MARKETING
The family-owned local business message is impactful today. pensive to produce and deliver – all done online through Vistaprint. com, which quotes a rate of about $ 200 for 250 postcards printed and mailed. No marketing agency needed means lower cost and more time savings.
3. I flipped through an assembled pile of printed promo pieces stuffed into my local weekly newspaper and found this 4-page Toro flyer from Tri-State Bobcat, a 4-location dealer near me. The cost was covered, at some level, by Toro( though Toro also charges dealers for contributions to the company’ s national advertising pool). It’ s a high-quality, brochure-like piece. But it was surrounded by ads for a local grocery store, pizza chain, window installer, and more – all easily recyclable.
Overall: I nearly always send this type of advertising flyer directly into the recycling bin. This one survived as an example for this article. Manufacturer co-op advertising funds make this possible and affordable. The dealer most likely produced and delivered a large quantity of this ad piece. And they did so at the right time of year. Large distribution is required to make these mini brochures effective.
Tri-State just had to add its logo on page 1 and contact info on page 4 – a low-effort ad campaign.
People know how to use QR codes today, and the bold number nearby means you don’ t have to.
J & J has a unique service blend and communicates that well here.
4. J & J Property Pros shared with me its first postcard mailer promoting its unique blend of services: landscaping; home cleaning and pet care. J & J hired an agency to design the mailer and target its distribution to select zip codes and high-income homeowners in Dutchess County, N. Y., north of New York City.
Overall: This attractive mailer matches the company’ s branding and fits with the high-end look that is likely appealing to the target audience. Efficient design covers services offered, shows local connection and has QR code for ease of use and tracking.
Toro-produced imagery shows a young homeowner – anyone can drive one of these.
Conversations we had
OPE + spoke with landscapers and dealers to learn more about their advertising practices today. Jason Troy, Troy Turf Co. landscaping said: All my current customers have come from word-of-mouth marketing or networking. If you can network, meet people and have a conversation. I’ m not currently in a networking group or my local chamber of commerce, but I network with local busi-
See Marketing, Page 30
28 OPE + April 2025 www. OPE-Plus. com