itself, and it's a good quality biochar with lots of porosity. It's got to first pull nutrients from the soil or the plant. You can actually see a yellowing chlorotic effect in lawns when you throw just biochar on there. So, what do we do? We're biochar blenders. You had caught that I had said that earlier on, and we blend ours with humate, which is a bioavailable immediately decomposed plant and animal material from when we had oceans in the United States. Then they moved out and we pull that and we mix it together, very decomposed, but you can do that with compost tea. You can do that with manures or even fertilizers or a mix of nutrients you have, like composts. We're just a really good soil. You can just mix those up together. I'd give it a little bit of time, but no matter what, you don't want to put a good biochar into your soils or on top of your turf without blending it with something. Then it just goes like gangbusters. Monica Hemingway: So that's the key then. Blending it with something that's going to provide nutrients for the plants. And then the biochar would otherwise sort of, "suck up" initially. Laurie Mann: Then after a year or two, but who wants to wait that long before that? It'll start giving back, but not at first if you do just do biochar, and I think that was probably a black eye for the biochar industry when it was first put out there. They didn't realize that the blendings are as important as the biochar itself. Monica Hemingway: I see. Okay. So, if we bring this back then to a tree service company, who is thinking great, I work in urban areas. For example, I know the soils aren't very good. How would they go about using biochar as part of their services? Laurie Mann: The whole PHC program, right? Well, a lot of PHC programs have some kind of a nutrient fertilizer or organic nutrient process they're using to feed their trees. This is only going to take that another level up. Generally speaking, when we talk to whether it's landscape, turf, or trees, we tell them if you're doing any kind of a fertilizer-like or nutrient-like process, you want to actually reduce that amount because what happens (specifically with fertilizers), the volumes they put in are assuming that that fertilizers going to work through the soil and much of that fertilizer will never get to the plant, it'll leach away. All those pores, Monica, it gathers it up. It holds it there. So, you reduce a lot of your leaching and therefore you don't have to put as much on. We've intentionally done our biochar blends in two ways. We have it granular, which is just the granulates. So, it's like rough coffee and you can blend it into the soil. You can just spread it along the top and it can work through the soil. And we've also taken our biochar and milled it down into five-micron size. Then with the granular, we put it with granular humate and with the five-micron size, we put it in liquid humate. Monica Hemingway: That was actually one of my questions because it's not going to clog up. Say you're spraying it or you're injecting it, it's not going to clog up the system. Laurie Mann: Not with our five-micron size. We actually designed that for our agriculture so that it could be in their drip lines and things like that. So, it wouldn't clog it up. Now that doesn't mean you don't have a whole bunch and then you leave it in your hose. You can have a buildup that way, but overall, it should not be a problem, which is why we set it up those two different ways. Monica Hemingway: From the homeowner's standpoint and a tree service business as well, if you don't have to fertilize for life as often, or with as much, from a business standpoint, doesn't that mean that the company might be losing? Laurie Mann: We've had people discuss that. First of all, the fact that what you're doing is more effective for the plant, that doesn't mean you'd have to reduce how often you're out there, just make smaller applications. If that's the processes, your visits are part of how you charge the client. But if you start really increasing to a point where the amount of time that you're there and the number of clients you have, that's finite. You can only do so much, but you want to grow. This would also be a good way to reduce the number of visits and increase your number of clientele and how much people talk to their clients. I think it's a really great thing to come to your clients and say, "we have found a way to make our applications of this material more effective for you"; or, maybe they don't change that and they just reduced the overall amounts to do the timing as often as usual but letting your client know. You are part of helping with the climate change issues. That's in the forefront of a lot of different people's minds. Maybe by that (if you don't want to change anything on pricing or timing or anything like that), maybe just add an additional charge. You're getting the premium application because you are being part your part of that carbon sequestration by adding carbon to the soil. You're building more of the biology and the soil. And you and I were talking about that earlier, Monica, about how in reality, climate change isn't somehow finding a way to take the carbon out of the soil so much as preventing more carbon from getting into the air/atmosphere. Also creating more of a carbon base in the soils themselves. Monica Hemingway: It's not just, we take carbon, we stick it in the ground and we leave it there forever and we've taken it out of the atmosphere and everything is wonderful. It's taking it out and using it in a way that is beneficial for plant life. Laurie Mann: Exactly. Monica Hemingway: For bacteria, for fungi, all those things that are going to help your plants grow. So, we're actually using it not just locking that away. Laurie Mann: We're capturing that, putting it into the soil and then we're enhancing through that soil structure. We're enhancing that biology creation. This whole idea of, like you said, grabbing it and throwing it in the ground and trying to capture it for hundreds of years. That's not sustainable anyway, but, creating that carbon and capturing that carbon. When you're producing more carbon, it is reducing the amount of carbon that gets released into the air. Monica Hemingway: So, I assume there's research to support all of this use of Biochar? Laurie Mann: Just plug-in Biochar, Monica, and you'll get lots and lots of things online. There's a lot of work with all different kinds of things, Biochar Tree. Bartlett tree even did a lot of studying with that as well. We've done a lot, some of it observational. Some of the observational tests that we saw were, for example, on Chinese Chestnut. Missouri, we had extended growing periods much longer than the other trees, the untreated trees. So, it expanded the growing time to where it was still creating leaves and staying healthy, instead of going into hibernation, so to speak, that deciduous trees go through. We've done studying with biology. We have seen increases from around 40%, all the way up to 90% of increased biology within the first season. Germination has been shown to increase with the seeds. That one's been a lot of different tests that mostly have been in something besides trees, but we can assume a germination with trees as well, because it's, again, the biology and the soil more than anything else. We did a really neat one where we tested blueberries. (I had to get this out so I would not be making any errors). We saw with blueberries for one season, just one season comparing untreated to treated, we saw moisture content increase, total sugar increase, dietary fiber 33%, and antioxidants, 11% increase. And that was just after one season. It was a shortened season because we had done the test a little early, and we saw protein 125% increase. Tropicana did some citrus tests and they found they were able to reduce the time to harvest. So, they were actually able, by 25%, reduce the amount of time and get harvest. Monica Hemingway: It sounds like, in a way, that biochar is almost the wonder cure for everything to do with trees. So, if people wanted to learn more about American biochar or biochar in general, where would you send them? They can contact us through our website, www. ambiochar. com, or they can call our office directly (269) 663-2224. And they can also email us at info@ambiochar. com. That sounds like something a lot of our listeners would be interested in, and I think across the entire tree service industry. It's something that not only would the businesses gain from, but also customers as they start to see healthier trees and appreciate them a little more. So, thank you so much for joining us today, and I hope that some of our listeners will get in touch with you. Laurie Mann: I hope so too! Thank you, Monica! BLOOPERS Bloopers: Homeowners like to see you out there. I get that. You know, like whether it's like, "I'm pretending I'm doing stuff" or you're really doing stuff. Approaching an arborist company and the PHC - Okay, sorry. PHC program. Thank God. Okay, starting again. It was very hard. Have you ever heard of those elevator speeches having like 30 seconds? (Chuckles) I'll just see you see on the next floor. Thanks everyone for joining us on this episode of the Tree Care Business Show, where we looked at how biochar. You can watch more episodes at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/podcast, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more content created just for tree care business owners. Thanks again for joining us, and we look forward to seeing you again next time. In This Episode Here's what you'll find in this episode: 0:00 - What is biochar? 3:34 - How and why to use biochar 7:16 - Biochar and tree service companies 11:55 - Biochar, fertilizer, & long-term soil health 14:38 - Marketing messaging for biochar 16:58 - Carbon & sustainability 17:52 - Research on biochar 20:02 - Where to get more information on American BioChar Contact American BioChar Company Laurie Mann Co-owner P. O. Box 962 Niles, MI 49120 Phone: 269. 663. 2224 Mobile: 269. 663. 7467 info@ambiochar. com www. ambiochar. com Facebook | Twitter Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio so you can listen on the go. --- ### Podcast - 6. Footwear with Haix > What to look for to help you buy the best boots for tree work, including materials, fit, size, lacing, insole, waterproofing, cut protection, and more! - Published: 2022-04-19 - Modified: 2023-04-06 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-footwear/ Back to all episodes See the next episode How to Find (& Maintain) the Best Boots For Tree Service Professionals with Tracy Cline HAIX Having the right footwear can make all the difference between a great day in the field and a miserable one. But how do you find the right pair of boots, ones that will keep your feet dry and comfortable, while protecting you from injury and making it easier for you to do your job? Don't worry! We've got the inside scoop on finding the perfect pair of boots for tree workers right here on the Tree Care Business Show. And I bet there will be a lot of topics that are new to you or will help you up your footwear game! Don't want to watch the episode? Keep scrolling for the transcript! IN THIS EPISODE (TOPICS) READ THE TRANSCRIPT CONTACT TRACY Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio - so you can listen on the go. Having the right footwear can make all the difference between a great day in the field and a miserable one. But how do you find the right pair of boots, ones that will keep your feet dry and comfortable, while protecting you from injury and making it easier for you to do your job. Don't worry! We've got the inside scoop on finding the perfect pair of boots for tree workers coming right up on the Tree Care Business Show! On the show, brought to you by Tree Care Marketing Solutions, we explore business insights for the tree care industry with leading experts. Monica Hemingway: Joining us today is Tracy Cline. She's the Forestry Brand Ambassador for HAIX North America. She's been with the company since 2009. She was previously their Midwest sales manager. And not only was she responsible for her own sales territory, but she also did a lot of training around footwear certification and footwear safety in the forestry industry. So welcome Tracy. It is a real pleasure to have you here today. Tracy Cline: It's absolutely a pleasure to be here. Thank you so much. I appreciate you having me Monica. Monica Hemingway: Great. Well, you know, before we get into boots, I have a question for you that I think a lot of our listeners are probably curious about. The company is spelled H-A-I-X. How do you pronounce that? Tracy Cline: You'd be surprised how often we get that question. It is actually pronounced "hikes". Like you're going hiking. The name is actually part of Xaver Haimerl, who started the company. And we took Haimerl as part of his last name and Xavier and put it together for HAIX. Monica Hemingway: Okay, that explains it because it's not a real word. Tracy Cline: No, no, it's our word. Monica Hemingway: Okay. So HAIX. So, tell us a little bit about the company itself. It's relatively new in footwear for tree service in North America, right? Tracy Cline: Correct. It's a little less known in the U. S. Market currently, but HAIX is a major footwear manufacturer worldwide. We're a German company. Unlike a lot of other companies, we actually manufacturer our own footwear. We started in 1948, as a private manufacturer for other brands. For example, we made product for other people and they would put their name on it. But as of the 1990s, we came out and said, okay, we're going to have our own branded footwear. And, just so you understand... what markets we hit, it's not just forestry, but workwear, police, fire, EMS, and huge military contracts around the world. Just a little tidbit, we are the largest fire-boot manufacturer in the world. Monica Hemingway: Oh. So, if something awful happens and our house burns down, the firemen and firewomen are probably going to be wearing HAIX boots? Tracy Cline: Absolutely. Monica Hemingway: All right. Well let's hope for no fires. No more fires. Tracy Cline: Yeah, no fires today! No fires. Monica Hemingway: So now you make a wide range of boots for different industries. Tracy Cline: Yes. Monica Hemingway: Focusing specifically on the forestry industry, if we're looking at boots, safety is obviously going to be a primary concern for a lot of people. But there are also things like durability, versatility, comfort is going to be a big one. So, let's leave safety for a moment and look at durability. If someone's looking for boots and they want them to last more than just a couple of months or a season, what should they be looking for? Tracy Cline: Yeah, that's something that we do get a lot of questions about, obviously, because people spend a lot of money on footwear, especially in the forestry industry... the boots aren't cheap, let's just face it. Some of the things that I always recommend people to look for, and personally that I look for, you need to look for the quality. Many times that has to do with how it's constructed. It has to do with the hides. For example, with HAIX, we use, bull hide leather. That's different than other manufacturers who only use a cowhide. What makes that different? The bull hide leather is a little tougher and stiffer. So, while it might take a little bit longer to break in, it's going to last longer. It resists abrasion and punctures much better, and it keeps shape and rigidity; and what that does not only lends itself to the longevity of the product, but also good ankle protection and things of that nature. Monica Hemingway: Okay, so you're initially compromising comfort, maybe a little bit to get that durability over the long-term. Tracy Cline: That's correct. Monica Hemingway: Are there boots that are made out of different types of material other than leather? Tracy Cline: Yes, in the marketplace, you'll see some different things. I've seen everything from rubber boots, with a Kevlar lining, for example, for cut resistance. I've also seen, a lot of boots where they use the female hides. The issue with the female hides is that while they are less expensive to manufacture, they tend to become very weak in their structure. Because cows can get pregnant, the hide expands and contracts more than bull hide. And what happens is your boot will wear out more quickly because it loses its shape and rigidity. Monica Hemingway: So, for durability, you really should be looking for bull hides, not cow hides? Tracy Cline: Correct! And as of to date, we're the only ones that use the bull hide in the industry. Monica Hemingway: Okay. So that's definitely a reason to look at HAIX boots. Tracy Cline: Absolutely. Monica Hemingway: Now, in terms of maintaining your boots, you've got a great pair of boots they're made out of bull hide. How do you ensure that they're going to last as long as possible? What can you do? Tracy Cline: Yeah, sure. Now this was a tricky one because in the field, my guys and gals never take care of their boots like they should. Monica Hemingway: I don't think any of us do really. Tracy Cline: No. And, you know, we think it's a work boot and we come in and we just throw them by the door or whatever. And we go in the house, we put them on the next day and we don't think about them. But truly, if you think about footwear in general, if you're wearing leather boots, it's no different than the skin on your hands. You definitely want to make sure that you give them some TLC by just wiping them clean with a little warm soap and water. Take a brush to them occasionally. Just wipe them down, be cognizant of that, especially in the winter time when you're also dealing with salt in certain regions of the country. And you know, just treat it, think about it, like your hands. They get dry, they crack, you know, keep them nice and moisturized. For example, we will have a certain type of leather treatment for ours that we sell with our product (and other companies do this too). Monica Hemingway: Right. That's what I was going to ask. Like you put moisturizer on your hands. Is there some sort of treatment for boots? And should you do that? Tracy Cline: Every so often. It will extend the life of the product for sure. Just overall checking everything, checking the seams, the soles, make sure that your sole wear is where it needs to be. Just like tires on a car, you want to make sure that you check everything from time to time, and that everything is in good working condition before you go out. Monica Hemingway: And I guess that ties into safety as well. So, if the soles are really worn or you're seeing cracks at the seams and things like that, the boot might not be safe for use. Tracy Cline: That's correct. The thing is, is you want to check everything. Anything from the sole construction to delamination, things like that, that's where the sole will separate from the shoe. Luckily, our technology, the way we build our product, it stays intact. But many people will use a sewn-on boot construction, and those completely fall apart. Because those threads are actually on the ground and they're being worn through. You'll see, it's very popular in the forestry market. People use them like the typical logging boot with the big logging yield those things tend to be sewn on and they can just come up while you're working. And some of them that are glued, if it's not done properly, they will delaminate and then your feet will get wet ... you got water coming inside. So, there's just a whole list of problems they don't want. Monica Hemingway: I know I've glued soles back onto boots to keep them going for just a little bit longer. It's not a good long-term fix. Tracy Cline: And then another thing too, that we're very cognizant of, is the liners inside the boots. For example, we actually have fixed the liners into the midsole of the boots we're manufacturing. So, what happens is they don't pull out. So, you're going to maintain that waterproof membrane properly. It's going to keep the feet dry. And cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter months. Monica Hemingway: That was one of my questions - what should you look for? I mean, if you're working in a very hot climate versus say up north in Canada in the winter. I was just in Edmonton, it was 40 below! I don't think too many people were doing tree work, but if you were wearing boots in those conditions, that liner in the midsole, is that going to help keep it warm? Tracy Cline: Well, what it does is correct. And it's going to assure that it's going to stay in the boot. The other thing I'll tell people is so critical and nobody really thinks about it, but it's socks. Many people want to go to one of the big box stores and buy a six pack of socks for five or ten bucks and wear them. It's absolutely the worst thing that you could do. When you wear, for example, a cotton sock, think of a towel. And when you get out of the shower, it holds moisture. So, think about that moisture being held inside of the boot. If it's summertime and you're sweating, you're getting hot, that can lead to a lot of foot problems, like fungal infections, not to mention odors and things like that. In the winter time you get hot and clammy and you get that cold bone chill. So, what we recommend in the footwear industry from our perspective is a merino wool blend sock. And yeah, I know thinking of wearing a wool sock in the summer is like, what are you crazy? But honestly, I wear our short athletic socks working out in the summer. And it's the only thing dry on my body when I go to take everything off. It's a natural fiber just like on an animal. So, it pulls the moisture away from the foot. It keeps you nice and dry and warm in the winter and it keeps you cool in the summer because it pulls the sweat away. So, socks are super important.  Not just boots. Monica Hemingway: So, the investment is not just the boots, it's the socks that go with it. And together they make a complete footwear package. Tracy Cline: Yeah, absolutely. If you're going to buy a $400 pair of boots and need to get a certain amount of time out of them, you also want to invest in the socks because otherwise you're going to lose some that breathability. Monica Hemingway: And that was actually one of our other questions - what is a good quality boot? How much should you look to spend to get that? Tracy Cline: Well, this is a tricky question because just because something has a really big-name brand doesn't mean that it is of the highest quality. With every consumer, whether it be in the footwear industry, clothing or whatever, just because it has a good name, doesn't mean the quality is there. So, you don't always get what you pay for. Things you should look for again, look at all the seals and the seams in the boot and check where it's made. Our boots are made in Europe. We source every part and piece from Europe. We don't buy from any third world countries, we don't use anything from the Asian market. So, check where it's made, how it's made. You can also check reviews online, of course, just like anybody else would just before you make that investment. Also, the biggest thing I tell people is to try it on, try the boots on no matter what. Because, what's also is important is the proper fit. So, if you're going to spend this kind of money, try the boot on, because every boot manufacturer, though they're supposed to be an industry standard, it isn't like they all fit the same way. I've got three different size shoes in my closet. Monica Hemingway: Right. Tracy Cline: So, make sure you try the product on. And make sure there's no heel slip in the back that can cause some blisters. So that's important. A good fit on a product is absolutely important. Monica Hemingway: So now that you've mentioned it, boots don't all fit the same way. They might be the same size, but you get into a different manufacturer, you get into a different style, you get into a different boot for different purposes. A lot of people still buy online. So how would you know which size you should be getting if you're buying it online? Tracy Cline: Yeah, that's a very good question. Just for example, with our company, we have different lines of boots for the logging industry, everything from a machine operator who doesn't cut trees all the way up to the person that uses a chainsaw all day, everything from just a standard safety toe shoe to a class one, class two cut protection. All of those boots are different for different segments. As we kind of touched on quickly earlier, what I would tell you is that, for example, with our plastic logging boots, they all run big. So, we make a notation and our distributors will make a notation on their website that says, "Hey, these HAIX boots, for example, run a half size too big, please order a half size down. " It's just because of the way they're made and the nature and the style of the boot. Whereas one of our class one cut protection boots runs true to size; because for different applications, different boots do fit differently. So, I would say, make sure they've got a good return policy, exchange, read the reviews online and/or try to find a local source to try the boots on and do it that way. Monica Hemingway: So, with fit, aside from size, you mentioned one thing, you mentioned heel slippage. What other things should people be considering when they're trying to figure out "does this boot really fit me? " Tracy Cline: Absolutely. Some things that are really important to think about as you get proper footwear for a working boot, is it's a little bit difficult to tell where your toes are at because they have safety toes, right? You can't do the old mom thing and try to see where your toes are at right? So, what we have installed in our boots as a specific type of insole that has a line at the toe that says perfect fit. So, if your toe goes over that line, you know to go half size down, or if it goes above it, you need to get a half size up. Monica Hemingway: If your foot is in the boot, how can you see it? How do you know? Tracy Cline: Well, all of our insoles are removable and washable, which is fantastic. You take the insole out and I know you probably can't see this here, but it'll say 'perfect fit' and there's a little line. So, you have them take the insole out, step on it, put their toes there, and voila, it tells you exactly where you're at. Because the one thing you don't want to do, is get the wrong size boot. And if you don't have that handy-dandy insole with maybe other brands or whatever, it's a good thing to think about. If your toes, even one toe is hitting the end of your boot then it is too small. Because what can happen at that point? You can get hammer toes, all these different problems. Monica Hemingway: Like lose your toe nails. Tracy Cline: Yes, you need to be able to make sure you can wiggle your toes freely inside the toe box of the boot. If not, it can cause bunions later on. A lot of foot problems... So, make sure you've got good width, you can spread your toes. Don't just try the boots on. Put them on, stand up in them. Because when you stand that's when the foot starts to splay, so then you get a real, true idea of how it feels on. Monica Hemingway: And how about lacing them up or tightening them? How tight should you do that? You know, if you've got maybe a narrower ankle, can you just cinch down on that thing and it's still a good fit or is that not going to work? Tracy Cline: No, actually that's a very good question and something that we incorporate and some other manufacturers do as well, but that's something that we really take to heart in our boots. We have what's called a two-zone lacing system. So, what you can do is you can cinch the bottom part. Say you have a wide foot and you have a narrow leg. You need this wide foot so you can spread out. Then use these lock off places, and then you can tighten the ankle as much as you need to, or vice versa. If you've got a very narrow foot, these are available in different widths as well. But if it's still got too much slack in it, you can tighten this up, lock it off and loosen this part in case you have like a thicker leg. It is important to do that. And also, it'll keep your foot steady. If you lock it off, it'll keep you from moving forward when you're going in different terrain. Monica Hemingway: Right. Great. That certainly makes a difference because everybody's built differently. Tracy Cline: That's right. Monica Hemingway: So now what about when we've got people in different roles? Some people climb, some people are ground workers. They're going to need different kinds of boots. And for all of our climbers out there, I know that finding a climbing boot is really difficult sometimes because what you want when you're spiking up a tree is going to be kind of different than when you're walking out on a branch. So what kind of considerations should you be looking at for climbers versus ground crew, different roles within the industry. Tracy Cline: Absolutely. So, the one thing that you want to think about is, if you're strictly climbing and that's all you do, there are boots out there that are just designed for climbing. You need to make sure you've got enough space, whether you're climbing with straps and ropes, or if you using gaffs or spikes, you know, the ones that you put on that lock into the tree. You have to make sure that they've got a spot to clear that at the bottom of the sole. There are a couple of brands that specifically do that. Our boots are multipurpose actually. So, you can go from groundwork to climbing in the same boot. But if you want something strictly just for climbing, you can do that too. For groundwork, you want to make sure that you've got great comfort, that you have a waterproofing system so your feet stay dry while you're working. You want to make sure that there's a nice arch support or that it's built anatomically correct. And that's something that we are really big on is an orthopedic fit in all of our footwear. Because you're talking about on the ground 10 to 12 hours a day versus in a tree hanging out climbing, so that person's going to need a different boot. You know, different for different comfort levels, different types of work, so to speak, versus the guy that's running a machine. Like if they're running the skidder, something like that, they might just need a safety toe shoe. So, in that instance, they've got a wide variety they can choose from, but just make sure it meets the ASTMs certifications. Monica Hemingway: Okay, so that's going to be an important point. It sounds like there really isn't one boot for all purposes. Really, you need to think about what you're going to be using those boots for, and then purchase something that's appropriate for that rather than trying to force it. I know I've talked with a lot of climbers who are saying they're using spikes, climbing spikes and the sole isn't stiff enough or the shank isn't stiff enough in there. And that hurts when you're trying to climb all day. Tracy Cline: Correct. Monica Hemingway: So, you really need to look for different boots or shoes for different purposes. Tracy Cline: Correct. We're pretty, fortunate though at HAIX being so high tech in the footwear world that all of our forestry line, they're all designed for climbing and/or ground work. You can do both. That's kind of a nice feature because we do include the shanks, the multiple arch support. So, you can go from climbing all day long in a boot from us to going straight to groundwork; or you could even go drive a truck. Then we also have a class one and class two cut protection. We make more of a lightweight or versed boot. And then we go to a class two cut protection, which has an additional level of Kevlar for chainsaw protection. So while yeah, you can buy boots for different things, we do make some all-in-one type of boots that will do that. Monica Hemingway: All right. You mentioned a couple of things there with different levels of cut protection. So, let's talk about safety. What are the important safety features in a boot, how's that going to protect you? Tracy Cline: Okay, historically we've seen chaps. People are starting to wear chaps now, or more cut resistant pants. So back in the day, people would just wear a hat or a pair of glasses and a pair of jeans and you see them out, or they're not wearing glasses or a hat and they're just out cutting away. And we still see it today. But for professional people that are working for companies that have safety measures in place, you're going to see everything from chainsaw pants, jackets, shirts. And a lot of people have not given it a lot of thought that you need chainsaw protection in a boot. But the fact of the matter is, if you drop something or you have your foot on a log you're going to cut, your foot is right there, right where that saw is. So, we are definitely at the forefront of that in offering these, not just a leather boots. Because in the past, people just wore leather boots to cut with and they still do to this day. But with all of the safety things in place, and the market is changing quite a bit to go more pro safety. We're a little bit ahead of the game with our class one, class two cut protection. It's super important. I mean, if you're doing some light arborist work, maybe the class one is okay for you. But if you are doing heavy, like if you're bucking and you're doing all of these things, you really need to consider a class two company. Monica Hemingway: So, what's the difference ... class one, class two. What's in the boot that makes them different? Tracy Cline: Sure. So, what it is, it's a piece of a Kevlar material. And it depends on how many layers of it there are and with how many seconds, how many rotations per second, it can withstand a chainsaw. So, one just has a different rotation per second than the other. For people, just as an opinion; our class one, for example, has a carbon fiber toe. While carbon fiber does greaten the crush test in the lab and meets and exceeds ASTM, if you're going to drop a chainsaw, if you're doing heavy chainsaw work or ground work, we would always recommend the class two, because you have a steel toe and steel with a chainsaw is going to bounce. So, it's just a higher level of safety. So you've got two levels of Kevlar with the steel-toe. It's pretty much the best you're going to get. Monica Hemingway: We always hear about injuries from dropping things. So, if you get a 400 pound log dropped on your foot, what kind of protection can a boot provide for that? Tracy Cline: Oh, it's amazing what a boot can do. Even carbon fiber or steel, the crush or crash impacts these boots have (and not just ours, it's just an industry standard), it's incredible what they can stand. There's always this debate, carbon fiber versus steel-toe. We can debate about that all day long. There's difference of opinion. The carbon fiber is exactly what it says, it's fiber. So, it's just going to give when it gets hit, and over time that can break down. Steel, the steel is there. And you can bend that steel if it gets hit hard enough, but with a chainsaw, in my professional opinion if you're doing a lot of chainsaw work, I would go with a steel toe. Monica Hemingway: Now, one of the questions around steel toes - it's metal. If you're in a cold environment, doesn't that get cold? Tracy Cline: Very good question. And we get it almost daily. It can at times get cold, yes. But, what I will tell you is going back to the proper socks and things like that again... We sell, all over the world. In my market, which includes North America, which obviously means Canada, we sell so many of our forestry boots into the Canadian market with no complaints with regards to the transfer of the cold. Now, does it happen? I'm sure it does. But, I think it's not at a level where it's alarming. It is metal. It is going to conduct cold. But also the way that we design the inside, it's going to give you a little bit of protection there from the cold. And also with wearing the right socks, not having that moisture inside the boot is not going to carry that and transmit it as well. Monica Hemingway: So, it sounds like the key once again is the right socks. Tracy Cline: Yes. The right socks. You have to understand too sometimes, dependent on the weather, they're not out cutting. It depends on how cold it is. So, it's very rare. In the years that I've been in the footwear industry in general, about 25 years, you really only get complaints when it's super cold. So again, good socks. Monica Hemingway: And I think you'd get complaints in super cold weather regardless of what you're wearing. Tracy Cline: Yes, but what's also important too, is we insulate in the foot bed. So about 70% of your heat and cold exchange from footwear when you're wearing it, comes from the bottom of the shoe, not the upper. People will ask, "how many grams of Thinsulate or how much insulation is in your boot"? Well, it's not insulated in the upper because it doesn't need to be. It's got the multiple layers of Gore-Tex, which keeps it dry. Dry keeps you warm and comfortable. Also, the insulation here at the foot bed is super important. You'd be surprised at how many footwear manufacturers do not insulate on the ground level, but it's like the uppers. You'll hear guys complaining that they're sweating in their boots. It's too hot. It's because they don't need all the upper, they need the bottom level. Monica Hemingway: Okay. So maybe we can go back to earlier when we were talking about comfort and we were talking about working in different conditions, hot, cold, wet - the word Gore-Tex never came up. So, I'm wondering if we can revisit that question about comfort for different weather or temperature conditions and what to look for. Tracy Cline: Yeah. So, one thing that I will tell you is that HAIX is the biggest user of Gore in all of Europe. We only use Gore-Tex, it's the best in the market. It is the top. If you purchase boots that do not use a Gore-Tex membrane, and this is not a plug for Gore, this is just my professional opinion, since 1995, working in footwear... Gore is the only one that's going to have the maximum breathability. If you put your hand inside of a plastic bag, it builds up moisture and it has no way to escape. So, you're essentially sticking your foot in a plastic bag if you get something with a generic waterproof membrane. If somebody says it's waterproof and you don't see this Gore-Tex tag, you're more than likely going to build up a lot of moisture. You're going to get hot in the summer and you may get cold and clammy in the winter. Gore is the most breathable membrane on the market. So, something else to look for when you're buying your boots, look for that tag. It's going to make a big difference in the long run. Monica Hemingway: All right. So just so I'm clear, these boots are made out of leather and Gore-Tex together? Tracy Cline: Correct. Our leather is a hydrophobic leather, which means it's water resistant. But once you drop that membrane behind it, it makes the boot completely waterproof. It is watertight. There should be no water getting into that boot whatsoever. And just because you use a Gore-Tex membrane, if you don't manufacture the boot right, doesn't mean it's going to work. But the way that we manufacturer with the liners fixed into the midsole, everything works properly. If you make what's called a bootie construction, which looks like a sock construction inside of the boot, over time as you put the boot on and off, the liner comes out. But that's not possible in the way we manufacture. So, those are just things to look for. The materials, where are they made, and how are they made. Do they have an orthopedic fit? Leather heel counters, for example. We don't use plastic here. Wver time as you wear leather, this is going to cup around the back of the heel, like a baseball glove effect, and give a custom fit around your heel. If you have plastic back here and you're jamming your foot in and out, that plastic breaks, it cuts you in the back of the foot and the boots are garbage basically, you have to throw them away. So, it's the little details such as that... Also, look for the warranties on boots, refurbishing options, those are other things to look for as well. Monica Hemingway: What would be a good warranty? How long should we expect? Tracy Cline: In the HAIX, we offer a one-year warranty on our product. Now, what I will tell you is that in the forestry industry, these guys are lucky to get three, six or nine months out of their boots. That tends to be the magic numbers. But I've got guys coming up to me saying they've had their HAIX going on two years and over, which is unheard of in our industry. Especially since these guys are so hard on boots. I mean, we sell boots that firemen wear, and the forestry guys are harder on their boots than boots that we see going in and out of fires. I'm not kidding. It's amazing. A guy walks up and says "these are three months old. " And I think they're wearing a five-year old pair of boots. It's just the nature of the business. They get destroyed very easily. But what I will tell you, as far as longevity, the HAIX boots really stand up. I've not seen any other boots standup as long as ours. Monica Hemingway: Okay. Wow. That's really something. Earlier, you mentioned refurbishing boots. What does that involve? Tracy Cline: Okay, so what we offer is a program, it's a company called NuShoe. It's at N-U-S-H-O-E. com. They are a company that's an authorized HAIX repair center for our boots. It's too expensive to send them back to Germany to be refurbished. So, say for example, you get this boot and you rip an eyelid off in six months or a piece of stitching were to come loose or something. You can actually send this off to be refurbished, it takes about two to three weeks. It's in San Diego, California, and they will correct anything that's gone wrong with the boot. They will call you beforehand to let you know. If you let some things go too long, it can't be repaired though. The only caveat is on this particular model, our class two, we use the Vibram sole. The company Vibram is an Italian company. A lot of people say I wear a Vibram boot, well, it's not a Vibram boot, it's a sole. They make everything from a cheap one to a very high-end sole. They will not give us replacement soles for these boots. So, with that being said, could you go to a local cobbler and have a new sole put on these boots? You could. Now with our class one protection boot that we have, we designed the sole on that boot so that could actually be refurbished. So, for $55, you could have the treads redone. And for $75 you can have the complete boot reconditioned, which means new insoles, any stitching, laces, anything like that will be replaced, deodorized, polished, and sent back to you like a new pair of boots. Monica Hemingway: It sounds like a pretty good deal for 75 bucks when you consider new boots run on average $400 or so. Tracy Cline: Yeah, it is. That's another advantage to some companies out there that offer that, and we're one of them. Monica Hemingway: Does NuShoe work with other manufacturers as well? Tracy Cline: They do work with other shoe manufacturers. I can't speak to whether or not they work with some of our competitors in the field. That's something they would have to check into. But I know they work with Birkenstock and things like that. So, there's some other name brand places that NuShoe works with, but sometimes your local cobbler can work on things as well. Monica Hemingway: True. Shop local, as they say. Tracy Cline: Yes, shop local. That's right. Actually, if you're looking for boots, that's the best place you can find them. You can always check with your local forestry suppliers. We have some major companies such as things like Sherrill Tree, Tree Stuff, Arborwear, just to name a few of the big ones that offer our line. They also offer some of the other lines as well, for forestry. If you have an interest in HAIX specifically, feel free to give me a call and I'll be glad to direct you to the place to go to try them. Or, if we're going to have a trade show in a local area to have you stop by and see us. We're always at TCI EXPO every year and some other shows throughout the year. My cell phone number is (859) 629-1377. You can always check us out at HAIX. com. You can also, send me an email at t. cline@haix. com. Monica Hemingway: So, thank you, Tracy. That was really, really informative. I hope some of our listeners or readers get in touch with you. If they wanted to know where trade shows are so that they could come and see you, is that also going to be on the Haix website? Tracy Cline: Absolutely. So, if you are curious if we're going to be in your area, feel free to go to our website, check out our trade show lists, and look and see where we're going to be. If you don't see something, but you're still interested in taking a look at our product. Just give me a shout. I'll be glad to direct you in the right way. Or maybe I'll just happen to be traveling through your area at some point. And if you and your company are looking for a demo or something like that, I'm also open to come out to do that as well. Monica Hemingway: I'm sure some of our listeners are going to take you up on that offer! Thanks everyone for joining us on this episode of the Tree Care Business Show! Where we looked at how the perfect footwear can make all the difference for you and your crews. You can find more details about this episode on the TCMs website at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/10-footwear. You'll also find all of our other episodes right there on the website. Thanks again for joining us. And we look forward to seeing you again, next time. In This Episode Here's what you'll find in this episode: 0:00 - About HAIX (how to you even pronounce it? ! ) 2:36 - Durability and the difference between boots made with cow vs bull hides 5:07 - How to extend the life of your boots 9:05 - The importance of using the right socks (and which to choose) 10:53 - Boot prices and indicators of a high-quality boot that's worth buying 12:31 - Buying boots online - what to look for 14:10 - Indicators of good fit and how to tell if your boots fit properly 16:05 - Lacing your boots and how that affects fit and comfort 17:22 - Different roles = different kinds of boots 21:47 - Safety issues, crush protection, cut protection, Kevlar vs carbon fiber vs steel 25:29 - Wearing boots in cold weather without freezing your feet (where should boots be insulated and where does it not make any difference? ) 27:55 - Which boot materials and types of construction make boots most comfortable in different temperatures and weather conditions (hint: look for Gore-Tex! ) 31:16 - Warranties for tree worker boots 32:12 - Refurbishing your boots (don't buy new if you don't have to! ) 35:52 - Where to get more information about HAIX boots or try them on Contact HAIX® North America Inc. Tracy Cline Forestry Brand Ambassador 2320 Fortune Dr, Ste 120 Lexington, KY 40509 Phone: 859. 281. 0111 Toll-Free: 866. 344. HAIX (4249) Fax: 859. 281. 0113 Mobile: 859. 629. 1377 t. cline@haix. com | www. haix. com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio so you can listen on the go. --- ### Subscribe - GROWth Report - Published: 2022-04-11 - Modified: 2023-02-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/growth-report/ Get the Monthly GROWth Report Each monthly newsletter tells you - the important changes in the online marketing world, how that affects you and your business, and what to do about it. It's a quick read, with actionable tips focused on the tree care industry. Because there's no point knowing about changes in SEO, websites, paid search, Google Business Profile, email marketing, etc. if there's nothing you can do about it! Things change quickly - stay on top of it! To start getting the GROWth Report, just type in your email and name, and then hit the green button below. To your success, No fluff. No BS. Just the straight scoop on what you need to know to stay at the top of the search results. Subscribe - GROWth Report Get your free guide with monthly holidays (including some you may not have heard of before! ), marketing ideas for specific days, and topics to focus on delivered straight to your inbox at the beginning of each month! Name(Required) First LastEmail(Required) Do you want to subscribe to any of our other publications? (Required) Tree Facts - Social media images and content sent to you each week (free to use however you want! ) Tree Care Business Podcast - Interviews to help you grow your business Monthly Marketing Ideas - Ideas to help you engage online with prospects and customers each month No thanks, I'm not interested --- ### Subscribe - Monthly Marketing Ideas - Published: 2022-04-01 - Modified: 2025-01-27 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/monthly-marketing-ideas/ Download This Month's Tree Service Marketing Ideas! Stumped for ideas about what to post on social media this month for your tree service company? How about blog posts or newsletters? Don't worry - we've got you covered! Just click the button below to automatically download the TCMS Monthly Marketing Ideas guide for this month. No email required (yeah, we knew you'd like that! ). But if you'd like to automatically get each month's guide sent straight to your email inbox, you can choose to subscribe to our Monthly Marketing Ideas email. There's no spam - we promise. Just the guide (unless you'd like to also get some of our other publications - we promise they're worth it! ) Download Your Guide Get Your Tree Service Marketing Ideas by Email Subscribe to get your free guide delivered straight to your inbox at the beginning of each month. Subscribe - Monthly Marketing Ideas Get your free guide with monthly holidays (including some you may not have heard of before! ), marketing ideas for specific days, and topics to focus on delivered straight to your inbox at the beginning of each month! Name(Required) First Last Email(Required) Do you want to subscribe to any of our other publications? The GROWth Report - Monthly update and tips to improve your online presence and lead generation Tree Facts - Weekly social media images and post content Tree Care Business Podcast - Interviews to help you grow your business No thanks --- ### Podcast - 5. Uniform Programs for Tree Service Crews > Pros and cons of a uniform program, what it costs, the many benefits (hiring & retention? yup!), design ideas, ordering process, and more. - Published: 2022-02-17 - Modified: 2023-04-06 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-uniforms/ Back to all episodes See the next episode Stand Out With a Uniform Program for Your Tree Service Crews with Heidi Baumgart Arborwear Tree worker uniforms - should you buy branded clothing and gear for your crews? We share the pros and cons, what it costs, the many benefits (hiring & retention? yup! ), design ideas, ordering process, and more. Don't want to watch the episode? Keep scrolling for the transcript! Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio - so you can listen on the go. As a tree service business owner, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about the tools and equipment that you use, about making sure you've got the right people on board, or about the skills and training that you offer to your teams. But how much time do you spend thinking about what your crews are wearing? On this episode of 10 Out of Ten, brought to you by Tree Care Marketing Solutions, we look at company uniform programs. Specifically, we look at how those programs can help you with the visibility of your company, the performance and safety of your crews, as well as with employee retention. Joining us today is Heidi Baumgart from Arborwear. She's the Vice President of Marketing and Team Development and in her role in marketing, she covers everything from product development to product launch, sales enablement, e-commerce, which is a big thing these days (including branded e-commerce platforms or sites for companies to buy their clothing from), and branding for Arborwear in general. Welcome to the show, Heidi! Heidi Thank you so much for having me. Monica Okay, let's just jump right into the questions. And the first question is ... what kinds of clothing are important to consider when you're putting together a uniform program for your company? Heidi Well, you know, the first things people tend to think of are tops and bottoms. So, all the versions of shirts and pants. Shirts are probably the biggest quantity, whether it's cotton T-shirts or other kinds of T-shirts or polos, short sleeve, or long sleeve shirts. Also pants, or in some cases, shorts, but predominantly pants. We also do outerwear, mid-layers, ball caps, beanies or stocking caps, socks, we've even logo'd boxer briefs! And then we have a full line of footwear. So, you know, kind of head to toe. A lot of companies are also issuing safety apparel, including helmets, the audio systems that go with helmets, and chainsaw protection. And, again, it's head to toe. It's really all the things but the basics usually start with T-shirts and pants and kind of go from there. Monica Okay, so are there any things that would not be included in a uniform program? Heidi I guess it depends on the investment the company wants to make. The kinds of apparel that companies are required to give to their employees are anything safety-related, such as high visibility apparel or chainsaw protection. From there, it really is based on how much they want to invest in their employees as far as general apparel that gives them brand standards or that improves their working. Monica So that actually kind of leads to a follow-up question, which is how do you maintain that sort of uniform look across your different employees, given that different team members are going to have different roles? Heidi Yeah, great question. And this is one of my favorite things, when the sales team brings in the marketing department to help design a look. But a lot of times our customers already have great brand standards. With some things, you're kind of locked into two different HVSA colors. So, if you're required to have yellow, or if your brand prefers orange, there's your starting color palette. If those kinds of colors aren't required, then the rainbow is the limit as far as choosing different apparel colors. Oftentimes, we're selecting things that match the brand colors. And we're also doing a lot of darker colors, because you know, it's dirty work. For example, we have several different versions of two-tone shirts, where the body of the apparel is either navy, a forest green, or black. And then the second color is a complimentary, brighter safety color, just for visibility standards. So, you kind of can choose based on color palette, and then from there, you add your brand standards. Monica So, one of the things with a uniform is obviously as somebody driving by a worksite you want to make sure they know who you are and who's working on that job. How do you brand your apparel so that it's clear what company you are? Heidi Arborwear handles all the embellishments for our customers and the two common ones are screen printing and embroidery. It just depends on the garment, like you wouldn't embroider rainwear, per se. We put logos in a variety of places. The two top places are on the left chest, that's just the common uniform way where you'll have maybe a two and a half or three-inch logo on your left chest, and secondly what we call a fullback. So those are the two really kind of common ones and we have designed our apparel so that we can accommodate those in almost all situations. And some of our customers will do a full front (some of my favorite brands have utilized the entire full front of the shirt). And we've done sleeves, we've even done pants. There are logos in different places but it's usually on the top left of your thigh when it's on pants. Of course, hats are great too. That small logo on the left of a hat is kind of the in thing right now. But of course, we've done lots of versions, like the full front logo or even side information. So individual teams or crews, or people who've worked on certain projects will get side logos to kind of differentiate them on hats, that's a really fun one that marketing often helps with. So there's a lot of opportunity to brand your apparel, and our customers are absolutely using branding to differentiate themselves because even though they're in high vis and that looks pretty consistent. Whether you're an asphalt crew, a utility crew, a construction crew, or a tree crew of any kind, hi-vis this looks like hi-vis but there are still a lot of unique ways that we can use brands to differentiate the company in the work setting. Heidi So you mentioned something, you said "marketing can help you with that. " Are you referring to Arborwear's marketing department? Can you help them decide where to put things and what to put on there? Heidi Yeah, we totally can help. Some companies have marketing people or they've worked with marketing firms that have done a ton of branding and they say, "Hey, this is our logo color and here are our ideas on how it works for our apparel. " We've even worked where a branding firm kind of gave us their ideas. And we said hey, you know, actually, if you consider these colors of apparel instead, here's how we think it could really make your brand stand out. We've also helped customers that don't have the resources to have some branding firm or have internal resources to do branding. In those cases, we've designed things for them. Some of my favorite ones that always come to mind are where companies will send a whole crew for a hurricane cleanup or a fire cleanup or something like that. And afterward, they want to send that crew a thank you for being on that team because they're gone for a month and working all hours. and so we've done some really fun logos, like Hurricane Ida crew or Hurricane Laura crew, or different sayings. These crews have already built camaraderie and it's such a moment in time. And so we are the marketing team here at Arborwear has designed fun branding that goes with our apparel that they're already buying. So we always love getting involved in that way with our customers. Monica What a fun idea. So it sounds like even if you're a smaller company without the internal resources, you can still get really nice branded apparel for your crews through a program like that. Heidi To work with Arborwear's embellishment, we do have minimums like any company. So there are minimums to your order, we're not going to embroider just one item or screenprint just a couple of shirts. It takes so much work to set up your logo, plus all the back and forth of proofing, and then actually putting the embroidery on the loom and all that kind of stuff. So there are minimums. But most of our customers, especially when their outfitting crews, find that they're going to meet those minimums without a lot of fuss anyways. Monica So looking at turnaround, how early should people be thinking about ordering or placing an order for branded apparel? For many companies, springtime is so the time when they really start to ramp up production. How early should they start thinking about ordering in order to have everything in place before that? Heidi Well, like anything else ASAP. You know, giving yourself a couple of months, because there's a lot of decisions to be made. Our customer service and sales team are just such experts at all of that and they can walk you through the process. But if you want to spring uniform and you're going to have people onboarding, you could have people in early March, so you need to have that apparel in February, which means you need to be ordering it in January. It always helps to think about all the decisions that need to be made. So which apparel and then which logos and in what placements. And then we have to set up and proof those logos with you. That takes time as well. And then there's actually embellishing the garment and then shipping it to you. So you know, we make the process easy, but definitely the more lead time, the better. For spring uniforms, we are absolutely working on spring uniforms in January, February, and March that people start wearing in March, April, and all through the summer. And then to be set in the fall very often it's kind of like August and September that we're working on all the winter uniforms. Those are those two really peak seasons. Monica So as a business owner, when you're placing an order for apparel for your crews, how do you decide which sizes to offer? How do you accommodate differences in body shape, or people's preferences around what kind of clothing they wear? And obviously, there's going to be differences men or women as well. Heidi This is definitely one of those things we deal with with every customer. Usually, you kind of know who's going to be on the crew, and you may already have received their sizes, which is always the optimal way to make an order. One of the main things that we've done is, all of our colors are sort of custom to us, and they follow the range of all of our pants. So all of our pants come in a coal color so if you have part of your ground crew need to be in the Ground Flex pants, those are in coal, if you have climbers, and they're in Canopies or Ascenders those are in coal. We have women's styles in those same colors. So no matter the sizing or the fit that you need based on size, shape, gender, whatever it is, we're going to be offering you a range of different kinds of products. We've also had people actually get different brands for people, predominately for tops. A great example could be you want to do a full uniform program. And again, your ground crew is going to get a certain kind of shirt, and then the climbers are going to get the arbor transpiration shirts, and then maybe your office staff needs something else. So they're going to get a button down shirt. Some of that is just being able to source different brands. And you know, the other one is we're constantly adding women sizes, and we're adding what we call shoulder sizes, so smaller sizes and larger sizes as much as we can. We're a small company, a small manufacturer, but we're absolutely trying to add all those different fits and shapes. And the number one place that we're really paying attention to fit and function is chainsaw protection. So we are the only company that makes chainsaw pants in actual pant sizes, which seems like such a no brainer, but we are not a small, medium, large or one size fits all, or you pay the big price and then you have to customize it where if you were a 36 by 32 pant, you're gonna get a 36 by 32-inch chainsaw production pants. Monica When you have a uniform program you're buying in bulk or larger quantities and it's not just for yourself. So you want to make sure you're buying quality. What should you be looking for to make sure you're getting something that's going to last but that is also flexible enough, that it is breathable, that it would protect you from the elements that protect you from a chainsaw and all that? Heidi Well, especially for safety or certain kind of standards, there are standards that are out there. So, a great example is we're adding a lot more UPF rated clothing, especially tops. So it's 50 Plus UPF because if you're working outside that's a great feature to look for because you're in the sun, you're in the elements. Monica Here in Arizona where we're located, you need that because you're going to fry! Heidi Our transmission shade hoodie is amazing because it's also got a really lightweight hood. And so you get that protection and it's all UPF so that's a big one to look for. Breathable apparel is obviously a big one. Our most famous breathable item is actually probably our sweatshirts because they're cotton and they're rugged and they're famous because they're breathable and wearable. We just came out with the most lightweight pants in our history. We're trying to serve warmer markets or warmer seasons, kind of no matter where you are geographically. They're super lightweight pants, but they're still the Arborwear rugged quality. So it's weight, UPF, obviously HVSA, like all the class standards that are required for visibility. chainsaw protection, you know, those have standards. It can be kind of tricky when you're shopping to find those so know what standards you have to meet, and then see if the apparel fits those kinds of things. Monica One of the big challenges in the green industry as a whole, including in the tree care industry is attracting new team members and retaining talent. So how would you use something like a uniform program to help with those issues? Heidi We do what we call onboarding kits, or new hire kits. Some of those kits are just kind of a general welcome. And some of them actually include the beginning parts of their uniform. So their branded kits, it'll say something like welcome to XYZ tree care company. It'll say it right on the packaging tape even, so when you're opening the box you're feeling welcomed. You open up, there's a letter from the owner, or their crew manager, whatever, whoever is appropriate. And then there's say, a Nalgene water bottle, a t-shirt or a hoodie. Stickers are a popular one, hoorags, all kinds of little things like pens, maybe even an onboarding brochure, those kinds of items. Or book bags, even our popular ones are backpacks of different shapes and sizes, safety glasses, earplugs. So then you're getting this oh, wow, this is a great company that I'm working for. So you're going into it with a positive attitude. And then once you get there, there are different programs that we've done for customers. For example, it could be after they hit their 60 days, they get a specific piece of apparel, that it's like you're officially on the crew, because you've got you know, such and such jacket, or you've got the team hoodie. But you have to be there for a little while. And then we've done great retention programs. So I mentioned we do them for things like a hurricane cleanup. And so then you get like a thank you gift. But we've also just done that for hey, you've been here for a year (we call those "workaversaries" here). So hey, you know, every workaversary, 1, 3, 5, whatever it is, you get a better item. And those are the kind of programs that again, kind of seem obvious, but that people like and have come to look forward to getting. It's like, hey, when I hit this milestone, I get these items. It's amazing. If you just like feel like you look good, you'll feel yourself, you'll feel better about working for the company. So there's no better representative for the company when you're interacting with customers or prospects. Yeah, absolutely. When you look more professional, for sure. Monica Okay, so I think that wraps it up for today. If anybody wanted to get in touch with you directly, how would they do that? Heidi Well, the best, easiest way would be to email Arborwear at info@arborwear. com. If you want to reach me personally, it's marketing@arborwear. com. You can also call us and someone's going to answer. We have actual live people on the phones here. Some people are surprised when they call and they get somebody on the line right away! The phone number is on the site. We're Eastern Standard Time, but eight to five, you're going to get a real live, fantastic helping human here at our work. We're a small business and we treat all of our customers like family. So give us a call! Monica All right, thank you very much, Heidi, this has been really informative. I know our listeners will appreciate all the insights you've shared with them on uniform programs for their team and their group. Thanks for joining us on this episode of 10 Out of Ten where we took a look at company uniform programs and how having the right clothing, including branded apparel, can make all the difference not only in the visibility and performance of your teams, but in retaining employees as well. You can get more details on our website at treecaremarketingsolutions. com/10-uniforms. And you'll also see details there on all the other episodes of 10 Out of Ten. I look forward to seeing you again soon! Contact Arborwear Heidi Baumgart, VP of Marketing and Team Development Phone: 888-578-TREE (8733) Office: 440-384-3662 hbaumgart@arborwear. com Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio so you can listen on the go. --- ### Podcast - 1. Business Software Systems - Published: 2021-11-02 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-businesssoftware/ When it's time to upgrade to a business software system with Mike Triplett ServSuite / Service Pro Learn how an "all in one" business software system can (and cannot) help grow your business and the signs that you're ready to step up to a business software system. There are several well-known options available to tree service companies, such as ServSuite, Arborgold, SingleOps, and more, so it's important to understand what it takes to make the switch from what you're currently using (Quickbooks is probably the most common starting point), as well as what to look for when choosing a business software solution for your tree service company. Contact ServSuite / Service Pro Mike Triplett, Sales Process manager 1535 Georgesville Rd. Columbus, OH 43228 Phone: 614-340-1335 Direct: 614-599-2541 mtriplett@servicetitan. com --- ### Podcast - 3. Photos - Published: 2021-11-02 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-visualmedia/ USING IMAGES (& VIDEO) TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS with Joel Spooner InTreeMedia Learn why images make such a big difference when selling your tree care services, what types of images work best to increase customer confidence and portray your business as an industry professional, tips for taking photos yourself, and photographic resources that will help you stand out online and in print without breaking the bank. Contact InTreeMedia Joel Spooner joel@intreemedia. com --- ### Podcast - 2. Tree Service Insurance - Published: 2021-11-02 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-insurance/ Tree Service insurance with Tom Doherty TreePro Insurance Contact TreePro Thomas Doherty - SVP, Specialty Programs 900 Route 9 North, Suite 503 Woodbridge, NJ 07095 tdoherty@nipgroup. com --- ### Podcast - 4. Financing - Published: 2021-11-02 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-financing/ Financing Your Tree Care Equipment with JoAnn Cucciarre Northern Atlantic Financial Contact Northern Atlantic Financial JoAnn Cucciarre 410 Turnberry Way Souderton, PA 18964 Phone: 800-710-4361 or 215-721-6945 Fax: 800-711-0468 Cell: 610-909-8023 www. northernatlanticfinancial. com joann. cucciarre@comcast. net --- ### Privacy Policy > Our Privacy Policy describes what data we collect and how it may be used. - Published: 2021-11-01 - Modified: 2021-11-01 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/privacy-policy/ OUR COMMITMENT Welcome to Tree Care Marketing Solutions (the “Site”, referred to as “we,” “us” or “our”). Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy, we provide this policy explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used by the Site. 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SITE OF PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA Personal data of individuals collected by us may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Tree Care Marketing Solutions, its vendors, or partners maintain facilities. Tree Care Marketing Solutions may transfer personal data for processing across borders and from your country or jurisdiction to other countries or jurisdictions around the world. CONTACT If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please feel free to contact us via email at info@treecaremarketingsolutions. com.   --- ### Resources & What We Do (TCI EXPO) > Articles, downloads, subscriptions, and special offers for TCI EXPO attendees. If you visited our booth, these are the resources we mentioned. - Published: 2021-11-01 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/resources/ WELCOME! you've come to the right place for marketing resources to help your tree service company grow arrow pointing down Start here to learn what we can do for you! THE Complete Online Marketing Solution Specifically For Tree Service Companies If you're tired of chasing after new customers and wasting time and money trying online tactics that just don't work, then you owe it to yourself to look into a different way of growing your business. Not something you've seen dozens of times before, something that all those "marketing experts" are selling, or something that will take up all of your "free" time and waste a lot of money. But something that provides a real solution that will generate leads, repeat customers, and referrals. Use the resources below to help grow your business. And if you need any help, just give us a call! Schedule a call 3-time winner of TCIA's Professional Communications Award for website design Resources for WEBINAR Attendees A FREE newsletter for the tree care and green industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and clear, simple advice for what to do about it so you can GROW your business New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Email marketing is still the single most effective way to generate repeat business for your tree service company - but only if it's done right. Grow your list with these handy tips for a wide range of situations. TUTORIAL: How To Claim & Optimize Your Google My Business Listing Go to business. google. com and follow the instructions. Be sure to fill out as many fields as possible and add images for your logo, a cover image, and photos of your work - more is better! You'll also find instructions in the video tutorial (although be aware that some of the screens will look different - Google likes to change things up! ). Play Video NOTE: The Local SEO Audit comes with no strings attached! Although I'll ask for your email address (so I can send you the report), you won't be signed up for anything and you won't get any marketing emails from me (unless you sign up for the GROWth Report). Harness the Power of Online Reviews to Grow Your Business 86% of consumers read reviews for a local business before deciding whether to contact them. Will they contact YOU? WITH REPUTATION BUILDER, YES THEY WILL! Special offer for TCI EXPO attendees - 10% off first 3 months. Contact me directly at mhemingway@treecaremarketingsolutions. com to claim this offer. Learn more about Reputation Builder Articles & Downloads Website Design & SEO Website Optimization Checklist Top 10 Website Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make 10 Questions to Ask Your Website Designer Is Your Website a Business Liability? 6 Simple Website Tactics to Attract More Customers Three Massive Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make That Cost Them Customers And Lost Revenue ** Some of these links take you to my personal blog at monicahemingway. com "Our digital marketing solution has been proven to work, time and time again, with tree care companies just like yours. And the best part is that we do it all FOR you! " Monica Hemingway Founder and CEO, Tree Care Marketing Solutions Schedule a call with me WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING We made a great decision when we hired and continue to retain TCMS to improve our website and our online presence. Their great credentials, experience and knowledge of arboriculture are invaluable in helping us achieve our high rankings and online relevance. Bill Grundmann, Organic Plant Care LLC - Frenchtown, NJ You're busy running your business. You don't have time to manage all the digital marketing yourself. That's why we do it all for you! What We Do From building an appealing, high-converting, and SEO-optimized website, to writing all of the content for your site (including monthly blog posts), designing and writing monthly email newsletters, building cost-effective Google Ads campaigns, and setting up your social media accounts to attract quality leads, we take care of everything for you. And we don't just set it up and forget it like so many other providers. We work with you over the long term to put out consistently great content that ranks at the top of the search results, gets you found online, and positions you as a local authority on all things related to tree care. Consistency and continuity are key to a successful online presence. Website DesignMore than just a pretty website - our award-winning sites are designed to appeal to viewers and turn them into customers. Local SEOGet your website found online in your service area through both on-site and off-site optimization. Google AdsDrive more calls and clicks from well-qualified leads with targeted campaigns that get REAL, measurable results. Email MarketingKeep your customers coming back for more with custom designed monthly email newsletters written and managed for you. Content Writing"Content is king" - We write all of your website content. Optimized to rank well in Google and appeal to your ideal customers. Review ManagementGet, manage & display reviews to be seen as the best local tree care provider, with top ratings and reviews on all major sites. There's a reason our customers stay with us year after year. WE GET RESULTS SEE CLIENT CASE STUDIES Proven Process, Proven Results If your online marketing doesn't generate meaningful results, why are you doing it? Discovery We start with a structured process to help us understand your business, goals, market, customers, competitors, and more. As your strategic partner, the more we know, the better we can help you. Complete Online Audit We dig into everything you do online, plus any offline marketing. This gives us a good baseline measure as a starting point, plus allows us to uncover what's working well, what isn't, what's missing, and whether there are any critical technical or security issues to fix. Strategy Development Together, we'll go over all of our findings and discuss our recommendations for high-priority items, plus anything that should be done but can wait a while. We build out a complete online strategy to help you achieve your business goals, as well as specifying the tools and tactics that enable the strategy. Implementation Once we've agreed on an overall strategy, we build out all of the things you'll need to put it into action. A custom WordPress website (we write all the content so you don't have to worry about that! ), Google Ads, local SEO, social media accounts, email marketing, analytics and metrics platforms, YouTube, and more. It's all done for you. Metrics & Analysis Regular and accurate measurement and analysis are critical to optimizing your online presence. If you don't know how well something's working, how do you know if it's worth paying for? We keep our eyes on all the relevant data and quickly take action if something isn't performing as expected. Ongoing SEO & Updates The process doesn't stop just because your website is built and ads are running! To be effective, SEO must be an ongoing activity (which is why it's unfortunate that so many companies don't do this! ). Our monthly plans keep your online presence growing with email newsletters, blog posts (getting website content to rank on the first page of Google is one of our "superpowers"), ads management, local SEO, ongoing website updates, videos, security monitoring, and more. This is the part of the process that's most important for continuing SEO success. Schedule a call with Monica WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING Because TCMS is dedicated to the success of tree care companies, they have provided much better results than the companies we used previously. Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH Why Work With Tree Care Marketing Solutions? We offer a COMPLETE solution that addresses all of the things that help your business get found online, convert leads into customers, and generate more repeat business You don't need to hire and coordinate across multiple vendors just to make sure nothing falls between the cracks. We get results that matter to YOU, not just "vanity metrics" that look good but don't help grow your business And we show you the data to prove it, with typical ROI in the 400%-700% range. We use a proven process to get the most out of your online presence After 12+ years in business, we know what works and what doesn't. We customize our work so your online presence is unique to you and truly reflects your business We don't take a cookie-cutter approach that only caters to the "lowest common denominator". We're fully transparent, not a "black box" Everything is an open book, we fully explain what we're doing and why, and you always have full access to whatever data you want. You own all accounts (domain, Google Ads, social media, email marketing, etc. ) No accounts are proprietary to us so you're not held hostage by systems, accounts, or content that can't be transferred elsewhere. We're proactive, responsive, and easy to work with We'll never ghost you or disappear with all of the details you need to access your accounts. We produce award-winning work so you know you're getting best-in-class solutions We've won the TCIA Professional Communications Award 3 times, as well as a Business Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. We're experts in the online marketing industry AND in the tree care industry With arborists, Google certified marketers, SEOs, and even a PhD psychologist and statistician on staff, you'll always get the "latest and greatest" strategies, tactics, and knowledge from both industries. You won't waste time explaining what you do or writing and editing content for blog posts, ads, newsletters, etc. We've been in your shoes as arborists and tree care business owners - we get it! TCMS is your strategic business partner, not just another "SEO provider" or "digital marketer". What Our Clients Are Saying Tree Care Marketing Solution's efforts greatly increased our online presence with a much more cost-effective solution which is yielding better than expected results and, best of all, it's freed me up to grow the business. Matt Bartelme, Barts Tree Service - Winner of TCIA's 2015 Professional Communications Award for his new website & online presence built by Tree Care Marketing Solutions Who is This For? Our award-winning online marketing system isn't for everyone. And while we'd love to be able to work with every tree care company, not everyone is ready for what we offer. Plus, since we only work with one company per service area, we want to be sure every client is a great fit. Are You Ready? Are you serious about growing your tree care business? Does your business already bring in substantial revenue ($750k+)? Are your current marketing efforts not bringing you the leads and revenue you want? Are you looking for a more consistent stream of new and repeat customers? Do you want to be seen as the most credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable tree care provider in your area? Are you tired of paying per lead or per click fees? Are you ready to invest in the future of your business? Does a 400-700% ROI sound good to you? While we can't guarantee you'll see the same results, that's the average return on marketing investment for our clients. SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MONICA As an arborist and the founder and CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, I love helping tree service owners. That's why I do these calls myself, rather than passing you off to someone else. On the call, I'll quickly analyze what you're doing online right now, identify the most important gaps, and give you a roadmap to help you bring in more customers with online marketing. Whether we work together or not, you'll get valuable and actionable tips that you can implement right away. It will be one of the most helpful marketing conversations you've had all year - I promise! Schedule a Call If you're not quite ready, check out our SEO and website audits that'll get you started quickly and effectively. Ready to Take Things To the Next Level? Build your tree care business with our complete online marketing solution. Get in touch and let's see how we can work together. --- ### Podcast - 0. The Tree Care Business Show - Published: 2021-10-30 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/podcast-2/ Business Growth Tips from Industry Experts This video series answers common questions about services many tree service companies use as they grow their business. Learn the ins and outs in these brief, informative videos (audio and written transcripts are also available). Subscribe for more topics, like buying equipment (new vs used), communications tools, and more! Subscribe for new episodes EPISODE 9 Get More Storm Work & Emergency Tree Service Customers with Tom Pope, HMI Looking for more storm work? Want to grow your emergency tree services but not sure how? See how partnering with a company like HMI can bring you more storm cleanup jobs and emergency work without all the hassles! Watch this episode Episode 08 Strategic Growth Through Acquisition with Jonathan Wolfson, Nature's Experts (Sherlock Tree Company) Hear about Jonathan's journey to creating the Nature's Experts collection of businesses, starting with a few flower shops, then strategically acquiring other businesses in the green industry to build a $15M+ company. Jonathan also provides helpful tips such as considerations for buying an existing company, managing people, expanding services, and much more! Watch this episode Episode 07 GROW YOUR TREE SERVICE BUSINESS WITH BIOCHAR with Laurie Mann, American Biochar Many people have heard of biochar, but may not know exactly what it is or how it can be used. Is it a fertilizer? Is it alive or dead? Animal, vegetable, or mineral? On today's show, you'll learn all about biochar and its many benefits! We'll even give you some ideas about how you could put it to use in your own yard, how you could add it into your tree care services, and how to talk to customers about the benefits of biochar. Watch this episode Episode 06 FINDING THE BEST BOOTS FOR TREE WORKERS with Tracy Cline, Haix Having the right footwear can make all the difference between a great day in the field and a miserable one. But how do you find the right pair of boots to keep your feet dry and comfortable while protecting you from injury and making it easier to do your job? Don't worry! We've got the inside scoop on finding the perfect pair of boots for tree workers right here on the Tree Care Business Show. And I bet there will be a lot of topics that are new to you or will help you up your footwear game! Watch this episode Episode 05 STAND OUT WITH A UNIFORM PROGRAM FOR YOUR TREE SERVICE CREWS with Heidi Baumgart, Arborwear Tree worker uniforms - should you buy branded clothing and gear for your crews? We share the pros and cons, what it costs, the many benefits (hiring & retention? yup! ), design ideas, ordering process, and more. Watch this episode Episode 04 FINANCING YOUR EQUIPMENT PURCHASES with JoAnn Cucciarre, Northern Atlantic Financial How financing helps accelerate your business growth, how the process works, things to consider before applying, and more! Watch this episode Episode 03 USING IMAGES (& VIDEO) TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS with Joel Spooner, InTreeMedia Learn why images make such a big difference when selling your tree care services, what types of images work best to increase customer confidence and portray your business as an industry professional, tips for taking photos yourself, and photographic resources that will help you stand out online and in print without breaking the bank. Watch this episode Episode 02 IN'S & OUT'S OF TREE SERVICE INSURANCE with Tom Doherty, TreePro Insurance What types of insurance you really do need, risks covered by tree service insurance, how to balance the costs vs benefits, and how to use your insurance to gain more work. Watch this episode Episode 01 WHEN IT'S TIME TO UPGRADE TO A BUSINESS SOFTWARE SYSTEM with Mike Triplett, ServSuite How an "all in one" system can (and cannot) help grow your business, the signs that you're ready to step up to a business software system, what it takes to make the switch, and what to look for when choosing one. Watch this episode Don't Miss Another Episode! Get an email with each new episode - video, text, and audio so you can listen on the go. --- ### Blog - Published: 2021-10-30 - Modified: 2024-06-03 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/blog/ Digital Strategies Blog & RESOURCES Quick Reads What's New & What to Do About It Blog Articles The Tree Care Business Podcast Business Growth Tips from Industry Experts This video podcast series answers common questions about services many tree service companies use as they grow their business. Learn the ins and outs in these brief, informative videos (audio and written transcripts are also available). Don't miss another episode - subscribe to get the latest show delivered straight to your inbox! Watch, Listen or Read! Get Your Monthly GROWth Report A FREE newsletter for the tree service industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and what to do about it GET YOUR REPORT Marketing Ideas for Every Month of the Year! Get your free download with monthly holidays to celebrate (you probably haven't heard of some before! ), marketing ideas for specific days of the month, and topics to focus on each month to increase online visibility, engagement, and lead generation. GET YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD HERE! Popular Articles How Local SEO Really Works in the Tree Care Industry How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Care Company? 6 Simple Website Tactics to Attract More Customers 10 Questions to Ask Your Website Designer 8 Essentials Every Website Must Have 10 Questions to Answer Before Launching a Blog Are Blogs and Social Media Dead? --- ### Services (Green Industry) > Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - Published: 2021-07-26 - Modified: 2023-09-01 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/services-green-industry/ Ready To Change Your Green Industry Business Forever? THE Complete Online Marketing Solution Specifically For Green Industry Companies If you're tired of chasing after new customers and wasting time and money trying online tactics that just don't work, then you owe it to yourself to look into a different way of growing your business. Not something you've seen dozens of times before, something that all those "marketing experts" are selling, or something that will take up all of your "free" time and waste a lot of money. 3-time winner of TCIA's Professional Communications Award for website design "Our digital marketing solution has been proven to work, time and time again, with green industry companies just like yours. And the best part is that we do it all FOR you! " Monica Hemingway Founder and CEO Tree Care / Green Industry Marketing Solutions Schedule a call with me WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING Bill Grundmann, Organic Plant Care LLC - Frenchtown, NJ You're busy running your business. You don't have time to manage all the digital marketing yourself. What We Do   Website Design More than just a pretty website - our award-winning sites are designed to appeal to viewers and turn them into customers. Local SEO Get your website found online in your service area through both on-site and off-site optimization. Google Ads Drive more calls and clicks from well-qualified leads with targeted campaigns that get REAL, measurable results. Email Marketing Keep your customers coming back for more with custom designed monthly email newsletters written and managed for you. Content Writing "Content is king" - We write all of your website content. Optimized to rank well in Google and appeal to your ideal customers. Review Management Get, manage & display reviews to be seen as the best local green industry business, with top ratings and reviews on all major sites. There's a reason our customers stay with us year after year. SEE CLIENT CASE STUDIES Proven Process, Proven Results If your online marketing doesn't generate meaningful results, why are you doing it? Discovery We start with a structured process to help us understand your business, goals, market, customers, competitors, and more. As your strategic partner, the more we know, the better we can help you. Complete Online Audit We dig into everything you do online, plus any offline marketing. This gives us a good baseline measure as a starting point, plus allows us to uncover what's working well, what isn't, what's missing, and whether there are any critical technical or security issues to fix. Strategy Development Together, we'll go over all of our findings and discuss our recommendations for high-priority items, plus anything that should be done but can wait a while. We build out a complete online strategy to help you achieve your business goals, as well as specifying the tools and tactics that enable the strategy. Implementation Once we've agreed on an overall strategy, we build out all of the things you'll need to put it into action. A custom WordPress website (we write all the content so you don't have to worry about that! ), Google Ads, local SEO, social media accounts, email marketing, analytics and metrics platforms, YouTube, and more. It's all done for you. Metrics & Analysis Regular and accurate measurement and analysis are critical to optimizing your online presence. If you don't know how well something's working, how do you know if it's worth paying for? We keep our eyes on all the relevant data and quickly take action if something isn't performing as expected. Ongoing SEO & Updates Schedule a call with Monica WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH Why Work With Us? We offer a COMPLETE solution that addresses all of the things that help your business get found online, convert leads into customers, and generate more repeat business You don't need to hire and coordinate across multiple vendors just to make sure nothing falls between the cracks. We get results that matter to YOU, not just "vanity metrics" that look good but don't help grow your business And we show you the data to prove it, with typical ROI in the 400%-700% range. We use a proven process to get the most out of your online presence After 12+ years in business, we know what works and what doesn't. We customize our work so your online presence is unique to you and truly reflects your business We don't take a cookie-cutter approach that only caters to the "lowest common denominator". We're fully transparent, not a "black box" Everything is an open book, we fully explain what we're doing and why, and you always have full access to whatever data you want. You own all accounts (domain, Google Ads, social media, email marketing, etc. ) No accounts are proprietary to us so you're not held hostage by systems, accounts, or content that can't be transferred elsewhere. We're proactive, responsive, and easy to work with We'll never ghost you or disappear with all of the details you need to access your accounts. We produce award-winning work so you know you're getting best-in-class solutions We've won the TCIA Professional Communications Award 3 times, and Monica was honored with the Business Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. We're experts in the online marketing industry AND in the green industry With arborists, Google certified marketers, SEOs, and even a PhD psychologist and statistician on staff, you'll always get the "latest and greatest" strategies, tactics, and knowledge from both industries. You won't waste time explaining what you do or writing and editing content for blog posts, ads, newsletters, etc. We've been in your shoes as arborists and green industry business owners - we get it! Monica is your strategic business partner, not just another "SEO provider" or "digital marketer". What Our Clients Are Saying Matt Bartelme, Barts Tree Service - Winner of TCIA's 2015 Professional Communications Award for his new website & online presence built by Monica Hemingway Who is This For? Our award-winning online marketing system isn't for everyone. And while we'd love to be able to work with every green industry company, not everyone is ready for what we offer. Plus, since we only work with one company per service area, we want to be sure every client is a great fit. Are You Ready? Are you serious about growing your green industry business? Does your business already bring in substantial revenue ($750k+)? Are your current marketing efforts not bringing you the leads and revenue you want? Are you looking for a more consistent stream of new and repeat customers? Do you want to be seen as the most credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable green industry business in your area? Are you tired of paying per lead or per click fees? Are you ready to invest in the future of your business? Does a 400-700% ROI sound good to you? While we can't guarantee you'll see the same results, that's the average return on marketing investment for our clients. SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MONICA As an arborist, landscape designer, and founder and CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, I love helping green industry business owners (yes, we work with companies across the entire green industry, not just arborists). That's why I do these calls myself, rather than passing you off to someone else. Whether we work together or not, you'll get valuable and actionable tips that you can implement right away. It will be one of the most helpful marketing conversations you've had all year - I promise! Schedule a Call If you're not quite ready, check out our SEO and website audits that'll get you started quickly and effectively. Recent Clients I've worked with many different clients across the green industry to build a complete online presence that generates results for their business. Below are just a few recent client websites - click on the images to visit their site and learn more. Ready to Take Things To the Next Level? Build your green industry business with our complete online marketing solution.   Get in touch and let's see how we can work together. --- ### GMB Set Up Form - Published: 2021-03-02 - Modified: 2021-03-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/gmb-set-up/ Google My Business - getting Started To set up and/or optimize your Google My Business profile, we need some very specific information. It may seem like we're asking for a lot, but this is what Google expects to see! Please complete every question to the best of your ability. If there's something you can't answer, let us know and we'll do our best to help you come up with a response. We'll start setting up/optimizing your GMB profile and developing a plan for GMB posts (if applicable) when the completed form is received. GMB Intake Form Company Name*Business Address*This should be the address where your business is physically located (no PO boxes or virtual offices). Please complete it exactly as it should appear everywhere online (e. g. , on your website, social media profiles, online listings) - this needs to be correct and consistent. Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Business Website* Business Phone Number*Contact Person*Who should we contact with any questions? First Last Contact Person's Email Address* Contact Person's Phone Number (cell)*Sometimes, Google requires us to verify that we're "legitimate" by sending a verification code to the phone number associated with the Google/GMB account (usually, it's a cell phone). What is the # associated with the account? For Google My Business Optimization1. What are your regular business hours? *2. Which holidays are you CLOSED for? * Select All --- ### GMB Optimization & Management - Published: 2021-02-23 - Modified: 2021-02-23 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/gmb-optimization-management/ --- ### Events & Speaking Engagements > See where the Tree Care Marketing Solutions team will be next or contact us to book a workshop, webinar, or speaking engagement. - Published: 2021-01-09 - Modified: 2024-10-01 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/events-speaking/ Events & Speaking Upcoming Events September 19, 2024 - ACTC (Arizona Community Tree Council) in Camp Verde, AZ. We'll be exhibiting. September 25 - 27, 2024 - Texas Tree Conference and Trade Show in Waco, Texas. We'll be in booth #32. November 7 - 9, 2024 - TCI Expo in Baltimore, MD. We'll be in booth #2110. February 2-6, 2025 - TCIA Winter Management Conference in St. Thomas. Interested in having me speak at your tree care industry event? Please send me an email using the form below - or give me a call at 520-428-6959. I'd love to discuss your needs and learn what topics would be most interesting for your audience. "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Email* Phone*I'd like to talk with you about ... *NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Selected Invited Presentations Monica has been a professional speaker since 1997, with audience sizes ranging from small workshops to 3,000+ and presentations covering such topics as digital strategy, recruiting and hiring, gardening tools and techniques, and leadership. Utah Nursery & Landscape Association - January 18, 2022 How to Amp Up Your Online Presence to Outrank the Competition & Gain More Business Free Webinar (sponsored by LandPro) - July 27, 2021  4 Simple (but Overlooked) Online Tactics to Gain More Landscaping Customers Nursery Guide LIVE Seminars, Oregon Association of Nurseries - March 17, 2021 Five Keys to Getting Your Green Industry Business Found Online in 2021 Green Industry Show & Conference (Landscape Alberta Annual Conference) - November 18, 2020 First, You Have to be Found: Five Ways to Get Your Business Found Online in 2021 Great Lakes Trade Expo (MNLA Annual Conference), Lansing, MI - January 27-29, 2020 How Local SEO Really Works and How to Use it to Attract Qualified Leads First You Have to be Found: Taking Your Green Industry Business From Invisible to Sought-After in Today's Online World It's Not About the Design: How to Use Your Website to Bring in More Revenue Arizona Community Tree Council (ACTC) Annual Conference, Prescott, AZ - September 14, 2018 Foundations of Online Marketing for Tree Care Companies TCI Expo, Baltimore, MD - November 2017 Harness the Power of the Internet International Society for Arboriculture, Western Chapter, San Diego, CA - May 2017 How to Build an Online Presence That Gets Results for Your Tree Care Business (Without Wasting Time & Money on Tactics That Just Don't Work) GWA at New England Grows, Boston, MA - December 2016 Stop Focusing on "Exposure", Start Earning What You're Worth TCI Expo, Baltimore, MD - November 2016 How to Use Your Website To Bring In More Customers.   Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association Winter Symposium, Storrs, CT, January 2012. Invited to give the same presentation at the Northeast Greenhouse Growers Association Annual Meeting. Online Strategies to Grow Your Business. --- ### LP - GROW Your Tree Care Business With Digital Marketing > Online marketing for arborists by arborists. We don't just know marketing, we also know the tree care industry inside out! - Published: 2021-01-08 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tcia-2/ Ready To GROW Your Tree Care Business? THE Complete Online Marketing Solution Specifically For Tree Service Companies If you're tired of chasing after new customers and wasting time and money trying online tactics that just don't work, then you owe it to yourself to look into a different way of growing your business. Not something you've seen dozens of times before, something that all those "marketing experts" are selling, or something that will take up all of your "free" time and waste a lot of money. But something that provides a real solution that will generate leads, repeat customers, and referrals. 3-time winner of TCIA's Professional Communications Award for website design "Our digital marketing solution has been proven to work, time and time again, with tree care companies just like yours. And the best part is that we do it all FOR you! " Monica Hemingway Founder and CEO, Tree Care Marketing Solutions Schedule a call with me FREE Resources for TCIA MEMEBERS A FREE newsletter for the tree care and green industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and what to do about it so you can GROW your business New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Email marketing is still the single most effective way to generate repeat business for your tree service company - but only if it's done right. Grow your list with these handy tips for a wide range of situations. WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING We made a great decision when we hired and continue to retain TCMS to improve our website and our online presence. Their great credentials, experience, and knowledge of arboriculture are invaluable in helping us achieve our high rankings and online relevance. Bill Grundmann, Organic Plant Care LLC - Frenchtown, NJ A TCIA Accredited Company You're busy running your business. You don't have time to manage all the digital marketing yourself. That's why we do it all for you! What We Do From building an appealing, high-converting, and SEO-optimized website, to writing all of the content for your site (including monthly blog posts), designing and writing monthly email newsletters, building cost-effective Google Ads campaigns, and setting up your social media accounts to attract quality leads, we take care of everything for you. And we don't just set it up and forget it like so many other providers. We work with you over the long term to put out consistently great content that ranks at the top of the search results, gets you found online, and positions you as a local authority on all things related to tree care. Consistency and continuity are key to a successful online presence. Website DesignMore than just a pretty website - our award-winning sites are designed to appeal to viewers and turn them into customers. Local SEOGet your website found online in your service area through both on-site and off-site optimization. Google AdsDrive more calls and clicks from well-qualified leads with targeted campaigns that get REAL, measurable results. Email MarketingKeep your customers coming back for more with custom designed monthly email newsletters written and managed for you. Content Writing"Content is king" - We write all of your website content. Optimized to rank well in Google and appeal to your ideal customers. Review ManagementGet, manage & display reviews to be seen as the best local tree care provider, with top ratings and reviews on all major sites. There's a reason our customers stay with us year after year. WE GET RESULTS SEE CLIENT CASE STUDIES Proven Process, Proven Results If your online marketing doesn't generate meaningful results, why are you doing it? Discovery We start with a structured process to help us understand your business, goals, market, customers, competitors, and more. As your strategic partner, the more we know, the better we can help you. Complete Online Audit We dig into everything you do online, plus any offline marketing. This gives us a good baseline measure as a starting point, plus allows us to uncover what's working well, what isn't, what's missing, and whether there are any critical technical or security issues to fix. Strategy Development Together, we'll go over all of our findings and discuss our recommendations for high-priority items, plus anything that should be done but can wait a while. We build out a complete online strategy to help you achieve your business goals, as well as specifying the tools and tactics that enable the strategy. Implementation Once we've agreed on an overall strategy, we build out all of the things you'll need to put it into action. A custom WordPress website (we write all the content so you don't have to worry about that! ), Google Ads, local SEO, social media accounts, email marketing, analytics and metrics platforms, YouTube, and more. It's all done for you. Metrics & Analysis Regular and accurate measurement and analysis are critical to optimizing your online presence. If you don't know how well something's working, how do you know if it's worth paying for? We keep our eyes on all the relevant data and quickly take action if something isn't performing as expected. Ongoing SEO & Updates The process doesn't stop just because your website is built and ads are running! To be effective, SEO must be an ongoing activity (which is why it's unfortunate that so many companies don't do this! ). Our monthly plans keep your online presence growing with email newsletters, blog posts (getting website content to rank on the first page of Google is one of our "superpowers"), ads management, local SEO, ongoing website updates, videos, security monitoring, and more. This is the part of the process that's most important for continuing SEO success. Schedule a call with Monica WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING Because TCMS is dedicated to the success of tree care companies, they have provided much better results than the companies we used previously. Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH Why Work With Tree Care Marketing Solutions? We offer a COMPLETE solution that addresses all of the things that help your business get found online, convert leads into customers, and generate more repeat business You don't need to hire and coordinate across multiple vendors just to make sure nothing falls between the cracks. We get results that matter to YOU, not just "vanity metrics" that look good but don't help grow your business And we show you the data to prove it, with typical ROI in the 400%-700% range. We use a proven process to get the most out of your online presence After 12+ years in business, we know what works and what doesn't. We customize our work so your online presence is unique to you and truly reflects your business We don't take a cookie-cutter approach that only caters to the "lowest common denominator". We're fully transparent, not a "black box" Everything is an open book, we fully explain what we're doing and why, and you always have full access to whatever data you want. You own all accounts (domain, Google Ads, social media, email marketing, etc. ) No accounts are proprietary to us so you're not held hostage by systems, accounts, or content that can't be transferred elsewhere. We're proactive, responsive, and easy to work with We'll never ghost you or disappear with all of the details you need to access your accounts. We produce award-winning work so you know you're getting best-in-class solutions We've won the TCIA Professional Communications Award 3 times, as well as a Business Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. We're experts in the online marketing industry AND in the tree care industry With arborists, Google certified marketers, SEOs, and even a PhD psychologist and statistician on staff, you'll always get the "latest and greatest" strategies, tactics, and knowledge from both industries. You won't waste time explaining what you do or writing and editing content for blog posts, ads, newsletters, etc. We've been in your shoes as arborists and tree care business owners - we get it! TCMS is your strategic business partner, not just another "SEO provider" or "digital marketer". What Our Clients Are Saying Tree Care Marketing Solution's efforts greatly increased our online presence with a much more cost-effective solution which is yielding better than expected results and, best of all, it's freed me up to grow the business. Matt Bartelme, Barts Tree Service - Winner of TCIA's 2015 Professional Communications Award for his website & online presence built by Tree Care Marketing Solutions - and still a client! Who is This For? Our award-winning online marketing system isn't for everyone. And while we'd love to be able to work with every tree care company, not everyone is ready for what we offer. Plus, since we only work with one company per service area, we want to be sure every client is a great fit. Are You Ready? Are you serious about growing your tree care business? Does your business already bring in substantial revenue ($750k+)? Are your current marketing efforts not bringing you the leads and revenue you want? Are you looking for a more consistent stream of new and repeat customers? Do you want to be seen as the most credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable tree care provider in your area? Are you tired of paying per lead or per click fees? Are you ready to invest in the future of your business? Does a 2,000-9,000% ROI sound good to you? While we can't guarantee you'll see the same results, that's the average return on marketing investment for our clients (yes, really - that's not a typo! ). SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MONICA As an arborist and the founder and CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, I love helping tree service owners. That's why I do these calls myself, rather than passing you off to someone else. On the call, I'll quickly analyze what you're doing online right now, identify the most important gaps, and give you a roadmap to help you bring in more customers with online marketing. Whether we work together or not, you'll get valuable and actionable tips that you can implement right away. It will be one of the most helpful marketing conversations you've had all year - I promise! Schedule a Call If you're not quite ready, check out our SEO and website audits that'll get you started quickly and effectively. Ready to Take Things To the Next Level? Build your tree care business with our complete online marketing solution. Get in touch and let's see how we can work together. --- ### Reputation Builder - Sites On Which You Can Request Reviews > Listing of review sites on which you can request, monitor, respond to, and display reviews through the automated Reputation Builder platform from TCMS. - Published: 2020-03-23 - Modified: 2020-03-23 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-sites-on-which-you-can-request-reviews/ Reputation Builder enables you to ask your customers for reviews on online review sites (3rd-party reviews). We recommend you choose 2-3 online review sites that matter most to your business to include in your request. The sites that are available for you to request reviews on are listed below. Some are more relevant to tree service companies than others, so consider your local market and customers when deciding which sites to focus on. The top two sites in the tree care industry are: Facebook Google Other good options include: Angie's List BBB (Better Business Bureau) HomeAdvisor Nextdoor General Angie’s List BBB (Better Business Bureau) Citysearch Consumer Affairs CustomerLobby dexknows eKomi eLocal. com Facebook Google Google Q&A Highya Insider Pages Judy’s Book Klanten Vertellen KSL. com Local. com localsloveus. com Manta MerchantCircle Sitejabber Shopper Approved SuperPages. com Switchboard Thumbtack Thursday Market Trustpilot Twitter Viewpoints YellowBot YellowPages Real Estate & Home Improvement 1-800-Contractor BuildZoom EiEi Home GuildQuality Home Depot HomeAdvisor HomeStars Houzz MyBuilder. com Nextdoor Porch Pro Referral Realtor. com Rent. com SpareFoot TrustedPros Zillow Ecommerce amazon. com ebay Pricegrabber YOTPO. Employment, Professional Development & Human Services Glassdoor Indeed LinkedIn UpCity Australia Deckee Hi Pages Keep It Local Project LocalSearch Oneflare ProductReview. com. au Rate My Agent TrueLocal Word of Mouth YellowPages Canada goldbook. ca n49. ca Weblocal. ca YellowPages. ca United Kingdom 192. com findacraftsman. com Review Centre Skytrax touchlocal. com Yell --- ### STEP 1. Reputation Builder - Fully-Managed Plan - Published: 2019-10-29 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-fully-managed-plan/ --- ### STEP 1. Reputation Builder - Self-Managed Plan - Published: 2019-10-29 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-self-managed-plan/ --- ### Reputation Builder - Pricing - Published: 2019-10-29 - Modified: 2024-05-07 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder-pricing/ Pricing Choose the Reputation Builder plan that's right for your business When you select your plan below, you'll be asked to complete a form that provides the details we need to set up your Reputation Builder account.   Accounts generally take 3 business days to set up. Popular Self-Managed Reputation Builder $99 per month Online review monitoring: Up to 10 sitesSimple, automated process to request reviews directly from your customers by email, SMS (text) or TextBackAutomated request remindersEmail notification when new reviews are received - respond directly from the notificationReviews (and your responses) automatically added to your websiteUnique "Review Us" link to use on website, emails, social media, etc. Send up to 3,000 monthly requests (100 daily)300 SMS credits monthlyMonthly reportingSupport: User guide, emailFirst month is $299, including set-up and training Get Started Done-For-You Fully-Managed Reputation Builder $199 per month Online review monitoring: Up to 10 sitesWe reply to all reviews on your behalfGoogle Q&A monitoring and we respond on your behalfSimple, automated process to request reviews directly from your customers by email, SMS (text) or TextBackAutomated request remindersReviews and responses automatically added to your websiteReviews can be added to multiple pages based on review contentConversion pop-up to display reviews (optional)Unique "Review Us" link to use on website, emails, social media, etc. Send up to 3,000 monthly requests (100 daily)300 SMS credits monthlyWeekly or monthly reportingSupport: User guide, email, phoneFirst month is $399, including set-up and training Get Started --- ### Reputation Builder > Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - Published: 2019-10-28 - Modified: 2023-02-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/reputation-builder/ More Reviews + Better Ratings = More customers Reputation Builder Harness the Power of Customer Reviews to Grow Your Tree Service Business 86% of consumers read reviews for a local business before deciding whether to contact them. Will they contact YOU? With Reputation Builder, Yes they will! "Reviews help new customers find you online and let you gain their trust before they even call you. " Monica Hemingway Founder, Tree Care Marketing Solutions A HUGE INCREASE IN 5-STAR REVIEWS Since moving to the fully-managed Reputation Builder service, we've generated more 5-star reviews each week than we used to get in an entire month. Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH What We Do (So You Don't Have To) Capture Reviews We request, monitor and capture reviews and ratings from your customers across all relevant review platforms. With over 100 review sites to choose from, it's easy to monitor and gather reviews on your platform(s) of choice. See the list of sites on which you can ask for a review. Manage Reviews We publicly respond to positive reviews on your behalf, and help you reach out to unhappy customers to manage the situation before they leave a negative review. You'll receive notifications and reports on a regular basis so you can learn from your customers and take action to manage your customers' experiences. Display Reviews We feature reviews on your website as social proof and to generate trust with potential customers. Showcasing reviews allows you to reap the benefits of SEO and enhanced search results, helping you compete on search engine results pages and win new customers to grow your revenue. Request a Demo See Plans & Pricing Stop worrying about how to get more reviews. We'll take care of everything! Get more reviews on the review sites that REALLY matter in the tree care industry Reputation Builder Benefits Brand Visibility Reviews increase your online visibility, which means more website clicks, calls, and leads Consumer Trust Reviews help potential customers trust you, which means you close more sales Leads and Sales Great reviews make you stand out from the competition and get found online more easily Done-For-You We make getting great reviews easy by managing the process for you Request a Demo See Plans & Pricing The End-To-End Review Solution Specifically For Tree Care Companies As a digital strategy, marketing and reputation management company specializing in the tree care industry, we understand which reviews are most important to your company, how to generate and respond to those reviews, and how best to use reviews to build your brand.   We take the pain out of managing the online review process. Reputation Builder Features Monitor, gather and display reviews from over 100 review platforms Display ratings and reviews on your website (on one or more pages and/or using a conversion pop-up) Give customers easy access to review sites through a shareable link for one-click entry or by sending a keyword text Send customized and personalized review requests by email or text Monitor and respond to Google Q&A questions from your Google My Business listing Customized to your brand with your logo, colors, email address, etc. Mobile-friendly design is easy to use across devices Regular performance reports on all relevant metrics of your choice Can you afford a couple of negative reviews? Or no reviews at all? Ready to Maximize Your Local SEO & Online Reviews? Request a Demo See Plans & Pricing --- ### LP - ITG Multimedia Multimedia - Published: 2018-11-27 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/itg-multimedia/ We've Moved! In 2008, I started this business under the name ITG Multimedia. But, over the years, as the demand for my services grew, I started doing work under my own name - Monica Hemingway. Today, you'll find me at https://monicahemingway. com instead of at the ITG Multimedia website. I hope you'll come in and take a look around! Continue to monicahemingway. com --- ### Subscribe - [OneThing] - Published: 2018-07-30 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/subscribe-to-onething/ Subscribe to the weekly email with helpful tips that you can actually get done in 10 minutes or less! --- ### Our Clients - Published: 2017-09-03 - Modified: 2023-08-09 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/clients/ Meet Our Clients Who Do We Work With? We work with professional tree service providers with an annual revenue of at least 7-figures. Our clients typically have one or more ISA Certified Arborists on staff, and many are TCIA Accredited companies (or are working toward accreditation). To ensure that we can give you the service and results you're looking for, we're selective about the companies we work with. We always want the relationship to be a good fit for both parties. We don't work with companies that are looking for a "quick fix" to get the phones ringing, or who just want someone to run Google Ads or drive leads. And if you're interested in ways to "game the system" then we're not the company for you. Most clients come to us after experiencing frustration with marketing companies who don't understand the tree care industry and/or trying to manage their online presence on their own. After realizing that they're not getting the website traffic, phone calls or business that they expected, and that they're paying way too much for little return, they call us ... Does This Sound Like You? You have a website but it hasn't been updated in a while and you're not sure it's showing up well in the Google search results. You've worked with one or more marketing companies that promised the make the phone ring but somehow that hasn't quite worked out. You don't have time to figure out how to make all of this online stuff work properly. We get it! And that's why we're here to get it done right so you can focus on what you do best - running a tree care business. Our clients stay with us for the long term. Why? Because they get results! Meet A Few of Our Clients ... Below are some of the companies we work with. Each one is unique but all have seen dramatic improvements in the volume of business generated through their online presence since they started working with us. Just click on the screenshot to check out their websites! American Climbers - Hopkinton, MA BEFORE: The American Climbers website hadn't been updated in years and generated virtually no traffic or leads. They had a good presence on Facebook but otherwise relied extensively on direct mail and Google Ads. AFTER: We built a new website that includes tons of relevant content, a blog that's updated monthly, and landing pages specifically tailored to their new Google Ads campaigns. Website traffic shot up and organic/local traffic now accounts for more than 69% of all visitors (versus close to 0% previously) and 75% of the 400+ leads generated each month.   "Tree Care Marketing Solutions "gets" our business. In the years we've worked with them, they've always delivered, whether it's ad campaigns, email newsletters, local SEO, or amazing articles on our website. Plus, they stay up-to-date on all the latest changes in online marketing, proactively make strategic, alt="Barts-LOGO-horizontal-333x100" itemprop="image" title="Barts-LOGO-horizontal-333x100" onerror="this. style. display='none'" /> Barts Tree Service - Danbury, CT We've worked with Barts since 2013 to upgrade their entire online presence, from a new website to email marketing and Google Ads. The end result is a #1 placement in the Google local search results for almost every tree care service Barts offers while sharply decreasing ad spend. And although the website is beginning to look dated, it still outperforms Barts' competitors throughout the Danbury area with strong SEO and conversion rate optimization.   "Tree Care Marketing Solutions's efforts greatly increased our online presence with a much more cost-effective solution which is yielding better than expected results and, best of all, it's freed me up to grow the business. " Matt Bartelme, Barts Tree Service - Winner of TCIA's 2015 Professional Communications Award for his new website built by ITG Multimedia Rayzor's Edge Tree Service - Stratford, CT BEFORE: When Rayzor's Edge achieved their goal of attaining TCIA Accreditation in 2019, they decided it was time to upgrade their online presence as well. We took them from a minimal Squarespace website with little online visibility to a modern, fully responsive website that reflects their brand and personality. AFTER: In the 12 months before we launched the new website, the old Rayzor's Edge website had 13,771 pageviews, with only 4,972 of those in Connecticut. In the 3 months after launching, the site had 23,900 views, with 10,565 in CT. Not only did website traffic increase by over 7x, but the traffic is also highly targeted to their service area. Since then, we've seen 150%+ growth each month in year-over-year website traffic and leads coming in through the website. As a result, Rayzor's Edge has been able to greatly reduce the number and cost of direct mail pieces sent out to generate leads.   "Tree Care Marketing Solutions does a great job creating valuable content that our customers love and that regularly brings in leads. They really understand our industry and are totally up-to-date on the latest developments. They've managed to get many of our blog posts to the top of Google - some of the pest and disease articles even outrank the state government, Extension Service, and news websites! " Ray Boychew, Rayzor's Edge Tree Service - Stratford, CT Organic Plant Care - Flemington NJ BEFORE: Organic Plant Care LLC (a TCIA Accredited tree care company) had a slow, confusing website with little traffic (much of which was outside their service area). They were paying for Google Ads to drive leads and struggling to build a consistent online presence. AFTER: We increased targeted organic traffic by 92% while reducing the percentage of visitors from outside OPC's service area. Compared to when OPC's ads were run by a "premier Google Partner", we have more than tripled the click-through rate, dropped total cost by 65% and reduced the cost per lead by 70%, all while increasing the number of conversions and quality of leads. A recent ROI analysis showed that OPC sold $7. 07 of work for every $1 spent on online marketing. "We made a great decision when we hired and continue to retain TCMS to improve our website and our online presence. Their great credentials, experience and knowledge of arboriculture are invaluable in helping us achieve our high rankings and online relevance. " Bill Grundmann, Organic Plant Care LLC - Frenchtown, NJ LAM Tree Service - Evergreen CO BEFORE: LAM Tree Service needed a completely new website that ranked well in the search engines (prospects weren't finding them online), positioned them as a local expert, and allowed customers to pay their invoice and approve proposals online. AFTER: Built in 2018, the LAM website consistently attracts local, organic traffic from visitors who are primed to buy. In the first year alone, it generated a 134% year-over-year increase in website visitors. And in just the first 3 months after implementing the Customer Portal, 405 customers used the online portal to approve a proposal, 416 paid online and 303 confirmed a service visit online, vastly cutting down on administrative time. The monthly e-newsletter to customers and leads (which we write and manage) has a 48. 4% open rate and generates additional business every month. "We just got this nice little note from a customer - "Easiest website to pay a bill that I have ever used! ". No wonder nearly all of our customers use the Customer Portal to pay their invoices. Plus, we get paid more quickly and with less hassle. " Maddy & Ryan Reed, LAM Tree Service - Evergreen, CO Green Vista Tree Care - Alexandria VA BEFORE: Green Vista had virtually no online presence (other than an outdated website that generated very little traffic) and was relying on a paid presence on Angie's List / Home Advisor and a high volume of expensive Google Ads to bring in business. AFTER: The website consistently generates over 100 leads per month through organic traffic, with Angie's List / Home Advisor accounting for only 7. 8% and Google Ads for 38. 6% of leads (and dropping). Ad spend has decreased to less than 15% of previous amounts and the cost per lead has dropped by $97. 24!   "Right from the beginning, the TCMS team proved their worth by recovering my website and rebuilding it within 24 hours after my old hosting company "disappeared. " Since then, they've delivered exceptional results year after year. I always tell other tree service owners that if they want the best results, just hire Tree Care Marketing Solutions and let them work their magic! " Daniel Foster, Green Vista Tree Care - Springdale, VA Independent Tree - Newbury OH Independent Tree's old website was outdated and was not mobile responsive or well optimized to drive traffic. After a website rebuild and thorough SEO upgrade, traffic increased 81% year over year (including a 92% increase in organic traffic versus direct or paid), was more focused on the relevant service area, and brought viewers deeper into the website where they're more likely to convert (call or fill out a request for an estimate form).   "We recently ran into the project manager of a larger local landscape firm. He was raving about the marketing TCMS does for us. Apparently his team are all signed up for our e-newsletter and actually use them for their own in-house training! They also hold them up as a model of what he wishes they were doing with their marketing. He went on to say that the newsletters are well written, to the point, interesting, and well-timed with the seasons. Thank you! " Lisa Carrelli-Kraus, Independent Tree - Newbury, OH Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH BEFORE: Arbor Experts came to us with an old, outdated website that wasn't bringing in business, a languishing Facebook page and no other online presence. We built everything from scratch, including a new website, all new content (including a blog), an updated Facebook page and a monthly email newsletter. We also created a series of educational videos and built a new YouTube channel as part of our Build Your Brand service. AFTER: Comparing the 4-month period after we completed the project against the same 4-month period the year before (with their previous website) shows a 31% increase in unique website visitors, with a 127% increase in the greater Dayton area (i. e. , a much larger proportion of website visitors are within their service area). Organic traffic increased 54. 8% and now comprises over half of total website traffic, while direct traffic stayed constant and the proportion of traffic received through paid ads fell by 8. 7%. Overall, Arbor Experts is paying less for more (and more targeted) traffic. Update: In 2020, Arbor Experts was purchased by a national tree service provider. Their stellar online presence was one of the reasons cited by the buyer.   "Because TCMS is dedicated to the success of tree care companies they have provided much better results than the companies we used previously. " Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH A Few More Clients There are Tree Care Marketing Solutions clients across the country. Each one is unique, and so is the online presence we create for them! Ready to  Get Found Online? Schedule a call - let's talk! --- ### Subscribe - Tree Facts! - Published: 2017-05-17 - Modified: 2024-06-04 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tree-facts/ Tree Facts FREE WEEKLY SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGES & CONTENT Looking for interesting social media content your customers will love? Every Monday, receive a FREE Tree Fact straight to your inbox. Each Tree Fact has a gorgeous photo, a 'Did You Know? ' caption, and an interesting fact about trees. There's also a tip about what you can say in your social post. Download the photo and share it on your Facebook, Instagram, or other social account. There's no TCMS logo so it's yours to use any way you want. It's social media made easy for tree care companies! Sign Up For Your Weekly Tree Facts! ABOUT TREE FACTS Finding, designing and posting social content can be time-consuming and frustrating. So we make it easy by doing most of the work for you! Each Tree Fact image has an interesting fact about trees that will surprise and intrigue your customers and social media followers. Each week you'll receive a brand new Tree Fact image - there are so many cool things to share about trees that you'll never get the same Tree Fact twice. We do all the research and design for you - all you have to do is post the images on your own social media page(s). Check out the examples below to see what you'll get each week! Get Your Tree Facts Social Media Images Today! --- ### Services - Build Your Brand - Published: 2017-05-04 - Modified: 2024-03-22 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/build-your-brand/ Build Your Brand Because Image Is Everything 1 Day To A Better Brand Image 1 day is all it takes to build your brand with creative and professional videos and images that can be used in all of your marketing. You're working hard to get the job done. You don't have time to spend hanging around in trees to take photos, looking for video opportunities, editing images, and getting it all online. So let us do it for you. Because if you don't LOOK good, customers think you AREN'T good! BOOK YOUR SESSION TODAY! What Does BUILD YOUR BRAND Include? Build Your Brand is a 1-day intensive marketing program designed to create the images and video you need to stand out from the crowd. Here's what you'll get: 5 professionally shot and edited videos of you, your crew, your equipment or whatever else you'd like. The best videos are ones in which you explain or demonstrate something your customers are curious about. We'll walk you through exactly how to do that in a way that appeals to your ideal customers. Professional photography and video of crew members at work, including in the tree canopy. As a Licensed Arborist and climber, Jack will work with you to take still and video shots from up high. Video is of no use to you if no one sees it. We'll create an optimized YouTube channel with the new videos uploaded to it and ready to roll. The videos can then be embedded on your website and/or social media channels. A deep dive into your existing marketing efforts, both online and offline. We'll look at what you're doing and recommend specific actions to improve the effectiveness of your marketing. We'll work with you to develop a marketing plan to use your new photos and videos. You'll know exactly what to do with it and how to implement that. We're offering Build Your Brand to tree care companies along the TCMS Road Show travel route, but you'll have to sign up before we arrive in your town. The program takes considerable advance planning to set up so it's difficult to do as a last-minute thing. Plus, we only have 1 or 2 openings left in each location - so call 520-428-6959 or email us now so you don't miss out! Where Will We Be? We're able to do Build Your Brand sessions in the following locations between June 1 and September 30: Flagstaff, AZ Denver, CO St. Louis, MO Chicago, IL Columbus, OH Buffalo, NY Burlington, VT Worcester, MA Hartford, CT Philadelphia, PA Alexandria, VA Charlotte, NC Atlanta, GA San Antonio, TX We'll also be traveling through California between November 6 and 20. Don't see your city listed? Let us know! Depending on where you're located, we may be able to come to you during the TCMS Road Show. READY TO BUILD YOUR BRAND? We only have openings for 1 or 2 companies per location. SIGN ME UP! About the TCMS Road Show We're traveling across the USA in an RV for four months to do something no one does any more - visit our clients! Of course there's more to it than that ... we'll be holding Build Your Brand sessions with clients (plus a few others - maybe even you? ) AND working with TCIA to deliver Marketing Workshops for tree care pros in select cities. Want to learn more? Give us a call at 520-428-6959 or send us an email. FOLLOW THE TCMS ROAD SHOW ON FACEBOOK! Road Show Launches in ... Day Hour Minute Second Sign up to find out when we'll be near you and get dates for the Online Marketing workshops. --- ### Speaking > Monica Hemingway presents workshops and talks about building a profitable online presence that are tailored for green industry professionals. - Published: 2016-11-18 - Modified: 2016-11-18 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/speaking/ Monica Hemingway - Professional Speaker Talks and Workshops For Green Industry Professionals Cristina da Silva - Horticulturist and garden writer Jan Johnsen - Johnsen Landscapes & Pools GWA Presentation at New England Grows, Boston, December 2016 Interesting Tidbits ... Largest audience: 3,000+ at the opening keynote for the Annual Meeting of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Most unusual presentation: Keynote address given in Tokyo to an audience of 250+ Japanese business owners, using 3 translators to provide simultaneous translation between English and Japanese Interested in having me speak at your green industry event? Please send me an email using the form below - or give me a call at 520-428-6959. I'd love to discuss your needs and learn what topics would be most interesting for your audience. Name* First Email* Phone*I'd like to talk with you about ... *EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. ABOUT MONICA Monica Hemingway is a licensed arborist, digital strategist, and industrial psychologist (Ph. D. ) - an unusual combination that gives her unique insight into building a green industry business. Monica has worked in the digital world since 1999 and consulted with some of the world's largest companies (like Google, Walmart, and Pepsi). As the owner of Hemingway Horticulture, she developed a successful landscape design/install business in a highly competitive market by applying digital strategy within the green industry. She has been a professional speaker since 1997, with audience sizes ranging from small workshops to 3,000+ and presentations covering such topics as digital strategy, recruiting and hiring, gardening tools and techniques, and leadership.   SELECTED INVITED PRESENTATIONS Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association Winter Symposium, Storrs, CT, January 2012. Invited to give the same presentation at the Northeast Greenhouse Growers Association Annual Meeting. Online presentation given during 2015 and 2016 to various green industry audiences Interactive presentation given to many garden clubs, with audiences ranging from 20 to 50+.   The joe gardener Show - Finding the Best of the Best Gardening Tools - December 13, 2018 The Master Gardener Hour - November 29, 2014   --- ### Online/Website Review & Strategy Session - Published: 2016-11-14 - Modified: 2017-11-24 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/free-website-review/ --- ### Contact Us > Contact information for Tree Care Marketing Solutions - phone number, mailing address, contact form, email address. Contact us any time! - Published: 2016-09-11 - Modified: 2024-10-14 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/contact-us/ Contact Us 520-900-1226 Facebook LinkedIn --- ### What We Do (Our Services) > Complete digital marketing for tree service companies. Website design, email newsletters, review management, local SEO, content writing, Google Ads & more. - Published: 2016-09-07 - Modified: 2024-10-04 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/services/ Ready To Change Your Tree Care Business Forever? Our Growth Programs are designed exclusively for tree service companies currently earning at least $1M in annual revenue. Not quite at that level? See our Jumpstart Growth System! THE Complete Online Marketing Solution Specifically For Tree Service Companies If you're tired of chasing after new customers and wasting time and money trying online tactics that just don't work, then you owe it to yourself to look into a different way of growing your business. Not something you've seen dozens of times before, something that all those "marketing experts" are selling, or something that will take up all of your "free" time and waste a lot of money. But something that provides a real solution that will generate leads, repeat customers, and referrals. 3-time winner of TCIA's Professional Communications Award for website design "Our digital marketing solution has been proven to work, time and time again, with tree care companies just like yours. And the best part is that we do it all FOR you! " Monica Hemingway Founder and CEO, Tree Care Marketing Solutions Schedule a call with me GREAT CREDENTIALS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE OF ARBORICULTURE We made a great decision when we hired and continue to retain TCMS to improve our website and our online presence. Their great credentials, experience and knowledge of arboriculture are invaluable in helping us achieve our high rankings and online relevance. Bill Grundmann, Organic Plant Care LLC - Frenchtown, NJ You're busy running your business. You don't have time to manage all the digital marketing yourself. That's why we do it all for you! What We Do From building an appealing, high-converting, and SEO-optimized website, to writing all of the content for your site (including monthly blog posts), designing and writing monthly email newsletters, building cost-effective Google Ads campaigns, and setting up your social media accounts to attract quality leads, we take care of everything for you. And we don't just set it up and forget it like so many other providers. We work with you over the long term to put out consistently great content that ranks at the top of the search results, gets you found online, and positions you as a local authority on all things related to tree care. Consistency and continuity are key to a successful online presence. Website Design & DevelopmentMore than just a pretty website - our award-winning sites are designed to appeal to viewers and turn them into customers. Local SEO & Google MapsGet your website found online in your service area through both on-site and off-site optimization. PPC & Local Services AdsDrive more calls and clicks from well-qualified leads with targeted campaigns that get REAL, measurable results. Email MarketingKeep your customers coming back for more with custom designed monthly email newsletters written and managed for you. Content Creation"Content is king" - We write all of your website content. Optimized to rank well in Google and appeal to your ideal customers. Review ManagementGet, manage & display reviews to be seen as the best local tree care provider, with top ratings and reviews on all major sites. We also offer this as a stand-alone service. Learn about Reputation Builder. Digital PR ProgramBoost your authority, reputation, and web presence by generating high-quality ranking signals and backlinks from reputable sites. Targeted Direct MailSend professionally-designed mailers to highly-targeted residential and commercial prospects. Lead TrackingSee exactly where your leads come from, which marketing channels work best, and how much you're earning by source. And much more! There's a reason our customers stay with us year after year. WE GET RESULTS SEE CLIENT CASE STUDIES Proven Process, Proven Results If your online marketing doesn't generate meaningful results, why are you doing it? Discovery We start with a structured process to help us understand your business, goals, market, customers, competitors, and more. As your strategic partner, the more we know, the better we can help you. Complete Online Audit We dig into everything you do online, plus any offline marketing. This gives us a good baseline measure as a starting point, plus allows us to uncover what's working well, what isn't, what's missing, and whether there are any critical technical or security issues to fix. Strategy Development Together, we'll go over all of our findings and discuss our recommendations for high-priority items, plus anything that should be done but can wait a while. We build out a complete online strategy to help you achieve your business goals, as well as specifying the tools and tactics that enable the strategy. Implementation Once we've agreed on an overall strategy, we build out all of the things you'll need to put it into action. A custom WordPress website (we write all the content so you don't have to worry about that! ), Google Ads, local SEO, social media accounts, email marketing, analytics and metrics platforms, YouTube, and more. It's all done for you. Metrics & Analysis Regular and accurate measurement and analysis are critical to optimizing your online presence. If you don't know how well something's working, how do you know if it's worth paying for? We keep our eyes on all the relevant data and quickly take action if something isn't performing as expected. Ongoing SEO & Updates The process doesn't stop just because your website is built and ads are running! To be effective, SEO must be an ongoing activity (which is why it's unfortunate that so many companies don't do this! ). Our monthly plans keep your online presence growing with email newsletters, blog posts (getting website content to rank on the first page of Google is one of our "superpowers"), ads management, local SEO, ongoing website updates, videos, security monitoring, and more. This is the part of the process that's most important for continuing SEO success. Schedule a call with Monica DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF TREE CARE COMPANIES Because TCMS is dedicated to the success of tree care companies, they have provided much better results than the companies we used previously. Paul Burns, Arbor Experts - Dayton, OH Why Work With Tree Care Marketing Solutions? We offer a COMPLETE solution that addresses all of the things that help your business get found online, convert leads into customers, and generate more repeat business You don't need to hire and coordinate across multiple vendors just to make sure nothing falls between the cracks. We get results that matter to YOU, not just "vanity metrics" that look good but don't help grow your business And we show you the data to prove it, with typical ROI in the 400%-700% range. We use a proven process to get the most out of your online presence After 12+ years in business, we know what works and what doesn't. We customize our work so your online presence is unique to you and truly reflects your business We don't take a cookie-cutter approach that only caters to the "lowest common denominator". We're fully transparent, not a "black box" Everything is an open book, we fully explain what we're doing and why, and you always have full access to whatever data you want. You own all accounts (domain, Google Ads, social media, email marketing, etc. ) No accounts are proprietary to us so you're not held hostage by systems, accounts, or content that can't be transferred elsewhere. We're proactive, responsive, and easy to work with We'll never ghost you or disappear with all of the details you need to access your accounts. We produce award-winning work so you know you're getting best-in-class solutions We've won the TCIA Professional Communications Award 3 times, as well as a Business Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. We're experts in the online marketing industry AND in the tree care industry With arborists, Google certified marketers, SEOs, and even a PhD psychologist and statistician on staff, you'll always get the "latest and greatest" strategies, tactics, and knowledge from both industries. You won't waste time explaining what you do or writing and editing content for blog posts, ads, newsletters, etc. We've been in your shoes as arborists and tree care business owners - we get it! TCMS is your strategic business partner, not just another "SEO provider" or "digital marketer". COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION Tree Care Marketing Solution's efforts greatly increased our online presence with a much more cost-effective solution which is yielding better than expected results and, best of all, it's freed me up to grow the business. Matt Bartelme, Barts Tree Service - Winner of TCIA's 2015 Professional Communications Award for his new website & online presence built by Tree Care Marketing Solutions Who is This For? Our award-winning online marketing system isn't for everyone. And while we'd love to be able to work with every tree care company, not everyone is ready for what we offer. Plus, since we'll be working together very closely, we want to be sure every client is a great fit. Are You Ready? Are you serious about growing your tree care business? Does your business already bring in at least $1M in annual revenue? Are you already investing significant amounts in your current marketing but your efforts aren't bringing you the leads and revenue you want? Are you looking for a more consistent stream of new and repeat customers? Do you want to be seen as the most credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable tree care provider in your area? Are you tired of paying per lead or per click fees? Are you ready to invest in the future of your business? Does a 2,000% ROI sound good to you? That's not a typo - the average return on marketing investment for our clients is 20X. While we can't guarantee you'll see the same results, we'll do everything we can to make it a reality. SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MONICA As an arborist and the founder and CEO of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, I love helping tree service owners. That's why I do these calls myself, rather than passing you off to someone else. On the call, I'll quickly analyze what you're doing online right now, identify the most important gaps, and give you a roadmap to help you bring in more customers with online marketing. Whether we work together or not, you'll get valuable and actionable tips that you can implement right away. It will be one of the most helpful marketing conversations you've had all year - I promise! Schedule a Call If you're not quite at the $1M mark, check out our Jumpstart Growth System that'll start generating quality leads for you quickly and effectively. Ready to Take Things To the Next Level? Build your tree care business with our complete online marketing solution. Get in touch and let's see how we can work together. --- ### About Us > About the arborists and award-winning team behind Tree Care Marketing Solutions. See why we're the best choice for tree service marketing. - Published: 2016-09-03 - Modified: 2025-01-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/about-us/ About Tree Care Marketing Solutions We're not your typical online marketing agency - and that's a good thing! About the Company Tree Care Marketing Solutions (TCMS) was founded in 2008 by Monica and Jack Hemingway, licensed Arborists and award-winning digital strategists. When you hire TCMS, you'll have the benefit of working with someone who truly understands your business and is up-to-date on the latest developments in tree care (we've got to keep earning those CEUs! ). We work exclusively with tree care companies in the USA and Canada. Call us today at 520-900-1226 or click the button to set up an appointment. Meet the TCMS Team The Tree Care Marketing Solutions team is made up of experts from all areas of digital marketing. We have 2 arborists on staff (so you know your content will always be accurate! ), designers, website developers, Google Ads specialists, email marketers, reputation management pros, video editors, project managers, and more. We're headquartered in Tucson, AZ and also have team members throughout the country. Contact Us OUR TEAM Get to know the team TCMS Leadership Team MONICA CEO/Strategist ALEX Head of Fulfillment MELISSA Executive Assistant The Team ABBY Local SEO Sr. Specialist AHMED DevOps ANJO Lead Tracking Specialist BIANCA Client Success Manager DAN Graphics & UI/UX Designer GETOAR Web Developer JESSICA Content Writer JUSTIN Content Writer KIM Client Support Specialist MIEKE Client Success Manager NICK Content Writer RACHEL Content Writer SARAH Email Marketing Manager SHAMIRA Project Manager TULI Web Developer VIGAN Web Developer About Monica As the award-winning founder of Tree Care Marketing Solutions, Monica helps companies tree care company maximize their presence online to grow their business. She's been working online since 1999 (before many companies even had a website! ). As an Industrial Psychologist, Monica has a Ph. D. in psychology. No, she can't read your mind. What she can do is show you how a better understanding of human behavior can help grow your online influence, increase revenue, and achieve business goals. After 19 years working with some of the world's largest companies (like Pepsi, Walmart, and Google), she knows a thing or two about applying psychological principles to drive business results. And, as a Licensed Arborist, Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP), and former owner of Hemingway Horticulture, she understands the green industry from top to bottom. Learn more about Monica About Jack Jack has over 15 years experience in Public Relations, Investor Relations, Marketing, and New Business / Product Development in a combination of Fortune 500 companies and small businesses. He specializes in understanding consumer behavior and using that understanding to introduce new products or services, and to increase customer spending. For example, during his six years with ACT Media (the world's largest in-store advertising company) as Director of Marketing and New Product Development, Jack developed the ubiquitous in-store coupon machine that we now consider to be a normal part of the grocery shopping experience. His Public Relations work has included major national accounts, such as ABC Consumer Magazines. He is a Licensed Arborist who owned a highly successful tree care company for over 10 years before selling it to a competitor and uses that experience to help others build a profitable business. Jack has a degree in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire. Meet Us In Person! You'll often find us at industry trade shows and conferences where we'd love to meet you in person! Monica's a frequent invited speaker and holds workshops across the country, while Jack can be found up a tree taking videos of tree crews at work as part of our Build Your Brand program. Here's where we will be in the upcoming months. September 19, 2024 - ACTC (Arizona Community Tree Council) in Camp Verde, AZ. We'll be exhibiting. September 25 - 27, 2024 - Texas Tree Conference and Trade Show in Waco, Texas. We'll be in booth #32. November 7 - 9, 2024 - TCI Expo in Baltimore, MD. We'll be in booth #2110. --- ### Home > Bring in more business today with marketing for arborists and tree service companies - web design, review management, local SEO, Google Ads & more. - Published: 2016-09-03 - Modified: 2024-10-12 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/ MARKETINGfor ARBORISTSby ARBORISTS Complete Solutions, Not Just Tools & Tactics Learn More More Tree Service Leads, More Customers, More Revenue Get the Results You Want Without All The Hassles Tired of wasting time and money explaining tree care to your marketing agency? Hire the agency staffed by arborists! We do all the online marketing for you, from the website design and content to email marketing, SEO, Google maps optimization, Google Ads, and more. Our online marketing services put you on the fast track to generating the best leads in your service area and bringing in more business month after month. We offer a premium, done-for-you service that the best companies are using. Stop spending your time trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. We take care of it all so you can focus on what you do best - running your business. We'll make your tree service marketing work as hard as you do! Let's talk! Your Tree Service Marketing Plan Website Design & ContentCustomized to appeal to tree care customers Search Engine OptimizationGet your website ranked Google Ads & Local Services AdsStop wasting money and get REAL results Email MarketingKeep your customers coming back for more Local SEO / Google MapsStand out when people search for "tree service near me" Review & Reputation ManagementMore reviews, better ratings, higher ranking Targeted Direct MailGet in front of customers in targeted zip codes Website AccessibilityProtect your business with a fully-compliant website SEE ALL OUR MARKETING SERVICES We Wrote the Book on Digital Marketing for Tree Care Companies! #1 on Amazon for Search Engine Optimization & Online Marketing! GET YOUR FREE BOOK! Just pay for shipping - the book's on us. Is your tree service marketing working for you? Are you still in the "swamp" of paid leads that are shared with other tree service companies in your town? Building your business on a shaky foundation of "rented" online properties you don't own, like Facebook or a lead generation site? Or is your tree care marketing - and your business - on firm ground, with a strong digital foundation? Is your tree service marketing agency moving you up the pyramid, growing your business and bringing in highly-targeted, qualified leads? Let's talk! What Tree Care Companies Say About Us Play Video Free Tree Service Marketing Resources A FREE newsletter for the tree care and green industry describing what's new and relevant in online marketing, what it means for your business, and what to do about it so you can GROW your business New, interesting, and non-branded photos and tree facts sent to your inbox weekly for you to share on Facebook. We even give you tips for what to say! Check out our step-by-step guide on how to quickly create useful and effective prompts that will help you put AI to work for your tree care business! Who We Are - Our Founders MONICA HEMINGWAY DESIGNER & DIGITAL STRATEGIST Monica's worked in the online marketing world since 1999. As a Licensed Arborist and former owner of a landscape company, she knows the industry inside-out. She specializes in building a strong online presence that brings in a steady stream of business. JACK HEMINGWAY BUSINESS STRATEGIST Jack's a Licensed Arborist who's spent 20 years in the tree care industry and owned his own successful tree service, In the Trees, for 10 years. He specializes in helping tree care companies work through the online marketing process. Learn More About Us 3-Time Winner! START HERE >> Get our monthly GROWth Report with updates on what's happening in the online world and the simple things you can do that month to stay on top of it. No fluff. No BS. Just actionable tips for tree care business owners. Latest from The Blog Thought-provoking ideas. Jargon-free explanations. Actionable tips to help you grow your tree care business. How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company? One of the most common questions we get from our tree care clients is "How much will a Google Ads campaign cost? " It's a fair question - but not an easy one to answer. Here are the basic rules of thumb for cost per click, total budget, ROI, and more. If you’re thinking about running an Ads campaign for your tree care company, you need to read this. Read More about How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company? Google’s Helpful Content Update Hits Tree Service Websites Many tree care companies will see huge website ranking changes from Google’s helpful content update. Learn why and how it’ll affect your website, what to do if your rankings tank, and how to rise to the top of the search results by creating helpful content. Read More about Google’s Helpful Content Update Hits Tree Service Websites Domain Name Expiration Letter Scam: Don’t Fall For This! Many people fall prey to a common scam in which companies send misleading invoices for domain name registration renewals. Not only can it result in unnecessary charges, but you can also lose control over your domain names. Learn how to avoid this scam and ensure the security of your domain names. Read More about Domain Name Expiration Letter Scam: Don’t Fall For This! Are Online Reviews Still Worthwhile? Online reviews can have a huge impact on a tree service company’s success. But with more fake reviews, less trust in online reviews, and more extreme reviews, what should you do? Read More about Are Online Reviews Still Worthwhile? Is Your Online Reputation Killing Your Business? It used to be so simple. When it came to business, you said what you meant, did what you said, and as a result, people said nice things about you. Candor, honesty, and reliability resulted in a rock solid reputation. But nowadays, your reputation is developed FOR you. So what can you do to build and maintain a great reputation? Read More about Is Your Online Reputation Killing Your Business? 1 2 3 ... 9 Next » Quick Reads What's new in digital marketing & what to do about it Google Analytics is Moving to GA4 Google Analytics 4 is now the default version – and it’s VERY different from what you may be used to! Learn what to do before you lose access to your analytics data. Read More about Google Analytics is Moving to GA4 Why You Should Ask Customers to Take Photos A recent study of consumer behavior by Bazaarvoice found that: Two-thirds of consumers prefer customer-generated images to images created professionally for companies Over half agree that social media influences purchases Why should you care? While this research focused on shoppers in general (rather than home or business owners), it suggests that you can improve your... Read More about Why You Should Ask Customers to Take Photos Citations Are 'Table Stakes' for Tree Service Businesses If you don't have your citations in order, you're killing your chances of appearing in the local pack and organic listings in the Google search results. Read More about Citations Are 'Table Stakes' for Tree Service Businesses Why Getting Online Reviews Is Critical for Tree Service Companies When it comes to online reviews, the biggest deciding factors in whether a consumer will do business with a company are ... Read More about Why Getting Online Reviews Is Critical for Tree Service Companies Major Change to Google Ads (formerly AdWords) – Use It To Get Better Results Google recently added an extra headline and description to expanded text ads (there are now 3 headlines & 2 description fields). What does it mean for you? Read More about Major Change to Google Ads (formerly AdWords) – Use It To Get Better Results Google is Recording Calls From Your Ads Google will now record a sample of calls to your business from Google Ads that have call extensions enabled. Agree to it or you can’t use call extensions. Read More about Google is Recording Calls From Your Ads Google+ Is Shutting Down You've probably already heard that Google is shutting down its beleaguered social network, Google+ in August 2019.  What should you do? Read More about Google+ Is Shutting Down Instagram: Should You Use It For Your Business? The days when you could jump into Instagram and quickly gain an engaged audience without paying for it are coming to an end. Read More about Instagram: Should You Use It For Your Business? 1 2 Next » --- ### Services - Audits – Analyze & Optimize Your Online Activities - Published: 2016-05-30 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/options/ We Are Dead Serious About Your Business What About You? Online Audits to Build Your Business Not sure where to start? Our audits are a great place to begin. We'll help you start to build an online presence that gets REAL results. Here's What You Get An easy-to-follow report detailing our recommendations. It’s written in plain English and designed so that you can implement the changes yourself or through your web developer. An online, video-based review session where we’ll show you specifically what’s working and what needs to change. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to get your questions answered. The whole session will be recorded so you can watch it whenever you want. All reviews are also done as part of the complete Done-For-You Tree Care Marketing Solutions (TCMS) package. If you buy an audit and then decide within 3 months to invest in TCMS, we’ll credit you the full purchase price of your audit. What do you have to lose? Grab your free seo checklist Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the foundation of your online success. Get it wrong, and you won't show up on Google when potential customers look for the services you provide. This quick checklist walks you through the things you MUST do on your website to improve your Google search ranking. >> GET INSTANT ACCESS SEO AUDIT This is an in-depth, technical SEO audit, so you can see the specific areas of your website that need to be improved in order for your website to rank higher in Google. Think of it as a doctor's checkup - we're diagnosing health issues and prescribing "medicine" to fix the problems. We focus on technical errors that are hurting your ranking - things like site speed, meta data, sitemaps, image optimization, broken links, schema mark-up, canonicalization, mobile-friendliness, and more. We also look at the way your website is organized and recommend the best way to structure it. SEO REVIEWS ARE ONLY $299 Start My SEO Review What Clients Are Saying "Monica is BRILLIANT at what she does. She reviewed my website and made remarkable changes. Not only did it look more attractive and 'readable', she worked her magic so it reached a larger clientele. I only wish I had met Monica earlier! "Kerry Ann Mendez, Perennially Yours - Garden author, speaker, coach WEBSITE AUDIT We'll take a look under the hood to see what's going on with your website and recommend changes to improve your Google ranking through improved SEO. We also show you how to generate more qualified traffic to your website and convert more website visitors into leads and customers. This is a complete analysis of your website, including everything that's included in the SEO Audit shown above. We also look at: Website architecture and navigation Content - what you say and how you say it Design - what your website looks like and how visitors react to it Conversion - how well your website encourages visitors to take action (such as calling you or completing a request for an estimate) Competitors - what they're doing that you can leverage AT $599, IT'S A HUGE VALUE FOR ONLY A SMALL INVESTMENT Start My Website Review COMPLETE ONLINE REVIEW How (and whether) you appear in the search results, as well as the number and quality of leads, customers and profits, depends not only on your website but on ALL the things you do online. We’ll analyze your whole “digital footprint” to see what you’re doing well and what you can improve. This review includes not only your website and SEO, but all of the following as well: Social Media Local Citations Online Ads Traffic Patterns Email Marketing This kind of extensive audit will fully prepare you to build an online presence that gets REAL results - that brings traffic to your website, convinces website visitors to contact you directly, keeps you top-of-mind with customers so you get repeat business, encourages customers to refer you to their friends and family, and makes it easier for you to do all of this without wasting a lot of time and money. TOTAL INVESTMENT IS ONLY $999 - THIS IS THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Start My Online Review SEO REVIEW $299 Uncover the technical errors that are ruining your online rankings Full Analysis of your website's on-page SEO IncludesTechnical IssuesMeta DataWebsite Content Live video review of all findings so you can ask questions - 15 minutes Recorded so you can watch it again later. Recommendations for improvement that you can implement. Start My SEO Review WEBSITE REVIEW $599 Find out what's working with your website and what needs to be changed to bring in more customers Complete Analysis of your website. Includes everything in the SEO Review plus:Technical SpecsBrand AuditConversionsCompetitor Analysis Live video review of all findings so you can ask questions - 30 minutes. Recorded so you can watch it again later. Recommendations for improvement that you can implement. Start My Website Review ONLINE REVIEW $999 Discover hidden opportunities to increase your customer base and profitability Detailed Analysis of ALL your online activities Includes everything in the SEO and Website Reviews plus:Social Media AuditLocal CitationsOnline AdsEmail MarketingTraffic Analysis Live video review of all findings so you can ask questions - 45 minutes Recorded so you can watch it again later. Recommendations for improvement that you can implement. Start My Online Review Ready to  Get Found Online? Get in touch --- ### Learn More - Published: 2016-05-29 - Modified: 2021-10-30 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/learn-more/ --- ### Awards > Award-winning digital strategist. See what results my clients get... - Published: 2015-12-08 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/awards/ Professional Communications Award Tree Care Industry Association December 2018 This marks the third time one of my clients has won the Professional Communications Award from the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA)! The award is given to a company (or companies) whose website is chosen by a panel of judges based on appearance, content quality, adherence to American National Standards Institute and Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and its success in achieving the company’s marketing and communications goals. Organic Plant Care LLC  in Frenchtown, NJ had an existing website that wasn't performing well. I completely repositioned it, reworked all of the content, (re)wrote everything for the last 2 years and redesigned it from the ground up. I added new functionality, including pop-ups, Google Ads landing pages, "request an estimate" forms, an online customer portal and more. By continuously improving on-page SEO and writing new content, I increased targeted organic traffic by 92% while reducing the percentage of visitors from outside OPC's service area. After revamping the site architecture, valuable content is easily found by visitors and they spend more time on the site reading content before contacting the company. To learn more about TCIA’s Professional Communications Award program, visit TCIA. org. Professional Communications Award Tree Care Industry Association December 2017 I'm pleased to announce that one of my clients, Arbor Experts in Dayton, OH, has received a 2017 Professional Communications Award from the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) for the website I built them.  This award honors marketing and communication excellence within the tree care industry. Arbor Experts came to me with an old, outdated website that wasn't bringing in business, a languishing Facebook page and no other online presence. I built everything from scratch, including a new website, all new content (including a blog), an updated Facebook page and a monthly email newsletter. I also created a series of educational videos and built a new YouTube channel as part of our Build Your Brand service. Comparing the 4-month period after I completed the project against the same 4-month period the year before (with their previous website) shows a 31% increase in unique website visitors, with a 127% increase in the greater Dayton area (i. e. , a much larger proportion of website visitors are within their service area). Organic traffic increased 54. 8% and now comprises over half of total website traffic, while direct traffic stayed constant and the proportion of traffic received through paid ads fell by 9. 2%. Overall, Arbor Experts is paying less for more (and more targeted) traffic. TCIA evaluated each entry on the overall website appearance, content quality, adherence to American National Standards Institute and Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and its success in achieving the company’s marketing and communications goals. As the judges said, the Arbor Experts website won the award because of "its clean design and the quality of content". To learn more about TCIA’s Professional Communications Award program, visit TCIA. org.   Business Visionary Award National Association of Women Business Owners July 2016 The Business Visionary Award recognizes a female business owner who has taken an innovative and "visionary" approach to building a successful company. It was awarded on the basis of my application of psychological principles (putting that Ph. D. to good use! ) to the world of digital strategy, and focus on an underserved niche market (the green industry tends to lag other industries in using and benefiting from the many tools, tactics and strategies available through the internet).   Professional Communications Award Tree Care Industry Association December 2015 I'm pleased to announce that one of my clients, Barts Tree Service, has received a 2015 Professional Communications Award from the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA).  This award honors marketing and communication excellence within the tree care industry. We worked together to build the Barts Tree Service online presence in a way that reflected owner Matt Bartelme's values and business goals. Over the past year, we've grown his website traffic exponentially through organic search, resulting in a huge increase in requests for an estimate and a surge in customers. Due to his organic placement on the first page of Google search results and repeat business from email marketing, Matt has been able to significantly reduce his advertising spend, including Google AdWords, and now has a lower customer acquisition cost. Barts Tree Service is now perfectly positioned as the go-to tree care provider in the Danbury, CT area. TCIA evaluated each entry on the overall website appearance, content quality, adherence to American National Standards Institute and Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and its success in achieving the company’s marketing and communications goals. To learn more about TCIA’s Professional Communications Award program, visit TCIA. org.   --- ### Resources - Email Lists 101 > This 5-part series describes everything you need to know create and develop a thriving email list that helps you grow your business. - Published: 2012-03-27 - Modified: 2023-02-13 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-lists-101/ This 5-part series describes everything you need to know create and develop a thriving email list that helps you grow your business. 1. 15 Reasons Why You Need an Email List 2. How to Choose the Best Email Marketing Provider 3. Increase Email List Conversions with Awesome Opt-In Forms 4. 20 Ways to Grow Your Email List 5. How to Get People to Open Your Emails --- ## Posts ### How Much Will Google Ads Cost My Tree Service Company? > Google Ads costs have been rising in the tree service industry. Here are the guidelines for cost per click, budget, conversions & ROI for tree care companies. - Published: 2024-06-04 - Modified: 2024-06-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-much-will-google-ads-cost-my-tree-service-company/ - Categories: Ads & Paid Search - Tags: Google Ads, marketing budget, PPC One of the most common questions we get from our tree care clients is “How much will a Google Ads campaign cost?” It’s a fair question – but not an easy one to answer. Here are the basic rules of thumb for cost per click, total budget, ROI, and more. If you're thinking about running an Ads campaign for your tree care company, you need to read this. One of the most common questions I get from our tree care clients is "How much will Google Ads cost? " It's a fair question, but not an easy one to answer, particularly now that Google Ads costs seem to be going through the roof in the tree service industry. In this article, we'll look at: The things you'll pay for when running Google Ads campaigns Which costs you can control and what you can't The most important metrics to look at when running Google Ads campaigns (it's not what most people think! ) How to tell if your ad campaigns are working (and what "working" means - many tree service owners get that wrong) How to set a reasonable budget for tree service ads How to maximize the return on your Google Ads spend A free Google Ads Budget Calculator to help you manage your ad spend   What Costs Go Into Google Ads for Tree Service? Several different factors make up your Ads costs. Some you have clear control over and some you don't. At the most basic level, you'll pay for the following: 1 - Ad Spend for Your Ad Campaigns What you'll spend is the cost per click (CPC) multiplied by the number of times people click on one of your ads. It doesn't matter how many leads you get from your Google Ads - you're paying for clicks, not leads (unlike Google Local Services Ads, where you only pay for leads). 2 - Ads Management Fees  This is either your time (which isn't free! ) or someone else's time to create and actively manage your ad campaigns. Google Ads are not something where you can "set it and forget it". If you hire an agency or Google Ads specialist to manage your tree service ad campaigns for you, they'll either charge you a flat monthly fee or a percent of your total ad spend. And you'll generally pay the agency regardless of how well your campaign works. SETTING YOUR Google ADS BUDGET One thing you always have full control over is the maximum amount of money you want to spend on your Ads campaign. You'll never pay more than your maximum budget, although you may well end up paying less. So how do you determine the right Ads budget for your tree care company? Think about your Ads campaigns as having two phases - testing what works, and maximizing return on investment. Your budget will probably look different for these two phases. PHASE 1: TESTING In the first phase, you're essentially doing market research to find out what works best for your tree care business - which keywords, ads, and landing pages are a profitable combination for you and which aren't. You'll need to know the average cost per click (CPC) for the keywords you'll be using. You can find this information in the Google Keyword Planner tool within Ads. It's just an estimate but it's usually not too far off and is helpful in planning your testing budget. In the tree care industry, the cost per click for many of the key search terms can be as much as $20 or even more, depending on which services you're advertising. It's a pretty competitive market in many areas of the country. Why is CPC for Tree Service Ads So High? There are several common reasons why CPC can be expensive in the tree care Ads market: It Can Still Be Profitable Tree service can be pricey so business owners are willing to pay more to get a new customer because they know the lifetime value of a customer will likely exceed their acquisition costs. Large Competitors in the Market Some of the large tree care companies spend a lot of money on Ads and bid up the CPC for everyone. DIY Advertisers Many business owners try to do it themselves and end up spending far more than necessary for very little return. Google loves people who don't know what they're doing! Post-Covid Slump During the Covid lockdowns when demand for tree care services skyrocketed, landscapers and people who saw it as a quick way to make money jumped into the industry. Without a strong online presence, their only way to generate work was by paying for leads; we saw a large increase in competition for tree service keywords in Google Ads during that time. We're now seeing a drop in search volume for tree services - up to 60% in some markets! With fewer people searching online for tree care, and more competitors in many market areas, the cost to run Google Ads is steadily rising. Until we see more consolidation in the market and unprofitable companies folding, expect to see CPC remain high. ABOUT COST PER CLICK (CPC) Many business owners look at a $10 CPC and say "No way - I'm not spending that just to get someone to click on an ad! " But that's short-sighted. The cost per click is only the first part of your online sales funnel, and it's not the most important number. Let's look at an example -  What if you spent $1,000 on ads (that's 100 clicks at $10 each) and got $10,000 worth of new business as a result. That's a 10X return. Would that be worthwhile?   Most people would say "Heck yeah! " But the answer really depends on your profit margin. As long as your costs to deliver $10,000 worth of services leave you with more than $1,000 (the amount spent on ads) in profit, then you're good to go. At that point, you'd want to spend as much as you possibly could on Ads because you'd be making money on every lead generated through your ads. Of course, this is assuming your business can handle the increased workload - if not, stop getting new customers until the proper staff/crews and equipment are in place. CPC is NOT the most important metric when running Ads campaigns. Google Ads PERFORMANCE ESTIMATES As a general rule of thumb, you can estimate that 1% of the people who see your tree service Ads ad will click on it. Of course, that depends on the quality of your ad, your targeting, budget, etc. but for planning purposes, it's a good number to work with. Of those people, how many will then go on to call you and eventually become a customer? Each tree care company is different but you probably have at least a rough estimate. If not, it's time to get analytics and call tracking in place! A good estimate when you're starting out is that 5% of the people who click on your ad will eventually buy your tree care services. So at $10 per click with a 1% click-through rate and a 5% conversion rate, you'd be paying $200 for a new customer. Throughout the testing phase, you'll be monitoring your Ads performance very carefully and making adjustments to try to increase the click-through rate, bring down CPC and improve conversions (such as calls to your business or completed contact forms). The length of time you spend testing your tree service ads depends on search volume for your keywords and your budget. If very few people are looking for what you're offering, then it'll take longer to get enough clicks to determine how well your online sales funnel is working. And if your budget is too low, you won't get the number of clicks you need. Tip: Google will tell you if you're using a low search volume keyword and I recommend removing those keywords from your campaign (at least during the testing phase). Assume that in the tree care industry you're going to spend about $1,000 to $2,000 testing EACH campaign and that it'll take 2 to 4 weeks. That's just a ballpark figure - you can spend much less or a lot more (it helps to have an expert do this for you as you're likely to get better results). PHASE 2: MAXIMIZING YOUR RETURN on Ad Spend Once you have your tree service keywords, ads, and landing pages dialed in, you're ready to start maximizing the return from your Google Ads spend. The testing will give you a good idea of how much you earn (on average) per click. Look at how much each click costs you, how many of those clicks turn into customers, and what the average lifetime value of a customer is for your business. If that number is positive (you earn more per click than you spend), then spend as much as you can! If it's negative (you lose money with each click) then go back to the drawing board. Most tree care business owners don't know their earnings per click - that's why they end up spending too much on Ads and seeing nothing in return. MONTHLY Google Ads BUDGET FOR TREE CARE COMPANIES The typical monthly spend for a small tree care business is in the $1,000 to $2,500 range, although it's not unusual to see budgets up to $10,000 per month. I know that may seem like a lot to spend on something that many people say just doesn't work. But when Google Ads is used correctly, it can have a significant return on investment (ROI) for tree service companies that makes the monthly spend worth every penny. When setting a Google Ads budget, the key things to look at are: the expected CPC, the number of clicks you'll get, the number of those clicks who convert into customers, and the average lifetime value of a new customer. You should have all of that information from your testing process. Ultimately, you want to set a budget that will allow you to maximize ROI (the value of a new customer divided by the amount you spent to acquire that customer). BONUS!  CLICK HERE to use my FREE Google Ads Budget Calculator to see how changes in CPC, CTR, and landing page conversions affect your budget and the number of new customers you can expect to get. THE BOTTOM LINE You need to spend enough money to get a large enough number of people to click on your ad. But BEFORE you do that, you must optimize your entire online sales funnel - ad wording and keywords, ad extensions, landing pages, call tracking, and a solid customer service person to pick up the phone when prospects call. Without all of that in place, it doesn't matter how large your Google Ads budget is - you'll just be flushing your money down the toilet. Focus on ROI, not on managing Google Ads costs - that's what will make or break your Ads campaign. --- ### Google's Helpful Content Update Hits Tree Service Websites > Many tree care companies will see huge website ranking changes from Google's helpful content update. Learn why and what to do if you get hit. - Published: 2022-08-29 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/helpful-content-update/ - Categories: SEO - Tags: Google update Many tree care companies will see huge website ranking changes from Google's helpful content update. Learn why and how it'll affect your website, what to do if your rankings tank, and how to rise to the top of the search results by creating helpful content. Have you heard about Google’s latest algorithm update? The "helpful content update" is a HUGE change in how Google ranks websites and will completely shake up the search results. Many tree care business owners will find that their website has dropped way down the rankings or even out of the search results altogether. Others will see their results improve enormously. Why? It all has to do with the content on your tree service website - what you write about and how it's written. Throw out what you've been told about "writing for SEO" or how to "SEO a website. " Instead, focus on filling your website with "helpful content. " Keep reading to learn: what that means, how the "helpful content" update will affect your website, what to do if your rankings tank, and how to rise to the top of the search results by following Google's newest guidance. What does Google's Helpful Content Update do? According to Google, it specifically targets “content that seems to have been primarily created for ranking well in search engines rather than to help or inform people. ” I’m sure you’ve had the frustrating experience of landing on web pages that aren’t at all helpful, but they rank well in search because they were “SEO’d” to rank well. This algorithm update aims to downgrade those types of websites. Instead, it promotes more helpful websites with useful, informative content that was written for humans, not search engines. Websites that have a relatively high amount of unsatisfying or unhelpful content will be ranked lower in the search results. That includes duplicate content and content that's written for search engines first. Why should you care? This update is expected to have a huge impact on how (and even if) websites rank in the organic search results. If you’ve hired a company to “SEO your website” or write “SEO content,” take a close look at it. I’ve seen many tree service websites where the content was clearly written just to rank well in search. The articles don’t sound at all natural (how many times can you repeat “tree service near me” in one article? ! ) and the content is superficial at best (obviously written by someone who has no clue about our industry). Google also stated that we’ll “see more results with unique information, so you’re more likely to read something you haven’t seen before. ” In other words, duplicate content is not helpful! For example, if you have a bunch of “city pages” that are nearly identical, other than the city name, you’ve got a lot of unhelpful content on your site. This will not just impact individual pages or sections of your website. It will impact the whole site – even if you have many pages that are helpful. Yes, you read that right. If you have helpful pages but a relatively high amount of your content is unhelpful, even the helpful content or sections of your site will be hit by this update. What to do if your tree care website rankings drop If you notice any large changes in your website’s ranking in Google search over the next week or two, it’s likely due to this update. If your ranking has tanked, Google recommends removing unhelpful content. They say that this “could help the rankings of your other content. ” However, it will likely take several months for the site to recover. Why? Because a site needs to prove over time that it no longer publishes content that was created with the sole purpose of ranking in search engines, and that takes time. Write for people first! Not sure how to do that? Check out the recommendations and questions below. I've organized the questions (shared by Google) into themes with recommendations for writing human-first content for tree service websites. In a nutshell, what it comes down to is this ... Did you write that piece of content purely to rank on Google or did you write it to help users? Recommendations Don’t stray too far from your area of expertise Do you have an existing or intended audience for your business or site that would find the content useful if they came directly to you? Are you writing about things simply because they seem to be trending and not because you’d write about them otherwise for your existing audience? Did you decide to enter some niche topic area without any real expertise, but instead mainly because you thought you’d get search traffic? Write about things you have first-hand experience with Add your perspective, give recommendations, show photos or videos of you/your employees (not stock images), and share your experience and expertise. You know a lot about tree care so share your knowledge! Does your content clearly demonstrate first-hand expertise and a depth of knowledge (for example, expertise that comes from having actually used a product or service, or visiting a place)? Are you mainly summarizing what others have to say without adding much value? Keep your website focused on one topic or subject area Stick to your primary services. If you're a tree service business, talk about pruning, removal, PHC, etc. Avoid getting into descriptions of "what to do in XYZ" (you're not a tour guide), local politics, or your spouse's tax prep services (yes, I've seen all of those! ). Does your site have a primary purpose or focus? Are you producing lots of content on different topics in hopes that some of it might perform well in search results? Fully answer searchers’ questions Produce complete, accurate, helpful content that directly addresses the question or concern that lead people to your website. Avoid creating articles that are just clickbait. After reading your content, will someone leave feeling they’ve learned enough about a topic to help achieve their goal? Does your content leave readers feeling like they need to search again to get better information from other sources? Are you writing to a particular word count because you’ve heard or read that Google has a preferred word count? (No, we don’t). Give readers a good experience Make sure your website is fast, well laid out, easy to navigate, accessible, and easy to read. Will someone reading your content leave feeling like they’ve had a satisfying experience? Make it clear if there is or isn’t a confirmed answer Does your content promise to answer a question that actually has no answer, such as suggesting there’s a release date for a product, movie, or TV show when one isn’t confirmed? Write normally! If you wouldn't say something that way when talking to a customer, don't say it that way on your website. AI and "SEO content" can only take you so far... Is the content primarily to attract people from search engines, rather than made for humans? Are you using extensive automation to produce content on many topics? Follow Google’s advice for core updates and SEO guidelines Google's advice about having a people-first approach doesn't mean you shouldn't follow SEO best practices. Are you keeping in mind our guidance for core updates and for product reviews? In Summary There’s nothing wrong with using SEO best practices (you should be doing that for all content). The problem arises when SEO is your only focus or is waaaaay overdone. Instead, follow Google's SEO guide. Apply those SEO best practices to people-first content and you’ll reap the benefits of the helpful content update. And if you're concerned about your website, or want help in upgrading it to rank better, get in touch!   --- ### Domain Name Expiration Letter Scam: Don't Fall For This! - Published: 2022-04-13 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/domain-name-registration-renewal-scam/ - Categories: Websites - Tags: domain registration, scam, website domain Many people fall prey to a common scam in which companies send misleading invoices for domain name registration renewals. Not only can it result in unnecessary charges, but you can also lose control over your domain names. Learn how to avoid this scam and ensure the security of your domain names. If you have a website, chances are you've received a letter like the one below from Domain Registry (or something similar, like iDNS,  Domain Registry of America, or Internet Registry of Canada). It's a Domain Name Expiration Notice. The letter tells you that your domain name registration (the URL of your website) will expire in the next few months and offers you the best savings if you renew now. Not sure what a domain name registration is? Here's a good explanation >> The letter often looks very official. It includes a logo (often with your country's flag), your name, address, and domain information. Many people assume they need to pay up to keep their website domain active. Or they give it to their Accounting department for payment and forget about it. But if you've ever wondered "Is this domain renewal letter legitimate? " or "Do I need to pay this bill? " here's the straight answer. Do not pay! It's a scam. Unfortunately, domain name registration and renewal scams are pretty common. I get a couple of calls a month from clients asking what they should do with a letter/bill they're received. So in this article, I'll tell you what I tell my clients. I'll: explain what this domain renewal letter actually is, give examples of the most common domain name scams, share tips to identify whether a letter you've received is legitimate or not, describe what to do if you've fallen for the scam, and walk you through what to do when you get one of these letters. Is this domain renewal letter a scam? This isn't a complete scam ( --- ### Are Online Reviews Still Worthwhile? > With more fake reviews, less trust in online reviews, and more extreme ratings affecting your business reputation, what should you do? - Published: 2022-03-21 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-online-reviews-still-worthwhile/ - Categories: Reviews / Reputation Management Online reviews can have a huge impact on a tree service company's success. But with more fake reviews, less trust in online reviews, and more extreme reviews, what should you do? Online reviews can have a huge impact on small businesses, especially businesses that provide a service (like tree care companies). If you want to build trust with potential and returning customers, you'll need to proactively manage your online reputation. Plus, online reviews help make you more visible in local search results (they're a local SEO ranking factor). But recent research shows that things are changing... More users are leaving extreme reviews (1- and 5-star reviews) and fewer are leaving more measured 2- and 3-star reviews. (Yelp) Fewer people report that they “trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. ” (79% vs 88% six years ago - BrightLocal) Fake reviews are on the rise. (Search Engine Land) Why Should You Care? Reviews are still a huge influencer of online purchasing behavior. So, if more reviews are fake, extreme, or untrustworthy, that will affect the number of calls and new customers you get. The various review platforms are working hard to combat the issues with fake reviews and regain consumer trust. The problem is that legitimate reviews often get caught by the AI used to filter out spam reviews. As a result, those reviews won’t appear on your Google Business Profile (GBP), Facebook, Yelp, Angi, etc. listing. What To Do Even if customer sentiment regarding reviews is shifting and some reviews go missing, you cannot ignore the weight that reviews still have in the local search results. To combat the changes, you need more and better reviews. Here's how to get them - Ask for Reviews People usually only take to Yelp, GBP, or Facebook reviews when they’re either highly satisfied or pissed off. But customers who are happy with your tree care services often don't think to write an online review. That's why it's so important for businesses to set up a review program to solicit more reviews from people who may not have thought to leave one before. While it’s against the terms of service of most platforms to solicit only positive reviews, asking all your customers to rate your business is not against the rules. Ask everyone! Reply to ALL Reviews While trust in online reviews is trending downward, the number of people who still trust what others are saying about your tree service business is pretty high at almost 80%. And one of the factors that influences trust is a timely reply from the business owner. Reply to ALL reviews, whether positive or negative. Report Fake Reviews Fake reviews are generally considered to be those left by employees (don't ask your crews to write you a review! ), business owners, customers who are lying, vendors, and former employees. Here's how to report fake online reviews - Reporting Fake Google Reviews - Report it on the Google My Business forum. In my experience, you need a lot of evidence to get Google to remove fake reviews. Reporting Fake Yelp Reviews - Report the review by clicking on the small flag-shaped button in the bottom right-hand corner of the review. The review will then be reviewed by Yelp’s user support team. Reporting Fake Facebook Reviews - On your business page’s “Reviews” section, click the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the review you want to report. Then choose “Report Post. ” Unfortunately, Facebook is a flawed system so there's no guarantee that fake reviews will be removed (but it's still worth reporting them). --- ### Google Analytics is Moving to GA4 > Google Analytics 4 is now the default version - and it's VERY different! Learn what to do before you lose access to your analytics data. - Published: 2021-12-14 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-analytics-moving-to-ga4/ - Categories: Quick Read, Analytics & Data - Tags: GA4, Google Analytics Google Analytics 4 is now the default version - and it's VERY different from what you may be used to! Learn what to do before you lose access to your analytics data. QUICK SUMMARY Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of the go-to analytics platform used on most websites. It includes "expanded predictive insights, deeper integration with Google Ads, cross-device measurement capabilities, and more granular data controls" - a fancy way of saying it does a lot of stuff! Why Should You Care? GA4 is VERY different from what you may be used to. GA4 also requires a different setup process to get tracking tags in place on your website. If you're setting up a new website or online property, Google Analytics 4 will be the default option. However, Universal Analytics is still available for now. On July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics will go away for good. If you don't have GA4 working by then, you'll lose all access to data about your website. What To Do If you already have Universal Analytics on your site, leave it in place! If you don't have it yet, set it up ASAP.  GA4 will only record data moving forward from the point in time when you set it up so without Universal Analytics, you'll lose all historical data. You should ALSO set up and install GA4.  Google recommends setting up both types and running them in parallel. This Quick Read first appeared in the December 2021 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Sign up below! --- ### Is Your Online Reputation Killing Your Business? > Nowadays, your reputation is developed for you. And it can make or break your business. Here's how to build, fix & maintain your online reputation. - Published: 2021-11-10 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/online-reputation/ - Categories: Branding, Reviews / Reputation Management - Tags: online reputation, reputation management, reviews It used to be so simple. When it came to business, you said what you meant, did what you said, and as a result, people said nice things about you. Candor, honesty, and reliability resulted in a rock solid reputation. But nowadays, your reputation is developed FOR you. So what can you do to build and maintain a great reputation? It used to be so simple. When it came to business, you said what you meant, did what you said, and as a result, people said nice things about you. Candor, honesty, and reliability resulted in a rock-solid reputation. But nowadays, your reputation is developed for you. It’s not just about what you say and do in the business world, it’s about what others find out about you online. Those photos of you in college doing shots while attending your buddy’s 19th birthday party? Busted! And the last girls’ weekend in Las Vegas where you ended up dancing on top of the bar? Oops! Let’s face it – the first encounter prospective customers will have with you is probably through your website or blog, as well as any other information they find online. Think Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp, Instagram, Angi... Professional or personal, it doesn't matter. If it's online, people WILL find it. Do you know what they’re seeing? Or how you appear to them? If not, it's time to do some research! Research Your Reputation Do a Google search on your name (limit it to the tree care industry if you have a common name) and your company’s name. What shows up is what prospects will see – and it better be good. Do they see wonderful tree service reviews and customer testimonials? Reports of your community involvement and charitable contributions? Or do they see questionable photos, rants by disgruntled former employees, and complaints by unhappy customers? Damage Control If the search engines turn up material that you’d rather customers not see (or even if it's just outdated information), it’s time to clean house. Visit all of your social media and networking accounts and remove anything you wouldn’t want to share with a potential customer. Limit privacy settings on current accounts so only friends can access your personal content. Delete any accounts that you no longer use. If you find customer complaints online, try to respond to them in a positive and helpful way. You don’t need to delete them (you probably can’t, anyway), but you do need to respond in a thoughtful and mature manner. Contact the customer directly to see how you can set things right - and then let others know what you've done to fix the issue. Post answers or suggested solutions on the sites where the complaints are found. Ask your social media followers how you can help them with any problems they may be having with your products or services. Whatever you do, don’t get defensive or blame the customer. Believe it or not, I recently saw a tree service company respond to a complaint on their Facebook page by saying “Clearly, you just don’t understand how trees grow. ”! Build Your Online Reputation Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 5 years, you already have some sort of online reputation (intentional or not! ). Be sure you understand what that reputation is, fix any issues (see Damage Control above), and then move forward in a purposeful way to build the reputation you want to have. That doesn’t mean lie or put yourself forward as someone you aren’t – but be aware that everything you put online will impact your reputation so only say or do the things that support your business goals and desired reputation. Leverage Social Media Social media is a good way to build your online reputation. Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn, blogs, and other social media outlets reach a huge audience and help drive your name or business up the search engine results pages. And when it comes to tree service companies, that's especially true for your Google Business Profile (If you haven't claimed, verified, and optimized it, or aren't posting regularly, it's time to get on it! ). Use your name (or business name) and relevant keywords in all of your online profiles, along with links back to your website. A consistent image and description across all online platforms will help drive your reputation. Stay Engaged Conversations and great content keep your name and your reputation top of mind. Podcasts, photo galleries, videos and webinars, blog posts, social engagement – they all add up over time to create a picture of who you are and what you stand for. Make sure they’re painting a pretty picture! Be Professional If you're running a business, you can't afford to share your personal opinions on every topic. Sure, be yourself with friends and family - just don't put it all out there on social media, websites, videos, etc. Some people have made a business out of being controversial, but most of us can't pull that off! Think of all the politicians and CEOs who've been forced to resign over a comment that got picked up on social media. Proactively Generate Online Reviews In today's world, online reviews will make or break your tree service business. If you only have a few reviews, particularly on Google, one negative review can completely tank your reputation. To counteract that, ASK for reviews from your customers (except on Yelp - that would be against their terms of service). The more positive reviews you have, the less impact a negative review will have. Make it as easy as possible by giving them an easy-to-remember, shortened link that takes them directly to your Google Business Profile or Facebook reviews. Use a link shortener like Bit. ly, Rebrandly for branded links (ours is tcms. link), or the Pretty Links Lite plugin for WordPress websites. Send a follow-up email after a purchase or service reminding them of the value of their review to other consumers. And consider using a review management platform, like Reputation Builder, to automatically ask for reviews, follow-up with reminders to customers who haven't yet left a rating or feedback, and respond to all reviews from one simple dashboard. It's the easiest way to generate positive reviews, build your online reputation, and help get your tree service found in the local search results (especially if the reviews are on Google). Maintain Your Reputation Things in the online world can change in an instant. Search engine results flip-flop on a daily basis. Social media broadcasts information to a huge audience with the click of a mouse. How do you keep up with it all? To stay on top of what’s being said about you and your company, try Google Alerts. This free service notifies you by email whenever something meets the search criteria you specify (for example, your name, your company, your products). Social Mention is another free service that notifies you of any activity around your search criteria in the social media space (such as blogs, videos, and tweets) and provides analytics around sentiment (how positive mentions are) and reach (your influence). Knowledge is power. Without knowledge about how people are seeing you online, you don’t have the power to impact your online reputation. --- ### Why You Should Ask Customers to Take Photos - Published: 2021-09-18 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-you-should-ask-customers-to-take-photos/ - Categories: Quick Read, Social Media A recent study of consumer behavior by Bazaarvoice found that: Two-thirds of consumers prefer customer-generated images to images created professionally for companies Over half agree that social media influences purchases Why should you care? While this research focused on shoppers in general (rather than home or business owners), it suggests that you can improve your bottom line by posting customer's photos on your social media accounts. What you can do Think about ways to post more customer-generated images on social media. For example: How can you encourage customers to post photos of the work you did or products they purchased on your Facebook page or Instagram account? Before and after photos are especially good! Do you have an Instagram #hashtag or Facebook tag they can use so you'll be notified about their post and can easily repost/share it? How about asking them to post their photos on your Google My Business profile? (you're regularly adding photos to your GMB album, right? ? ? ) Can you set up a reminder email or call to ask recent customers to share photos online or send them to you directly (you can credit them when you post the pics online)? Can you include it as part of your 'ask' when you ask for a review? Photos of your work are a critical piece of your online presence. Make it easier for yourself by encouraging customers to take and share photos for you! This Quick Read first appeared in the September 2021 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### 10 Common Mailchimp Mistakes - And What To Do Instead > You're probably making some common Mailchimp mistakes that hurt the success of your email marketing campaigns. Do this instead. - Published: 2019-02-06 - Modified: 2024-06-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-common-mailchimp-mistakes-and-what-to-do-instead/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: MailChimp, newsletter Are you making any of these common Mailchimp (email marketing) mistakes? And what SHOULD you be doing instead? If you hate email marketing, don't do it consistently, or can't get it to "work", then this article and video will show you how to overcome the mistakes and make it easier and more effective. Scroll to the end if you want to watch this on video instead of reading! Mailchimp is one of the "big dogs" (the big ape? ) in the world of email marketing. Because it's relatively simple to set up and FREE for up to 2,000 subscribers, many people start out with Mailchimp when they first set up their email marketing. The combination of free and easy-to-use turns out to be a double-edged sword. Sure, you can get going quickly. But it's likely that you're also making some common mistakes when setting up your account and then, without realizing it, continuing to do the wrong thing. Here are the top 10 mistakes I see people making with email marketing, and specifically, with Mailchimp. " Marketing is like sex: everyone thinks they're good at it. " Steve Tobak #1 - Using multiple lists This is probably the biggest mistake I see Mailchimp users make. People set up a separate list for each group or segment they want to market to, such as customers, leads, event attendees, interested in XYZ, etc. But, now that Mailchimp has made it easy to set up and use groups within your list, there are very few cases where you actually need more than one list. Plus, there are some very good reasons why you do NOT want to use multiple lists, including: Your Mailchimp billing rate is based on the total number of subscribers in your account. Each list is counted separately. So, for example, if someone is on three lists, they count as three subscribers. You could find yourself paying far more for your Mailchimp account than you need to. When someone unsubscribes from a list, they're saying "I don't want you to send me any more emails. " Under most of anti-spam laws (e. g. , CAN-SPAM, CASL, GDPR), you cannot send them marketing emails after that. You'll need to check all of your other lists and manually remove an individual if they appear on those other lists so you don't accidentally send them an email from another list. What a headache! If you want to send a campaign to all of your subscribers, you'll need to duplicate the campaign and send it individually to each list. That's bad enough, but what's worse is that every subscriber who's on multiple lists will then get the same campaign multiple times. It's difficult to keep track of things since all of your reports will be broken out by list, preventing you from getting a good overall picture of how well your email marketing is working. #2 - No immediate confirmation or welcome email Mailchimp can send a default confirmation email to new subscribers (if you enable it). It's pretty basic and impersonal but covers the essential details, like which list they've subscribed to, data and time, and their subscribed email address. Most people never get around to editing it and that's a real opportunity lost. Take the time to either rewrite it or, better yet, set up a welcome email automation that's triggered whenever a new subscriber joins your list. You can even vary the welcome email based on which group someone joins within your list. Let new subscribers know what to expect, like how often they'll hear from you, what kind of content they'll receive, if there will be any coupons or special offers, and how they can contact you. That first email is a good opportunity to ask them a question about their needs/desires etc. - they're at their most positive and so are most likely to actually respond. #3 - Sending emails from a Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc. address What's your email address? Do you have one specifically for your business? 
I'm not talking about something like treeguy846@aol. com. Customers aren't likely to look at you as a "real" business with an email like that. You need something that makes it clear that you're a professional with a legitimate business. Believe it or not, that one thing alone will set you apart from many of your competitors! If you don't already have a professional email - one on your domain - then set one up ASAP. It should be clear exactly who you are and what company you're with. For example, my email is mhemingway@itgmultimedia. com (email me any time! ). You don't even need to have a website. Just register your domain (I suggest GoDaddy) and then use Google G Suite to set up an email account. It's only $6/month. Then, when you set up your Mailchimp account, make sure emails come from that professional email address. (You must have a working email account at that address because Mailchimp will make you verify ownership by sending you a confirmation email. If you can't receive that email, you can't send Mailchimp emails from that address. ) What To Do Before You Hit "Send" A FREE checklist to help you send emails that bring in business GRAB IT HERE #4 - Sending emails with the wrong "from" name Most people send marketing emails from their company name. And, in some cases, that's fine. If subscribers don't know you - for example, if you represent a large company or an e-commerce site - then they'll easily recognize the company name. But if you're a service business where customers (and subscribers) deal directly with you, then the email should come from you personally. For example, "Mark at Smith's Lawn Service" or "Mark Smith, Smith's Lawn Service". Why? Because people develop relationships with other people, not with a faceless corporate entity. Those relationships help to develop a sense of familiarity and trust that, eventually, leads to a purchase (or repeat purchase). #5 - No sign-up forms on website Mailchimp's opt-in (sign-up) forms aren't the prettiest but they're simple to add to your website by just copying and pasting some code. Plus, if you don't like the default forms and don't know how to customize them, there are many tools that will insert a nicely-formatted opt-in form that's connected directly to Mailchimp. For example, if you have a WordPress website then check the plugin directory for easy-to-use options. So there's no reason why you can't put an opt-in form on your site. And you'd be surprised at just how many people will subscribe from your site - all with no ongoing effort on your part! For that matter, you should also be asking people to subscribe wherever you interact with them online, including your website and social media accounts. The contact form or "request an estimate" form can include a checkbox asking people if they'd like to subscribe to your list (just be sure to give them a good reason why they should do so). #6 - Too much text and/or images No one will read it if it's too long! Most email recipients want short messages that get directly to the point; they're not willing to scroll through reams of text. The same goes for images. Sure, they can look nice and they can help convey your message. But each image comes with a cost in terms of hogging bandwidth (which is especially problematic for people viewing your email on a mobile device) and delivery problems (the more images, the more likely the email is to be screened out by internet providers). Be strategic with both your text and images. Use just enough to capture someone's attention and get the message across. Less is more. #7 - Including only images (with no text) Approximately 50% of email users have images turned off in their email app by default. They simply cannot view images in emails without manually clicking and saying "yes, I want to see this image". Marketing emails that include only an image, usually with text superimposed over a background graphic, will show up as nothing but a small, empty box for about half of your subscribers. They won't have any idea what your email is about. Those large graphics can look wonderful - but if you use them, also include text describing your offer or message so subscribers with images turned off will still "get" your content. Get the monthly GROWth Report A FREE newsletter for the green industry describing what's changed in online marketing, what it means for your business and what to do about it GET YOUR REPORT #8 - Using links instead of buttons With over half of all email opens happening on a mobile device, it's important to make sure all subscribers can take the action you're asking of them. Usually, that's some sort of "click here". The problem is that links embedded in email text are really difficult to click on, especially when there are multiple links close to each other. "Fat finger syndrome" is a real problem for some of us! Instead, use buttons instead of links wherever you can. Not only are they more visible (so your CTA stands out) but they're also much easier to click. #9 - Not sending emails regularly If you've trained your subscribers to expect interesting information, special offers, a heads-up on upcoming events, or anything else of value to them, then they'll be watching for your emails to arrive in their inbox. One of the ways you "train" them is by sending emails regularly - preferably on a set schedule, like every second Tuesday - so they know when to expect them. But if your emails are hit or miss, or if subscribers have to wait a long time before hearing from you again, you'll "untrain" them. They won't know when to expect your emails and will eventually forget about you. They may even mark your next email as spam when it finally does arrive. So be consistent. Set a schedule and stick to it. #10 - Hitting 'Send' without testing Mailchimp gives you an opportunity to view a preview of your email before sending (it'll show you what it looks like on both desktop and mobile email apps). That's a good first step but it's not enough. I'm always amazed at how many poorly formatted, error-ridden emails I receive from companies (even huge multinationals make mistakes). What's worse is that most of those mistakes could've been fixed by simply testing the email before hitting "Send". Before sending an email to your subscribers, always send it to yourself first. Look at it on both a desktop and mobile device to make sure the layout looks right, images are showing up, links/buttons are working, preheader and subject line text are correct, and that there aren't any typos. It's much easier to catch errors on your phone or desktop than it is when viewing the email through the Mailchimp preview pane. And there you have it - 10 common email marketing mistakes that can easily be avoided with a little planning, know-how and perseverance.   If you'd rather watch the video, just click on the link below. And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel! --- ### Citations Are ‘Table Stakes’ for Tree Service Businesses > If you don’t have your citations in order, you’re killing your chances of appearing in the local pack and organic listings in the Google search results. - Published: 2018-12-21 - Modified: 2024-06-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/citations-are-table-stakes-for-local-businesses/ - Categories: Local Search, Quick Read - Tags: local citations If you don’t have your citations in order, you’re killing your chances of appearing in the local pack and organic listings in the Google search results. QUICK SUMMARY If you don't have your citations in order, you're killing your chances of appearing in the local pack and organic listings in the Google search results. What are "citations"? These are structured listings in online directories relevant to your location and business. The higher the authority of the directory, the more important the citation is in helping build your visibility online. Think Facebook, Yelp, BBB, Chamber of Commerce, YellowBook, Merchant Circle, etc. With more and more companies (even some small businesses) doing it correctly, citations have become such a fundamental part of local SEO that getting it wrong (or not doing it at all) will leave you far behind your competitors. WHAT TO DO The first and most important step is to make sure that your NAP (company name, address and phone number) is correct and identical across all citations. If any are not correct, get them cleaned up immediately. Start with authority sites, like Facebook and Yelp. Focus on the websites and directories that are important to your industry, location, and customers. Keep an eye on your citations (run a quarterly report) - things change (sometimes unexpectedly) so quickly fix anything that's wrong. Don't worry about adding hundreds of citations. Adding 5 high quality, local or business-related sources quarterly should be enough (focus on quality over quantity). This Quick Read first appeared in the December 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Why Getting Online Reviews Is Critical for Tree Service Companies > When it comes to online reviews, the biggest deciding factors in whether a consumer will do business with a company are things you CAN influence. Here's how - Published: 2018-12-06 - Modified: 2024-06-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-getting-online-reviews-is-critical/ - Categories: Quick Read, Reviews / Reputation Management - Tags: Facebook reviews, Google reviews, online reviews, Yelp When it comes to online reviews, the biggest deciding factors in whether a consumer will do business with a company are ...   QUICK SUMMARY The results of the 2018 Local Consumer Review Survey (from BrightLocal) are in! Here are the highlights. 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, including 75% of those 55 and older (so don't think it's just the younger crowd you rely on reviews! ) Positive reviews make 68% of consumers more likely to use local businesses Negative reviews stop 40% of consumers from wanting to use a business 57% of consumers won’t use a business that has fewer than 4 stars Most consumers read 4 or more reviews before feeling able to trust a company 89% read a company's response to reviews (so respond to those negative reviews, as well as the positive) 85% think that online reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant WHAT TO DO When it comes to online reviews, the biggest deciding factors in whether a consumer will do business with a company are: the number of positive, authentic reviews, the average star rating, and the company's responses to reviews. ASK customers to leave a review! ! I can't stress this enough. Just be careful - remember that you cannot ask for a Yelp review. Make it as easy as possible by giving them an easy-to-remember, shortened link that takes them directly to Google or Facebook's reviews. (use Bit. ly or Pretty Links) Send a follow-up email after a purchase or service reminding them of the value of their review to other consumers. This Quick Read first appeared in the December 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Major Change to Google Ads (formerly AdWords) - Use It To Get Better Results > Google recently added an extra headline and description to expanded text ads (there are now 3 headlines & 2 description fields). What does it mean for you? - Published: 2018-11-10 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/major-change-google-ads-use-get-better-results/ - Categories: Ads & Paid Search, Quick Read Google recently added an extra headline and description to expanded text ads (there are now 3 headlines & 2 description fields). What does it mean for you? QUICK SUMMARY Google recently added an extra headline and description to expanded text ads (so there are now 3 headlines and 2 description fields). If you're using Bing Ads, you'll SEE this same expanded layout there too. This change gives you more space on the search engine results page to add additional relevant information. The more space your ad takes up and the more helpful info it provides, the more likely people are to click through to your website. Using these new expanded ads should give you better results - especially since your competitors probably aren't yet doing it. WHAT TO DO Take a look at your current Google Ads. Could any of them benefit from the extra content? If existing ads are already running very well (e. g. , click through rate over 3% and conversions over 10%), leave those alone but add 2 or 3 new ads in that ad group to "face off" against them. Give it a month and see which perform better. Then remove the worst performers. If your current ads aren't doing so well, chances are that the new expanded format will make a significant positive difference in your results so start using the extra space ASAP. Note: I'm a Google Partner specializing in Search Ads. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. This Quick Read first appeared in the November 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Google is Recording Calls From Your Ads > Google will now record a sample of calls to your business from Google Ads that have call extensions enabled. Agree to it or you can't use call extensions. - Published: 2018-10-26 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-is-recording-calls-from-your-ads/ - Categories: Ads & Paid Search, Quick Read Google will now record a sample of calls to your business from Google Ads that have call extensions enabled. Agree to it or you can't use call extensions.   QUICK SUMMARY Best practice (and something I recommend and set up for clients) has been to use any and all available extensions in Google Ads (formerly AdWords), including call extensions (meaning that people can call you directly from the ad without having to visit your website). Google just announced that they will now be recording a sample of those calls, and will let callers know that their call is being recorded (for "quality assurance purposes") before putting the call through to your business. They say it's to cut down on spammy and fraudulent ads and only a small subset of calls will be recorded. WHAT TO DO Decide if you want to continue using call extensions.  Check your analytics to see how many calls you get through call extensions and, if possible, how much work those calls result in. If the numbers are positive, and you're ok with potential customers being told that their call is recorded by Google, then you'll need to opt in to having calls recorded. If you decide not to opt in, you will not be able to use call extensions. This Quick Read first appeared in the October 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Google+ Is Shutting Down > You’ve probably already heard that Google is shutting down its beleaguered social network, Google+ in August 2019. What should you do? - Published: 2018-10-12 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-plus-shutting-down-august-2019/ - Categories: Quick Read, Social Media You’ve probably already heard that Google is shutting down its beleaguered social network, Google+ in August 2019. What should you do? QUICK SUMMARY You’ve probably already heard that Google is shutting down its beleaguered social network, Google+ in August 2019. Why? Because the platform suffered an until-now hidden data leak that potentially affected up to 500,000 accounts. This is the exact same API weakness that allowed Cambridge Analytica to misuse Facebook data and was the final nail in the coffin for this stagnating, under-used platform. At one point or another, most of us were forced to create a G+ account (e. g. , to use YouTube, set up Google Local pages), so this shutdown affects us. WHAT TO DO Make sure you take stock of all the places Google+ is linked to throughout your site and beyond, and then remove those icons and links. Check the following: Social sharing buttons Icon links to social networks in your website header/footer Company and personal email signatures In-store signage ‘Write a G+ review’ links Printed marketing collateral Consider removing/deleting your G+ account sooner, rather than later (especially because of the security problem). Beyond that, don't worry about it. G+ has no impact on SEO or search rankings so you won't see any changes to your online presence. Note to clients - No need to do anything, I'm taking care of all of this for you. Update - It now looks like the platform may be shut down sooner than first announced. Unless you're a power user who's generating business through the platform, I recommend getting out sooner, rather than later. This Quick Read first appeared in the October 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Instagram: Should You Use It For Your Business? > The days when you could jump into Instagram and quickly gain an engaged audience without paying for it are coming to an end. - Published: 2018-10-03 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/instagram-should-you-use-it-for-your-business/ - Categories: Quick Read, Social Media The days when you could jump into Instagram and quickly gain an engaged audience without paying for it are coming to an end. QUICK SUMMARY Given the visual nature of our work in the green industry, Instagram seems like a perfect way to share what we do with existing and potential customers. The Instagram audience is slowly getting older (meaning there's more interest in our services and more money to spend) and it's not yet as crowded as Facebook. But ... with the recent departure of Instagram's founders, Facebook (the owner of Instagram) now has nothing stopping them from increasingly relying on Instagram for revenue growth. Expect to start paying for Instagram reach (i. e. , using paid ads), just like you do with Facebook. Plus, Instagram has been seen trying out new functionality that would track your exact location - even when you're not using the app!  - and share it with Facebook so it can target you with ads. WHAT TO DO The days when you could jump into Instagram and quickly gain an engaged audience without paying for it are coming to an end. If you've been considering using it, get started ASAP so you can build some momentum before it starts to cost you. And make sure that all of your privacy settings on both Facebook and Instagram (including on the mobile apps) are set correctly (it's up to you to decide how much of your personal information you want Facebook to track). This Quick Read first appeared in the October 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### The Goal of SEO is NOT to Rank #1 > A #1 ranking in the Google search results is completely worthless if your website is not designed to convert that traffic into leads and sales! - Published: 2018-09-21 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/goal-seo-not-to-rank-1/ - Categories: Quick Read, SEO A #1 ranking in the Google search results is completely worthless if your website is not designed to convert that traffic into leads and sales! QUICK SUMMARY Most clients tell me “I want to be #1 on Google – or at least on the first page. ” And it’s reasonable to want that - anything beyond that drastically lowers your chance of being found online by potential customers. But that’s NOT the primary goal of good search engine optimization (SEO). The goal is to generate leads and sales for your business. A #1 ranking in the Google search results is completely worthless if your website is not designed to convert that traffic into leads and sales! What To Do Improve your website’s conversion rate (the % of website visitors who call or contact you about your products or services, or who buy from you) BEFORE you focus on improving your ranking and generating more traffic to your website. Here are some ways to do it: Measure the current conversion rate so you know how well your site is doing. This is your baseline against which to measure improvement efforts. Have only one primary offer (call to action) per page. Make your offer clear, valuable and compelling to your ideal customers.  (Hint: ASK customers if they know what you offer and if it's appealing to them. ) Change the page or website layout to highlight your offer(s). Use a popup or slide-in to make sure your offer can’t be missed. Just don't make it obnoxious or cover the entire page.  OptinMonster (paid) or Sumo apps (free) are good options for doing this. Capture email addresses so you can follow up later (for example, offer a “freebie” of some sort in exchange for their email). Install tracking pixels so you can use retargeting ads to bring visitors who didn’t contact you or buy from you back to your website. This Quick Read first appeared in the September 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Not Using Google Search Console? Then You're Losing Business > Not using Google Search Console? Without it, you're flying blind and can be blindsided by website problems. Video tutorial on how to set it up properly. - Published: 2018-08-21 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/google-search-console/ - Categories: Quick Read, SEO - Tags: Google Search Console If you're not using Google Search Console then you're flying blind. Chances are, you'll be blindsided by critical website problems you never knew about and you can't optimize your website to bring in more business. So here's a step-by-step tutorial showing you how to set it up correctly (most people do it wrong) so you can get started.   QUICK SUMMARY If you're not using Google Search Console (formerly called Google Webmaster Tools), then you're losing business. Strong words, but true. And the sad truth is that most business owners have no idea what it is and/or don’t know how to use it. So what is it? Google Search Console (GSC) is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor and maintain your site's presence in Google Search results. It's not that your site won't show up in the search results without it. Rather, you won't know how your website is doing online. GSC will show you - how your pages are ranking, which keywords are bringing in traffic (so you can focus on them to bring in more business), how Google sees your site (and it’s not always pretty), which websites are linking to yours (sometimes there are sites that you definitely don't want to be linking to yours), if there are any errors (such as pages that aren't showing up in search, missing pages (404 errors) or broken links), if your site has been hacked (small business websites are the most frequently hacked - hackers seem to think it's fun to do), if you've received a manual penalty from Google, meaning that they've decided not to show your page or site because you did something you shouldn't (many people aren't aware of all the things that are against Google's terms of service) and much, much more. This is information you cannot get elsewhere and it’s critical to ensuring that your website ranks well. Unfortunately, most websites don’t even have Google Search Console set up, and even if they do, business owners (or marketing teams) don’t look at the data. The end result is that you’re leaving money on the table because you can’t fully optimize your website. WHAT TO DO Watch this video with a simple, step-by-step tutorial on how to set up Google Search Console for your website, as well as submit a sitemap to Google. Even beginners can do this! Don’t forget to subscribe – the next videos will cover how to get the most out of your GSC account. If you're working with a web designer or marketing firm, make sure they set this up (and do it correctly - many people do it wrong). And if you're one of my clients, don't worry - I set up GSC for every website I work with (because I couldn't do what I do without it! ).   This Quick Read first appeared in the August 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Google Local Services: Should (and Can) You Use It For Your Tree Service Business? > Google has expanded Local Services ads to tree care companies in most of the USA. Should you use it? Here's what it is and why you should use it. - Published: 2018-08-14 - Modified: 2024-06-16 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/use-google-local-services-for-tree-lawn-service-business/ - Categories: Ads & Paid Search, Quick Read - Tags: Google Local Services Google has expanded Local Services ads to tree & lawn care companies in several states. Should you use it? Here's what it is & why it could be good for you. QUICK SUMMARY Google Local Services is a relatively new pay-per-lead advertising platform that focuses on services businesses, such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors, locksmiths, etc. Recently, it has started to expand into other service categories in some states, including Tree Service Providers and Lawn Care Providers. Participating companies must pass Google's screening process, including license and insurance verification, as well as employee background checks. They are then considered to be a "Google Guaranteed" business. This means that the fly-by-night operators, uninsured companies, and unprofessional providers will not be able to use it (unlike Google Ads, where anyone with enough money can show up). You pay Google each time someone calls you from your Local Services listing (the best estimate is somewhere between $10 and $30 per lead, depending on the market). Whether or not that's worthwhile depends on the lifetime value of a new customer and your "close rate" on sales calls (you are tracking that, right? ? ). For most of us in the tree care industry, that's an excellent cost per lead; lawn care can be a little trickier, depending on your market (and perhaps the Local Services cost will be lower - we just don't know yet). So Why Use Local Services? Because it puts your company at the top of the Google search results page, above even the paid ads and local 3-pack! (OK, so the image below shows plumbers in Tucson, but you get the idea) WHAT TO DO Read this clear explanation of what it is, how it works and whether it's worthwhile. Then, if you're eligible and in a market that offers it for your service category (see the list below), sign up! Local Services Categories (as of 08/14/18)   Air Duct Cleaner   Appliance Repair Service   Auto Glass Service   Auto Service Technician   Carpet Cleaner   Electrician   Event Planner   Garage Door Pro   HVAC Pro   Handyman   Home Improvement Pro   House Cleaner   Junk Removal Provider   Lawn Care Provider   Locksmith   Mover   Painter   Pest Control Technician   Pet Care Provider   Pet Groomer   Photographer   Plumber   Roadside Assitance Provider   Roofer   Tree Service Provider   Tutor   Upholstery Cleaner   Water Damage Service Provider   Window Cleaner   Window Service Provider   Other (I'm not sure what that would be... )     This Quick Read first appeared in the August 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### The Quickest Way to Speed Up Your Website > With Google's Speed Update, load time on mobile devices became a critical factor in getting your website found online. Here's how to speed things up quickly - Published: 2018-07-10 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quickest-speed-up-website/ - Categories: Quick Read, Websites - Tags: image optimization, load time, site speed QUICK SUMMARY Google just rolled out their Speed Update, which considers how quickly your website loads on mobile devices to determine the site’s ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Although Google claims that “very few” websites will be negatively affected, it’s pretty clear that the affected sites will mostly be small business sites that don’t have the resources to stay up-to-date with all the latest best practices around speed optimization and implement them. One of the biggest factors affecting site speed is the use of images – specifically, the use of large, uncompressed images. Optimizing images to reduce file size can yield some of the biggest performance improvements on a website – and therefore improve your SERP ranking. WHAT TO DO While there’s no one best way to compress images, there are some basic things you can do that will have a huge impact. ·      Only use images if they’re necessary or will add significantly to your messaging and/or the user experience. Each additional image used will slow down the site. ·      Use web fonts instead of images to depict text. ·      Select the right format: o   GIF for animated images o   PNG for images with fine details that need high resolution or those with a transparent background (use judiciously – these are large files) o   JPEG for photos, screenshots or similar images ·      Use an image compression tool to optimize images before adding them to your website. Choose one that strips out unnecessary image metadata, like location, camera settings, date, etc. ·      Images are generally good candidates for “lossy” compression, whereas logos usually benefit from “lossless” compression. ·      Don’t be afraid to dial down the “quality” settings – even at lower quality levels, images usually look very good online and you’ll save a lot of bytes. ·      Scale each image to the display size before uploading it (e. g. , if it’s shown at 400x600px, save it at that size before adding it to the site). Don’t put a full-size, high-resolution image on your website and then have the site scale it down when it’s displayed! As a general guideline, maximum image size should not exceed 300kb (and that’s a big file! - most should be under 100kb). I often see websites with 1 MB images – that’s waaaay too large! . I use a utility on my desktop called ImageOptim to compress images after I’ve cropped, scaled and optimized them in Photoshop. It’s only for Mac users but there are some options that work on Windows (or the web). Choose the one you like best and use it before uploading images to your website. Every. Single. Time. https://imageoptim. com/versions. html This Quick Read first appeared in the July 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Can't Use Apps to Post Content to Your Facebook Profile? Here's Why > You can't use 3rd-party apps to post content on behalf of your personal Facebook profile. Here's what you can do to keep scheduling posts in advance. - Published: 2018-07-03 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-cannot-use-apps-post-to-facebook/ - Categories: Quick Read, Social Media - Tags: Facebook   QUICK SUMMARY As part of its push to create "meaningful interactions" on its platform, Facebook announced on April 25 that new apps will no longer be able to publish posts to Facebook as the logged in user. In other words, you can't use an app to schedule out content and have it automatically post. Apps created before April 25 that had been previously approved (like Buffer, CoSchedule, Hootsuite, Edgar, and others) can continue to post on your behalf until August 1, 2018. After that, you'll no longer be able to use the apps to post content on behalf of personal Facebook profiles. This means that if you use a personal profile for your business, you'll need to post content manually and directly in Facebook. However, you CAN still use these apps to post to business profiles and pages on both Facebook and Instagram. WHAT TO DO Check to make sure your business is using a business page on Facebook (and Instagram, if you use it). If it's not, consider converting your personal profile into a business page. Here's how to do it >> Be aware that while your friends and followers, photos and videos, and verified status will migrate over to the new business page, your posts and metrics will not. Whether or not that's a worthwhile trade-off depends on how much engagement you currently get on your personal profile, how many posts there are (keeping in mind that very, very few people will ever see any of your old posts), and how often you schedule posts using third-party apps. I know I'd be lost without Buffer and CoSchedule to help plan out posts for the upcoming weeks, but some people are perfectly happy using Facebook's native scheduling tool (scheduling with Facebook vs an app doesn't appear to make any significant difference to Reach). This Quick Read first appeared in the July 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Ways to Outrank the “Big Guns” in the Local Search Results - Published: 2018-06-26 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-ways-to-outrank-the-big-guns-in-the-local-search-results/ - Categories: Quick Read, SEO QUICK SUMMARY You’re trying everything you can think of to get your website ranked on the first page of the Google search engine results pages (SERPs). So it’s frustrating to see SERPs filled with nothing but review sites and other aggregators, like Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, Yelp, Thumbtack and more. These sites rank at the top because they have domains that have been around for years, high domain authority, and lots of money to spend on SEO. Competing with these 800-pound gorillas can be difficult – but it’s not impossible if you use a few of their tactics. WHAT TO DO Here are some ideas to try on your own website: Create a separate page for each local area/town in which you operate. Make sure the content on each page is unique, fully fleshed out and locally relevant. Do NOT just copy and paste, changing only the town name! Include a map on each of these pages. Show your location and directions to it or, if you’re a service area business, show the area you cover. Continuously generate reviews from your customers (ASK them to write reviews! ) and feature them on your website. Use Schema markup to show rich snippets (including those star ratings! ) for each review in the organic results. Write list articles relevant to your location and business. For example, ‘5 Most Destructive Tree Pests in Dayton,’ ‘10 Ways to Grow a Greener Lawn in Denver,’ or ‘6 Hot Color Plants for Charlotte Gardens’. Similarly, create “best of” lists for businesses that provide a complimentary service to yours (e. g. , if you’re a lawn care company, write a list of best irrigation companies or best tree service providers). Let them know about your list and give them a “badge” (a "logo") they can put on their website to show off their recognition as a “best xyz” in your town. Make sure that they link back to the article on your website! Join the local Chamber of Commerce. It’s relatively inexpensive (usually just $200-500/year) and provides you with a listing and link from a highly credible site (just be sure the link is a followed link).   This Quick Read first appeared in the June 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Are You Taking Advantage of the Facebook Cover Image? > The obvious thing most people miss on their Facebook business page is the huge amount of prime real estate at the top of the page – the cover image. - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-facebook-cover-image/ - Categories: Quick Read, Social Media   SUMMARY The obvious thing most business owners miss on their Facebook business page (you do have one, right? ? ) is the huge amount of prime real estate right at the top of the page – the cover image. If you're not making it work for you, then you're missing out. The right size for the cover image is 820 by 312 pixels, although it’s better to use one in the same proportions but slightly larger (1200px x 650px). If you upload an image that’s not the right size, Facebook will stretch it to fit – usually with hideous results. If you’re a Photoshop pro, great. If not, use Canva to create your cover image. There are tons of templates to choose from and they’re pre-set to the right size (be sure to choose the 'Facebook Cover' template). You can upload your own images or buy one of theirs for only $1. And if you’re completely at a loss, try posting a “gig” on Fiverr – you can get a good cover image designed for $10 or less. Unlike on your personal account, your business page shouldn't have a pretty sunset or a photo of you and your friends. Instead, it needs to clearly represent your brand and business. WHAT TO DO Here are some guidelines for creating a great cover image for your business page - Take advantage of all the available real estate for your cover image. Add your company name to the image. You might also want to include your service area. Use a high-quality image that reflects who you are and what you do. Include the URL of your company’s website (it’s not clickable but it’s important to show it). Create a short tagline to explain what you’re about (this is your one shot to capture their attention). You can change out the cover image as often as you want so be prepared to change it to showcase a big event coming up, something you want to market, seasonal work/events (e. g. , putting up holiday lights), awards, etc. Be creative and keep it interesting for your fans. This Quick Read first appeared in the June 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### Why You Cannot Ask Customers For a Yelp Review > Yelp's terms of service expressly prohibit you from soliciting reviews. Here's what you can do to ensure you stay compliant AND get reviews. - Published: 2018-06-12 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/quick-read-cannot-ask-for-yelp-reviews/ - Categories: Quick Read, Reviews / Reputation Management   SUMMARY Did you know that Yelp's terms of service expressly prohibit you from soliciting reviews? And that Yelp penalizes companies that do this, causing them to virtually disappear from the Yelp results? Actually, most review sites have policies that prevent you from directly asking customers for positive reviews (i. e. , only asking individuals who've had a positive experience with you) - they just don't enforce the policy the way Yelp does. For example, in April Google updated their terms to say "Don’t discourage or prohibit negative reviews or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers. ” WHAT TO DO If you're using a "reputation management" company to solicit and display reviews on your behalf, make sure that they're not directly asking for Yelp reviews. Remove any "leave us a review on Yelp" links or badges you may have on your website. It's fine to have a link to your Yelp profile, just don't ask for a review. And if you send a follow-up email to customers after they've purchased a product or service (either directly or through a review service), don't include a link to your Yelp profile in that email. Give everyone an opportunity to leave a review on whichever platform they prefer. This Quick Read first appeared in the June 2018 GROWth Report newsletter. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe below! --- ### 6 Things You Must Have On Your Tree Services Homepage > As a local service company, your goal is to bring in business from tree care customers within your local service area. Here are 6 simple (but often overlooked) things you must do on your homepage to bring in more local leads and convert them into customers (plus 4 bonus tips). - Published: 2018-04-12 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-must-have-elements-tree-services-homepage/ - Categories: Websites As a local service company, your goal is to bring in business from tree care customers within your local service area. Here are 6 simple (but often overlooked) things you must do on your homepage to bring in more local leads and convert them into customers (plus 4 bonus tips). As a local service company, your goal is to bring in business from customers within your local service area. That means your marketing (and especially your online marketing) must be locally-targeted, attractive to local residents, and easily found by potential customers looking for someone who provides tree care services in their vicinity. Most of the advice you’ll find about “online marketing” focuses on online businesses (e-commerce sites) or local retailers (“bricks and mortar” stores). But, as a local service business, your marketing doesn’t fit that mold. In fact, some of the advice simply doesn’t work for tree care companies. For example, if your website doesn’t get found by local customers, it might as well not exist. And if they don’t call or contact you once they’ve found your site, then it’s not doing you any good. What can you do to ensure your tree service website is found by the right customers and that they get in touch when they visit your site? Most people first land on a website’s homepage so it’s critical that it works well to convert website visitors into customers. So let's start with optimizing the homepage. Here are the six must-have elements for a local service business homepage. Phone Number It always amazes me how many local business websites don’t prominently display their phone number! If a potential customer can’t find your number, how are they going to call you? Don’t make them search for it – put it at the top right of your site (in the header) and use a large font. Use a local area code so it’s clear that you’re located in the community you serve. Service Area This one is also a big miss on many tree service websites. If a customer has to scroll down to the bottom of the homepage just to figure out where you’re located (and then assume that your service area is around your business location), they’re unlikely to ever call you. State your service area clearly (e. g. , Fairfield County, foothills west of Denver, Northeast Ohio) and put that information at or near the top of the homepage (above the fold). Make it obvious as soon as someone lands on your website that you either do or do not serve the area in which they live. You may also want to include a map of your location with an outline around your service area (this can also go on the About Us and/or Contact Us pages). Plus, you can list the major towns and/or counties you serve. That doesn’t mean including a long list of every single town you cover though – not only does it look spammy, it’s no longer considered good practice from an SEO standpoint. Services You Provide Make it really clear what you do so potential customers immediately know whether or not your business is worth contacting. Include a brief description of your major services (e. g. , pruning/trimming, tree removal/stump grinding, PHC, planting) at a high level using words your customers use (skip the industry jargon! ). You could also focus on the problems customers need to have solved (e. g. , broken branches, fallen tree, yellowing leaves) and emphasize the fact that you solve those problems. A tagline can also be helpful here (e. g. , “Expert tree care services for fine properties in the Hamptons”, “Keeping trees healthy and safe since 1978”). Trust Elements It’s a sad fact that people simply don’t believe what companies say about themselves. Instead, they rely on external or third party indications of quality. Include any awards, certifications, or membership logos on your homepage, as well as a few customer testimonials (show the customer’s name and town for maximum impact). Call to Action What do you want someone to do when they land on your homepage? As a local service business, you most likely want them to contact you to discuss your services and/or request an estimate. Ensure that it’s crystal clear what you want them to do and make it easy for them to do it. Include a highly visible button that says “Request an Estimate” (taking them to an online form) and/or say “Call Us Today For a Free Quote” (use whatever wording is appropriate for your business). Links/Resources Many people expect to see links to important pages and resources at the bottom of the page. Make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for, including contact information, major services, and social links. Other Important Home Page Features Frequently Updated A static site indicates an inactive or lazy business, and negatively affects ranking in the search results. Update the home page regularly with new blog posts, seasonal tips, images, and seasonally-relevant calls to action. Good Design / Consistent Brand There's much more to a good website than just "it looks pretty" - but you still need good design. Keep it simple, with plenty of white space, larger font size (16pt or larger), colors that are consistent with your brand, and images of you and your team at work. Easy Navigation Put the navigation (menu) across the top of the page (usually it’s right under the header/logo) – that’s where people expect to see it. Make it obvious what each menu item is (again, avoid jargon here), simplify the menu choices (more is not better) and make it easy for people to get where they need to go. List “Home” in the menu, show your services first, and include About Us and Contact Us at the end of the navigation bar. Speedy Load Time How quickly your website loads on a mobile or desktop screen has a huge influence on where your site ranks in the search results. It also affects customers’ impression of your business (slow site = crappy company) and whether or not they even look at your site. Anything over a couple of seconds and people are likely to hit that “Back” button. Mobile Friendly With Google moving to mobile-first indexing, a mobile-friendly website is critical. Rather than creating two separate versions of your website (a desktop and a mobile version), use mobile responsive design to ensure that viewers have the best user experience regardless of which device they’re using. Summary It only takes a few missing things on your homepage to ruin the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. But by doing the six simple things described above, your website will help you bring in more customers from your local service area. Note: The recommendations in this article apply to local tree service companies. Large regional or national companies may do things slightly differently so don't try to copy what they do - it likely won't work well for a local company. Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### How Local SEO Really Works in the Tree Care Industry > Frustrated that your business isn't showing up in the local search results for the neighboring town? It's because of the way local SEO and the Google search algorithm work. Here are the details and what you can do about it. - Published: 2018-01-25 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/local-seo-really-works/ - Categories: Local Search, SEO - Tags: local SEO Frustrated that your tree service business isn't showing up in the local search results for the neighboring town? It's because of the way local SEO and the Google search algorithm work. Here are the details and what you can do about it. The other day I got a phone call from a client saying that "my site isn't ranking for 'tree pruning' in Miami". Ummm, well... The client is located in Orlando. However, they want to appear on the first page of the Google search results whenever anyone searches for 'tree pruning' anywhere in Florida! And they believe that if I just did "better SEO" on their site, they'd rank better. Which got me thinking about similar conversations I've had over the years with companies that are trying to rank for specific keywords in specific locations, regardless of where they're actually located. In some respects, it's like they say in Maine - "you can't get there from here. " Why? Because Google (and the other major search engines) is designed to show local results when someone is searching for a local service or product. Let's take a look at the search engine results pages (SERPs). Ads Show At The Top Of The Page At the top you have up to three ads (sometimes four). You have to pay to show up there. If you have enough money and time to set up your AdWords campaigns properly, you can show up there for pretty much any keyword you want in just about any location. It's going to cost you (probably a lot! ), but it can be done. The Local 3-Pack Is Next Next, we have the local 3-pack (also called map pack or local pack). Until recently, you could not pay to appear there. But now we're starting to see a 4th listing, shown at the top of the map pack, with a paid placement from a Google Local Services ad. That program isn't yet available in all geographic areas but it's worth considering if you're having difficulty getting into the local pack. It pulls information from Google My Business pages and shows the three verified local companies nearest you. To appear there you must have a verified local business address (not a PO Box or one of those mailbox suites) and an optimized Google My Business page. If you're not physically located in the town or city, you cannot show up in the local 3-pack for that town or city if there are other companies who are (even if they're not as good as you). Pretty simple. But this is where business owners want to show up so you'll sometimes find them creating multiple spam Google My Business (GMB) pages with addresses in different locations. Do NOT do this. It's easy to report a fake GMB page and get it taken down - sooner or later it will catch up with you. Now For The Organic Results Finally, we get to the organic (non-paid) search results. In the tree care industry, the top 3 to 6 spots are usually dominated by Home Advisor, Angie's List, Yelp, Thumbtack, BBB and perhaps a local industry directory. Those are huge sites with a ton of user-generated, local content - trust me, the average tree care company can't compete with them. So that means you have 4 to 7 spots on the first page in which your tree service website could be shown. And you likely have pretty fierce competition for those limited spots from other local businesses who want to show up for the same things you do. How Local Search Works How does Google (and the other search engines) decide which websites to show in those limited organic search results? It's all about search intent The search engine algorithm decides what the searcher is really looking for. Gone are the days of taking the words a searcher types into the search bar and simply looking for websites with multiple mentions of those words (which is why keyword stuffing no longer works). Instead, Google tries to decipher the searcher's intent and then find sites that have content related to the general concept the person is looking for. For example, if someone in Miami is looking for "tree pruning", Google makes a few assumptions. First, the search results should be specific to Miami. Even if the person didn't explicitly say "tree pruning in Miami", Google figures that tree pruning is a local service, just like "taxi" or "dry cleaning", and so it will return results that are specific to Miami. Second, Google assumes the person is probably searching for a business that can prune their tree, but they could also be looking for tree pruning advice, costs, techniques, tools, or anything else related to tree pruning. If the search was for "tree pruning company" or "tree pruning business" then it's much clearer that the search engine results page should show local tree pruning companies. No one (except some of the folks at Google) knows exactly how the search algorithm works. SEO experts try to reverse engineer it and then share their research findings with the SEO community. Keyword stuffing doesn't work The description above is the latest thinking on SEO but it's always evolving. What worked yesterday may no longer work today. Take the case of keyword stuffing (putting a specific keyword on a webpage as many times as possible). It used to be considered state-of-the-art SEO but will now get your website penalized rather than promoted in the search results. But clients still want me to "just put that word in a few more times so the page will get found by Google. " What Can You Do To Get Found In Local Searches? First, understand how the local search algorithm does and does not work. You are not truly a "local" business The problem with tree care is that it's a "service area business" (SAB) in which you go to your customers, rather than having a bricks and mortar location that customers come to. You cover an area that could be over 100 miles from edge to edge. Google is going to show your GMB page and search listing to people who are in close proximity to your physical business address, not necessarily to those within your larger service area. #1 - Focus on GMB Still, having an optimized GMB page is the biggest bang for your buck right now. It's well worth taking time to verify and optimize your Google My Business page (it's free! ) so you show in the local 3-pack. Publish a weekly post and upload images or videos regularly. Respond to customer questions in the Q&A section. #2 - Optimize Your Website Then look at your website. Instead of trying to optimize it for the major keywords in your industry and location (e. g. , "tree removal Chicago" or "tree trimming Minneapolis"), target medium tail keywords. These are words and concepts related to that primary keyword but having less reach and less competition. If it's done well (e. g. , using multiple different but related keywords, but without overdoing it), Google will show that page for searches on that term AND tons of similar keywords. You can also create sections of your website that are targeted at specific towns, neighborhoods, counties, etc. Just be careful with this - don't copy and paste the same information but only change the location name. Each page should be unique and valuable to residents in that location. It's a lot of work to do this well so start with only a couple of pages and then check your analytics over time to see how much traffic you're getting and how well the pages are converting. Then What? SEO is an ongoing process - it's definitely not a "one and done" job. It takes consistent effort over the long term to maintain results. For example: Check your analytics regularly for downward movement on specific pages Take a look at older blog posts and pages to see if the SEO needs to be updated Keep putting out new, well-optimized content on locally-relevant topics And if you're located only in Orlando, don't expect to show up in the local organic search results for Miami any time soon. Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### Three Massive Mistakes Tree Service Companies Make That Cost Them Customers And Lost Revenue - Published: 2017-10-27 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/three-massive-mistakes/ - Categories: Strategy When business owners ask me why they're not bringing in more customers, I usually find that they’re making one or more of the three biggest mistakes you can make in your marketing. The sad thing is that these mistakes are easily avoidable. "How can I bring in more customers? " That's a question I'm often asked by business owners who aren't getting the results they need with their marketing. They're doing all the things they've heard that they "should" be doing, they're spending a ton of money and using up their valuable time to try to make it all work. But somehow the phone isn't ringing and they're left worrying about cash flow and where to turn to next. What's going on? When I take a good look at what these business owners are doing, I usually find that they're making one or more of the three biggest mistakes you can make in your marketing. The sad thing is that these mistakes are easily avoidable. Mistake #1 - Over-Reliance on Word-of-Mouth Marketing "I get most of my new customers through referrals so I don't need to do much else. " I can't tell you how many times I've heard that and it always makes me cringe. It's not that referrals are a bad thing - they can be a terrific source of qualified leads. But leads aren't customers; they still need to be sold. And no matter how delighted your existing customers are, they're not going to do the selling for you. While happy customers will gladly share your (business) name if a friend or family member mentions that they're looking for the services you provide, they're not going to go out of their way to provide all of the information that person needs to confidently make a buying decision. So how do leads find the information they need to help them feel comfortable contacting you? They look online! Your website, online reviews, and social media are all sources of information that "sell" people on you and your business. If they like what they see, they'll contact you. If they don't see anything or, even worse, they see some bad reviews or a crappy website, then they won't contact you. Without a strong online presence, you may make some sales, but how many are you leaving on the table because they didn't like what they saw (or didn't see) online? What happens when someone leaves a negative review online (whether it's justified or not) and you have no other online resources to counteract its effects? It's pretty simple - if you're waiting for customers to act as your sales force, you're losing business. Mistake #2 - Ineffective or No Use of Email Marketing How many of your customers have given you their email address? Have you asked for it? What do you do with the emails you do have? Technological advances make it possible for you to automate, or at least digitize, many of your customer service processes. Service confirmations, proposals, and invoices can all be sent via email. Customers can pay online and get an automated receipt by email. All of that saves you time and money. But that's just one piece of it. Roughly half of small businesses don't take advantage of one of the best tools in their marketing toolbox - email marketing. I'm not talking about an "email blast" now and then or spamming your customers with constant sales messages. Email marketing means sending helpful information to people who've asked to hear from you and who are interested in what you have to share with them. In our industry, that usually means a monthly newsletter and, depending on your business, a weekly or bi-weekly update (for example, sharing a plant of the week if you're a landscaper, or new arrivals in your garden center). Email marketing, when done right, has an average return of $44 for every $1 spent. What other marketing tool has a return like that? ! How many jobs do you need to get from an email to make it worthwhile? Two? Probably only one... If you're like many of my clients, you're probably thinking "Many of my customers are older and they just don't use email, websites or social media. " But the facts paint a different story. About ⅔ of seniors use the internet regularly (that number is even higher for those with a college education or in higher income brackets) and more than half use a smartphone. They're "connected" and want you to reach out to them online. Mistake #3 - Telling Instead of Teaching I know you're proud of your business and what you've accomplished. You have a top-notch team that does fantastic work. You have state-of-the-art equipment. You have experience, certifications, qualifications, licenses, insurance, and more. And you want to make sure customers and leads know all about it. The harsh fact is that, for the most part, they just don't care ... Telling them about yourself doesn't sell your services. But educating them about how you solve their problems DOES sell. Most people don't really know what services they need. They know they have a problem - a hanging branch, brown spots in the lawn, an ugly view - but they're not sure how to fix it. So telling them about your cabling and bracing techniques, the latest organic pesticides or the new CAD certification you earned isn't going to convince them that they should call you. But ... if you can show them that you understand their problem and that you have a good solution, then they're more likely to see you as the trusted expert who they can turn to for help. How to you do that? By providing educational content on a regular basis that speaks to their needs in their language. An easy way to do that is by writing a monthly blog post and/or email newsletter. You could also give presentations at local events, update your brochures and fliers to focus on solutions to customer problems (rather than just describing your services), work with a local publication to do a monthly article related to your services or get interviewed about common problems you solve. The goal isn't to push people toward a particular solution and you're not telling them (much) about yourself. Instead, you're giving them helpful information that they can use. They may not need your services at that moment, but when it comes time to fix whatever problem they have, who do you think they're going to call? The person they've had no interactions with or the one who consistently, month after month, has given them tips, advice, and recommendations that demonstrate a level of caring and expertise you don't often find these days? Summary Each of these mistakes are things I see over and over in the green industry. I get it - you're busy running your business and there's not much time for anything else. But continuing to make these mistakes will only hurt your business, costing you customers and revenue. On the other hand, avoiding even one of these mistakes can have a measurable and positive impact on the bottom line. Isn't it time you took another look at your marketing methods? Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### Why Your Tree Services Website Is Hurting Your Business > Most tree care company websites are a business liability - they're more likely to turn potential customers off than to turn them into customers. Here's why. - Published: 2017-09-20 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-your-tree-services-website-is-hurting-your-business/ - Categories: Websites Most tree care company websites are a business liability. I know that's a pretty strong statement. But the fact is that most websites in our industry are more likely to turn potential customers off than to turn them into customers. Most tree care company websites are a business liability. I know that's a pretty strong statement. But the fact is that most websites in our industry are more likely to turn potential customers off than to turn them into customers. I recently had a long discussion with a tree service business owner who told me "I like my website and I don't want to change it. " And that's the problem. HE likes it. But your company website isn't for YOU - it's for your customers and potential customers. And if THEY don't like it then your website will do more harm than good. Here are a few of the typical issues I see with tree care business websites. Outdated Design Problem: The site was built several years ago and looks dated. Even 2 or 3 years is considered a long time in the online world and a 3 year old website just doesn't look up to date. Impact: An outdated website design conveys the message that you don't invest in your company and you don't care what it looks like - or that you're just out of touch. If you can't stay current with something as important as your website, how can customers trust you to be up to date on tree care practices, keep your equipment in working order, or take care of business in a timely manner? Beautiful Design, Poor Functionality Problem: The website looks beautiful but it loads slowly, visitors aren't sure exactly what they're looking at or what you do, it's difficult to find the content they're searching for, the online forms aren't intuitive to use, there are distracting animations or pop-ups, etc. Impact: This is a typical case of form over function. So many business owners are focused on how a website looks, rather than whether or not it works to attract leads and help convert them into customers. I get it - website appearance is what you see first, and first impressions are important. But if all you want is a pretty website then you're wasting your money. Would you buy a chipper just because of the paint color, size of the lettering on it, and placement of the stickers? Of course not! If it leaks hydraulic fluid, isn't maneuverable or jams easily then it's of little use to you, regardless of appearances. Built On An Outdated Platform Problem: Your website uses an old theme or framework, or is built using a free website builder that hasn't been updated. Impact: Many tree service business owners think of their website as something they can put up and then forget about. But as technology changes, what used to be functional, secure and dependable becomes non-functional, vulnerable to hacking, and works only inconsistently. The recent Equifax data breach is a good reminder that you can't be too careful about your online assets. Make sure the technology used for your website keeps up with the times! Broken Links, Missing Images, Poor Formatting Problem: The website content either hasn't been checked in a while, incomplete content has been used ("let's just get something up there - it's better than nothing"), or content has been added without much thought to what's already on the website. Impact: A website is a living document. Things change frequently. And it takes careful review on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to work as it should. Not doing this sends the clear message to your customers and leads that you don't care whether or not they're getting the best possible experience. And the lack of attention to detail isn't something that makes potential customers to feel comfortable about your tree care services. Not Mobile Friendly Problem: If you've ever had to manually zoom in and move a page around when looking at it on your smartphone, you know what a non-mobile friendly website looks like. A website that doesn't scale to fit different screen sizes provides a poor viewing experience for potential customers and most will simply close out of your site rather than try to read it on their phone. Impact: A non-mobile friendly website tells Google that you're not providing a good viewing experience for website visitors. And so Google won't show your website to people who are searching for your services on a mobile device. Given that over half of all searches are done on a phone or tablet, that's a real problem for your business. Website is a 'Company Brochure' Problem: The website talks only about your company - who you are, what you do, why you're great, your service area, your qualifications. Impact: A "me, me, me" website leaves potential customers wondering if you understand their needs or care about them. In many cases, it also leaves them confused - and confused consumers tend to buy on price. Most tree care customers don't understand the technical jargon we use (cabling and bracing? huh? ), don't know exactly which services they need, and aren't aware of the value of specific certifications (what's an ISA Certified Arborist and why should I care? ). What they do know is that they have a tree-related problem and they want it fixed. So show them that you recognize their problems and have a solution for them. Use language they can relate to. Let customers know that you understand their issues and care about them. Help them see the value you provide to them so they can feel comfortable spending money on quality tree care, rather than just going with the low cost provider. Services All Listed On One Page Problem: Putting all of your services on one page (rather than having a separate page for each service offering) is a common mistake and one of the worst things you can do to yourself, especially from an SEO perspective. Impact: When all your services all lumped together on one page, Google can't really tell what that page is about - and so it doesn't show the page to potential customers who are searching for a particular service.  To get your pruning, removal, PHC or other tree care services shown in the Google search results, particularly if you want them shown on the first page, each service needs to be on a separate, properly optimized page. When you see this it's pretty clear that the website wasn't built by someone who knows how to get you more qualified traffic. This is a typical problem with hiring a "website designer" rather than someone who also understands and implements best practices from SEO and conversion rate optimization. It's the lazy way out and should make you wonder what other SEO-related shortcuts were taken in building your website. Reflects Only the Owner's Preferences Problem: This gets back to the original issue I mentioned - the business owner loves his website. When a website is built to appeal to the business owner (or website designer), the colors, layout, content, etc. fit his/her personality and preferences, and he/she loves it. But does it help your business? Impact: When no thought is given to who the customers are and what they like or need to know, then the website may not appeal to them at all. Putting personal preferences above customers' needs generally results in a website that doesn't convert well - meaning that potential customers are not likely to read it or take action. Instead, they "bounce" (leave the site quickly) to look for another provider who's more in tune with their needs. Summary It's not easy to create and maintain a tree service website. Technology changes frequently. Customers' expectations change. Google's search algorithm changes all the time. It can be hard to keep up. But if you think about your website as you would any other business asset (treat it like a chipper! ) and focus on providing what the customer wants and needs, then you'll have a better chance of seeing a return from your investment. What does the customer want? An easy-to-navigate website where they can quickly find what they need A design that appeals to them Content written specifically to address their needs and problems, in language they understand A mobile responsive site that looks good on all platforms A website that works - nothing's broken It's pretty simple but easy to lose sight of amidst all the other things you do to keep the business running. But if you don't do it, your website becomes a business liability. --- ### Does Search Engine Optimization Still Work? 7 Facts You Need To Know > You've heard rumors that "SEO is dead". Is it true? What still works? What doesn't? We cut through the crap and give you the straight story... - Published: 2017-08-13 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/does-seo-still-work-2/ - Categories: SEO - Tags: SEO, why SEO works You may have heard that “SEO is dead.” Don’t believe it. Although the latest search algorithms have reduced the impact of “old fashioned” search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, like using keywords and link exchanges, good SEO still makes a huge difference. We cut through the crap and give you the straight story. Updated January 12, 2018 You may have heard that “SEO is dead. ” Don’t believe it. Although the latest search algorithms have reduced the impact of “old fashioned” search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, like using keywords and link exchanges, good SEO still makes a huge difference. Meta data, including the title, headings and description, affect your ranking and how your page appears on the search engine results page (SERP). Content and, more importantly, the context in which that content appears, impacts your search results – including whether your website even shows up on the Google SERPs. Done correctly, SEO can greatly increase traffic to your website (although what happens when people land on your website is another matter entirely). So many businesses invest thousands in creating a beautiful website with the expectation that “if you build it, they will come. ” It’s like throwing a party but forgetting to send out invitations – you’re simply hoping that people will somehow hear about it and decide to come. But they don’t come. And you’re stuck with left-over party favors, hors d’oeuvres, and warm beer... So it’s easy to see why people would jump on the SEO bandwagon. But, before you get carried away on a journey to nowhere, here are 7 things you should know. #1 - Know the Facts Be clear about why you’re investing in search engine optimization - 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. 90+% of searches are done on Google, Yahoo, or Bing, with Google getting 70+% of all searches. The first 5 listings on page 1 of search engine results is the “hot zone” – about 95% of searchers click in this area ONLY as it’s considered the most relevant and trusted of all results. If you're not in the top 5, your listing is unlikely to get clicked. 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results – if they don’t find what they want there, they refine their search and try again. In other words, if your website isn’t optimized for search, you basically don’t exist in the online world. #2 - It Won’t Happen Overnight Search engine optimization is an ongoing process. Like most things in life, it takes time before you start to see the benefits – 4 to 6 months is pretty typical. It takes ongoing maintenance, fine-tuning, and continuous testing and monitoring to get it right. And if you stop your SEO efforts too soon, you won’t see results. Think of it as an investment in your business that, over time, will generate a good ROI. #3 - Content is King All the links and meta data in the world won’t get you to the first page in the search engine result pages unless you have unique and engaging website content that people actually want to read. “Content” doesn’t refer to fancy graphics and website layout – it’s what you write about and how you write it that matters. What you say on your website has to be well-written, using simple, everyday language that’s easily understood and “speaks” to your (potential) customers. #4 - A First Page Guarantee is Worthless Ranking matters but it’s not the primary measure of success. If you show up on the first page in search results but no one clicks through to your website, or if those who click don’t call you or request an estimate, then you might as well not rank at all. If an SEO company promises to get your website onto the first page of the SERPs, run. You could find your site using “black hat” SEO techniques to get links quickly. The problem? The search engines will “ban” your site, essentially sending it into a black hole from which you may not recover – and where it will never be found by potential customers. No one doing legitimate SEO that gets results will make a first page guarantee. #5 - Don’t Put All Your Eggs in the SEO Basket Many business leads are still generated through networking, word of mouth and offline marketing. While SEO will broaden your reach exponentially and at relatively low cost, click-throughs are no substitute for good old-fashioned cold calling, hand shaking, direct mail, and talking up your business to everyone you meet. But, taken together, your online and offline efforts will generate more business than either one alone. #6 - Local Matters If you're a local business, your customers will come from within a specific geographic area so make sure your website is optimized for local search. Use local keywords in your URLs, headings, titles and content. Write about issues that are relevant to a local audience. Use local business schema markup so Google can show your address in the search results. Make sure your company name, address and phone number (NAP) is exactly the same on all online listings. Claim, verify and optimize your Google My Business page so you can appear in the local 3-pack. Understand what does and does not work for local search. #7 - Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly On April 21, 2015, Google introduced a new factor in their search algorithm – it now looks at whether or not your website is mobile-friendly. If it’s not, it won’t show your website in the results for searches done on a mobile device. Because over 50% of searches are done on mobile, you can’t afford to have that happen. If you’re not sure if your site is mobile-friendly, try Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to be sure. In Summary ... So there you have it, the basic facts about search engine optimization - what it will do for you and, more importantly, what it won’t. Approach your SEO efforts as you would any marketing opportunity – with your eyes wide open, an understanding of what you’ll get for your investment, and a reputable SEO partner to do the specialized work. Now over to you - What are you doing to improve your website's SEO? Share your ideas in the comments below! Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### Online Safety in the Tree Care Industry > Our online presence is an important asset for our business (just like our people) and is vulnerable to "injury" if we don't make online safety a priority. - Published: 2017-06-13 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/online-safety-tree-care-industry/ - Categories: Strategy Our websites, social media accounts, email addresses, Angie's List profiles, etc. are important assets for the business (just like our people) and are vulnerable to "injury" if we don't make online safety a priority. So how do you identify risks and take reasonable precautions?   I was reading an article in the local newspaper the other day about the rise of hacking attacks on small business websites. As it turns out, small businesses are a fun target for hackers! The article came with the usual warnings about using strong passwords, not writing passwords down (seriously? who can remember all of them? ? ), not sharing access with people who don't absolutely need it, and using secure website hosting. In many ways, it reminded me of the many safety briefings and training courses in our industry. We're all aware that "safety first" is a critical part of the work, and that a poor safety culture leads to unnecessary injuries, lost time, increased Worker's Comp insurance rates, and even worse. So what if we think about our company's online work in the same way as we do our IRL work ("in real life" for those of you may not be familiar with all of today's online jargon)? Our websites, social media accounts, email addresses, Angie's List profiles, etc. are important assets for the business (just like our people) and are vulnerable to "injury" if we don't make online safety a priority. I recently heard Terry Mathis, founder of ProAct Safety, speak about building a safety culture. He focused on three things Identifying what can hurt you. Determining how to prevent it from hurting you. Figuring out what you can do to consistently take relevant precautions. So how do those apply in the online world? Step 1: Risk Identification First, we need to understand the types of online injuries we can experience and what causes them. According to Terry, those fall into two areas - conditional (the conditions or situations that increase risk) and behavioral (what we do to make the risk higher or lower). Here are a few of the conditions that put you at risk online: a hosting platform that's vulnerable to attack old technology and software that doesn't have the latest security features unclear (or no) processes for how to do things online, so everyone on your team does it differently outdated or missing information on your online profiles, websites and accounts weak passwords (the three most commonly-used passwords are 123456, qwerty and password - if you use one of those, change it now! ) Behaviors that increase the risk of online injury include: always leaving your computer, laptop, tablet or phone on, even when it's not in your full view (this is especially problematic if your device isn't password protected) failing to update your software, apps, plugins etc. when a new release is available using the same password on all accounts sharing your password with others writing your password down, even if you think you've put it in a safe place never checking your online accounts to make sure they're up-to-date and working properly not responding to emails, online reviews or comments (particularly negative ones) Step 2: Injury Prevention How do you prevent those conditions from occurring? Or change the behaviors to deal with the conditions? Other than permanently turning off all connection to the internet and never going online, there's nothing you can do to 100% eliminate online risk. If you find yourself in any of the situations above, or recognize your own behaviors in the list, then it's only a matter of time before you will get hurt. So your best course of action is to take precautions before the situation or behavior occurs. Step 3: Reasonable Precautions To Keep You Safe If you knew that something could possibly hurt you and you knew how to prevent it from happening but doing so took up a lot of your valuable time, was complicated and frustrating to do, or required specialized skills you needed to get trained on ... would you do it? Maybe. It probably depends on how bad the injury could be. If you didn't see the damage as being major, you probably wouldn't bother with prevention, right? And that's how most people see online "injuries" - as no big deal. But when your business can be virtually shut down by online problems, it is a big deal. So how can you take reasonable precautions to keep your online properties safe? Things that you can do yourself, that don't take a ton or time or money, and that don't require extensive training. The two best ways I've found to prevent or address risk are (1) knowledge and (2) tools and processes. If you know and understand what can hurt you, you're more able (and motivated) to avoid it in the first place, right? And if you have the tools to deal with it, and can easily follow the right process steps to use those tools properly, then the risk of injury goes way down. Here are some of the best and easiest tools I've found to reduce the risk of damage to your online presence. Protect Your Passwords With LastPass No one can possibly remember all the passwords they've set up for the zillions of online accounts we have these days. Each one seems to have different rules for what you can and can't use in your password. Rather than writing them all down, use a password manager like LastPass. All you need is one master password and it then creates strong passwords as you need them and remembers them for you. Get Secure Website Hosting With WP Engine Your website is only as good as the platform it's hosted on. Website hosting is often viewed as a commodity - find the cheapest option available and call it a day. But it truly is a case of "you get what you pay for" - and cheap comes with a lack of security, infrequent or inaccessible backups, inadequate customer support, slow speeds, little storage and a poor online interface. Save yourself the hassles and risk by hosting with a strong, reputable and secure host. If you have a WordPress website, use WP Engine. For other types of sites, try Site Ground. Enable Auto-Updates to Website Plugins, Themes, Frameworks, Etc. If you have time to manually run updates at least once a month, do it. That way you'll be able to check each one to make sure that there are no conflicts and that nothing "breaks. " But if you aren't going to do it regularly, then enable auto-updates for all the online tools you use. Most hacking attacks target out of date plugins and vulnerable themes or frameworks. Updates are intended to patch (or fix) problems as soon as they're identified. Ignore the update and you leave yourself open to attack. Plus, as technology continues to improve, you may find yourself with a website or functionality that just won't work with everyone else's newer technology. Securely Accept Credit Card Payments Using Stripe Most companies want to accept credit card payments but they're not sure how to do it easily and cost-effectively (and without compromising security). Your best option is to use Stripe. This is an online payment gateway that lets you capture credit card details online or by phone and sends the money to your bank account. It's easy, seamless and costs just 2. 9% plus $0. 30 per transaction. There are many more tools I can recommend but these four are going to have the biggest impact on your online safety. If hackers can't find an easy way into your website, they'll move on. If no one can access your passwords, they can't break into your accounts. If credit card details aren't lying around, it's harder for fraudulent charges to happen. And if you have great hosting with daily backups, you can recover your site in the unlikely event that something does go wrong. Are you using any of these tools today? Any others you'd suggest? Share your thoughts in the comments below! --- ### Get Them Out Of Here! Why You Should Prune Your Email List Monthly - Published: 2017-03-26 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-marketing-good-list-hygiene/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: list hygiene You're proud of your growing email list. But is it bringing you the value you need or expect? One often overlooked problem is the number of inactive subscribers - those who never even open your emails, let alone read them. So what should you do about them? You're proud of your growing email list. You regularly put out quality content intended to educate, inform, entertain and let potential customers get to know you. But is your list of email subscribers bringing you the value you need or expect? One often overlooked problem is the number of inactive subscribers - those who never even open your emails, let alone read them. So what should you do about them? Prune Your Email List Monthly That's right - prune your email list. This isn't something you want (or need) to do daily, or even weekly - but once a month is about right. I'm not talking about getting out the loppers or chainsaw, but you'll still end up with an email list that's more attractive, structurally sound and well-positioned for long-term health. Each month you're going to remove subscribers from your email list. All of those names you worked so hard to acquire - you're going to ruthlessly cut some of them off. Now you're probably thinking "Wait a minute! I thought the goal was to GROW my email list, not hack it to pieces! " And you're right - sort of. The goal is to increase the number of people who want to hear from you, who look forward to your emails, who open them regularly and even read all the way to the end. What you don't want is a list full of deadwood. Subscribers who never open your emails, even though you're sending them valuable stuff. And even worse, you're paying for the privilege of having them on your list! Segment Your List Create a new segment of subscribers who haven't opened any of your emails in the last X months, or who haven't opened any of the last X emails. For example, in MailChimp you could create a new segment for your list with the following options: That number, X, depends on how often you send emails and how aggressive you want to be in cleaning your list.  For one of my lists, I remove anyone who hasn't opened the last 10 emails; on another list I go with the last 3 months. Pick something you're comfortable with - you can always change it later. Try to Re-Engage Then send everyone in that segment one final email saying something like this - "Hey ___, I notice you haven't opened any of my last 10 emails. I don't want to keep bothering you with emails you don't want to receive, so next week (give a date here) I'll stop sending you these emails. If I've made a mistake and you really DO want to get my emails, just hit "reply" and let me know. " If someone replies, it's a great opportunity to re-engage them with a personal email and to find out what would keep them interested enough to open your emails more frequently. Cut Them Free But I guarantee you that almost no one will reply. If they haven't opened anything from you in that long, they're highly unlikely to ever open any of your emails. In other words, they aren't a potential customer and you're wasting your time and energy pursuing them. --- ### 10 Questions to Ask Your Tree Service Website Designer - Published: 2016-06-17 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-to-ask-your-website-designer/ - Categories: Websites - Tags: tree service website, website design You need more than just a pretty tree service website, it has to deliver business results. And you need a website designer who can do that. Here are the top 10 questions to ask any designer before deciding to hire them. You need more than just a pretty website for your tree service company. You need a site that delivers business results. And you need a website designer who can do that. Here’s what to ask a web design company before you consider hiring them. 1. What is your typical process when working with a new tree service client? Designers vary widely in skills and experience. Often, they’re focused on building a site that looks nice and works well. And they're not familiar with the tree care industry. But the better designers are more focused on helping you achieve business-related goals. Experienced designers will work with you to understand your tree service business, customers, strategy, short- and long-term goals, available resources, and more.  This process can take considerable time, depending on how well you’ve thought through these issues - and how familiar the designer is with the tree service industry. Beware of any designer who starts out with “So, what do you want the website to look like? ” And run, fast, from any designer who says “Just send me your logo, some photos, and what you want to say. I’ll take it from there. ” 2. Will my tree service website be built using a template, or is it a custom design? Many “designers” take an existing template, slap your logo on the home page, change a few colors, and call it good. Sure, the template has been “customized” for the tree care industry but the end result is unlikely to meet your unique needs. In many cases it looks sloppy and unprofessional. Make sure that the site is built just for you to reflect your tree care brand and business goals. 3. Will my tree service website be mobile responsive and cross-browser compatible? You want your tree care website to look reasonably similar (and to work flawlessly) on all major browsers. Make sure that your designer tests for this as part of the development process. Modern websites should also be mobile responsive, meaning that they display well and can be easily read on all mobile devices, from smart phones to tablets. With half of all searches done on a mobile device, this is critical. Note that the site will not look the same across devices; instead, the layout shifts to provide the best reading experience for the user. 4. How will you help my tree service website get found online? If no potential tree care customers find your website, you’ve just wasted your money. Search engine optimization (SEO) involves the things that are done to your tree service website to help Google, Bing, and other search engines find your site. A good designer will work with you to ensure that SEO is built into every page of the website from the very beginning. Some also have expertise in online marketing, including pay-per-click (Google AdWords), Facebook ads, social media, and more. A designer with SEO and internet marketing experience is worth their weight in gold. 5. Who will own the website when it is complete? Believe it or not, in some states the web designer will own the website, even though you paid for it. Web designers can also claim the site, design and programming as their own copyrighted work. Make sure the designer waives all right to the site (including the design, content, graphics, etc. ). Other companies build tree service websites using proprietary technology. While you may own the content, they “own” everything else and you cannot take your website elsewhere (you’re basically held hostage). Make sure you have (or have reliable access to) a copy of all graphic and content files used on your site, and that you have full copyright. 6. Can I update my tree service website myself? Good websites aren’t static – they’re constantly updated to keep things fresh and provide the latest information for customers. Some websites can only be updated by your designer, meaning that you’re at their mercy. You’ll need technical coding skills or expensive software packages to update other sites. But some tree service websites are built with an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) that lets you update key parts of the site with no coding knowledge or help from your designer. A very popular option these days is WordPress. 7. How much will you charge for hosting my tree service website? Once the website is built you will need to host it (think of it as publishing it so that it can be seen online). This will be a monthly fee. There are companies that just provide hosting (and they do that at a reasonable rate) but your web designer may also offer hosting services. The price can range from a small number for “hosting only” to a larger number that includes website monitoring, security checks, updates, and more. Make sure you understand exactly what will be included in your hosting plan, how you will access your hosting account, and what to do if you want to change hosting providers. 8. How do you handle updates and ongoing support after the website is launched? As your tree care business evolves, so should your website. You may want to add new functionality, change up the design, or remove sections of the website. Find out how much these updates will cost and how to contract with your designer for this. Some designers charge an hourly rate; check whether they bill in 15 or 30 minute increments, or just by the hour. Also ask for examples of follow-up work they’ve done with other clients; you want a designer who stays in touch with tree care clients and continues to work with them over the long term. 9. Do you offer training to help me manage my own website? If you’d like to make updates yourself, particularly if you have a WordPress website, you can find training courses online. Or you can ask your designer to give you the training you need to work with your own tree service website; typically, this training would be tailored to your site so you’ll know exactly what to do and why. Of course, you should expect to pay the designer for this training. 10. What other services do you provide? Some website designers just design. Others do design, development, and programming to actually build the site and get it online. And still others offer a range of services, including digital strategy, logo design, online marketing, social media, PR, email marketing and newsletters. If you can find a design service that offers multiple options, especially one that specializes in the tree care industry, this will typically be your best return on investment as all of your online efforts can be coordinated to help deliver the business growth you want. I know there are other things you could ask, but I see these as the top ten. --- ### The Two Reasons You’re Not Getting More Tree Care Customers (and How to Fix the Problem Today) - Published: 2016-06-16 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/two-reasons-not-getting-more-customers/ - Categories: Strategy - Tags: lead generation, online visibility, word of mouth There are only 2 reasons you're not getting more customers. That's right - only two. But they can make or break your business. Discover what they are and how to overcome them to bring in more business today. Do you feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall trying to get more customers? Are you throwing money away on lead generation schemes without seeing any return? Wondering how your competitors can land so many new clients? Well, I have some good news for you: There are only two reasons why you’re not getting those new customers. That’s right – only two things stand between you and more business. The Two Problems #1 – Potential customers don’t know you exist OR #2 – They don’t believe that you can get the job done right or at the right price Think about it ... If a potential customer hasn’t heard of you in some way, such as through ads, online search, or word of mouth, how can they possibly contact you? Clearly, whatever you’re doing to reach them isn’t working. Maybe your ads are targeting the wrong audience, or you’re not showing up in Google searches, or none of your customers are talking about your work (or they aren’t talking about it in a positive way – and that’s a whole different problem). The other possibility is that potential customers know who you are but for some reason you’re not on their list of possible tree care providers. Why not? Maybe you don’t look like a professional business (hint: a good website and a professional email go a long way here), or they can’t find enough information about you to tell them exactly what you do, or perhaps you don’t have enough (or any) online reviews praising your services. So which reason is it for you? What’s not working for you – your visibility or your appearance/reputation? How to Fix the Problem Of course, knowing why you’re not bringing in more business doesn’t help you if you don’t know what to do about it. So here are four things you can do today to increase your visibility in your local market AND help potential customers see you as the tree care provider of choice. Build a Good Website If you don’t have a website for your business, get one. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive but it does have to be simple, clear, and provide a good user experience. Check out these articles for more information on what to include on a website and the mistakes to avoid. People have a shorter attention span than a goldfish (yes, it’s a scientific fact! ) and it’s getting shorter every year. Make sure they can find exactly what they need on your website within 2 seconds. What do they need? Your phone number (and maybe your email), your service area, the services you provide, a little about you, and a Request an Estimate form. If they can’t find that information, they’ll leave. Immediately. And all of your hard work putting together a website has gone to waste. You’re not going to get new customers if they don’t even look at your website! Use a Professional Email By 2013, about 84% of email was considered spam. As a result, email providers and readers have raised the standard for what makes it through to the inbox. Between the spam filters put in place by email providers and the “rules” that email recipients create to block unwanted emails, a huge percent of emails are never delivered or end up in the junk folder. One of the key factors affecting email deliverability is your email address. Customers (and potential customers) are expecting to see a professional email. Which looks more professional to you – joe. smith@acmetreecare. com or treeguy8573@hotmail. com? If both of those landed in your email inbox, which would you be more likely to open? And which would end up in junk? Yeah, I thought so... So get yourself a professional email address. One that uses the URL from your website. Of if you just don’t want a website, use Google Apps for Work to create that email. At only $5/month it’s a no-brainer. Get Listed on Local Directories When people are searching for a new service provider, where do they usually look? Yup, Google. Maybe Bing or Yahoo. Or maybe Angie’s List, Yelp, BBB, MANTA, etc. So are you listed there? You can list your company on most directories for free. The more the better. The key is to ensure that your company name, address, and phone number (called your NAP) is exactly the same on every directory. The search engines use that listing to figure out who you are – even a comma or spelling difference (e. g. , Street vs St. ) can make your listing not show up in the search results. And set up a Google My Business page.  It’s simple to do. Google’s the #1 search engine and it likes to show its own listings first – your Google My Business listing will likely appear at the top of the search page when someone looks for you. The goal is to be everywhere online. When a potential customer searches online for the services you provide, you want to show up over and over again in the first few pages of the search results. Build Your Reputation Who would you call first – the company with 17 5-star reviews or the one with none? It used to be that word of mouth spread between neighbors or friends. Now people look online. They don’t trust what you tell them about your services – they want to know what other people think. And even if they’ve never met those people, an online review is far more credible to them than anything you can tell them. So build up your online reviews. The more reviews (assuming they’re positive reviews! ), the more likely people are to choose you over your competitors. Ask your regulars to write a review. And after you’ve completed a job for a new customer and you see that they’re happy with your service, ask them for a review. Don’t wait – do it on the spot. Give them a card with the link or send them an email with a link to your Google+/Google My Business page. When you’ve collected enough reviews on Google+ (a minimum of 7 are needed for it to show up on the search results, but go for at least a dozen), then ask for reviews on Yelp. Rinse and repeat with whichever review sites are most important in your area. Focus on one at a time for best results. Conclusion None of this is difficult or especially time-consuming. But it's the little details like these that can make or break your business. Don't be the one left wondering how others manage to grow their business year over year - just follow the four tips above and you'll be bringing in new customers before you know it. --- ### 5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency - Published: 2016-05-29 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/5-things-to-consider-before-hiring-a-digital-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Strategy You probably get hundred of calls and emails from "marketers" promising to get your company ranked #1 on Google. So how do you know which ones are legit, and which are just blowing smoke? Here are six things to look for in evaluating potential marketing partners ...   You probably get hundreds of calls and emails from "marketers" promising to get your company ranked #1 on Google. So how do you know which ones are legit, and which are just blowing smoke? Here are six things to look for in evaluating potential marketing partners ... 1. Look Beyond the Obvious Don’t hire someone just because they’re “Google Adwords Certified,” have a huge portfolio or show first-page rankings. Google Adwords Certification and high search engine rankings are good to have - but they're only one piece of the puzzle. The real question is whether or not they can convert website visitors into new customers. Many marketers can put together a decent Adwords campaign that drives traffic to your website - but the key is finding someone who can also turn your website into a sales-generating machine. 2. Don't Just Focus on Keywords Anyone can put a keyword list together (although it's not always a good keyword list). But keywords sometimes have little impact on the success of your marketing campaigns. What really matters is using those keywords, plus a lot of other research, to create ads, landing pages and content that consistently turns prospects into sales leads. If your marketing agency is focused on generating long lists of keywords but not all the steps (and hard work) that come after that, then look for someone else. 3.  Have a Method to Measure ROI Reputable agencies can prove the return on investment of their work. They put tools and analytics in place to measure everything that's important to your business growth. Some of the things you should expect to see include -   Call tracking systems with sales lead email notifications so you know how many leads you're getting and can measure how many deals you close Analytics showing relevant metrics and improvements over time for your website traffic and ad effectiveness Suggestions for ways to lower your cost per new customer over time to increase margins 4.  Understand the Tree Care Industry Inside-Out Most marketing agencies serve a wide range of clients and so use a “one size fits all” approach that doesn't necessarily work for tree care companies. As a result, they're forced to resort to costly trial and error and market research when they start working with you. And who do you think is going to pay for that? If you want REAL results, it's easier, faster and cheaper to get there by hiring someone who fully understands the tree care industry. 5.  Take a Holistic Approach So often, a digital marketer is highly focused on ads (both Google Adwords and social media sponsored posts). Perhaps they'll look at your email marketing. And maybe, just maybe, they'll consider the design and content of your website. It's rare to find someone who looks at your entire digital footprint and works to optimize your whole online presence. It's even rarer to find someone who also works with you to develop a strong system for turning calls into appointments, looks at your offline marketing efforts, and helps build your leadership in the local community. Online marketing success doesn't happen in a vacuum. Without working on ALL of the things that affect your web presence, none of the individual parts will reach the level of success you're looking for. 6.  Have a Solid Plan Would you try to remove a hazardous tree without a clear work plan in place? Always ask for at least a high-level overview of any marketing plan before agreeing to start work. Be sure your marketing agency has a detailed process to follow and can explain to you how it works. Here are a few key components look for: The process should start with a discussion with you about your goals, needs, and objectives, as well as developing a clear understanding of your current business situation and what sets you apart from the competition Establishing baseline and ongoing measurements so you can calculate improvements and ROI Developing dedicated landing pages to send ad traffic to (definitely not your homepage! ) Improving SEO on your website (and revamping it entirely, if needed) Editing and/or creating new website content to turn visitors into sales leads Examining and improving local citations Working with your social media and email marketing accounts to increase online visibility --- ### Why a #1 Google Ranking Doesn't Always Get You More Tree Care Customers - Published: 2016-05-29 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-a-1-google-ranking-doesnt-always-get-you-more-tree-care-customers/ - Categories: SEO - Tags: ranking, SERP Right now, thousands of tree care companies are fighting for that # 1 Google ranking that supposedly “solves their cash flow problems. ” But that’s only a piece of the puzzle. Several years ago, the owner of a tree care company came to me, frustrated that the SEO company he hired didn’t get them much business. They got him ranked on the first page, but their efforts didn’t lead to a noticeable increase in service calls. He wasted thousands of dollars. Getting more website traffic is only half the battle. Once they arrive, you have to sell them on calling you to make the appointment! How? By focusing on the key marketing activities that generate 80% of the results. Here they are: Realize that potential customers are not buying pruning, tree and stump removal, spraying, cabling and bracing, or any other service you provide. What they are really buying is their way out of discomfort. Don’t just talk about what you do. Identify with their “biggest pain. ” Tell customers exactly what is being offered. One of my favorite offers is Domino’s Pizza’s. For years, they advertised, “fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, or it’s free. ” Their offer resonated so much that they became one of North America’s premier pizza franchises. Why? Because the company identified with their customer’s need for quick, reliable delivery and satisfied that desire. You can do the same with your business. It's all about satisfying your customer’s desires. Similarly, when potential customers visit your website, they should be able to tell in 3-5 seconds why you’re different and why they should call you right now. Prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you can do the job. Imagine that you’re a prosecutor, standing in a courtroom. You have 2 minutes to prove that you’re legit. What would you say? Selling on your website is a lot like being in a courtroom. Your prospects are skeptical. You need to show to them that you’re not “that guy. ” Get them to take action. Assuming you’ve proven that you’re legit, your next job is to get them to take action. Give them a powerful reason why they should pick up the phone to call you right now. Not quite sure how to do any of this? That's what I do - I'll help you to identify your customers' pain points, clarify your offer to them, define what sets you apart from the competition and determine what you can do to get prospects to call you. --- ### Tree Care Marketing Claims You Should Never Believe - Published: 2016-05-29 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/tree-care-marketing-claims-you-should-never-believe/ - Categories: Strategy Just about every day, you may get calls from marketers promising to get you ranked on page 1 of Google. Determining who’s legit can be overwhelming! If you hear these marketing claims, be very careful. A)  “We can guarantee you’ll get ranked on the first page of Google within 90 days” Never give your money to someone who guarantees this. Usually they take your money and get no results. Search engine optimization (the art of getting your business ranked on the first page of Google) takes time. You have to create content that provides real value to homeowners in your area. In many cases, you’re up against competitors that have been building links for years. The time required to get ranked on page one depends on numerous factors – outside of your control. Many companies with “ranking guarantees” build illegitimate links that could harm your site long term – with poorly written articles, thousands of low-quality links and spamming social media sites. Google’s algorithm is very good at spotting poor quality links that provide no value to people. Moral to the story: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. B) Shared leads for $25 / lead Shared leads can be very costly – as you’re competing with your competitors for the appointment. You don’t own the leads, and it substantially raises your cost per customer. C) Contractor websites for $50-80 / month Your tree care business is not cookie cutter. Your website should reflect that. The problem with a lot of low-cost contractor websites is that they include cookie-cutter designs and boilerplate text that doesn’t reflect your unique abilities. You have unique abilities. Your site should reflect it. Your best route is an agency that understands your business & crafts a persuasive marketing message turning visitors into customers. D) 1-year contracts Be careful of marketing companies that require a 1-year contract, without trying out their service for 2-3 months. When you’re test driving a new form of advertising, you want to see how it delivers and how well you work with your marketing team. Many reputable agencies will let you try out their services on a monthly trial, because they know they deliver results. I don’t hold my clients hostage – because I believe business is earned by delivering more business. E) A focus on rankings, not revenues You’ll encounter salespeople that try to impress you with first-page rankings, number of people that saw their ad or more Facebook “Likes. ” But make sure they can tie it back to your bottom line. F) Image-based advertising The amount of business you get is far more important than how many see your ads on radio or TV. Digital marketing is one of the best forms of advertising. Google can show you how many clicks you’re getting, how much you pay per click, keywords that generate calls, and so much more! --- ### 6 Online Marketing Myths That Will Lose Customers For Your Tree Care Company > Think online marketing won't work for your tree care company? Don't believe the myths! Learn the real truth about what works and what doesn't. - Published: 2016-05-29 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-marketing-myths-that-will-lose-customers-for-your-tree-care-company/ - Categories: Ads & Paid Search Think online marketing won't work for your tree care company? Don't believe the myths! Learn the real truth about what works and what doesn't - you may be surprised! I hear a lot of "reasons" why online marketing "doesn't work for tree care companies. " The thing is that those "reasons" are just myths. They're simply not true. But since we hear the same myths over and over again, it's easy to get sucked into believing it. Want to know the REAL truth about online marketing for tree care companies? Keep reading! Tree Care Marketing Myth #1 – Digital Marketing Is Too Expensive It’s tempting to look at digital marketing as “just another business expense. ” But, when done well, marketing is an investment that pays for itself in new business. Many of my clients have yielded significant revenue increases. For example, an arborist I work with in New Jersey landed a $5,000 job from just $100 in ad spend.  I have another client regularly spending over $6,000 per month on online marketing because they see the results. It delivers a clear ROI at a much lower cost per lead than radio or TV advertising, print ads, door knockers or any other marketing you're probably doing right now. Tree Care Marketing Myth #2 – No One Clicks On Those Google Ads What you’re really saying is you don’t click on ads that don’t interest you or are not believable. According to Forrester Research, businesses will invest over $103 billion on online advertising by 2019 – with a special focus on search marketing, display networks, social media advertising and email. That's more than they spend on TV and cable. Do you think they’d be spending all that money if it wasn’t resulting in more business? Tree Care Marketing Myth #3 – All our business comes through word of mouth. We don’t need to invest in marketing. If you get a lot of referrals, great! That means your customers really like your work. But be careful about relying exclusively on referrals. All it takes is one bad online review to turn the flow of referrals into a slow trickle. What happens if your leads dry up, decreasing your revenues, while your expenses stay the same? Yeah, it's not a good outcome ... You’re much better off with a system that generates new requests for an estimate whenever you need them. A good system generates a consistent source of leads for a “safety net” if you’re not getting enough calls from existing customers. It also stabilizes your cash flow and, best of all, it's under your control. Tree Care Marketing Myth #4 – We tried digital marketing in the past - it didn't work then so it'll never work for our tree service business. The real question is: why didn't it work for you? Often, it’s due to one of the following factors: Ads that don’t capture the interest of potential customers You haven't clearly defined or targeted your ideal audience Generic landing pages (or even worse, no landing pages) with a boring marketing message Poor website design that doesn't encourage visitors to contact or call you Not making it clear what you want your customers to do next It’s usually a symptom of a deeper problem – you're missing a clear online strategy that drives the marketing tools and tactics you use. And that shows up in ads that just don't work. Tree Care Marketing Myth #5 – Any local digital marketing agency can handle tree care marketing A lot of local agencies have clients in many different industries, but that doesn't mean they understand the tree care industry. As a result, you pay for market, industry and customer research in the first couple of months, instead of paying them to bring in more business. And, because they don't understand the terminology, how work gets done and what kind of work you do, you'll often find yourself having the write the ad and website content yourself. Do you really have the time or interest in doing that? If you do, why are you hiring an agency? Tree Care Marketing Myth #6 – Any writer can create good content for our tree service website A lot of tree care businesses hire an intern, English major or office assistant to create their website content. And then they wonder why no one visits their site or calls them. Creating content that brings in quality traffic and then turns a visitor into a customer requires a very specific skill set. It's not just about having a good grasp of the English language and "writing well" – it's about salesmanship, SEO and conversion optimization. --- ### Website Metrics: Measure What Really Matters - Published: 2016-02-22 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/website-metrics-measure-what-really-matters/ - Categories: Strategy, Websites - Tags: metrics, website analytics Are you tracking the right things with your website analytics? Probably not! Here's the one thing to measure if you want to make a real impact with your website. When you think about metrics or analytics related to your tree care company website, what comes to mind? If you're like most business owners, you probably think of the numbers you get from Google Analytics - statistics like the number of unique visitors, bounce rate, and time on page. And hopefully you're tracking those numbers on a regular basis. But while those metrics are a good start, the problem is that they don't tell you the full story. Sure, you know if your traffic generation efforts are bringing more visitors to your website or if your content is engaging enough to keep people reading it. You can see which pages visitors are landing on and which they're exiting your website from. And you can tell where they're coming from and the path they're taking through the pages on your website. While all of that is important information that can help guide your website optimization, none of it tells you anything about the single most important metric of all - your bottom line. Are the people who visit your website calling you, requesting an estimate and, ultimately, becoming a paying customer? Because if they're not doing that, it doesn't matter how many visitors you have or how long they hang out on your website. So what website metrics really matter? The most critical number to look at in Google Analytics (or whatever analytics program you're using) is conversion rate. Simply put, it's the percentage of website visitors who respond to your call to action (CTA). The best CTAs are those that put prospects on the path to a sale - "call us today," "contact us" (using a form or email link) or "request an estimate. " While you can't necessarily measure the conversion rate for calls to your business from your website (at least not with the typical analytics packages), you can definitely measure how well your contact and estimate request forms are converting. How many people visit the page with the form on it? How many actually complete and submit the form? And how many of those become customers? To really get a feel for the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and website optimization, dig a little deeper. Look at the conversion rate for each form broken down by traffic source. For example, do website visitors coming from your AdWords campaigns convert (fill out and submit a form) at a higher rate than those coming through organic search? If not, you may need to target your PPC campaigns differently, direct them to a more targeted landing page, or tweak the wording in your ads. After you make changes to your ad campaign, check conversion rates again a month later. Did the numbers improve? If so, great - keep going. If not, go back to the drawing board. And if you operate in multiple towns or geographic areas, you can even measure conversion rates for each traffic source based on where the person lives. This will give you an indication of where you may want to target your marketing initiatives to drive more people in high-converting areas to your website. Ultimately, the goal with any metrics you use should be to assess the impact on your company's bottom line. If you can't do that, you're measuring the wrong things. This post was originally written for TCIA and posted on their blog. --- ### Increase Email List Subscriptions with High-Converting Opt-In Forms > To benefit from an email list, you need as many emails as possible. Here's how to create a high-converting opt-in form for your website. - Published: 2015-11-27 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/opt-in-forms/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: email list, email marketing, high converting opt-in form, opt-in box, opt-in form, sign-up form To realize the many benefits of an email list, you need to have people on your list. But how, exactly, do you generate a list in the first place? Basically, you need to do two things: (1) Ask them to sign up and (2) have a way for them to provide their email address to you. In other words, you need an opt-in form or page. Here's how to do it right.   To realize the many benefits of an email list, you need to have people on your list. Pretty obvious, right? But how, exactly, do you generate a list in the first place? To get people on your email list you need to do two things: Ask them to sign up (I give you tons of ideas for how to do this here) Have a way for them to provide their email address to you In other words, you need an opt-in or sign-up form. It sounds simple enough – pull together a form, put it on your website, and ask people to fill it out. But here’s the problem - if it’s done poorly, very few people will sign up. You might as well not even ask. The key is to create a form with a high conversion rate (meaning that a high percentage of visitors who see the form actually sign up).   How to Collect Opt-In Data on Your Website There are two basic ways to collect opt-in information online – an opt-in box or form and an opt-in page. An opt-in box is a small sign-up form that’s placed on your website (you can see mine at the bottom of this page). Subscribers input their email address (and any other requested information), the information is collected in your email list software, and you use it to send them content. An opt-in page is a website landing page that’s specifically designed only to collect subscriber information. Brian Clark over at Copyblogger has written a nice piece about creating a high-converting opt-in page so I’ll focus here on opt-in forms. Elements of a High-Converting Opt-In Form There are four key elements to creating a high-converting opt-in form. What it looks like What it says Where is it What it asks a subscriber to do Unfortunately, most people get hung up on the appearance of their opt-in form and the other three elements become an afterthought. Big mistake! Design an Attractive Opt-In Form Treat your opt-in form like any other webpage on your site. The design (layout, color, font) should be consistent with your website design, but should stand out enough to catch a visitor’s attention. Most of the popular email marketing applications come with opt-in form templates that can be easily inserted into your website, even without any technical knowledge. Simply change the color and wording to be consistent with your brand and website. A good option (and the one I personally use) is from ConvertKit (aff). It integrates seamlessly with WordPress sites through a plug-in and allows you to put a different opt-in form on each post, page, or sidebar area. It even lets you create landing pages (either on your domain or hosted with ConvertKit - you don't even need a website to have a landing page! ). I love how flexible it is. Opt-in Form Content Make it Quick and Easy The simpler your opt-in form, the more subscribers you’ll get. Think about what you really need to know about your subscribers. To send them emails, you need their email address. That’s it. Maybe a first name if you want to get fancy and personalize emails – although many people won’t give you their real name so you could be sending emails to “Dear Test1” or “Hi Sample. ” Use a simple, clear button that people will click to subscribe. This isn’t the place to be creative – make it crystal clear that it’s a ‘subscribe’ button. Consider using phrases on your button like ‘join the community’ or ‘sign me up’ instead of ‘subscribe. ’ People tend to shy away from subscriptions but do want to feel part of something bigger, like a community. Allay Their Fears A lot of potential subscribers are reluctant to sign up because they’re worried about getting useless emails and spam filling up their inbox. You’re probably had an experience like that yourself. The key is to build trust before asking for the sign-up. How? Let them know up-front exactly what you will and will not do with their personal information. Place a link to your privacy policy right under the subscribe button – make sure it’s highly visible. Most people will never click on that link or read your privacy policy but just the fact that you have one helps to build trust that you’ll treat them with respect Write your privacy policy in simple language that’s easily understood – skip the jargon and legalese. Clearly describe how you will use their email address (for example, to send them blog updates and occasional special offers), that it won't be sold or traded, and that they can decide to opt-out of further communications at any time. Avoid Pre-Checked Boxes It always annoys me when filling out an order form or opening an account online to see that there’s a little checkbox, usually with tiny text next to it, that’s already been checked. Unless you un-check that box, you’ll find yourself subscribed to all sorts of email lists, not only from the company whose form you’re filling out, but possibly also a range of 3rd parties you don’t even know. Don’t do it! Let people check the opt-in box themselves. They’ll check it if they want to hear from you; they won’t if they’re not interested. You end up with a more engaged list and you stay within the letter of the law (the CAN-SPAM Act requires “affirmative consent” before you can send commercial emails to people). Offer an Incentive Offer subscribers something that they value. That means understanding your audience so you can provide something that they can use, that addresses their needs, and that they’ll actually want. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, but it should be something that’s closely related to your services or products. Successful offers include things like ebooks, checklists, exclusive discounts, first notification of sales or promotions, and prize drawings. Opt-in Form Placement for High Conversion What’s the point in creating a beautiful opt-in box with great content if your readers don’t see it? You want viewers to see that opt-in box on every page – often in multiple places on a page. Derek Halpern at Social Triggers describes seven places to put your opt-in form (worth a read! ). You probably don’t want to put an opt-in box in every single location, but here are some to think about: Top of sidebar End of each article or post ‘About’ page Footer A bar across the top of your page (Hello bar or Viper bar are good options) Feature box Pop-up box (lots of options here but SumoMe is a good, and free, choice, while OptinMonster is a great paid option) Where you place an opt-in box depends on the layout and content of your website, your audience, and your goals. For example, if your website is an online store, you’ll probably want to place an opt-in form at the top of the sidebar, on your ‘About Us’ page, and in the footer. You don’t want to detract from the primary purpose of the site, which is to sell products. If you’re a retail outlet, then a feature box could work well. And if your website has lots of articles (perhaps some how-to articles or a blog), then you should place an opt-in form at the end of each article or blog post. You'll see my opt-in form at the end of this article (I'd love it if you signed up! ). Pop-up boxes generally convert well. However, they’re very much “in your face” and a lot of website visitors find them annoying. I use them sparingly (you'll notice one on this website - please sign up if you liked this article! ) and generally have them trigger when someone is about to leave my site. But if the primary purpose of your website is to generate leads or email subscribers, then it’s worth considering. Optimize the Opt-In Process Consider Double Opt-in The debate over the benefits of single versus double opt-in rages on. I’m not sure there’s a single best answer to this one. In a single opt-in process, the subscriber enters their information into your opt-in form and clicks on the ‘subscribe’ button. That’s it. They’re immediately subscribed to your email list and receive a confirmation of that subscription in their inbox. A double opt-in process requires an additional step. After clicking ‘subscribe,’ the subscriber is taken to another web page where they’re told that they will receive an email containing a link. To complete the subscription process, they must click on the link in that email to confirm that they do, in fact, want to get emails from you. With a single opt-in, you’ll get more subscribers. However, they’ll tend to be less engaged, you may see lower open rates, and will likely have more unsubscribes (especially if you’ve offered a one-time product or service as your sign-up incentive). With a double opt-in, you’ll leave quite a few potential subscribers in limbo – they’ll think they’ve signed up but, since they haven’t clicked the email link to confirm their subscription, they won’t be getting emails from you. However, the subscribers you do have will be highly motivated to open and read your emails. I prefer a double opt-in process because I know subscribers really want to hear from me; my open rates are over 75%. I “lose” about 11% of potential subscribers who never confirm their subscription, and I’m ok with that. Create Custom Pages Regardless of which opt-in process you use, you’ll want to have a ‘thanks for signing up! ’ page to which subscribers are taken as soon as they click ‘subscribe’ (or confirm their subscription). This is a great place to welcome them to your website, your services, and/or your products, and to point out some of the highlights of your website. If you’ve offered an incentive for their subscription, they should be able to download or access it from this page - or have it immediately sent to their inbox (this is another nice feature of ConvertKit). If you choose to use a double opt-in process, you’ll need to create an additional page letting subscribers know that they’re ‘almost there. ’ This is the page they’ll be taken to after clicking ‘subscribe. ’ Make it really clear where they are in the sign-up process and what the next step is (and that they won’t be subscribed if they don’t click the link in the confirmation email). It always helps to include an image of the confirmation email with a big red arrow pointing to the confirmation link. Let Subscribers Manage Their Subscription Let’s face it – you want to know more about your subscribers than just their email address. The more you know about them, the better you can tailor your content to meet their needs. But, since the opt-in process is NOT the time to ask for additional information, how do you get it? Create an subscriber preference page on which you can gather additional information (keep it relevant! ) and let subscribers manage their subscription (for example, frequency and format of emails). Make sure that the unsubscribe process is as quick and easy as the sign-up process. Of course you don’t want people to unsubscribe but, if they do, you want them to leave without any hassles. All reputable email service providers, including MailChimp, AWeber, and ConvertKit, have a one-click unsubscribe process. There's More! This is the third in a 5-part series on creating, building, and capitalizing on your email list. You'll find the other articles here - 15 Reasons Why You Need An Email List How to Choose the Best Email Marketing Provider 20 Ways to Grow Your Email List How to Get People to Open Your Emails Now over to you - What kind of opt-ins have you used? What's working well, or not working? Let me know in the comments below! --- ### Email Marketing: What The Heck Do I Write About? - Published: 2015-10-22 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/email-marketing-what-to-write-about/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: content marketing, email copywriting, email marketing You know that email marketing works best when you're consistent in sending out valuable emails. But what the heck do you write about? If you've run out of ideas, here are 5 types of content that'll get your readers' attention. You're sitting in front of the computer screen trying to write an email to send to your email list. And nothing comes to mind. Not. A. Single. Thing. What the heck are you going to write about? ? We've all been there at some point. And it's painful. You don't have time to waste figuring out what to say - let alone do that on a consistent basis. So here are some ideas to get you going. Five Content Categories Good email marketing content falls into five categories: Promotions This is what most people think about when they hear "email marketing". But, unless you're running an online store, it should be the smallest percent of your emails - perhaps 10% of your emails would fall into this category. Try offering discounts, bonuses for referrals, extra services for a limited time, or new services/products. Focus on what's in it for your readers, rather than the service or product itself. Education This will be the majority of your emails. The goal is to educate your subscribers to help them understand the benefits of what you offer. Think through the kinds of questions you typically get from customers. Answer them. What are your service or product offerings? Describe the value that customers get out of it - how does it make their life better, easier, safer, more productive, etc. ? They don't care about your service or product, just about the benefits for them. "Case studies" showcasing a particular customer and their results can work wonders (get permission first, of course). Look at the typical problems your customers face. Show them how to solve those problems. Still stuck? Try looking at the questions people ask in online forums, blog comments, or sites like Quora and Reddit. If you write a blog, or publish content on LinkedIn, Facebook, Medium, etc. , then take a look at the topics that got the most engagement. Those a good candidates for your email marketing. And ask questions. People love to feel that they're valued and included. If you ask, they'll tell you what they want to know. Information What do your subscribers need to know? What would be helpful for them? Inform them of upcoming events (e. g. , talks, webinars, conferences, charity events that your involved with), changes that impact their lives (e. g. , legal issues, new products or product recalls, weather), and what's going on in your business (e. g. , new staff, improved invoicing process, new services). Keep the information timely and relevant to your readers. Entertainment This isn't necessarily a content category that requires a separate email of its own - unless your readers expect to be entertained. But do try to work some of the "entertainment factor" into your emails. Not all your emails need to be serious. Be careful with jokes, but consider including videos, photos of fun things related to your business, comics, and stories. Relationship Building Ultimately, the goal of email marketing is to build a relationship with your subscribers. People who feel that they know you are more likely to like and trust you. And who are you most likely to buy from? Yup - someone you trust. So tell short (and relevant) stories about yourself, show people what a day in your life looks like, introduce your pet or family or employees, give a behind the scenes tour of your business. Don't be overly familiar with your readers but do give them a glimpse into who you are and what motivates you. Let your personality shine through. So, what are YOU going to write about today?  Let me know in the comments below! --- ### 9 Reasons No One Reads Your Tree Company Blog - Published: 2015-10-05 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/9-reasons-no-one-reads-your-company-blog/ - Categories: Blogging - Tags: blog, blogging, blogging advice Don't waste the time, effort, and money to keep your blog going if you’re not bringing in readers and keeping them engaged. Think about it. Why do you have a blog in the first place? Are you meeting those goals? If not, here are the 9 biggest mistakes companies make with their blgos and how to fix them.   Don't waste the time, effort, and money to keep your blog going if you’re not bringing in readers and keeping them engaged. Think about it. Why do you have a company blog? What are you trying to accomplish? If you’re like most companies, you’re probably trying to:  market your products or services,  establish your company's identity or brand, or  answer common questions and address customer concerns. How well do you think you’re doing against those goals? I’m not asking how well your content addresses marketing, branding, or customer service. You may have fantastic content that’s right on target - but if no one reads it, you’re batting . 000 when it comes to reaching your blogging goals. Here are the top 9 mistakes companies make with their blogs, and how to fix them. 1. No One Can Find Your Blog When visitors come to your website, how do they find your blog? There’s probably a tiny little menu item at the top (or worse, at the bottom) of the page that says “Blog,” right? Why would anyone click on that? The Fix: People read blogs that they find interesting, useful, entertaining, or that offer something tangible as a “reward” (for example, coupons or special offers). So show what you’re offering by featuring the latest blog post (or more) on your home page. Let visitors see what’s in it for them if they click through to your blog. 2. No One Can Share Your Posts How are people going to find out that your blog exists? You can’t assume that they’ll randomly find your website and click through to the blog. The Fix: Make it easy for readers to share your posts by incorporating share buttons into each post. Try Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. And if your blog has lots of images, don't forget to share on Pinterest and/or Instagram. Don’t forget to include an email share link. Emailed articles get a lot of clicks because they’re usually received from a friend whose recommendations you trust.  3. No One Knows That You’ve Posted an Article Established blogs often get most of their traffic from email subscribers. Is there a way for readers to subscribe to your blog so that they automatically get your latest post? Is it easy for them to find that subscription box/button? The Fix: Put a “Subscribe by Email” form at the top of each page (usually in the header or sidebar) AND at the end of each post or as a slide-in or pop-up when someone gets to the end of the article. If someone has read all the way to the end of your post, they probably enjoyed it and will be more inclined to subscribe. I use ConvertKit (aff) as my email service provider, in part because they include as many opt-in forms as you like for use in a variety of locations. Simple to use and set up, and all in one account. Definitely a plus. 4. There’s No Consistency People like consistency. They like to know that there’ll be a new post waiting for them at 9am every Tuesday, or at noon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If they don’t know when you’ll be posting, how do they know when to visit your blog? The Fix: Choose a posting schedule and stick to it. Make your schedule reasonable – something that you can do week after week, with a high level of quality. Put someone in charge of keeping the blog going. For a smaller business, this may be the owner; for a larger company, it’s usually someone in Communications, Marketing, or PR. 5. There Are Too Many Distractions OK, a new reader has found your blog. Congratulations! Now what? Which of the dozens of links, promos, and images do they click on now? Tests have shown that readers are easily distracted by all the ‘bling’ on websites – so much so that they never even finish reading the posts. The Fix: Keep it clean and simple. Get rid of all the extraneous stuff, including links to all the departments, product lines, or services your company offers – direct readers back to the main website for that. Keep the blog focused on blog posts. Consider having your blog be full width - meaning there's no sidebar to distract readers. 6. Your Posts Are Too Long A half-read post is as bad as a post that no one reads. The Fix: Keep it short and sweet. Most blog readers won’t read more than about 500 words. If you find your post going over that, break it up into a multi-part post – that’s also a good way to encourage people to come back. 7. There’s Nothing New to Read Yada yada yada... Readers want something new – something they haven’t seen elsewhere. Industry trends, widely-published studies, and rehashing the same old topics will quickly turn viewers away. The Fix: What’s unique to your company, products, or services? What are industry experts, customers or the media saying about you? What milestones have you reached? How are your products linked to emerging issues? All you need is one truly new or unique piece of information and people will come back for more. 8. You’re Making People Feel Stupid “This customer obviously doesn’t understand how to use the product. ” That’s a direct quote from a company’s Facebook page. And whose problem is it that the customer may have used the product incorrectly? Certainly not the customer’s. We tend to make things so complicated, wordy, and “insidery” that many people give up even trying to understand it. The Fix: Assume your readers don’t know the acronyms, jargon, personalities, or events in your industry. A brief explanation will do but be sure it’s simple (but not dumbed-down) and helpful. And never, never, never call a customer stupid! 9. You’re Talking About Yourself We all do it – we tell readers all about ourselves, our fabulous products, and our superb services. But is that what they want to read about? Nope. They’ll click that “Back” button and be out of there in a heartbeat. The Fix: Talk about the customer. Show how to use your product. Answer customer questions. Post photos of your customers with your product (even link to photos and videos posted by customers). Show customers that you understand and appreciate them – after all, that’s why you’re in business, isn’t it? And now over to you - What have you done to keep your company blog interesting and engaging? Share your ideas in the comments below! --- ### The 2 Keys to Keeping Your Email Marketing Legal > Anti-spam laws. Privacy. How do you stay compliant with all the laws and still send impactful marketing emails? Here's what you need to know ... - Published: 2015-09-03 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/2-keys-keeping-email-marketing-legal/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: anti-spam laws, CAN-SPAM, CASL, privacy policy, spam Anti-spam laws. Privacy. How do you stay compliant with all the laws and still send impactful marketing emails? Here's what you need to know ... Email spam. This isn't a "sexy" topic and it's something that's not on the radar of most small business owners who use email to communicate with their customers. But doing it right will not only increase your email subscription and open rates, it'll also eliminate the possibility of a hefty penalty (for example, each violation of the CAN-SPAM Act comes with a fine of up to $16,000, plus the possibility of prison time). Every country has its own laws around email marketing (if you're outside of North America, check your local laws) but the two main ones to be aware of (and follow! ) have to do with privacy and spam. In both cases, the laws pertain to "commercial email. " What's a Commercial Email? First, let's get clear on what a "commercial email" is and isn't. Here in the USA, the Federal Trade Commission defines it as “any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service,” including email that promotes content on commercial websites, business-to-business email, and messages to former customers announcing a new product or service. For more details, see the FTC website. Canada has a similar definition - "a message that encourages participation in a commercial activity, including, but not limited to: offering, advertising or promoting a product, a service or a person. " You can find the details about Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) here. Basically, any business emails that aren't purely transactional emails, such as invoices and receipts, could be considered to be commercial emails. To be safe, think of it this way -ALLemail you send out to customers or potential customers (other than transactional emails),must comply with anti-spam and privacy laws. What Does the Law Say About Email Privacy? The US doesn't have one law that applies to everyone. However, the most stringent law is found in California. This law is also similar to the privacy laws in Europe, the UK and Canada so it's safest (and better for your email subscribers) to follow the California law. How to Stay Within the Privacy Laws Whenever you collect ANY information about a person online, including the email address of a subscriber, California law requires that you disclose: The kinds of information you're gathering about subscribers How the information may be shared with other parties The process the subscriber can follow to review and make changes to the information you have on them The policy’s effective date and a description of any changes since then Why You Need a Privacy Policy To comply with the above laws, you’ll need to create a Privacy Policy that is prominently displayed on your website, including when someone signs up to receive your emails. A Privacy Policy is a legal document that covers how subscriber data is collected, used, managed, and disclosed. The Privacy Policy also sets out how this information will be protected. Your Privacy Policy should cover: What information you're collecting Why you're collecting it What you'll use the information for How you'll keep the information secure When you might release the information, and to whom - including whether third parties can collect personally identifiable information on their website How your customers/subscribers can amend or correct the information you hold on them The dispute resolution procedures that are in place if there is a disagreement And, if you're tracking a subscriber's online activities, you need to let them know how you're dealing with "do not track" signals There are some standard privacy notices that you can customize for your business. If you’re building your site in WordPress, Easy Privacy Policy has an excellent plug-in that can be easily customized for your company. Other good options include:The best place to put this policy is on a separate page, with links to it in the footer of your site and directly under the opt-in box. Most people will never click on the link to the privacy policy but just knowing that it’s there makes them more likely to give you their email address. The strongest legal protection (for you and your subscribers) is for you to include a checkbox on the opt-in form asking people to confirm that they agree to the terms of your privacy policy before they subscribe. Another option is to include a statement saying something like "By subscribing to this newsletter, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of use. " That works if the only people on your email list come from an online form but, realistically, that's not how most of us build our email list. What Does the Law Say About Email Spam? But what's considered to be "spam"? Spam is any commercial email someone receives to which they have not given "affirmative" or "express" consent - meaning that they haven't explicitly told you "yes, sure, send me your commercial emails. " It's not enough that they're a customer or that they agreed to have you send them a proposal or a report. If they didn't know they were agreeing to get other commercial emails from you, then anything of a commercial nature that you send them is a violation of the law (not to mention that you're probably going to annoy the heck out of your "subscribers" and they'll quickly unsubscribe! ). The best way to protect yourself is to use a double opt-in process for people who sign up online. Do not ever, ever, ever add someone to your email list without them knowing. So if you gather business cards at a networking event, don't add them unless you've asked them if they'd like to be on the list (that's one of my pet peeves). Don't add acquaintances, vendors or suppliers, old customers, friends without asking them first. Don't use a pre-checked opt-in box on your sign up forms (people need to have the option to opt IN, rather than being asked to opt OUT). And NEVER buy an email list! How to Stay Within the CAN-SPAM Act and CASL If you always have the best interests of your subscribers in mind then complying with the law isn't difficult - most of it is stuff you'd probably do anyway. Here's what you need to do: Don’t use false or misleading header information.  Make sure the “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information clearly identify you. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.  Click bait and subject lines designed to trick people into opening an email just won't cut it. Identify the message as an ad.  If your message is an advertisement, say so. And make sure people can easily see your disclaimer. Tell recipients where you’re located.  Your message must include your valid physical postal address (a P. O. Box or private mailbox is OK). Tell recipients how to opt out of receiving future email from you.  The best way to do this is to have an easily-visible 'Unsubscribe' link or button on every email, but asking people to reply to the email with the word "unsubscribe" is also acceptable. Make it easy for them! Honor opt-out requests promptly.  You must take the person off your list and stop sending them email within 10 business days. Monitor what others are doing on your behalf.  If someone is sending emails on your behalf, you both need to comply with the law. Can You Use "Forward to a Friend"? You've probably heard the advice to include a "Forward to a Friend" link in your emails. The problem with that is that you have no control over who's getting your commercial email - and they may not want to receive it. They certainly haven't given you consent. It's still a bit of a grey area in the US but if any of your subscribers are in Canada or if they might forward your email to someone in Canada, you cannot include a "Forward to a Friend" link. The Bottom LineIt's not complicated to comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and CASL but it does take some work to ensure that your email is set up correctly, you're getting affirmative consent, and that you're covered by a strong Privacy Policy. Doing it right builds customer/subscriber confidence and goodwill. It protects you and your company from potentially huge fines (and even jail time). And, best of all, it means that your emails are going to people who actually WANT them so they're more likely to open your emails and click on links.  Now over to you - What have you done to comply with the laws around spam and email privacy? Let me know in the comments below! --- ### The Two Reasons You’re Not Getting More Customers (and How to Fix the Problem Today) > There are only 2 reasons you're not getting more customers. Discover what they are and how to overcome them to bring in more business today. - Published: 2015-08-13 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/two-reasons-youre-not-getting-more-customers/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Strategy - Tags: lead generation, online visibility, word of mouth There are only 2 reasons you're not getting more customers. That's right - only two. But they can make or break your business. Discover what they are and how to overcome them to bring in more business today. Do you feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall trying to get more customers? Are you throwing money away on lead generation schemes without seeing any return? Wondering how your competitors can land so many new clients? Well, I have some good news for you: There are only two reasons why you’re not getting those new customers. That’s right – only two things stand between you and more business. The Two Problems #1 – Potential customers don’t know you exist OR #2 – They don’t believe that you can get the job done right or at the right price Think about it ... If a potential customer hasn’t heard of you in some way, such as through ads, online search, or word of mouth, how can they possibly contact you? Clearly, whatever you’re doing to reach them isn’t working. Maybe your ads are targeting the wrong audience, or you’re not showing up in Google searches, or none of your customers are talking about your work (or they aren’t talking about it in a positive way – and that’s a whole different problem). The other possibility is that potential customers know who you are but for some reason you’re not on their list of possible service providers. Why not? Maybe you don’t look like a professional business (hint: a good website and a professional email go a long way here), or they can’t find enough information about you to tell them exactly what you do, or perhaps you don’t have enough (or any) online reviews praising your services. So which reason is it for you? What’s not working for you – your visibility or your appearance/reputation? How to Fix the Problem Of course, knowing why you’re not bringing in more business doesn’t help you if you don’t know what to do about it. So here are four things you can do today to increase your visibility in your local market AND help potential customers see you as the provider of choice. Build a Good Website If you don’t have a website for your business, get one. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive but it does have to be simple, clear, and provide a good user experience. Check out these articles for more information on what to include on a website and the mistakes to avoid. People have a shorter attention span than a goldfish (yes, it’s a scientific fact! ) and it’s getting shorter every year. Make sure they can find exactly what they need on your website within 2 seconds. What do they need? Your phone number (and maybe your email), your service area and the services you provide, a little about you, and a Request an Estimate form. If they can’t find that information, they’ll leave. Immediately. And all of your hard work putting together a website has gone to waste. You’re not going to get new customers if they don’t even look at your website! Use a Professional Email By 2013, about 84% of email was considered spam. As a result, email providers and readers have raised the standard for what makes it through to the inbox. Between the spam filters put in place by email providers and the “rules” that email recipients create to block unwanted emails, a huge percent of emails are never delivered or end up in the junk folder. One of the key factors affecting email deliverability is your email address. Customers (and potential customers) are expecting to see a professional email. Which looks more professional to you – joe. smith@acmelandscaping. com or treeguy8573@hotmail. com? If both of those landed in your email inbox, which would you be more likely to open? And which would end up in junk? Yeah, I thought so... So get yourself a professional email address. One that uses the URL from your website. Of if you just don’t want a website, use Google Apps for Work to create that email. At only $5/month it’s a no-brainer. Get Listed on Local Directories When people are searching for a new service provider, where do they usually look? Yup, Google. Maybe Bing or Yahoo. Or maybe Angie’s List, Yelp, BBB, MANTA, etc. So are you listed there? You can list your company on most directories for free. The more the better. The key is to ensure that your company name, address, and phone number (called your NAP) is exactly the same on every directory. The search engines use that listing to figure out who you are – even a comma or spelling difference (e. g. , Street vs St. ) can make your listing not show up in the search results. And set up a Google My Business page.  It’s simple to do. Google’s the #1 search engine and it likes to show its own listings first – your Google My Business listing will likely appear at the top of the search page when someone looks for you. The goal is to be everywhere online. When a potential customer searches online for the services you provide, you want to show up over and over again in the first few pages of the search results. Build Your Reputation Who would you call first – the company with 17 5-star reviews or the one with none? It used to be that word of mouth spread between neighbors or friends. Now people look online. They don’t trust what you tell them about your services – they want to know what other people think. And even if they’ve never met those people, an online review is far more credible to them than anything you can tell them. So build up your online reviews. The more reviews (assuming they’re positive reviews! ), the more likely people are to choose you over your competitors. Ask your regulars to write a review. And after you’ve completed a job for a new customer and you see that they’re happy with your service, ask them for a review. Don’t wait – do it on the spot. Give them a card with the link or send them an email with a link to your Google+/Google My Business page. When you’ve collected enough reviews on Google+ (a minimum of 7 are needed for it to show up on the search results, but go for at least a dozen), then ask for reviews on Yelp. Rinse and repeat with whichever review sites are most important in your area. Focus on one at a time for best results. Conclusion None of this is difficult or especially time-consuming. But it's the little details like these that can make or break your business. Don't be the one left wondering how others manage to grow their business year over year - just follow the four tips above and you'll be bringing in new customers before you know it. If you've tried any of the tips above, or have any others to share, please leave me a comment below. --- ### Business Owners: Get Out Of Your Own Way > If you're sick and tired of working IN your business instead of running it, maybe it's time to get out of your own way. Here's how ... - Published: 2015-07-27 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/get-out-of-your-own-way/ - Categories: Strategy - Tags: building value, delegation If you're sick and tired of working IN your business instead of running it, maybe it's time to get out of your own way. When was the last time you looked at where you add value? Or what you love and hate about your work? You've probably heard so much advice about all the things you "should" be doing online to grow your business that you're thinking “I just don’t have time for all of this! ! ” And that may be true. You, as the business owner, may not have time. So maybe it’s time to get out of your own way and focus on what really matters. Ask yourself – where do YOU make the biggest difference in your business? I can tell you right away that it’s NOT pruning trees, mowing lawns or planting shrubs! You OWN the business. YOU make the decisions, set the strategy, determine which goals to meet, and how to run things. THAT’S where you make a difference. So think through all the things you do as a business owner and write down the areas in which YOU make a significant difference – things that no one else can do (or should do). Next, write down what you love doing. If you’re like me, you got into this business because you love doing the work. When I had my landscape company I loved pruning large shrubs and small trees, and designing natural looking landscapes. And I was really good at it. But so were other people – people that I could hire to do the work while I focused on bringing in more business. What I didn’t like was all of the back office stuff – invoicing and getting payments, tracking down missing equipment and orders, setting up appointments. There are probably things that you don’t like doing too. Write those down – what do you hate doing? Now take a look at your three lists – where you add value, what you love, and what you hate. Now I know it’s not that simple – some things simply HAVE to be done to run the business. So in those cases get out of your own way – delegate it, outsource it or automate it. The small investment in training someone else to do it or buying automation software will pay itself off many times over by freeing you up to do the work that really makes a difference to the growth of your business. If you’re wondering why I’m talking about this, here’s why – some parts of building market domination depend on YOU, other parts can be done by someone else. You’re the only person who can build the foundation – define why you’re in business, who you serve and why, and what they want. You’re also the only person who can decide on the overall strategy for your website and email marketing, and the only person who can drive the reputation of your business. You decide WHAT gets done and WHY. But the actual doing ... someone else can DO that for you. I'm curious to know - What's on your three lists? And what have you stopped doing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.   --- ### 6 Simple Website Tactics to Attract More Customers For Your Tree Care Business > Using your website to bring in more customers for your tree care or landscape business can save you time and money - if it's done right. Here's how ... - Published: 2015-02-05 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-simple-website-tactics-attract-customers/ - Categories: Websites - Tags: attract customers, digital strategy, website design Using your website to bring in more customers for your tree care or landscape business can save you time and money - if it's done right. Just because you have a website doesn't mean that customers - and more importantly, quality customers - will find you, like what they see, and contact you for a quote or to buy your services. Here are six things you can do to set yourself apart from the competition, convince prospects that you're the right option for them, and attract quality customers to grow your business.   Using your website to bring in more customers for your tree care or landscape business can save you time and money - if it's done right. Just because you have a website doesn't mean that customers - and more importantly, quality customers - will find you, like what they see, and contact you for a quote or to buy your services. Here are six things you can do to set yourself apart from the competition, convince prospects that you're the right option for them, and attract quality customers to grow your business. Create a Great First Impression Your website is usually the first place that prospects "see" you (other than maybe your PPC ads). Make sure that they come away with the best possible impression of you and your company. The look and feel of your website, the images, content, words, graphics, speed, and functionality all matter. Why? Because it tells people what kind of a business you are. And if your goal is to attract quality customers who are ready to buy, have reasonable expectations, and who pay on time, then you need a website that conveys your authority, trustworthiness, and quality of work. So how do you put together a high quality website that makes a great first impression? 1. Use the Right Technology I'm talking about the platform you use to build your website (you know that I recommend and work almost exclusively with WordPress), the quality of the code, site speed, analytics, and all the technology details that make a website work flawlessly. Across all browsers. And on all devices, including phones, tablets, and desktops. If your site loads slowly, looks strange, has broken links or forms that don't work, or isn't responsive, guess what the reader is going to do? Leave. Quickly. 2. Build an Easy-to-Use Website Have you ever been to a website where you couldn't find what you were looking for? Maybe the navigation was confusing, the headlines weren't clear, or things weren't where you expected to find them. When someone visits your website, make sure they can quickly and easily find exactly what they need and do all the things they want to do (like request an estimate, contact you by email, or schedule service). Here's how: Use a simple site structure. Minimize the number of clicks needed to find something. Use buttons where possible (instead of just text links). Keep the navigation easy to understand. Use words people recognize - this isn't the place to be creative. Put the key information (like phone number and service area) on every page. 3. Keep It Up To Date Things change. Phone numbers, addresses, services, products, hours of operation, staff - all of these will likely change over time. So make sure that each change is immediately reflected on your website. This is especially important if you have a blog. Don't even bother starting one if you're not going to put in the time and resources to keep it updated. How do you usually react when you land on a blog only to find that the last post was six months ago? You probably think that the company or person isn't committed to doing it right - and if they can't get a blog right, how well are they running their business? 4. Look Professional Your website is a reflection of you as a person, as well as your business. How do you want to come across when you meet a prospect in person? Professional, organized, reliable, and knowledgable? Or disorganized, slow, sloppy, and out of touch? Yeah, that's what I thought... There are few things that add to the professionalism of your website like high quality images and custom graphics. Images If you're in the green industry you have almost an unfair advantage when it comes to imagery - you can take photos of your own work to show potential customers. Please don't use stock images - people can spot those a mile away. If you can afford a professional photographer, it'll be well worth the investment. If not, use a good camera that takes high resolution images, take photos in flattering lighting conditions (noon is not a good time to take outdoor photos), and take a LOT of photos - some will turn out to be "keepers" that will look great on your website. Graphics As for graphics, don't overdo it with all sorts of different icons, buttons, banners, lines, borders, etc. Yes, you want to use some of these but keep them in a similar style and color, preferably one that relates to your logo (you do have a custom logo, right? ). Design Elements Skip the drop shadows, gradients, rotating images, and animation. With half or more of your customers and prospects looking at your website on a mobile device, a nice clean, uncluttered look works much better. Simplicity And keep the home page simple. Less is more here. Present the key points in an easy-to-read format, provide contact information, and use a simple navigation menu. This isn't the place to throw in everything that you think customers could potentially want to see. By cluttering up your home page you make it overwhelming for viewers - they don't know what to focus on and they end up leaving in frustration. 5. Write Relevant Content I'm sure you've heard this advice before. But how do you put it into practice? First, keep in mind that your website is for your customers - not for you. Think about their problems, the things they want to know more about, their questions. And then write content that directly addresses those areas. Show them that you understand their problems and tell them about the solution(s) you provide. Let them know how you can help them.  If you have before/after photos, testimonials, publications, etc. , then show these. Help viewers understand how you've helped people just like them. Be specific. Let the customer know exactly what you do and don't do, how you do it, and what they can expect. They're not going to phone or email you unless they believe that you can solve their problem or do what they need to have done. 6. Show That You're Part of Their Community Most small to mid-sized businesses are local, particularly those in the green industry. You work within a defined service area and are part of a local community. Show customers that you're a valuable part of that community. Write about topics relevant to your area, like the impact of weather, disease or pest outbreaks, interesting workshops, or seasonal updates. By positioning yourself as a credible source of helpful, local information, you'll set yourself up as the go-to person when prospects have questions or need the services you provide. And those are your six website tactics to bring in more (and higher quality) customers. Which tactic will you take action on today? Let me know in the comments below. --- ### 10 Questions to Ask Your Website Designer > You need more than just a pretty website, it has to deliver business results. And you need a website designer who can do that. Here’s what to ask them. - Published: 2015-01-10 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-absite-designer/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: website design You need more than just a pretty website. You need a site that delivers business results. And you need a website designer who can do that. Here's what to ask a web design company before you consider hiring them. 1. What is your typical process when working with a new client? Designers vary widely in skills and experience. Often, they're focused on building a site that looks nice and works well. But the better designers are more focused on helping you achieve business-related goals. Experienced designers will work with you to understand your business, customers, strategy, short- and long-term goals, available resources, and more.  This process can take considerable time, depending on how well you've thought through these issues. Beware of any designer who starts out with "So, what do you want the website to look like? " And run, fast, from any designer who says "Just send me your logo, some photos, and what you want to say. I'll take it from there. " 2. Will the site be built using a template, or is it a custom design? Many "designers" take an existing template, slap your logo on the home page, change a few colors, and call it good. Sure, the template has been "customized" but the end result is unlikely to meet your unique needs. In many cases it looks sloppy and unprofessional. Make sure that the site is built just for you to reflect your brand and business goals. 3. Will my site be mobile responsive and cross-browser compatible? You want your site to look reasonably similar (and to work flawlessly) on all major browers. Make sure that your designer tests for this as part of the development process. Modern websites should also be mobile responsive, meaning that they display well and can be easily read on all mobile devices, from smart phones to tablets. With half of all searches done on a mobile device, this is critical. Note that the site will not look the same across devices; instead, the layout shifts to provide the best reading experience for the user. 4. How will you help my website get found online? If no one finds your website, you've just wasted your money. Search engine optimization (SEO) involves the things that are done to your website to help Google, Bing, and other search engines find your site. A good designer will work with you to ensure that SEO is built into every page of the website from the very beginning. Some also have expertise in online marketing, including pay-per-click (Google AdWords), Facebook ads, social media, and more. A designer with SEO and internet marketing experience is worth their weight in gold. 5. Who will own the website when it is complete? Believe it or not, in some states the web designer will own the site, even though you paid for it. Web designers can also claim the site, design and programming as their own copyrighted work. Make sure the designer waives all right to the site (including the design, content, graphics, etc. ). Other companies build websites using proprietary technology. While you may own the content, they "own" everything else and you cannot take your website elsewhere (you're basically held hostage). Make sure you have (or have reliable access to) a copy of all graphic and content files used on your site. 6. Can I update the website myself? Good websites aren't static - they're constantly updated to keep things fresh and provide the latest information for customers. Some sites can only be updated by your designer, meaning that you're at their mercy. You'll need technical coding skills or expensive software packages to update other sites. But some websites are built with an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) that lets you update key parts of the site with no coding knowledge or help from your designer. A very popular option these days is WordPress. 7. How much will you charge for hosting? Once the website is built you will need to host it (think of it as publishing it so that it can be seen online). This will be a monthly fee. There are companies that just provide hosting (and they do that at a reasonable rate) but your web designer may also offer hosting services. The price can range from a small number for "hosting only" to a larger number that includes website monitoring, security checks, updates, and more. Make sure you understand exactly what will be included in your hosting plan, how you will access your hosting account, and what to do if you want to change hosting providers. 8. How do you handle updates and ongoing support after the site is launched? As your business evolves, so should your website. You may want to add new functionality, change up the design, or remove sections of the website. Find out how much these updates will cost and how to contract with your designer for this. Some designers charge an hourly rate; check whether they bill in 15 or 30 minute increments, or just by the hour. Also ask for examples of follow-up work they've done with other clients; you want a designer who stays in touch with clients and continues to work with them over the long term. 9. Do you offer training to help me manage my own website? If you'd like to make updates yourself, particularly if you have a WordPress site, you can find training courses online. Or you can ask your designer to give you the training you need to work with your own site; typically, this training would be tailored to your site so you'll know exactly what to do and why. 10. What other services do you provide? Some website designers just design. Others do design, development, and programming to actually build the site and get it online. And still others offer a range of services, including digital strategy, logo design, online marketing, social media, PR, email marketing and newsletters. If you can find a design service that offers multiple options, this will typically be your best return on investment as all of your online efforts can be coordinated to help deliver the business growth you want. I know there are other things you could ask, but I see these as the top ten. What other things would you want to know before hiring a website designer? Let me know in the comments below. Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### How To Get People To Open Your Marketing Emails (Without Being Spammy) > Have you got a sizable email list but people aren't opening your emails? Here's how to encourage them to read each email you send. - Published: 2012-03-27 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-get-people-to-open-your-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: email list, email marketing, email open rates Which would you rather have – a 1000-subscriber email list with a 10% open rate, or a 500-person list with a 50% open rate? It’s not all about the size of your list! If subscribers don’t actually read your emails, you might as well not bother sending them. So how do you encourage people to open your emails? If you’ve been following this 5-part series on email lists, you’ll know that building trust is a critical first step in creating a list that helps grow your business. What you do before sending that very first email sets the stage for everything that comes after, including whether or not subscribers open your emails. Make the sign-up process quick and easy, be clear about what you will and will not do with a subscriber’s email address, let them know they can unsubscribe at any time, and avoid using questionable sign-up processes (like pre-checked boxes on the opt-in form). After a person has signed up, here are some ways you can encourage them to open your emails. 1. Set Expectations Before people even sign up, let them know how often (or when) they’ll get emails from you and what will be in the email (e. g. , special offers, tutorials or how-to’s, white papers). Send a welcome email immediately after a subscriber signs up to tell them again what they’ll be getting and when. 2. Be Consistent Do exactly what you’ve said you’ll do. If subscribers expect to hear from you every Tuesday, send them an email every Tuesday. If they expect coupons, send them coupons. The more you deviate from what subscribers expect, the less likely they’ll be to open your emails. The first few weeks are most important for a new subscriber – it’s when they decide whether or not your emails are worth opening. Write a series of emails that new subscribers will get over the first few weeks – something that will keep them engaged and “train” them to open your emails in the future. Use an autoresponder to ensure that your emails go out on a regularly-scheduled basis that you can maintain over the long term. 3. Offer Great Content Make sure you’re sending material that subscribers can really use, or that they value. Avoid sending frequent promotions or affiliate offers, unless it truly adds value. People don’t like to feel that they’re constantly being sold to. Put some effort into making it clear, short, grammatically correct, and nicely laid out (if you’re using HTML). 4. Minimize the Chances of Getting Caught in Spam Filters Avoid ‘spammy’ subject lines and content. Words like “FREE! ” often get caught in spam filters (but not always – it depends on how the word is used). If you’re not sure, check the spam rating for your email (all reputable email marketing providers, such as AWeber, can rate each email on how “spam-like” it is) and edit the subject and content to minimize that rating. 5. Ensure Email Gets Delivered This sounds obvious, but unless you’re using a reputable email marketing service, your bulk emails may not be delivered. Some email providers don’t even let you send out bulk emails. So check with your provider to make sure emails are going where you’re sending them. 6. Use a Recognizable ‘From’ Name Use your company, newsletter, website, or personal name (whichever is most relevant) in the ‘from’ field so subscribers will instantly recognize who the email is from. Generally, a person’s name will generate more email opens than will a company or other “inanimate object” name. 7. Use a Catchy Subject Line The first thing subscribers see is your subject line. If it isn’t interesting, they won’t open or read your email – it’s as simple as that. Keep the subject line short. While the optimum subject line length is open to debate, it’s clear that many subscribers will only see about the first five words (for example, if they’re checking email on a smart phone). So put the most important part of your message at the beginning of the subject line. Make the benefit of your email clear. It should be something useful to readers and specific. Make it stand out by using square brackets at the beginning of your subject line. For example, an email in my Tech Tips weekly series would look like this: “ Creating a Gravatar. ” Each week the subject line is different, but it always starts with . 8. Tell Subscribers What’s Coming Next If you can, give subscribers a little “teaser” at the end of each email – give them enough information to know that the next email from you will have something in it that they’ll want to read. Don’t be spammy and don’t oversell, but do give them something to look forward to. If you’re not sure what will be in your next email, at least let subscribers know that you’ll be sending them another email in the near future. 9. Remind Subscribers Why They’re Getting Your Emails People don’t always remember who you are or why they’re getting your emails, especially if they haven’t read your emails (or you haven’t sent any) in a while. So remind them. Include a few words at the end of each email telling them what they’ve signed up for and when they did it (most email marketing services make it easy for you to do this). 10. Make it Personal Write your emails as if you’re talking to one of your best friends. Keep it conversational and intimate, as if it’s just you and your friend. This helps readers feel like you’re speaking to them, not to an anonymous crowd. I’m of two minds about this idea but am putting it on the list because, in some situations, it works well. Use the “personalize” features in your email – for example, use a subscriber’s first name in the salutation. This only works if you’ve collected that information during sign-up AND are sure that it’s correct – which isn’t always the case. 11. Test the Best Delivery Times People are busy. They don’t always check their email inbox. So look at your analytics to see when people are opening your emails (day and time). Run a few tests by sending emails on different days and different times of the day to see which result in the best open rates for your list. Every list is different so don’t rely on published accounts of “the best time to send emails” – test it with your list. This also applies to delivery frequency. The sweet spot is probably going to be somewhere between three times a week and once a month. Send emails too often, and people will tune you out. Too infrequently, and they’ll lose interest. So test it and see what works best for you. And be reasonable; remember point #2 above – only set a mailing schedule that you can maintain in the long term. Have you tried any of these methods of encouraging people to open your emails? What’s worked for you – and what hasn’t? Let us know! --- ### 20 Ways to Get More Subscribers & Grow Your Email List - Published: 2012-02-28 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/20-ways-to-grow-your-email-list/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: email conversion, email list, email marketing, email subscribers If you build it, they will NOT come... So here's some practical, actionable advice on exactly how to get more quality subscribers for your email list. You’ve decided that you need an email list, chosen your email marketing provider, put an awesome opt-in form on your website, and now you’re waiting for people to sign up for your email list. You could be waiting a long time... Growing your email list usually needs only a few small tweaks to your website, or including a link to your opt-in form wherever people find you (for example, your email signature, social media pages, blog). But here’s the thing – gathering emails needs to be a priority. It can’t be a “we’ll get to it when we have time” sort of thing. You have to ask for that email at every opportunity. Not in a pushy or obnoxious way. But you do have to be clear and direct about the fact that you want that email address – and that it will be worth the subscriber’s while to give it to you. You need a well-planned strategy to get your opt-in form or sign-up list in front of as many people as possible. Don’t just focus on your website – consider every point of contact you have with customers and prospects as an opportunity to grow your email list. The one critical point to keep in mind as you gather emails is this: Never send email to someone who has not explicitly given you permission to do so. Don’t even add them to your email list. Obviously, your opt-in form should be prominently displayed in multiple locations on your website. Beyond that, here are 20 ways to grow your email list. 1. Offer benefits especially for subscribers – Simply asking someone to join your email list will get you nowhere – they want to know what’s in it for them. So make subscribing worthwhile. Offer benefits such as these and display these benefits prominently on your website or sign-up form: Tips and how-to’s Access to private sales Advance notice of special events Entry into a prize drawing Discounts only available to subscribers A free gift White paper, special report, or e-book 2. Let subscribers know what to expect – Tell them how often they’ll hear from you and what you’ll be sending them (for example, newsletter, special offers, discounts). 3. Make your sign-up link easy to remember – Keep it simple and memorable. Direct subscribers to www. YourCompany. com/subscribe and they’ll be able to easily find your online opt-in page. 4. Include a link in your email signature – Add a message such as “Subscribe to our email newsletter” in every employee’s email signature with a link to your opt-in page. 5. Add a sign-up invitation on all print materials– For example, add an opt-in offer and the landing page URL to: Invoices Receipts Catalogs Product literature / brochures / flyers Bags Product packaging and packing slips Estimates Print ads Point-of-purchase displays Customer surveys and/or feedback forms 6. Use a paper sign-up sheet at all events– If you’ll be at an event where you’ll have access to a large number of people, create a special sign-up form and put it somewhere highly visible. Be sure to make it clear that signing up is optional and spell out exactly what they’re signing up for. For example, you could collect names and emails at: Trade show booths Speaking engagements Workshops Networking events Store sales 7. Gather emails when customers make a purchase - Put a sign-up form by the cash register or front desk. Add a ‘subscribe to our newsletter’ checkbox on your online purchase form. 8. Use a take-away card – Print up cards (postcard size works well) describing your list, the benefits, and how to sign up. Pass them out at every opportunity, such as when visiting customers or at a public event. 9. Include your sign-up URL on your business card – Most business cards are blank on the back. Use the space to show links to important social media accounts and your email list. 10. Promote your list at all public speaking events – Mention it during your presentation and list the URL in handouts. 11. Include a “Send to a Friend” option on your website and in all of your emails – This is especially effective if you offer an incentive to the referrer (for example, they’ll be entered in a special prize drawing). 12. Add a sign-up offer to account transaction pages and emails– When a customer buys a product or service, they may not sign up for your email list. Take the opportunity to remind them about it when you contact them about their account or purchase. For example: Confirmation emails Shipping notices Payment reminders Account registration and/or renewal reminders 13. Use social media– Include information about the benefits of joining your email list (and a link to the sign-up page) on all of your social media profiles. In addition, you can try these approaches: Build a custom Facebook tab with a sign-up box Place links to your opt-in page on your Facebook wall, LinkedIn account, or Twitter profile Announce new email subscriber-only content on social media when you publish it – and include a link to let people sign up Put social sharing links on your website and in every email 14. Ask customers if they’d like to sign up – Make it part of every employee’s job (including yours! ) to routinely invite customers to receive your newsletter, get special promotions, or be notified of private sales and events. Whether dealing with inbound calls from customers or prospects, face-to-face interactions with customers in your store, or email conversations, ask for that email address. 15. Sponsor a contest or prize drawing 16. Invite subscriptions in your voicemail – Mention your newsletter and sign-up URL (briefly) on your voicemail. People may not sign up after hearing it, but it will increase awareness. 17. Send postcards to customers and/or a mailing list – You may have a street address for some of your customers, but not an email address. Send them a postcard highlighting the benefits of subscribing to your list and encouraging them to sign up. Be sure to include the URL. You could also buy a mailing list (for example, homeowners within a specific area) and send postcards to them. 18. Promote your newsletter/email list in all publications – If you write for a trade or consumer publication, a blog, or another newsletter, be sure to include a link to your newsletter or email sign-up form in the article (if you can), byline, and/or author bio. A reader who likes your writing will often want to hear more from you. 19. Investigate reciprocal relationships – Are there other businesses that target a similar market segment, perhaps with a different product or service? Suggest to them that they promote your newsletter to their audience, and you do the same with your subscribers. But first, be sure that the other company’s newsletter or email promotions will be of value to your subscribers. 20. Use online classified ads – This can be especially effective if you offer a give-away of some sort with each subscription. Try listing your give-away and newsletter subscription of free sites like Craigslist. These are just some of the ways you can get in front of potential subscribers and encourage them to sign up for your email list. What approaches have you tried? What’s worked best for you? Let me know in the comment below! --- ### 15 Reasons Why You Need An Email List > If you're a small business, you need an email list. It's as simple as that. Not convinced? Here are 15 benefits of an email list. - Published: 2012-02-02 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/15-reasons-why-you-need-an-email-list/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: benefits of an email list, email list, email marketing Do you have a healthy and growing email list? If not, why not? If you're a small business, you need an email list. It’s as simple as that. Without it, it's hard to even call yourself a business - you won't stay top-of-mind with customers, it’s difficult to create excitement about your brand or product, and you can't sell the way you want to. Even as companies jump onto the social media bandwagon, they carefully manage their email list because it’s the single best way to convert leads into business – online and off. Do you have a healthy and growing email list? If not, why not? If you're a small business, you need an email list. It’s as simple as that. Without it, it's hard to even call yourself a business - you won't stay top-of-mind with customers, it’s difficult to create excitement about your brand or product, and you can't sell the way you want to. Even as companies jump onto the social media bandwagon, they carefully manage their email list because it’s the single best way to convert leads into business – online and off. What’s an Email List? An email list is a list of people who have signed up (subscribed) to receive emails from you. The key here is that they’ve given you permission to send them emails – they actually want to hear from you. They’re not just a fan or a follower, they’re a member of your community – and that’s a much stronger relationship than can be built through social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to gain permission before sending out emails. Without permission, sending emails is spamming and is the quickest way to get yourself blacklisted by email service providers (not to mention that people will quickly unsubscribe from your list). Best practice is to use a double-opt-in process when asking people to subscribe. You’ve probably heard the phrase “the money is in the list. ” And it’s very true.  Here are 15 reasons why you need an email list. Benefits of an Email List 1. Everyone Has Email Facebook may have 1. 5 billion users, but far more people have email. In fact, you need an email address to even sign up for a social media account! And 91% of people in the US use email daily. You can’t be sure of reaching your target market through social media, but you can be sure of reaching them through email. 2. Easily Connect With Your Target Market Your email list consists of highly targeted people who are interested in what you have to offer. They’ve volunteered to get your emails because they want to hear more. 3. Make Meaningful Offers Sending emails to a targeted audience allows you to promote your services and products to the audience that is most likely to buy. Be careful not to overdo the offers – even the most responsive list will quickly tire of receiving nothing but sales pitches. But, when timed appropriately and combined with valuable content, you can make multiple offers to your list with great results. 4. Increase Conversion Rate The ultimate goal of marketing of any sort is to bring in more business. Email marketing is no different – except for the fact that you can directly track conversion rates (the % of people who receive your marketing message and then go on to take whatever action you’re asking them to take). Typically, buyers need multiple exposures to your product or service before they’ll buy. They need to develop an understanding of what you offer, the benefits to them, and the pricing and value. Over time, as they start to know and trust your product/service, they come to the decision that they need to buy it. Research from McKinsey & Company shows that conversions from email are 40 times greater and have a 17% higher value than those from social media. Wow! More sales at a higher price - who doesn't want that? Regular emails keep you front and center with potential customers like no other marketing method. Keep reminding potential customers why they need you, and eventually they’ll buy. 5. Know Your Audience Size In a way, your email list is a “captive audience” that is always there for you. In contrast, traffic to your website can fluctuate (sometimes wildly) from day to day – you’re basically waiting for people to stumble upon your site. You never know how many people will be exposed to new content published on your blog or website. But you know exactly how many people have received your emails (how many people actually open those emails is another issue – we’ll look at how to increase your open rate in a later post). 6. Increase Repeat Traffic Emails are a great way to generate repeat traffic to your website or blog. Make sure to insert a link to relevant content on your site into each email. Make it worth their while to visit your site. 7. Notify People of New Content It’s easy to notify people of new posts or website content that they might otherwise miss. Don’t rely on RSS alone – that’s too easy for people to ignore (how many people check their Google Reader regularly? ). Because RSS is delivered through a 3rd party reader, very few people will click through to your site – why should they when the content is right there on their reader? So they’ll miss all the rest of your content and your marketing messages. Customize your notification email with links to your site, contact information, and more (more on that in a later post) to keep people engaged and help them feel connected to you and your business. 8. Capture Attention People pay far more attention to what’s in their inbox than they do to what’s online (or, sometimes, to what’s going on around them! ). Have you noticed how many people immediately look at their monitor or smart phone when that ‘ping’ announces that a new email has arrived? 9. It’s Not Time-Limited Email stays in your inbox until you deal with it (e. g. , read it, delete it, move it to a folder). If you’re on vacation, it’ll be right there waiting for you when you get home. If you’re too busy to check your email account, the emails will patiently wait until you have time. But social media posts, tweets, and comments come and quickly go. Blink, and you’ve missed it! 10. Keep Your Audience A list allows you to more easily keep your audience once you’ve gotten them. Most visitors to your website are just that – visitors. They come, they look around, and then they leave. By contacting them regularly through your email list, you start to build a relationship with your readers, a relationship that keeps them coming back for more. 11. Brand Yourself As An Expert By providing great advice to your readers over and over again, they come to view you as a trusted expert who delivers valuable content. When they need services, products, or consulting advice around your area of expertise, they’ll turn to you first. 12. It's Easily Automated Once the opt-in box and/or landing page(s) is in place, there’s very little you have to do to keep bringing in new subscribers. Sure, you may change out your sign-up offer or tweak the subscribe button wording (“Count Me In! ” instead of “Free Updates”) but, beyond that, the process is fully automated. No work for you means more time to focus on running your business. 13. Maintain Engagement Over Time One of the most under-used, but most powerful, features of an email list is the ability to automate the content you send subscribers. An autoresponder allows you to send out a series of emails with valuable content that your subscribers will appreciate. Simply create the content, specify when the emails will be sent (for example, 2, 5, 8, and 12 days after sign-up, or 3 days after purchase), and let the autoresponder do its job. These timely emails will keep you top-of-mind with customers and help them feel engaged with your business. 14. Do Free Market Research How many times have you wondered about what your customers really need? What their pain points are? Or how you can best solve their problems? Well, ask them! Email is a terrific way to gather information directly from your current and potential customers. People may be reluctant to leave public comments on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ pages, but they’re remarkably willing to tell you directly. The more emails they get from you (within reason, of course! ), the more they trust you, and the more information they’ll share with you. 15. You Own Your Email List While you may have thousands of fans and followers on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter, if your account is de-activated or terminated for any reason, you lose all of those fans and followers. You don’t own those contacts, you can’t download them, and you can’t reach out to them through other channels. In contrast, your email list is yours and yours alone. You can download all the information from your list and store it on your hard drive. If you switch email providers, your list goes with you. If you sell your business, the list goes with it (a valuable asset that gets worked into the sales price). And now over to you - What are you doing with your email list? How is it helping your business? Let me know in the comments below! --- ### 6 Things You Need to Know About Your Website Visitors > With all of the available options in Google Analytics, how do you know what to look at? Here are the 6 things that will help you drive your business and website. - Published: 2012-01-24 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-your-website-visitors/ - Categories: Websites, Analytics & Data - Tags: Google Analytics, website traffic, website visitors Do you know who's visiting your site? Where they're coming from? Which pages they're visiting, and for how long? If you don't, you probably haven't installed Google Analytics. If you own a website, Google Analytics should be one of your best friends. It's a free, simple-to-use analytics tool that helps you learn all about the people who visit your website. If you don't have it installed, do it now. Here's the basic Google Analytics setup information. Once Google Analytics is installed, you'll have a dashboard full of information to look at. There's so much there that it can be overwhelming at first. So here are the six things you should focus on when you get started. 1.   Number of Visits This is probably the #1 thing you're interested in - how many people visited your site? You'll want to track this (within Google Analytics) on a monthly basis so you can see whether traffic is increasing or decreasing. If it's growing, great! What are you doing right that's leading to that growth? If traffic is down, what did you do that month to cause the dip? You'll also want to look at which pages people visited. Which are your most popular pages? Why do you think that is? And what can you do to leverage what you're doing on those pages to increase traffic to other, less popular pages? Just be aware that number of visits isn't the be-all-and-end-all of website analytics. It's fun to look at, but the data below will probably be more useful in developing your ongoing website strategy and tactics. 2.   Number of Unique Visitors Some people only visit your site once and then they're gone for good. Others come back time and time again. Repeat visitors are good (especially if you're trying to build a sense of community around your website, such as with a blog) but you need new visitors each month to grow your traffic. What can you do to keep visitors coming back? Write great content, give helpful hints, encourage and respond to comments, recognize people for their contributions to the website / community... To bring in new visitors, you could consider guest posting or writing articles for other (preferably larger) sites, amping up your SEO efforts, pay-per-click( (PPC) advertising, using social media... 3.   How Long People Are Sticking Around There are a few ways of looking at this. Average Time on Site - This tells you how long people are staying on your site. Average Time on Page - Similar to the above, this tells you how long people are staying on a particular page. Use it as an indication of how interesting your content is to visitors; if they're not interested, they'll leave quickly. Bounce Rate - This one is confusing to many people. Put simply, it's the percentage of visitors who enter your site on a particular page and then leave from that page without visiting any other pages. Each page has an individual bounce rate. These are averaged to create your site's overall bounce rate. A high bounce rate (over 50%) is often viewed as a bad thing. It can indicate that people are not interested in what they're seeing so they quickly leave the site. However, that can be due to misleading inbound links (which imply that your site or page is about something other than what it is) or to people quickly finding the one thing they're looking for. For example, news sites often have high bounce rates because people come to read a particular article and then leave. The key is to use bounce rate in conjunction with some of the other measures listed here. % Exit - This is the percentage of viewers who leave from a particular page. Often, you'll see a higher exit rate on pages like 'About Us' or 'Contact Us' because these are typically the last pages people visit after they've seen everything else on your site that they're interested in. You want the exit rate on your key entry pages (e. g. , home page, specific landing pages) to be low - this shows that people are going deeper into your site after they read that first page. If you find any pages with a high exit rate, take a closer look to see if there's something about that page that could be turning people off. 4. Where in the World Your Visitors Come From Aside from the fact that it's just plain interesting to see where visitors are coming from (China, Brazil, New Zealand - wow! ), this information allows you to evaluate how well you're reaching your target audience. If you only operate in a particular country or geographic region, readers outside that country or region will probably be of less value to you that those 'at home. ' Think about what you can do to better target the right country or region. For example, can you tailor your content to their specific needs or use location-based keywords? 5. Traffic Referral Sources Where on the web are your visitors coming from? If they're coming from search engines, which keywords are they using to find you? Can you use those keywords more often to bring in even more traffic? Perhaps visitors are coming directly from other websites. Check the backlinks to see which links they're following to get to your site. Can you create more content on your site that could generate these types of links? Or maybe you could provide an incentive for the site owner to put even more links on their website. Often, you'll find that visitors are coming from links in emails you send out or from your RSS feed. If so, add a few more links to those sources to encourage readers to check out other pages on your website. For example, add a 'Weekly Specials' link to your email signature or a 'Favorite Products' link in the sidebar of your RSS feed. 6. Devices Your Visitors are Using Who cares which device someone used to access your site - the most important thing is that they visited the site, right? Wrong. As more people are accessing websites from mobile devices (e. g. , smart phones, tablets), the way your site displays on those devices is becoming more important. Most websites are built to optimize the viewing experience on a desktop or laptop computer; they may be difficult (sometimes nearly impossible) to read on a mobile device. So, for example, if you find that a significant portion of visitors views your site on a smart phone, you may want to consider reconfiguring your website using responsive design to ensure that your site loads optimally for those visitors. --- ### How to Write Website Content That People Will Actually Read > Wondering why no one is reading or commenting on your blog or website content? Because they're not reading it! Learn how to write content that people will actually read. - Published: 2011-12-06 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-write-website-content-that-people-will-actually-read/ - Categories: Blogging, Websites - Tags: website format, website layout, writing for blog, writing for the web, writing for website Writing for the web is quite different from writing for print. Not only do people read differently online (in fact, they scan, rather than read), but there are challenges around screen resolution, load time, and website layout that impact what and how you write for the web. While there are some excellent resources that teach new online content writers what to say and how to say it (see CopyBlogger or ProBlogger), there are far fewer resources that show you how to format your awesome content so that people will actually read it online. I guess it's not all that 'sexy' to talk about formatting, typeface, spacing, and the like. But if you get this wrong, it doesn't matter how good your content is - people just won't read it. So here are my top two tips for making your content highly readable for online viewers. Tip #1 - Keep It Short It’s a well-known fact that web users don’t read – they skim. At best, people only read about 28% of the text on a web page. That’s right – only ¼ of your carefully crafted words are actually read. So what are readers actually doing? They’re jumping around on the page looking for keywords and phrases that might indicate something of interest to them. To them, the rest of the page is just “filler” to be ignored. In fact, studies show that if we simply cut out half the content on a web page, usability would increase by 58%. And if concise text is combined with a scannable layout (see next tip) and objective wording, usability can increase by a whopping 124%! How to Keep It Short - Write down what you’d like to put on your web page. Then cut it in half (or more) – most of it is just “filler. ” Put your main point up front. Many users don’t scroll down if they don’t see what they’re looking for in the first sentence or two (but they WILL scroll if encouraged to do so) Use easy-to-understand, shorter, common words and phrases. Keep paragraphs and sentences short and sweet. Test your page with a readability formula, such as The Readability Test Tool. It will tell you if you’re too wordy or complicated, or if you’ve gotten it just right. Tip #2 - Help Readers Scan Your Webpages Quickly When we look at a webpage, we don't see it as a whole, but rather as compartmentalized chunks of information. We tend to read in blocks, going directly to items that seem to match what we’re actively looking for. We move our eyes from left to right, then continue on down the page in an F-shaped pattern, skipping a lot of text in between. On a well-designed website, this skimming allows us to quickly find important content; on a poorly-designed site, viewers simply give up in frustration and quickly leave. Designing and structuring your webpages with skimming in mind can improve how easily viewers read and understand your content. By using scannable text (see below), you can significantly increase website usability. What is Scannable Text? Keywords are highlighted (this can be hyperlinks, typeface variations, color changes, or anything else the draws attention to specific words) Information is presented in bulleted lists Key information is presented in the first few words of a paragraph Each paragraph has only one idea Content is divided into blocks Each block has a meaningful header How to Create Scannable Text Before you start writing, organize your content into logical blocks (an outline will help with this) Use simple and concise headings for each block Use keyword-rich headings to help people skim Make the first two words count - users tend to read the first few words of headings, titles, and links when they’re scanning a webpage Front-load keywords in webpage titles, headings, and links Use the inverted pyramid writing style to put important information at the top of your articles What other techniques have you used to encourage viewers to read your online content? Update: An interesting article from Jeff Bullas (20 Simple Tips for Writing a Blog Post that Begs to be Read) on the importance of headlines, formatting, and content in encouraging people to read your entire blog post. --- ### To Scroll or Not to Scroll? A Website Design Debate Answered > Here are some sound, research-based reasons why people WILL scroll on a website and how it can help your site - when done properly. - Published: 2011-11-22 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/scrolling-on-websites/ - Categories: Websites - Tags: scroll, website design, website layout, website scrolling My last post (on things to consider when building a website for a smaller, local business) generated some interesting discussion on LinkedIn about whether or not to design a website that requires viewers to scroll, rather than clicking to another page. Based on my experience and the available research, I’d say “go with a website that requires (limited) scrolling” – and here’s why. Early usability research suggested that only 10% of website viewers would scroll down to read content below the fold, resulting in many website designers limiting websites to a maximum of 768 pixels in height (the typical browser window was 1024 x 768 pixels). However, as website design and load times have improved, and viewers have gained more experience with websites, the majority of viewers will now scroll to the bottom of a web page. That’s not to say that your website content should be spread everywhere up and down a long web page. It’s still true that the most important content should be above the fold. In fact, a study by Jakob Neilsen found that most user viewing time was spent looking at content above the fold. Above the fold: 80. 3% Below the fold: 19. 7% But don’t let that statistic scare you. And don’t try to stuff all of your content into a tiny window to avoid making people scroll down. Website design and usability are still critical. Leave plenty of white space, use proper column widths, include appropriate images, and write great copy. Most People WILL Look Below the Fold... ... they just need to be encouraged to do so. Researchers have found a few things that will do that, including: Making the area just above the fold clearly look like there’s more content below, and Placing interesting content above the fold that inspires people to keep reading. Cut Off the Page Bottom In ‘On the Art of Writing Copy’ (sometimes called the “copywriting bible”), Herschell Gordon Lewis writes that “readers demand completeness. ” He suggests ending each page with an unfinished sentence that forces the reader to turn the page (for example, in a direct mail letter or a newspaper article). The same concept applies to web pages – set up your page so that the copy is cut off at the bottom, making it clear that there’s more copy below. And avoid ads or images that run across the entire page near where the fold may be (recognizing, of course, that the location of the fold varies across monitors, browsers, and more). For example, both of the sites shown below have the navigation and main content at the top (to be sure everyone will see it), but it's clear that there's more content below, easily accessible with just a simple scroll... Inspire Viewers to Read More People have a limited attention span and will quickly lose interest on a long page. They prefer sites that get right to the point and make it easy to do things quickly. Scrolling is extra work. However, a report by the web analytics company Clicktale showed that the length of a page does NOT affect whether or not a viewer will scroll down the page.  What’s more important is the content – Is it interesting? Does it provide what they’re looking for? Is it easy to read? Does it look good? Here's what to do... Put your most important and interesting information at the top of the page, make it clear that there's more great content below the fold, and people WILL scroll down. --- ### How to Build a Small Business Website > As a small business, you want a website that will get traffic and bring in customers. Here are the basics you need - and can be done on a limited budget. - Published: 2011-11-18 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-build-a-small-business-website/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: small business website, website design, website domain If you’re a smaller, local business, maybe a single proprietor, who just needs an online presence to show that you’re a “real company,” then you probably don’t need all the bells and whistles of a top-of-the-line website.   All you really need is four or five pages with the critical information visitors are looking for (e. g. , about the company, products and services, contact information). However, that doesn’t mean you should put up a poorly-designed or non-optimized website. I see too many business owners using free website-building products that allow very limited flexibility in terms of layout, content, and search engine optimization (SEO). The sites often look unprofessional and can be difficult to navigate. Plus, the URL of the “free website” usually includes the name of website-building company in it (e. g. , www. mycompany. free-website. com) – a name that they can change at any time. Even worse, the name of that free product is all over the website, making it look like the company didn’t think that a website was important enough to invest in. It doesn’t make a good impression on visitors and chances are that the site is optimized to drive traffic to that free website company, not to you. Add to that the fact that you don't own the website design or content (you can't take it with you if you choose to change hosting providers), and it's clear that you need to look for a different option. So, if you have a limited budget and even more limited website building skills, what do you do? ? Decide on a Domain Name Usually, your domain name (the URL for your website) will be the name of your company (e. g. , www. mycompany. com). Sometimes, you may choose to go with your brand instead, or your own name. The point is to use something that’s easy to remember, easy to type, and easy to say. For example, avoid the use of hyphens, numbers, or commonly misspelled words. Imagine trying to tell someone that your website address is www. scene4-good. com – “That’s scene as in a scene in a movie. No, not seen, but with a ‘c’ – yes, s-c-e-n-e. Followed by a four, no not spelled out, just the number 4. Then a dash - not an underscore, but a hyphen. And then the word ‘good’. ” If you’re a business, go with a . com domain. If you’re a not-for-profit, think about a . org. And if you can’t get the domain name you want as a . com, check on the availability of . net. Register Your Domain Name for at Least Two Years Don’t even think about using a “free website” domain for your business! New . com registrations are under twelve dollars. A good option for domain purchases is GoDaddy (strange name, but good service). You’ll have the option of registering your domain for as little as one year but don’t be tempted to save money that way. For SEO purposes, a longer registration period is better (more on that in a later post) – plus you minimize the risk of losing your domain name to someone else when the registration expires. Believe me, you do NOT want to change your website address down the road! Arrange for Hosting There are many web hosting companies with very affordable plans – some under $10/month. Unless you’re getting thousands of visitors to your site each day, you’ll probably never need anything beyond the basic hosting plan. But don't be fooled into thinking that "basic" equals "cheap". With the increase in phishing, hacking, malware, etc. , you need to ensure that you're hosted with a reputable company that provides top-notch security, reliability and performance. A good host will scan for "infections" and remove them, do daily website backups, and if you're ever hacked, they'll restore your site. For Wordpress websites, I highly recommend WP Engine (aff). It's a managed WordPress hosting service that I use for myself and all of my clients. Set yourself up with a 12-month hosting package – you’ll get a discounted rate and won’t have to worry about it for a year. Build Your Website You have only 1 or 2 seconds to make a good first impression on a website visitor – if they don’t like what they see, or don’t see what they want, then they’ll hit that ‘Back’ button faster than you can blink an eye. You have several options for making a well-designed website – Hire a web designer. For a small website with only a few pages, you should be able to find a reputable designer who fits your budget. Your best bet is to ask other business owners who they worked with; you want to be sure it’s a reliable, capable, and responsive designer. And to help you make the right decision, here are 10 questions to ask your website designer. Build it yourself using simple HTML. It may seem intimidating, but there are some excellent tools (like Dreamweaver) to help you. If you like learning technical things and have the patience to work with code, this may be a good option for you. But keep it simple, or it can quickly get out of hand. Use WordPress. This is the option I usually recommend to small business owners who want to build their own site. Most website hosting companies have a free, “one-click install” of WordPress that you can then use to build a website. I recommend buying a premium theme, such as the Genesis framework (I use Genesis for all of my websites, including this one) and StudioPress themes. You can easily customize it to build a professional website, even without knowing any HTML, CSS, PHP, or other code. You’ll notice that “use a free website building product” isn’t on the list above... As you design your website, you'll also need to think about what to put in each page. Here are the 8 essential things to include on a website. Set up a Customized Email Address Finally, you’ll want an email address that includes your domain name. Using myname@mycompany. com looks much more professional than walkthedog28@hotmail. com. Your hosting plan should come with at least one free email address, along with instructions on how to set it up and access your email. That's usually an ok option although many of my clients have had problems now and then with this kind of email. I recommend using Google Apps for Work to set up your professional email. It's only $5/month and gives you all of the flexibility of a Gmail account. With the five tips above, you should be able to quickly set up a professional website (and email) at a very reasonable cost. Of course, there's more to a website than just the points above - I'll talk about SEO, content, graphics, and more in future posts. And now over to you - Do you have a business website? If not, what's stopping you? Let me know in the comments below. --- ### 7 Best Reasons to Include Video on Your Website - Published: 2011-10-18 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/7-best-reasons-to-include-video-on-your-website/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: online video, video, website videos Have you ever opened a website and been blasted with loud music and a splashy video that immediately starts playing? Yeah, me too – and I hate it. That’s most definitely NOT the kind of video I’m talking about here. Video can be a huge plus when used properly. But, as with any other digital tool, you need to know why you’re using it. Are you trying to educate viewers? Entertain them? Better communicate a complicated concept? Whatever the reason, keep that clearly in mind as you produce your video and decide where/how to use it. As you think through whether or not to develop a video for your blog or website, consider these seven reasons why it might be right for you. 1. Different Strokes for Different Folks People respond differently to different media. Some prefer to read their content, others to hear it, and still others to watch it. By including videos on your website, you’re broadening your reader base by providing content in a format that will appeal to more people than just the written word. 2. Video Lets Your Personality Shine Video gives your viewers an opportunity to get to know you on a more personal level. There’s only so much personality you can convey through the written word. But with video, the “real you” can come across loud and clear, creating a more powerful connection with your viewers. More connection = more engagement = more subscribers, leads, customers, revenue, etc. 3. Video Increases Search Engine Rankings The major search engines (like Google, Bing, and Yahoo) are increasingly including online videos in their search algorithms. If your video is tagged with the right keywords (you are using keyword tags, right? ? ), it’ll show up in the search engine results. So not only can your website move up the rankings, so can the individual videos on your site. 4. YouTube is the #2 Search Engine Surprising, but true – more people are searching for information on YouTube than on any other search engine but Google. But if you’re not on YouTube, they won’t find you. How many of your competitors have videos on YouTube? I’ll bet it’s far fewer than have websites. So if you put out a couple of YouTube videos (linked to your website, of course), you’ll immediately have a leg up on the competition when it comes to being found online. And, don't forget, YouTube is also a great video sharing site - if viewers like your video, they'll share it with friends. So always include a link to your website on at least one page of your video. 5. Repurpose Great Content with Videos You’ve already written tons of great content. You have how-to articles, product reviews, interviews, and more. And it’s probably taken you a lot of time and effort to create all of that content. Want an easier way to do it? Create a video. Videos are one of the easiest types of content to repurpose. Here are some ideas that might work for you: Turn the audio into a podcast. Upload the presentation to SlideShare (and don’t forget to embed the slides on your LinkedIn and Facebook pages). Produce a transcript and offer it as an eBook. Write a blog post about the video content. Do a follow-up Q&A (written or video) from the comments or questions you get. Use snippets in a presentation. Whatever you do, don’t just let your content sit there – repurpose it! 6. Be Different, Be Memorable Video lets you stand out from the crowd. Think about it – how many of your competitors are using video? I’ll be you can’t even think of one! So do something different, be special, stand out. Put a video on your website. 7. It’s Easy and Affordable You may be rolling your eyes right now and thinking “Sure, I’ll add video to my website – right after I spend a fortune on video equipment and editing software! ” Well, stop rolling your eyes. You probably have everything you need already in your hand and/or on your computer. Most smartphones come with video capability and, believe it or not, they generally produce video that’s high enough quality to put online. (TIP: shoot with a tripod or rest the phone on a stable surface to eliminate jiggle) Most computers have simple-to-use video editing software (like iMovie on a Mac or Movie Maker on a PC). And that’s all you need to get started. Yes, really. So, what video content are you going to put on your website this week? --- ### 8 Essential Pieces of Content Every Tree Service Website Must Have > To help you get found online, answer questions that potential customers may have, educate them, and convert them into real, paying customers ... - Published: 2011-10-11 - Modified: 2024-03-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/8-essentials-every-website-must-have/ - Categories: Websites - Tags: opt-in form, privacy policy, social media, website, website content, website design, website pages It seems so simple – take your company brochure, add a few photos and some cool design, put it online using WordPress and voila, a website! But wait just a minute. Is that really all there is to it? Will that help you get found online, answer questions that potential customers may have, educate them, and convert them into real, paying customers? Nope. Not a chance. It seems so simple – take your company brochure, add a few photos and some cool design, put it online using WordPress and voila, a website! But wait just a minute. Is that really all there is to it? Will that help you get found online, answer questions that potential customers may have, educate them, and convert them into real, paying customers? Nope. Not a chance. Having said that, there are some elements of a ‘corporate brochure’ that do belong on a website, such as who you are, what you do/sell, and how to contact you. Just don’t make it sound “corporate-like” (more on that later). But, beyond the basics, there are a few things every website must have that go well beyond what the good old brochure provides. Four Basic Website Pages Home page This is often your only chance to make a great impression on readers. If viewers don’t like what they see, they’ll be gone in under 3 seconds. A few things are critical on the home page: Load Time – too slow, and the reader clicks ‘Back’ Website Design – it’s got to look good and be in keeping with what a reader would expect to see (which doesn’t mean “boring” – but don’t make it so out-there that people aren’t sure what they’re looking at) Content – make it clear at a glance what your site is about (this is linked to design – the header, headlines, paragraphs, images, etc. all need to be clear and easy to read) Call to Action – let people know what you want them to do (like subscribe, buy something, share your site, contact you, etc. ) Keep your critical website content “above the fold” so people don’t have to scroll down to see it (assume no one will read anything they need to scroll for). Focus your content on your customers. They don't want to hear about you - they want to know that you care about THEM! What We Do - Products / Services This one depends on the purpose of your site. If it’s an e-commerce site, you may need a lot of pages to cover all of your products (usually, by product category). If you’re selling design or consulting services, a one-page description will probably do. Keep it short and sweet! Images are your friend. No matter what you sell, photos or graphics get your message across far better than text that most people won’t read. Use professionally-taken photos of products, before & after, your team, finished projects, and whatever else will capture readers’ attention. About Us People want to know who they’re dealing with – but they don’t want too much information. Assume that readers will only skim the ‘About Us’ section so make your best content highly visible. Use headers, bullets, and bold text, but use them sparingly. Highlight the facts that: You understand/connect with your customers, You know what you’re doing (and that you have a good reputation), and They’ll benefit from a connection with you (whether that’s buying your product, signing up for your newsletter, or using your services). Contact Us Make it easy for viewers to contact you – and, more importantly, make your contact information easy to find. You can choose to use a phone number, email address, mailing address, and/or contact form. But, whatever you choose, put that contact information (or a link to it) on the top of every page or sidebar.   Other Essential Website Pages / Items Opt-In Form This depends to some extent on the purpose of your website but, generally-speaking, you should have an opt-in form to collect email addresses from website visitors. Think about the information you need to collect. And I do mean need. Too many companies get hung up on collecting as much information as possible, even if they’re not sure what they’ll do with that information. But for every additional piece of information you request, fewer and fewer people actually complete the opt-in form. Usually, all you need is the email address. It’s nice to know the first name so you can personalize emails, but you’ll be just fine without it. Last name, phone number, and address? Forget about it. Related Article - How to Grow Your Email List with High-Converting Opt-In Forms If you send targeted emails, newsletters, or special offers based on location, gender, or some other factor, you might want to collect that information at opt-in. But, if you do, clearly explain why you’re asking for it. You might also want to consider asking for it after the person has signed up by providing a ‘subscriber profile’ that people use to customize their communication preferences. Social Media Icons / Widgets If you’re on any of the social media platforms, include a link on your website encouraging viewers to “follow”, “like”, or “link to” you. These icons should generally be displayed in the header or sidebar of your site. Don’t hide your social media icons/information in the footer or make people search around for them – if they’re not obvious, no one will click on them. And if you have a significant social media presence, show some social proof of your popularity – include a counter showing the number of Twitter followers or Facebook fans. Add “share” buttons to each post or article. Make it easy for people to tweet about your content, email it to friends, or share it through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, and other social media channels. The easier it is for them to share, the more likely they are to do it. Copyright Notice Everything on the web can be easily “stolen” or reused. A copyright notice won’t stop that from happening, but it will make it clear that you value the content on your website and that you’re not giving people permission to “borrow” it. The copyright always includes a date – make sure your copyright notice always shows the current year or it will look like your website hasn’t been recently updated (and who wants to read out-of-date content? ). Privacy Policy If you collect any information about visitors, you’ll need a privacy policy notice. There are some standard privacy notices that you can customize for your company. The best place to put this policy is on a separate page, with links to it in the footer of your site and directly under the opt-in box. Most people will never click on the link to the privacy policy but just knowing that it’s there makes them more likely to give you their email address. If you’re building your site in WordPress, Easy Privacy Policy has an excellent plug-in that can be easily customized for your company. Site Map (Bonus - #9! ) Do you really, really need a site map? Well, your website will work just fine without it and viewers won’t notice any difference. But it helps the search engines find and index your entire site. Better search engine optimization (SEO) means more traffic which, ultimately, means more more business. Of course, as you build your website, you'll also want to avoid the most common website mistakes that small business owners make. Beyond all of this, it's up to you. What have you included in your website that helped you meet your business goals? --- ### How To Stand Out in a Crowded Niche > In an industry where there's not much to differentiate one business from another, something as simple as the appearance of your brand can make all the difference. - Published: 2011-10-04 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/how-to-stand-out-in-a-crowded-niche/ - Categories: Branding, MAH Blog - Tags: branding, stand out from the crowd, stand out in a crowd Last week I took a vacation to Sedona, AZ with my sister. We hiked all over the red rocks, browsed through the many crystal shops, ate at some terrific restaurants, went horseback riding, and took a tour with one of Sedona's most visible brands - Pink Jeep Tours. I have to admit that we didn't even consider using another tour operator - it was the pink Jeeps or nothing. The point isn't that it's a Jeep tour - there are tons of other Jeep tour companies in Sedona. They're all competing for the same tourist dollars by doing essentially the same thing - crowding people into a souped-up Jeep and jolting them up and down the hillsides, all while imparting some local knowledge and telling a few jokes. It's entertaining, bone-rattling, and pretty much the same thing regardless which company you go with. But one company stands out - and that's because its Jeeps are painted a bright, shocking pink. There's nothing all that special about what they offer, but they do it in a style that's all their own. In a macho Western environment, where cowboys still wander into town, rattlesnakes watch hikers from beside the trail, and a mis-step can quickly turn you into a Saguaro pincushion, why on earth would a company choose to go with pink?   Well ... because it's different. It's not at all what you'd expect to see and that causes people to pause for a moment and think "Hmmm, maybe I should take a closer look at that. " In an industry where there's not much to differentiate one business from another, sometimes something as simple as the appearance of your brand can make all the difference. It's not just about the customer service, product offerings, or price. Competitors can always match you on those. You might be good, but you're not special.   But your unique look, your brand - those things are yours and yours alone. How about your business? What's unique to you and only you? What makes you stand out? And, more importantly, how can you look different? --- ### I Don’t Want to Hear About You - Talk About ME! > How often have you landed on a website only to wonder "What are they talking about?" Capture reader attention by talking about them, not about you. Six things you... - Published: 2011-09-27 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/i-dont-want-to-hear-about-you-talk-about-me/ - Categories: Blogging, MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: capture customer attention, customers, website content How many times have you looked at a website and thought “What are they talking about? ” or "Why am I even reading this? " It’s clear that the website was designed and written with the business owner in mind, not the audience. As a business owner, of course you want to tell everyone all about your one-of-a-kind products, award-winning customer service, and family-owned company. But the thing is that talking about yourself isn’t going to impress anyone.   Instead, potential customers want you to talk about them. Yesterday, I met with Kim to discuss her new website. It didn't go so well. "What do you mean, I shouldn't talk so much about myself? It's MY website! " OK, back to square one... Separate Your Ego from Your Business Goals First things first - what's the purpose of your website? If you're like most business owners, your goal is to get people to visit your site (or read your blog) and then take whatever action you want them to take (like buying your product, visiting your store, or leaving a comment).   The more people who come to your site and take action, the better your business will do. It's a pretty simple equation. So where in that equation does "tell readers how wonderful I am" come into play?   Will it bring more visitors to your site? Ummm, no. Because readers want to read about themselves, not about you. It's human nature to be attracted to what we know best.  And what we know is the problems we're facing, our dreams in life, what we do and don't like. So if you talk to people about their problems and dreams, if you share their likes and dislikes, if you show that you really understand them, they'll stick with you. They'll read your blog. They'll buy your product. 6 Ways to Talk About Your Customers on Your Website Tell stories about your customers (positive stories! ) Talk about how you've dealt with the kinds of problems your customers face (and if that means using one of your products, even better! ) Include customer testimonials showing how they've used your products or services (not just talking about how great you are! ) Ask them about their biggest problems and issues, or about what they need from you (online polls, email surveys, and asking questions directly are all good ways to do this) Refer to readers/customers as “you,” not “our customers” (sound like you're having a conversation with them, not writing a corporate brochure) Include a customer comment area on your website and respond to their comments ASAP What about you - what ways have you found to talk with your customers on your website? --- ### Are Blogs and Social Media Dead? > Words like "blogging" and "social media" are sending business owners running for the hills. Let's rethink our terminology and talk about what we're really doing. - Published: 2011-09-13 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/are-blogs-and-social-media-dead/ - Categories: Blogging, MAH Blog, Social Media, Strategy - Tags: blog, blogging, blogs, David Meerman Scott, Facebook, marketing, PR, social media, Twitter, YouTube Last week I heard an interview that Jay Baer did with David Meerman Scott, author of ‘The New Rules of Marketing and PR’. The part that really caught my attention was David’s discussion about the terminology we use in the online space – specifically, words like “blogging” and “social media. ” “Blogging” is a Dirty Word As a business owner, what comes to mind when someone suggests that you start a company blog? If you’re like many of us in the green industry, your first reaction is “Are you kidding me? ! Why would I waste all of that time writing useless stuff that no one reads? ” The problem here is that many of us have a preconceived idea of what a blog is – and it’s not a flattering view. The words “self-indulgent,” “boring,” “badly-written,” and “poorly-researched” come to mind. And if that’s truly what all blogs are, then you’re right – there’s no point having a company blog. “... we have some semantic problems the term “blogging. ” It just feels frivolous. ” David Meerman Scott But the truth is that a good blog is something altogether different. It gives you the opportunity to provide readers with valuable content in real-time. It’s up-to-date, interesting, and useful to your customers. It’s an invaluable marketing tool that brings new traffic to your website and to your business. And, done correctly, it’s more efficient and effective than other forms of marketing. What if I talked about “real-time content creation” instead? That’s a term David Meerman Scott uses to describe what a blog really is. It’s different, it makes you think, and it brings to mind something entirely different from the term “blog. ” It brings home the key point that what you’re doing is creating and disseminating content in real time (meaning that it’s relevant and timely). Wouldn’t that be good for your business? Say Goodbye to “Social Media” What the heck does “social media” even mean? You hear it everywhere, yet it doesn’t really tell you much. Is it streaming video on YouTube? Blogs? Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Plurk, FourSquare, ... the list goes on. Just about anything you do online can be called “social media. ” And that’s the problem. Many business owners get annoyed just hearing the term, and I don’t blame them. So what is “social media” really all about? At its core, it’s about “communicating in real-time to your marketplace” (to borrow another of David Meerman Scott’s terms). It doesn’t matter which tool(s) you choose to use. What’s important is that you communicate (and keep in mind that communication is a two-way street – this isn’t just about talking at your audience). No one cares what you had for breakfast, which coffee shop you stopped at on the way to work, or how you feel about your mother-in-law (well, she may care about that one). What they care about is whether you can tell them something new, interesting, useful, and timely. And social media tools are the perfect way to do just that. With very little time, effort, or investment, you can reach a wider range of existing and potential customers than you can with just about any other marketing tool. So, how ‘bout we start talking about what we’re really doing – using real-time communication tools and creating content in real time, rather than doing social media and writing blogs? --- ### Why Your Business DOESN'T Need a Website - Published: 2011-09-06 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/why-your-business-doesnt-need-a-website/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: reasons to build a website, website The first question I always ask a potential web development client is “Why do you want a website? ” The answers range from “Because people tell me I should” to “I want to sell more shovels” to “I want my business to be seen as the go-to company for irrigation systems. ” Three very different answers, and three very different online solutions. Establishing Your Credibility Developing a reputation as a credible expert in a specific area is a good reason to have a website – although, usually, that website would be a blog, rather than a static site. The site needs a lot of great content that’s frequently updated, addresses customer’s problems in a way that they can truly understand and use, and doesn’t come across as a hard sell. That doesn’t mean you can’t monetize a site that’s intended to establish your credibility – but you’ll have to be very careful. If you recommend readers buy something, make sure it’s a product or service that will be useful for them, that you’ve tested yourself, and that you stand behind 100%. It only takes one poor recommendation to lose a significant amount of your credibility and readership. Selling More Product Selling more product is a pretty good reason to have a website – depending on what you’re selling. Some things are incredibly difficult to sell over the Internet. If it’s complex or highly technical, expensive, or large and/or heavy, people are less likely to buy it sight-unseen. They want to touch it, try it out, and reassure themselves that it’s really what they want to buy. That’s not to say that they won’t buy it online, but you’ll have to offer a lower price than their local retailer, or an exceptional product that’s not available elsewhere. And don’t forget that customers will be factoring shipping costs into the total purchase price. But if you’re selling affordable, useful items with low (or free) shipping, a website can be an excellent investment. For example, many gardening-related catalog companies have developed successful websites that generate more sales than the catalog itself. Because the site is easier and cheaper to frequently update, companies can offer more products, more special promotions, and more segmented offerings on their websites than they can through the catalog. Do I Really Need a Website? Finally, let’s tackle the “people tell me I should” answer. It’s easy – don’t listen to them! Other people don’t know your business, your industry, or your audience the way you do. You probably wouldn’t listen to them when it comes to random advice about how to run your business, so why listen to them about a website? You are the only one who can decide if a website is truly the right solution for your business. If you fall into any of the situations listed below, you may want to reconsider building a website... Reasons You Do NOT Need a Website You cater to an audience that doesn’t use the Internet much and prefers to find companies through the yellow pages, church and community newsletters, etc. (think older retirees – not that I’m stereotyping! ) You serve a small community where you’re well-known and have no plans to expand outside that geographic area You’ve been in business for many years and generate most of your business through referrals (although be careful - if your reputation takes a hit or business starts to dry up, you could find yourself wishing you had built a website years earlier) You don’t have the time or budget to develop a quality site (note that I said "quality", not large, expensive or fancy). No website is better than a bad website but only if you have a decent online presence on social media and local directory listings Your current advertising/PR approach generates plenty of business for a reasonable cost, you're comfortable maintaining that approach and you don't see the effectiveness or cost changing much in the future The relevant information about your business is already found in numerous online directories and your business is so simple that a website wouldn’t add much And finally, you have no clear strategy or plan for what you'll do with a website - no content or images, no plans for how to maintain it, no goals or outcomes that you'd like it to achieve (then again, if that's the case you may need to examine why you're in business in the first place... ) In these situations a website may help you gain more business - or not. The investment in a website probably won’t generate sufficient return to justify it. And if you can’t justify the ROI, why are you investing in the first place? ? --- ### What's the Point? Keeping Web Pages Focused > Most web pages lack focus - and viewers quickly leave. Determine the purpose of each page and make everything on that page support the purpose so that ... - Published: 2011-08-30 - Modified: 2023-09-10 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/whats-the-point-keeping-web-pages-focused-2/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: web page content, web page purpose What’s the point of your web page? Not the whole site; just that page. It’s a simple question, but many business owners don’t have a good answer. Do you? Go take a look at a random page on your website.   Go ahead, I’ll wait while you pull it up ... What do you see?   I’m guessing that there’s a header with logo, a navigation menu, a footer with company or contact information, a title, an image or two, and a whole bunch of text.   Maybe there’s a sign-up form.   Or an ad box. So, what’s the point of that page?   It’s a simple question, but many business owners don’t have a good answer. Before you create a new web page, think carefully about the purpose of that page. Not the other pages, not the website as a whole, but that single page. Are you trying to sell a product? Generate queries from potential customers? Get people to sign up for a newsletter, special promotion, or email updates?   Provide useful information?   Have people comment online or write a review? Whatever your goal, make sure the page has only one purpose. Don’t confuse visitors with multiple places to click, different offers, or other distractions. Keep them focused on the one thing you want them to do on that page. As the saying goes “All roads lead to Rome,” so too should all signs on your web page lead to that one action you want readers to take. --- ### 10 Questions to Answer Before Launching a Blog - Published: 2011-08-23 - Modified: 2024-11-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/10-questions-to-answer-before-launching-a-blog/ - Categories: Blogging, MAH Blog - Tags: blog, blogging, reasons to blog Last week a client called me to say “I want you to build me a blog. ”  Hmmm.   OK.   Not an unusual request.   My response was to ask “Why? What will a blog do for your business? ”  Silence.   I could hear the clock ticking.   Finally, after some throat-clearning, he came out with “Well, doesn’t every business need a blog? ” I don’t know how it came to be that every business owner thinks they need a blog. That, somehow, it will bring in more sales, increase word-of-mouth, or turn their business around. Most owners aren’t even sure why they need a blog – but they still want one. The simple truth is that in many cases, a blog is not the answer.   If you can’t answer the simple question “Why? ” then you’re not ready to invest in a blog. And make no mistake about it, a blog is an investment – of money, time, attention, technology... You wouldn’t invest in a new piece of equipment without determining how it will help you be more efficient or effective, what the operating and maintenance costs will be, and whether or not your crew will need training before they can operate it. Similarly, you shouldn’t invest in a blog unless you can answer the following ten questions: How will this help me be more efficient or effective (e. g. , make more sales, reduce time spent sourcing)? What do my customers really want or need?  Can I address that through a blog?   Or is there a better/cheaper/easier way to provide the value or solutions that my customers want? Can I write about my chosen topic(s) with credibility?   Do I know the topic(s) well enough, and do I have enough interest in it, to come up with great content each day/week/month? Can I write well?   If not, who can I pay to write for me and how much will that cost? Will they be able to write in my "voice" so that it's a good representation of my priorities and personality? How much time and attention do I have to devote to blogging (both writing posts and responding to comments)?   Be realistic!   Will time spent blogging take away from other, important things that I should be doing to run or grow my business? What is the purpose of my blog?   What do I expect people to do when they read my blog? (e. g. , visit my store, call me, set up an appointment, sign up for my newsletter, place an order) How many readers do I need, and how many of those have to take action, for it to be worthwhile?   What kind of ROI do I expect or need How am I going to get people to visit or subscribe to my blog? (e. g. , writing guest posts, placing ads, handing a card with the blog address on it to all of my customers)  What will that cost me in time, energy, and dollars?   For how many months will I continue those efforts?   And what will I do if few people visit or subscribe? Will I set up my blog myself, or will I hire a designer?   How much will it cost for design and development? How long will it take before I have a blog that looks good and works well? What about ongoing costs? (e. g. , cost of my/employee’s time to write posts and respond to comments, design changes, hosting) While these are all important questions to answer, there are probably other things to consider as well. What else would you want to know before launching your blog? --- ### Top Ten Website Mistakes for Small Businesses > Most small businesses will benefit from a website – but only if it’s done right. Here are the top ten things to avoid when building your website. - Published: 2011-08-12 - Modified: 2023-04-04 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/top-ten-website-mistakes-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: MAH Blog, Websites - Tags: SMB, website content, website mistakes Most small businesses will benefit from a website – but only if it’s done right. Here are the top ten things to avoid when building your website, and how to do it right. Most small businesses will benefit from a website - if it's done right. Below are the top ten things to avoid when building your website. 1. Talking to Yourself I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a website and thought "huh? ". It's clear that the website was designed and written with the business owner in mind, not the audience. While something may be interesting to you, the real question is "Is it interesting or useful to my audience? " If it isn't, don't include it! 2. Using Default or No Meta Data Have you ever looked at the Google search engine results and been unable to figure out exactly what a listing is about? That's because the meta data (e. g. , page title, description) are either missing or garbage. It may seem like a little thing as you're building your website, but without the right meta data, no one's going to visit your site. 3. Posting a Company Brochure Online Sure, it's nice to know a bit about the company's history and structure, etc. , etc. , etc. But where a website really differs from print media is in the ability to generate immediate action that could lead to new business. Don't just make your website a dry, factual, and passive experience for visitors. Engage them, excite them, compel them to action - whether that's emailing you, downloading more information, or forwarding your website to a business colleague. Leave the corporate brochure for your print campaigns and use the web for what it does best. 4. No Inbound Links Hmmm, why do no other websites point to yours? Usually it's the result of one of two things - (1) the website content is unappealing or (2) you've never asked for a link. Unique, interesting, relevant, frequently-updated content tends to attract links from other sites. Publicity and promoting your website content (especially if you have a good blog) also generate inbound links. Don't rely on the search engines to bring in all of your website traffic - inbound links from related sites are a great source of qualified visitors. 5. Few Outbound Links There seems to be a fear that if you link to other sites, visitors will leave your site forever. Visitors expect outbound links - they see it as a measure of your website's usefulness and credibility. If there are no links, they wonder what you're trying to hide. And the search engines drop you down the search results. Keep your outbound links relevant and reasonable and you'll be rewarded for it. 6. No Keywords, or Same Keywords on Each Page Many sites have no keywords at all, or use the same keywords on each page. While Google has confirmed that they don't consider keyword tags when ranking sites, keywords do help you focus the content of your site and, more importantly, of each page. And Google does consider keywords used in the page content. You may know what keywords you want to be ranked for, but unless you use those keywords, how will the search engines know? Use unique keywords on individual pages and a combination of the most important keywords on your home page. 7. Using Duplicate Content If it looks good once, why not use it over and over again? Because duplicate content is just that - duplicate, the same, boring - and totally discounted by the search engines. In a world where content is king, only unique content is going to move you up the search engine results. 8. Not Submitting to Local Search Directories This is such a simple thing to do, yet so many people don't do it. If you're a small business with a local customer base, how can you go wrong with having your website and contact information included in the many FREE local search directories? ? Note that submitting to local directories is different from submitting to search engines - I generally wouldn't bother with search engine submission (and I certainly wouldn't pay for it). 9. Not Using Tracking or Analytics Scripts If you're not tracking visitors to your site, how do you know what's working, what's not, and where visitors are going? How can you intelligently update your site to draw in more business? You don't need fancy statistics, but you do need to know where people are coming from, the keywords they're using, what pages they're hitting, and how long they're staying. 10. Technical Problems Many small business websites are built from a free template and/or are created by "my brother's son-in-law's cousin's kid. " While the initial cash outlay may be small, the longer-term impact on the bottom line is typically negative. So many of these sites don't use standards compliant XHTML or CSS, aren't accessible, have multiple 'glitches', are difficult to navigate, can't be updated, look unprofessional, and the list goes on... Never underestimate the importance of technical knowledge and skills in creating a professional and fully-functional business website. And now over to you - Which of these mistakes have you made or seen others making? What did you do to fix it? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Discover Each Week That Will Grow Your Business Each Tuesday I'll send you you can do online to get more customers and grow your business. No fluff. No BS. Just one simple, actionable tip that will make a real difference to your business. --- ### SEO and Branding - Which Drives Which? > In the internet age, is branding an outdated and limiting concept, or should your brand drive everything? - Published: 2011-08-06 - Modified: 2024-11-15 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/seo-and-branding-which-drives-which/ - Categories: Branding, MAH Blog - Tags: branding, SEO There’s ongoing debate about the roles of branding and search engine optimization (SEO) in growing your online business. One school of thought holds that branding in the internet age is an outdated and limited concept. Being held hostage by a brand, and letting it drive your online marketing program, severely limits your ability to find and attract qualified prospects. On the other hand are those who believe that branding is everything, that your brand should drive your marketing efforts, including SEO, so that you project a consistent and compelling image and message that truly speaks to your audience. Time to inject some reality into the debate! The fact is that you have to know yourself, your company, and your customers before you do either SEO or branding. How can you build a brand if you don’t know what you stand for, what your customers want, or what you can deliver? How can you generate the best keywords or generate inbound links if you haven’t done the competitive market research, don’t understand your customers, or aren’t 100% comfortable with your products or services? Both SEO and branding are built on the same foundation. So, given that you need the same information to build your brand and your SEO campaign, which one should you do first? The answer to that really depends on your business but, generally speaking, branding should come first. Even small businesses need a brand. This can be as simple as clarifying your personal values and injecting them into your online messaging (e. g. , speaking about “integrity,” “going the extra mile,” or “quality”) to something as complex as developing a complete brand image, logo, and marketing campaign (think of Coke or Nike). The point of branding in the context of a small business isn’t to be the next Nike. What your brand should do is help keep your message and image consistent across all media, whether that’s print advertising, YouTube videos, customer meetings, or search engine optimization. People searching the internet are pretty savvy – they quickly realize when your website doesn’t reflect the search engine listing generated through your SEO efforts. You’ve got only a couple of seconds to capture and hold their attention once they hit your website. Make sure you understand your brand and follow it in everything you do online – your customers will thank you, and so will your bottom line.   --- ## ### Person - Published: 2023-08-23 - Modified: 2023-08-23 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=2203 --- ### Review: Karen B (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin) - Published: 2019-09-02 - Modified: 2019-09-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1516 --- ### Review: Arbor Experts (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin) - Published: 2019-09-02 - Modified: 2019-09-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1517 --- ### Review: OPC (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin) - Published: 2019-09-02 - Modified: 2019-09-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1518 --- ### Review: Barts Tree Service (Migrated from Schema_pro plugin) - Published: 2019-09-02 - Modified: 2019-09-02 - URL: https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/?p=1519 ---