Why no-cost or low-cost can still be effective

Why no-cost or low-cost can still be effective

I’ve been waging savage battles in my garden for some time, but recently I realised I was losing the war.

Despite a sustained campaign – the horticultural equivalent of shock and awe – the weeds just keep coming back for more. Wildly overgrown pear trees have launched a daring counter offensive behind my shed. My borders are barren and my lawn is baldy.

A few days ago, just when I was coming to terms with the painful realisation I’m no Alan Titchmarsh, a leaflet fell through my door, posted by a local landscape gardening firm. It looked professional, included endorsements from satisfied punters and promised “A high-quality service at an affordable price”. Nothing groundbreaking: but effective enough.
 
It made me think. Sure, even the smallest firms need to harness cutting-edge marketing solutions. Like many people these days, when I need something I usually turn to Google first for help.

But while it’s easy to focus on web and e-marketing, this shouldn’t be at the expense of more traditional alternatives. You must get the basics right – and often this means low-cost or no-cost solutions.

Trevor’s a lovely guy who lives a few doors down from my house. He’s a central heating engineer: the sign on his van told me so. I didn’t know him, but called his mobile and he came around and fixed my radiators last winter. I told my friends how good he was and they too got him in, this time to take care of the far greater job of fitting a new system.

I’m not sure whether Trevor has his own website (let alone Twitters), but I know he recognises the importance of doing a good job at a fair price, while the simple sign on his van probably enables him to get much of his work. I’ve also seen his card in our local newsagent’s window.

My garden? Well, the landscape people gave me a good quote and will soon launch the final decisive battle. Look out weeds – victory is mine.

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