When to Start Advertising for Snow Removal Services

Long before the snow starts falling, cities, businesses, and residential snow removal customers are getting organized for winter. Snow removal companies might feel a lull during the summer season but come autumn, business will begin picking up again. This is the time when new and past service users will be looking to sign a contract for regular winter maintenance.

So, when should you start advertising? At Arborgold, we help a variety of field-based businesses stay organized and manage their customer service, communications, inventory, and operations through our customizable business software. We work with snow removal businesses, landscapers, pest control companies, and more. Working in the field business software industry so long, we’ve learned a few things about snow removal scheduling. Here’s what you should know if you’re thinking about advertising for your winter business.

Preparing for Winter Early

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, but mother nature is preparing for the next season. If you’re in snow removal, the best time to start advertising is the end of summer or the beginning of fall. This is when business and residential customers will be thinking about securing a contract for their parking lots and driveways. This is an especially good time to start looking for large contracts with the city and schools.

By mid-fall, most large accounts have chosen the companies they want to work with and are preparing for the first snowfall, which, depending on your location, could come at the end of the fall season, or the beginning of winter.

Keeping Busy in the Off-Season

Many snow removal companies look for other work during the off-season. A great option for field-based businesses in seasonal work is to look for seasonal jobs which occur in the opposing seasons. For example, you might look into outdoor paint work, which often occurs during the summer season or landscaping which takes place year-round, but often pauses in winter while snow and ice carpet the ground.

If you create a good flow between on and off-season work, you’ll also be able to regulate your advertising schedule. At Arborgold, our field business offers scheduling tools so you never miss a beat. Schedule online social media posts, mass e-mails, direct mail, and more, all from your mobile device.

Stay Active Online

Whether you’re beginning an ad campaign or not, staying active online is an important way to increase customer engagement, ensure your previous clients don’t forget about you and encourage new customers to contact you for snow removal in the winter.

Social media is a great place to keep your customers actively reading about your business. Post about new products and services, offer exclusive promotions, host a contest, or simply share before and after photos from the year before. Whatever content you choose to post, the key is consistency. The more regular you are in your online presence, the more likely it is that consumers will follow, like, share, and engage.

This off-season engagement means that when you DO start advertising, customers are already watching your website, blog, and social media pages.

Types of Advertisements to Use for Your Snow Removal Business

There are many types of advertisements to use as a snow removal business. Whether you prefer the traditional methods or modern marketing tactics – the sky is the limit. Some of the more common forms of advertisement we see field businesses use include:

• Flyers
• Mailer coupons
• Radio ads
• Digital marketing
• Bus signage
• Billboards
• Social media posts
• Email marketing

Many snow removal companies are opting for direct mail, including QR codes and tiny links. These links bring your customers to your website directly through their mobile devices. All they need to do is type in the tiny URL or use their camera to connect to the QR barcode.

As Winter Commences Keep on Keeping On

As the winter season begins, it is worthwhile to continue advertising. While many business end users will pick up a snow removal contract early, there are plenty of jobs that could come up later. By advertising throughout your busy season, you keep your name circulating, and encourage new customers to approach you.

There are many reasons to advertise throughout the winter, including:

• New locals moving to the community may not be familiar with your past ads.
• Business and residential users may look to switch snow removal services part way through the season.
• Customers who didn’t choose your service might take notice.
• Your ads will make a bigger impact as the snow is falling.

Depending on the size of your business, you may pick up new clients throughout the winter season. If you’re unsure about spending money on marketing this late in the season, you can use social media posts and blog content to keep your brand in the pool.

Starting a New Business

If you’re new to the snow removal scene in your location, advertising should definitely begin early. You want to beat competitors to the marketing party because being repeat service providers, they already have an edge by knowing snow removal customers in the community.

As you begin your marketing campaign, consider offering customers something other companies aren’t. This could be a promotional item for new customers like a branded hat or scarf, or an exclusive deal on snow removal services.

Being new doesn’t mean you are a beginner, and that’s precisely what you should imply in your ads. Show photos of work you’ve done, before and after posts on social media, and reassure the community that you are a good candidate for the job.

Take the Arborgold Tour Today

At Arborgold, our job is making your job more manageable. We do this by combining all the tools and information field-based businesses need to be successful. No matter where you are, or where your team is headed, we keep you connected, on schedule, and in the know about inventory, invoicing and more.

Interested in learning more about Arborgold and our business software for snow and ice removal companies? We invite you to take the tour today!