How To Get Business For Lawn Care

Create A Mission Statement

A mission statement is a short summary of your companys main goals and values. It communicates whats important to you whether that be customer service, the environment, or high-quality lawn care services, etc.

Your mission statement should be short and should clearly define the core focus of your business to clients.

Sit down with your team and think about whats really important to you and how you want people to view you.

Is client satisfaction a big part of your focus? What about community involvement?

Once you know what your mission is, use it to drive your strategy by focusing on initiatives that support your goals and values.

For example, if customer service is a big part of your mission, offer a satisfaction guarantee and use it in your advertising and on your website.

Can Online Marketing Strategies For A Landscaping Business Work

Many lawn care businesses have a thriving online presence.

Investigate online home care or neighborhood websites. Most of these sites will allow you to register your professional profile. The sites show your profile to people in your area who search for lawn care quotes. Respond quickly and courteously to business leads that come from these sites.

Encourage your current customers to leave positive online reviews. While it’s not ethical to offer discounts or free services for a positive review, you can politely ask satisfied customers to let others know what a good job you do via online and in-person recommendations.

You should also have a professional-looking website. Make sure the website works well on mobile devices and computer screens. The website should give your contact information, services, and pricing. Pictures of completed jobs can help to attract new customers, too.

More than anything, be sure your online business profiles are up to date and have correct contact information. While most lawn care businesses need not worry about extensive blogs or social media marketing, many customers are using social media to locate services, including Facebook’s Marketplace and Google business listings.

Use An Online Marketplace

Online marketplaces allow you to take a hands-on approach to the shopping process. You can enter information about your business and your coverage needs, and then compare quotes from multiple providers at the same time.

Many of these marketplaces offer access to customer support representatives who can answer your questions, discuss your insurance needs and help you compare your options.

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Capture Some Of The 95% Of Leads Visiting Your Website

Your website isnt just a fancy place for your prospects to visit you online

Factually: its a MAJOR part of your landscape marketing strategy.

Consider this:

95% of your prospects will visit your website before making any decision to buy from you .

So your website must immediately communicate the following:

• Who you are
• That youre a real business
• And how to contact you.

Take a look at this website:

Thanks to the images of green lawns and well-trimmed yards, theres no question that this is a landscaping business!

Plus:

See how the headline clearly states what this landscaping business does:

The logo strategically placed in the upper left-hand corner shows WHO owns this website right away.

Notice not 1 but 2 places to contact this landscaping company right off the bat:

1) The phone number in the upper right-hand corner

2) And the black lead capture form.

Make sure your landscaping website shows pictures of your landscaping work.

Like this:

And make it clear what your special offer is

Like this red graphic on the homepage which just cant be missed!

One more thing:

Since 68% of consumers trust a business more who shows off positive reviews, you should feature your happy customer testimonials on your website!

Like this landscaper did:

And next to your reviews, you can feature a lead capture form, which I talk about next in #7.

If you want your website done with an expert hand, our website design services start at an extremely affordable $495.

Why Identify An Opportunity

The next step involves validating your business idea. At this stage, youll want to determine if theres demand for your services in the market. That way, you can project whether your target customers will buy your service offering. It also enables you to forecast whether your business will be profitable.

A good starting point is to research your local market to identify opportunities. You should determine what type of service you can provide in relation to what your potential customer base demands, and what has worked for other providers. Your success may depend on your ability to market yourself, as the weeding, trimming, or gardening specialist, for instance. The most successful lawn care businesses might include all these services.

Many homeowners will rely on your primary service, lawn mowing, because such work is hard, particularly on hot summer days. But if your services are too one-dimensional, customers with diverse needs are likely to look elsewhere. In general, you should always take into account your target customers desires when developing your business plan.

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Hire Employees For Your Technical And Manpower Needs

Most of the equipment and tools needed to launch a landscape and lawn care business can be bought as fairly used and they will serve you for a long period of time if well managed and utilized. It is safer and economical to purchase fairly used tools and equipment for a landscaping business especially if you just want to start the business on a small scale.

As a matter of fact, you can get some of these fairly used lawn care and landscaping tools / equipment at a cheaper price from online stores. These are some of the equipment that you would need to fully launch your lawn care and landscaping business

• Lawnmower
• Wheel Barrow
• Truck

Basically, the nature of lawn care and landscape business permits people to run the business from their home. So, if you must get an office facility, then ensure that it is a short term rent facility. The only reason why you must lease a property for your lawn care and landscaping business is if you want to start a large scale and to bid for big contracts from government and corporate organizations.

Therefore, regarding the numbers of employees needed to run a landscape and lawn care business, it varies. One person can effectively run the business. But if you want to build a structure for your landscape and lawn care business, you would need to employ Manager, Sales and Marketing Executive, Gardeners, Landscape Architect / Landscapist, Field Staff, Front Desk Officer. That is about 5 to 10 employees.

The Service Delivery Process of the Business

Get An Ein And Register For Taxes

Nearly all LLCs and corporations will need to request a federal employer identification number from the IRS. If you file corporate income taxes, have employees, or file certain franchise taxes, you must have an EIN. An EIN is also a common requirement for opening a business bank account. Most businesses can request an EIN by filling out the IRSâs online form.

Your EIN is for federal taxesâbut youâll likely have state and local tax obligations as well. You will most likely need to set up an account with the stateâs Department of Revenue, and you may need to apply for a state tax ID or a sales tax license as well.

Learn more about how to Get an EIN for your business.

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Improve Your Google Ranking With Search Engine Optimization

Search engines work by finding websites which match the keywords your prospects search with.

So if your prospects enter Landscaping , your website will rank higher in Google to the degree that your website pages have the keywords Tampa Landscaping in them .

Above are the TOP results for Tampa Landscaping when I googled for it. The landscapers you see above have websites that are built to be found by Google, and thats SEO in action!

To get your website found on Google, your websites data must be accurate and filled with keywords your prospects use to find business just like yours.

Again, make a list of these keywords using , and have your website guy use them on the pages of your website your homepage, your About Us page, etc.

But its NOT only keywords you need.

Here are some tips to increase your websites SEO:

• Each pages title should be different
• Homepages page title should have landscaping plus your city & state
• Your contact data must be correct
• Your businesss data must be referenced on other popular web pages
• You should have and use a free

SEO is not a one-shot deal much like marketing in general!

So beware of any company that claims to guarantee to get your website to #1 on Google in a short amount of time.

SEO is a continual process since Google and its algorithms change all the time. Thats why getting reviews and making sure your website is set up to capture leads is 100% worth your time

Tips For Generating Organic Website Traffic

• An ample amount of time needs to be invested when building your website. If youre getting a quote under $12,000 for a new website, its a good sign there isnt much SEO research or quality copywriting involved.

• Consistently creating useful, long-form blog content over the years can help you to rank for hundreds of search terms. A great content strategy with remarkable content requires expertise thats worth investing in.

• Set up online directory listings with Google My Business, social media profiles, etc. Make sure you have a consistent company name, address, phone, website, etc. listed. Search engines love this validation.

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Tips For Lawn Care Referral Programs

• Create a very compelling reward that theyll remember and is different than your competitors.

• Give options for them to submit referrals in multiple ways

• Thank your customer for every referral they send whether it sells or not. A hand-written card is a nice touch.

• Meticulously track and follow up on referrals.

Create A Business Plan

Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:

• Executive Summary: Brief overview of the entire business plan should be written after the plan is complete.
• Business Overview: Overview of the company, vision, mission, ownership, and corporate goals.
• Product and Services: Describe your services in detail.
• : Assess market trends such as variations in demand and prospects for growth, and do a SWOT analysis.
• Competitive Analysis: Analyze main competitors, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and create a list of the advantages of your services.
• Sales and Marketing: Examine your companies unique selling propositions and develop sales, marketing, and promotional strategies.
• Management Team: Overview of management team, detailing their roles and professional background, along with a corporate hierarchy.
• Operations Plan: Your companys operational plan includes procurement, office location, key assets and equipment, and other logistical details.
• Financial Plan: Three years of financial planning, including startup costs, break-even analysis, profit and loss estimates, cash flow, and balance sheet.
• Appendix: Include any additional financial or business-related documents.

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Reach 79% Of Potential Landscaping Customers On Facebook

Facebook marketing is crazy popular, and with good reason.

• 79% of online Americans are on Facebook
• Thats 68% of ALL Americans
• 75% of them go on the site everyday

In other words:

Its a huge opportunity for lawn maintenance advertising.

However:

Many business pages organic reach have declined sharply. For some, its as low as 2 PERCENT.

That means you have to pay up for an ad, like this:

I recommend running Facebook ads at the same time youre mailing your landscape postcards.

In fact:

You can match your Facebook ads special offer and design with that of your direct mail campaign.

Like this:

So your prospects see ONE cohesive marketing message whether they receive your landscaping postcard in the mail OR see your ad on Facebook.

Plus, get this:

So if youre mailing your lawn services postcards to all the homeowners in Nashville, TN, you can then target those same exact people on Facebook in Nashville, too at the SAME time.

Amazing, right?

This coordination of mailing direct mail plus simultaneously showing matching Facebook ads gives your prospects the perception that your landscape marketing is almost everywhere.

Its called Everywhere Small Business. With it, your landscaping business can simultaneously target prospects with:

• Direct mail
• Google ads
• AND Facebook ads.

And YOU dont have to do anything.

Essentially your landscaping marketing will be shown EVERYWHERE your prospects already spend their time, generating the following:

Resources To Help Women In Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. Weve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

• Funding
• Guides
• Support

If youre a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

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Purchase Lawn Care Equipment

While you wont have to purchase office space like some other businStarting a lawn care business requires some startup costs namely, to purchase the lawn care equipment youll use to provide your services. At a minimum, most lawn care businesses require the following equipment to get started:

• Mower
• Gas cans
• Lawn bags

Youll also need a truck or trailer to transport your equipment to and from your clients homes and businesses. If you dont have one you can use, invest in a work vehicle .

Cons For A Lawn Business

There are a few issues that you’ll need to consider while planning your business.

• Seasonal: Unless you live in an area where winters arent bad, your customer accounts go into hibernation by mid-October. If you are looking for a year-round business, you will need to find something to diversify your product offering to keep business up and running through the winter.
• Start-Up Expenses: Depending on the type of lawn care business you decide to build out, you will need equipment and something to transport this equipment with. This may require upfront cash and in some cases, a sizable amount.
• Competitive: Open your phone book and you will find a number of lawn care businesses in your area. If the market is too oversaturated, you will find the need to compete on price and this will cut into your gross margins. Research your area and if possible speak to existing lawn care companies about what they are experiencing in your area.
• Some Economic Risk: When economic times get tough, existing residential customers may find the need to cut non-essential expenses, and for many, outsourced lawn care is one of those.

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Go For The Easy Wins First

When you want to know how to get lawn care customers fast, its vital to use a variety of marketing strategiesestablish a digital presence, network face-to-face with potential customers, and employ traditional marketing techniques. Do the easy things first, like printing out business cards, establishing a social media presence, and claiming your Yelp Business Page. You can then move onto the more complex undertakings, like creating a website, and soon youll be garnering new lawn care customers.

Offer Discounts And Referrals

Discounts and referrals are an effective way to earn business from new and existing customers. Referral incentives, new customer discounts, and seasonal promotions are three effective ways to secure more business.

Customer referrals are one of the best ways to steadily grow your customer base. When you deliver excellent service to your clients, you can ask them to refer their friends and family. You can offer discounted services for every referral they send your way.

To incentivize new customers, offer exclusive discounts for first-time clients. The lawn mowing business is ultra-competitive with several large companies dominating the market with low-cost service. Customers have plenty of options, so an attractive deal could sway them to your businessespecially if you dont have an established brand name. You could offer something like:

• First-time customers can buy one mowing service and get the next one free.

Seasonal promotions are another way to re-engage existing clients and entice new customers. As soon as winter ends, create an early-bird special for those who sign up before others. You can create urgency by limiting the offer to a certain number of people. Heres an example:

• Sign up before March 20 to receive 20% off your first five mows. Offer is limited to the first 15 customers.

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Put Your Number Everywhere

If you have a truck, plaster your number on it with an enticing call-to-action . Order business cards with all of your contact info (you can get them for cheap at sites like

Make sure all of your social media pages contain your business contact info, as you never know when someone in your network might want to hire you.

Speaking of which