I need everyone's opinion on this one. My son just called saying that he just passed a sign saying that one of our competitors had a yard sign, saying that they were doing work at a residence.

Since we don't letter our trucks, you know already, how I feel about the sign. Are we missing something? Most people are not happy that they have some sort of pest problem to begin with, and they certainly don't want the neighbors to know. But should we be looking at the people that think it's cool to have bats, rats, squirrels, raccoons, etc. In other words, should we be catering more to the mentally incompetent?

I just don't feel that having a sign out in front of some hovel is great advertising. "Oh, look George, those people have lice and Wildlife Control is treating them for it, Isn't that nice?"

Paul,

I think it depends on what the sign says and what problem the client has. I'd never think of putting out a yard sign advertising for bat work, but I have used them successfully for mole and mouse work.

I have used them.

Have about 15 of them in the back of the garage.

I have used them very successfully for Moles and Voles...many times it has worked out to where i will get the neighbor(s)also that has Moles...so i get 2 yards side by side....i did get 8 Mole jobs this year in one neighborhood via using this easy form of advertising.

Okay, I agree on the mole work but since we don't have any, that would be out of the question. The vast majority of work in this area is raccoons and squirrels probably 80% and skunks, woodchucks, opossums and muskrats making up most of the rest. ( I wouldn't put a bat sign up under any circumstances )

Since we really try to keep our cages away from prying eyes, I think posting a sign would be a step backwards.

I recently had a customer state that they would keep a yard sign in their yard, if we provided a discount. I declined the offer.

Would probably result in both my customer and me receiving hate mail or calls.

I can see a positive outcome with mole control as stated in some cases.

However I had a couple of yard signs made many years ago with little to no response to our knowledge.Many customers dont want to advertise that they have a problem and then you are bringing the attention to what you are doing on site. So you know what can be the next problem. Traps missing, spray painted, damaged or stolen signs or harassment by an individual waiting for your return to the job site.

I have been thinking about getting some. You guys bring up some good points.

i have a 24"/36" big ole metal yard sign in front of my house and always get calls off it. Plus i put a deer decoy (anchored down) behind it for eye appeal.. sure works!

How much shot have you recovered from that decoy?

I use them on mole jobs to "urge" the immediate neighbors who share the mole problem as well as
others in the neighborhood to become proactive in ridding their lawn of moles. For those that do get on board I offer a discount to them as well as the original customer as I will only have one stop to make.

There's two company's sticking these things all up and down the main RDs here . Come aug they will be every where again I'm sure so they must be pulling work because I'm sure there getting handed tickets by the county sherif . There's a different company nailing them to all the telephone poles in sight but haven't seen any here lately tickets mite of out wieghed the return .
Wish they would outlaw campaign signs funny how that law works because that is legal under rd right away laws but any other time the property owner owns to the center of rd here except if your running for office .
Haven't tryed yard signs but have sent the kids out passing cards to every single house in the niegbor hood with 0 returned . Seemed to just make people mad
. I have a 4' x 8' sign in my yard with 0 return could be the hillbilly looking house yard with 0 grass all garden . I would think paying some one to place a sign in there yard would be very good PR because niegbors talk on there niegbor hood web sites . Did you see so and so he's got that sign bla bla . Then so and so gets on there ya he paid me to do that seems negative .
In Paul's and petters case could work against him causing Paul to over spend on adds because he's up set about petters cheap placed yard signs . So basicly petters robbing Paul and only Paul realizes it when the add bills stack up .
Not the same Paul that started the thread he's upset about people's knowing he's working there could cause animals to be released or upset niegbors or PETA attacking him , blamed for missing cats and dogs , goats ect ,please help this poor bird calls , the good old doit yourselfer guy calling picking your brain on how you would doit , your in the niegbor hood anyway why would have to pay full price for a service call , blaimed for bat invasion for the next ten years .

Now Pesky and I have had some problems but I have got to admit that while I go out of my way to be a little bit humorous, Pesky's just comes naturally.

Or, maybe petter just puts up more small signs and Paul ignores them because he can.

Yard signs do work. I had two calls for moles through other forms of advertising and at least ten calls from the signs. I also use them for bat work and usually get one or two jobs each time I put up the signs.

Today?

I am amazed that your customers would let you put signs up in the first place. We have so many people that are pleased that we have no advertising on our vehicles ( Well, except one van ) And to be perfectly honest, if I had bats, taking out advertising that I had bats, would not be on my "to do" list. I fail to see what advantage the homeowner gets from telling the world that they have holes in their roof.

The neighbors all seam to know shortly anyway,,,......seems to get around for some reason