[Focus On Profits] All Signs Point To Profits

Tim Runyon, president of Swat Pest & Lawn Management, Evansville, Ind., didn’t have to travel far to find inspiration for his most recent, highly successful advertising campaign.

While driving through his community, Runyon noticed a number of signs in residents’ lawns with messages such as "Roofing Services by XYZ Company" and "Siding Provided by Company X."

The proverbial light bulb was lit in Runyon’s head. These service providers successfully built their businesses using lawn sign advertising, so Runyon thought he could do the same. Runyon also was intrigued because he thought the signs were a good, cost-effective alternative to billboard advertisements.

Runyon, whose business consists largely of residential accounts that are serviced quarterly, went to work designing a lawn sign. He settled on a simple design with the words "Swat Pest & Lawn Management" featuring the company’s colors — black and white. Also included on the sign were the company’s phone number and Web address.

It cost Runyon $1,200 (or $2.50 per sign) for 500 signs. He and his technicians then began soliciting customers to post signs in their yards for 30 days. (As incentive, Runyon gives his technicians $25 for every 50 signs they are able to get posted). In exchange for permission to post the signs, Runyon’s customers are given a discount on their bill.

"We blanketed the neighborhood with the signs," Runyon said. "We posted about 250 signs. Some people even came up to me and said, ‘We need a new sign. Our old sign blew away.’"

Need proof that the signs work? Runyon estimates that his company grew by 35 to 40 percent in the last year and that 20 percent of that growth was a direct result of his lawn sign advertising campaign. Also, since his Web site, www.swatpest.com, was launched four months ago, Runyon said he has received 27,000 hits.

Runyon said that to track the effectiveness of the signs, SWAT’s secretaries ask new customers where they heard about the company. The overwhelmingly most popular response is that customers heard about the company from the signs.

Runyon added that he recently updated his message on the signs to read "Another Home Protected By Swat Pest & Lawn Management."

The author is Internet editor of PCT magazine and can be reached at bharbison@pctonline.com.