Look, I’m gonna be straight with you. Most tree service guys I know think email marketing is just… well, kinda pointless. “Why would I send emails when I can just knock on doors?” they say.

But here’s the thing – and I learned this the hard way after watching my buddy Steve go from 2 calls a day to 15+ (no joke) – email marketing works. Like, really works.

I’ve been helping tree service companies for about eight years now, and the ones who get email marketing right? They’re booking jobs while their competition is still waiting for the phone to ring.

Why Email Marketing Actually Matters for Tree Services

Here’s what most people don’t get about the tree service business. Your customers aren’t thinking about tree work every day. They think about it when:

• A storm hits and branches are everywhere
• Spring rolls around and their yard looks terrible
• Fall comes and they’re dreading all those leaves
• That one big tree starts looking sketchy

Email marketing keeps you in their mind during those “oh crap, I need a tree guy” moments.

Plus, let’s be real – everybody checks their email. Your customers, your customers’ neighbors, even that cranky guy down the street who still thinks smartphones are a fad.

Strategy #1: The “Seasonal Reminder” System

Okay, so this one’s pretty simple but most guys mess it up.

You know how spring always catches homeowners off guard? One day there’s snow, next thing they know their trees look like they haven’t been touched in five years.

I set up what I call “seasonal reminder” emails. Nothing fancy – just friendly reminders about what needs doing and when.

The key? Don’t sound like a robot. Write like you’re talking to your neighbor over the fence.

Strategy #2: Storm Season Follow-Up (This One’s Gold)

Man, this strategy probably makes more money than anything else we do.

After every major storm – and I mean every single one – send a follow-up email within 24 hours. Not to everyone though. Just to people in the affected areas.

Here’s what works: “Hi [Name], hope you and your family are okay after last night’s storm. We’re out assessing damage in [Neighborhood] today. If you’ve got downed branches or damaged trees, give us a call – we’re already in the area.”

Why does this work so well? Because you’re being helpful, not pushy. And timing matters – people need tree work done RIGHT NOW after storms, not next week.

Strategy #3: The “Educational” Approach

This one took me a while to figure out, but it’s genius once you get it.

Most homeowners don’t know jack about trees. They don’t know when to prune, what diseases look like, or why that one tree keeps dropping branches.

So we send educational emails. Not boring textbook stuff – just simple tips that actually help people.

Like: “Quick question – have you noticed any mushrooms growing around the base of your oak tree? That could mean root rot, which is… well, not good. Here’s what to look for…”

People eat this stuff up. And when they start noticing problems with their trees, guess who they call?

Strategy #4: Customer Pics and Stories

Need you to trust us on this one….

People love seeing “before and after” photos. Especially when it’s from their own neighborhood.

After we finish a big job, we ask the customer if we can take some photos (with permission, obviously). Then we send an email to people in that area with subject lines like: “Check out what we just finished on Maple Street!”

Include 2-3 photos and a short story about the job. Keep it simple: “The Johnson family had this huge dead oak threatening their house. Here’s how we solved it safely…”

Strategy #5: The “Maintenance Reminder” System

This is probably the most overlooked strategy, but it’s a goldmine for repeat business.

Most tree work isn’t one-and-done. You prune someone’s trees, they’re gonna need pruning again in 2-3 years. You remove a diseased tree, they might need the stump ground next spring.

Set up automated follow-up emails based on the work you did:

• Pruning follow-up: 2 years later
• Tree removal follow-up: 6 months later (for stump grinding)
• Emergency storm work: Next storm season

The email doesn’t have to be complicated. Just: “Hi [Name], we pruned your maple trees back in March 2023. They’re probably ready for another look. Want us to swing by?”

The Stuff That Totally Ruins Your Email Results

Okay, so… let’s talk about the things you definitely shouldn’t do. And trust me, I’ve seen ALL of these mistakes way too many times:

Mistake #1: Writing Like Some Boring Office Person

Look, if your emails sound like they came from one of those huge companies with fancy offices and guys in suits… just throw them away and start over. Seriously. Write the same way you’d explain something to your neighbor over the fence. You know what I mean? Like when Bob asked me about his maple tree last week – I didn’t give him some corporate speech about “comprehensive arboricultural solutions.” I just said “Hey, that branch looks sketchy, we should probably take care of it before it falls on your garage.” .

Mistake #2: Treating Everyone Like They’re the Same Person

This one drives me crazy. Your customers over on Oak Street have totally different trees than the folks out by the lake, right? Different problems too. I mean, when we had that crazy storm last month – the people downtown got hammered, but my buddy who lives way out on the west side? His yard was fine. If you’re sending the same “storm damage” email to everyone… well, half your customers are gonna think you’re nuts. .

Mistake #3: Being That Annoying Sales Guy

Nobody – and I mean NOBODY – wants to open an email that screams “CALL RIGHT NOW AND SAVE 20%!!!” at them. That’s just… ugh. Here’s what works better: be the guy who actually helps people first. Like, send them something useful. Then maybe mention your services. It’s like… I don’t know, would you trust the person who immediately tries to sell you something, or the one who first shows you how to spot a diseased tree? Actually, let me tell you what happened with Mrs. Johnson down the street…

Mistake #4: Ignoring Mobile

If your emails look like garbage on phones, you might as well not send them. Most people check email on their phone first.

How to Track If This Stuff Actually Works

Look, if you’re not measuring results, you have no idea if your email marketing is working or if you’re just sending messages into space.

Here’s what to watch:

But here’s the real number that matters: revenue per email. Take your total revenue from email marketing, divide by number of emails sent. That tells you if this is actually making money or just keeping you busy.

Getting Started (The Simple Way)

Don’t overcomplicate this. Here’s how to start:

1. Pick an email platform. Mailchimp, Constant Contact, whatever. They’re all pretty similar.
2. Start collecting emails. Add a signup form to your website, ask customers after jobs, collect them at home shows.
3. Send one seasonal email. Just one. See what happens.
4. Build from there. Add more emails, more automation, more targeting.

The biggest mistake? Trying to do everything at once. Start small, learn as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Look, the tree service industry is changing. Customers are more connected, have more choices, and do more research before hiring anyone.

The companies that figure out email marketing – really figure it out, not just blast generic newsletters – those are the ones that’ll grow over the next few years.

Your competition is probably still relying on door hangers and Yellow Pages ads (if those even exist anymore). While they’re doing that, you can be building relationships with hundreds of potential customers through their email.

Is it easy? Not really. Does it work? Absolutely.

The question isn’t whether email marketing works for tree services. The question is whether you’re gonna start using it before your competition figures it out.