Achieve Your Lawn Care Business Potential With Good Marketing Techniques
The lawn care and landscaping industry are transforming.
More communities are encouraging water-saving landscaping and regulating the pesticides and fertilizers you can use. Make sure your customers know you’re ahead of these trends in your marketing strategies for a landscaping business.
According to Lawn and Landscape’s 2018 Annual Report, the mean annual revenue for a landscaping business was $1.1 million in 2017. You can achieve growth for your lawn care business with the right marketing, planning, and emphasis on quality and service.
Spring Marketing Starts Now
The jobs may be slowing down, but your marketing should start to pick up in the winter in order for you to get a head start in the spring. Use the slower time at the end of this year to really focus on your company position in the new year and dominate market share both offline and online when the spring service calls begin to come in!
Jake Hundley is the CEO of EverGrow Marketing, a digital marketing agency that caters to the landscaping and lawn care industry. They create digital marketing strategies utilizing SEO, SEM, Social Media, Website Development, and UX optimization to deliver high quality leads with a measurable and positive ROI.
Choose How To Structure Your Business
Youll need to choose how you want your business structured. There are four main types:
- Sole proprietorship: a business run by a single individual
- Partnership: An agreement between two or more persons who run the business together
- Limited liability company: a hybrid of partnership and corporation
- Corporation: a group of people authorized to act as a single entity
Sole Proprietorships
If youre just starting out, youll probably want to be a sole proprietorship. Most small businesses are sole proprietorships because this is the easiest and cheapest way to start a business.
In a sole proprietorship, you and the business are one and the same. A sole proprietorship is unique among business entities because its the only one that doesnt have to register with a state.
Starting one is easy.
All you have to do is:
- Come up with a name for your lawn company and decide where you want to be located
- File for a business license with city hall
- Set up a business checking account so theres a separation between your business and personal cash
If you plan to sell taxable things, youll need to register with your local taxing authority.
Sole proprietorship advantages include:
- Easy startupno complicated business structure
- Controlsince youre the only owner, youll have total power over every aspect of your company
- Use of lossesbecause youre including your business income and losses on your personal tax return, you can use them to offset personal income
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Tip #1: Leverage Instagram Story Ads
I worked with many small brands and learned Instagram story ads are the best way to advertise and market products or services compared to other techniques. It is more effective because it offers advertisers a more authentic and interactive way to engage audiences on Instagram and has a lower CPA than other methods. Using video format for story ads is the best idea because it has a higher ROI driving more engagement and conversion. -Simonas Steponaitis, Marketing Manager at Hosting Wiki
At the end of the day, there may be no more effective way to advertise your lawn care business on Instagram than paying for some ads.
Be mindful however! With most social media ad campaigns, you have to know what you are doing, or you may be wasting more money than you want.
If you are serious about implementing any sort of ad campaign, you may want to consult with a marketing company first.
In my experience, you can quickly lose a few $100 with no results if you don’t know EXACTLY what you are looking for.
Seriously, if you decide to go the paid advertising route. Do. Your. Research.
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
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Nail Your Google Listing To Generate Free Leads From Google
Register for a FREE . Its how youll update your Google listing for your landscaping business, meaning
This:
When someone googles for landscaping services like yours , one of the first things Google shows from its search is your Google business listing .
Your Google listing can show pictures of your landscaping work plus all information googlers want to see right off the bat. This information gets pulled from data you enter in your Google Business Profile account.
So you need to make sure you have this data entered correctly, specifically:
- Your businesss actual name
- Address
- Phone number
- Hours of operation
- Category of your business.
Youll also manage and respond to any Google reviews from your Google Business Profile account more on why thats important in #9.
Again, make sure you keep ALL your contact information updated in your Google Business Profile account since inaccurate information about you will actually prevent Google from bringing up your business in searches. Meaning, your business may end up showing up LESS in Google searches
Which is NOT what we want considering Google is the #1-used search engine in the U.S!
So if your address OR hours change make sure to update it in Google Business Profile.
Another benefit to keeping your businesss information totally up-to-date is youll be found easier on Google Maps!
So make sure your businesss contact information is correct on these websites too:
- Yelp
See:
Google Ad Example And Template For Lawn Care Businesses
Services in | Offering high-quality in the area.Over years in business, .
Lawn Care Services in Houston | Mowing, Landscaping & Morewww.lawncarehouston.comOffering high-quality mowing, fertilization, maintenance, landscaping and more in the Houston area.Over 10 years in business, BBB accredited. Get a free quote today!Free Quote | About Us
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Fill Out Social Media Profiles Entirely
The best way to get lawn care clients is to have every social media profile for your business filled out entirely and keep them up to date. Businesses should have their name, physical location, phone number, email address, and website URL listed on every platform they have an account on.
The creation of new social media accounts is one way to promote your lawn care business, and the fluffing up of existing profiles with relevant contact information is another.
It helps to maintain a consistent look from one platform to the next. Brand consistency is imperative to the success of businesses of all sizes, as mentioned in greater detail as the next suggested tip.
Turn New Movers In Your Area Into Automatic Customers Without Lifting A Finger
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a little over 11% of the American population moves every year. Many of those people need landscaping and lawn maintenance services!
With our New In Town program, you can reach new movers in your service area every month without you even having to think about it!
Heres how it works:
- You tell us your target demographic and service area
- We design a postcard for your business
- Every month, we automatically send all new movers that fit your targeting criteria your landscape postcards
- They call to redeem your offer, then you wow them with your services and create new customers!
And this is cool:
Your landscape postcards are personalized with the name of the recipient , so they take notice!
Heres an example:
By automatically mailing to all the new movers in your area, your landscaping business can receive a steady stream of new customers who need your lawn maintenance services.
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Plant Landscaping Ads Directly In Customers Yards
Once you have your logo designed, print out some lawn marketing yard signs that show it including your website URL and phone number, and place them in yards you regularly service.
Like this:
Its easy and provides good visibility to neighbors and other passers-by who may be in need of a lawn maintenance company!
Of course, you want to make sure that both the sign AND the yard you place in are professionally, perfectly done. Youre showcasing your work, after all!
But keep in mind:
Not all of your customers are going to want your sign in their yard. Offer them a discount in exchange to sweeten the deal, and some of them will!
How To Get Clients Year
Seasoned homeowners know that properly caring for their lawn is a year-round activitywhich puts your lawn care business in the perfect position! By making well-timed offers and discounts throughout the year, youll put your business in front of potential customers who are ready to buy.
Too busy to think about designing and advertising unique offers 12 months a year, every year? Then draft up a quick lawn care marketing calendar! Starting with the ideas below, you can create a calendar that accounts for seasonal variances and helps retain a steady, year-round client base for your lawn care business.
For more tips on using the year-round marketing ideas below, check out our lawn care marketing ideas and templates!
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Dont Use White Trucks
Make your trucks and employee outfits stand out. Some companies do this with hot pink trucks, hats, and jumpsuits we do it with fluorescent green trucks and t-shirts. You want your vehicles to stand out with a unique color, catchy logo, and an alluring phrase to get interest from potential customers.
How To Start A Lawn Mowing Business In 12 Easy Steps
David Serville, founder of Crewcut Lawn & Garden
After 30 years in the lawn mowing industry, first as an independent, then building independent lawn mowing rounds, pushing a lawn mower and then building a national lawn mowing franchise network, I have learnt a thing or two. Ive also listened to a lot of lawn mowing contractors and lawn mowing franchise owners. There are two types of people that are attracted to this industry: Those that think its easy, and those that take a more respectful approach to starting in this sector. In my experience those that prepare thoughtfully and approach the development of their business carefully, increase their chances of success tenfold. Those that thought it was easy often dont last.
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Finding Your Own Customers
Tip 4: Remember to think ahead for the winter, also encouraging any commercial clients to sign up to a twelve month contract is also a great way to ease the pressure off making money during the off-peak season.
Tip 5: Place an ad in your local newspaper. We also recommend creating a brochure for your business and placing them at a couple of the local gathering places in your area.
Tip 6: Deliver door hangers, marketing flyers, and/or business cards to the houses in your local area. If you have enough confidence, try to knock on doors as part of your process, so that customers will be able to put a face with the name of your business and you can try meeting people in person in order to earn initial rapport with them.
Tip 7: Make improvements to your customer service. All of us think of ourselves as being friendly. However, there is a big difference between being passionate-and-willing-to-impress and being friendly-and-not-interested. It also doesn’t necessarily involve extra time or money on lawnmowing jobs. Quite often it is simply the way that you respond and listen to customers. After each interaction you have this week be completely honest with yourself and ask, “what else could I possibly have done if I was the customer?”
Tip 9: Offer your current customers incentives to refer you to their neighbours, family, and friends.
Tip 15: Ask satisfied customers for reviews on expertEasy or video testimonials that you can use on your website and/or your Facebook business page.
Pay For Your Online Leads
While you might not be placing ads in the Yellow Pages or newspapers anymore, theres still a place for advertising in the digital age.
According to all of our experts, pay-per-click advertising typically via Google Adwords is one of the best ways to generate quality leads for a lawn care business.
Instead of sending about 1 million direct mail pieces like they did in previous years, Chris Noon, president of Noon Turf Care, says they are focusing their efforts and budget online through channels like PPC advertising.
Since incorporating PPC into their lawn care marketing plans, Senske has seen a 100-percent increase in leads, Mosley says. While rewarding, its not something most business owners can manage on their own. It requires a very specific skill set and expertise.
You need someone with expertise in pay-per-click advertising, whether you hire it out to a third party or hire internally, Mosley says. Its a full-time job for one person.
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Tip #: Use Video Testimonials
“Video testimonials of clients appreciating you could do wonders.-Caroline Lee, Marketing Director of CocoSign
Another great classic tactic that companies have long used to promote their businesses is testimonials.
While a written testimonial may bring some positive attention to your business, a video testimonial can be a great piece of marketing for your lawn care or landscaping company on Instagram.
Think about it. A video testimonial doesnt just have to be a dry statement from your client either. You can add video footage of their lawn in a before and after style. Or you can show the results of how much their family now enjoys using the lawn since your company has made it a better place to be.
Which brings us to the next tip!
Create Your Business Plan
Suppose youre ready to transform your nebulous idea for a lawn care business into a glorious reality. In that case, youre going to need a business plan.
Youll use your plan as a detailed outline to get you where you are right now to where you want to be. Its a must for all business owners who want their company to thrive.
Having a business plan means youll accomplish your entrepreneurial objectives sooner rather than later. Itll help organize every detail of getting your business off the ground, exponentially increasing the chances that your lawn care business will be a smashing success.
If you dont need a bank loan, your business plan can be short, sweet, and to the point.
Just remember:
Your lawn care business plan should accommodate your needs, and not the other way around.
Have it be a reflection of you in all your wonderful uniqueness.
According to the Small Business Administration website, there are two categories of business plans:
- Traditional
- Lean startup
Traditional business plans are what most entrepreneurs use, and they require a ton of detail and work. They can get so convoluted and complicated, that they can be dozens of pages long.
Lean startup business plans are far less structured because they focus like a laser-guided missile on only the most essential facts.
They can be completed in sixty minutes or less, and are usually no longer than a single page. Heres an example of one.
Here are some of the sections you might want to include:
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Create A Lawn Care Video
Video is one of the most effective ways to communicate your value proposition. Its fast, easy to view on a phone and helps your search rankings . A 30-second video can be a strong piece of marketing material for years. This is a good example:
Keep your video short and to the point. You can include images from your gallery of work. Testimonials from happy clients also work well.
Create A Facebook Business Page
Facebook is an increasingly useful place for lawn care businesses to generate leads.
Start by creating a strong Facebook Business Page. Be sure to:
- Include all your contact info
- Include videos and images of your work
- Keep your timeline updated
As you create email and retargeting lists, you can use them to create Facebook ad campaigns.
Try to get reviews on Facebook, and encourage clients to use recommendations to refer you to friends.
The message feature is now a good way to get direct leads, and many people will visit your website via Facebook. This is an important place to have an online presence, even if you dont do paid ads. Its also free, so no reason not to get this set up.
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