Lawn Care Business Software
Field management software is a trusted ally for your landscaping business. Its a simple-to-use program that helps handle a wide variety of business needs. For example, Workwave Lawn Care Business Software tracks inventory, creates invoices, manages your schedule, organizes your daily crew dispatching, and much more.
With field management software, you have more time to focus on lawn care and customer service. Plus, you can easily stay organized.
Workers Compensation Insurance For Your Landscaping And Lawn Care Business Employees
In almost all states, it is mandatory to have workers compensation insurance when your Landscaping and Lawn Care business has one or more employees.
Workers compensation insurance covers the operation against any costs that arise if an employee experiences an injury or becomes sick as a result of work.
The benefits include medical expenses, death benefits, lost wages, and vocational rehabilitation.
Failure to meet a states laws in this regard can leave you as the employer required to pay penalties levied by the states.
Some states, such as North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming only authorize coverage from the government-run monopoly state funds.
In these states, you may not take out your workers compensation obligations from private insurance companies.
Workers compensation charges are computed based on the employees pay, and usually come out at around $1.00 per $100 per month.
However, you must consult the relevant authorities in your state.
Network With Others In Related Fields
If you want your lawn care business to grow and expand, you also have to develop chops to network with others in related fields.
For instance, dont miss an opportunity to attend local gardening trade shows or nearby landscaping events. You never know what kind of treasure you would unlock by simply being in the company of professionals from a crossover domain such as construction, architectural engineering, real estate, or tree cutting and lumber service providers.
Networking with business owners from these overlapping domains will help you get more customers and gain an advantage over your competition. Of course, you should return the favor by referring your existing clients to these businesses if theres a match.
If you already have business cards printed to market your lawn care services, carry a spare of 50100 cards to hand over to people you come across in these events.
Oftentimes, the organizers of such events set up booths with fish bowls where you can simply drop your business cards that they will draw from later for a contest or general networking purpose.
You can also take your business fliers with you and post on the push-pin boards that might have been set up there.
Networking can also happen in the online world. For instance, many businesses grow their brand presence online by hanging out in communities such as Quora, , Meetup.com, or Reddit.
For instance, look at this Quora thread:
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How Much Money Do You Need To Start A Lawn Care Business
Starting a lawn care business requires a bit of an investment in the first year. Purchasing equipment is an absolute must and insurance is highly recommended.
For equipment, youll need a truck, trailer, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, gas cans, gasoline and some small tools. As you expand your offerings, you may need additional equipment, but this should be enough to get started.
How To Start A Lawn Care Business Legally: The Nitty Gritty
The number one most important aspect of a business is operating legally, and there are many ways to do so.
In this section Ill discuss registering your lawn care business, obtaining the proper license, and making sure you have the correct insurance coverage.
These may seem boring, taking care of the block and tackling of setting up your lawn care business will actually help you market and grow your business.
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Who Is The Target Audience
The target audience for your lawn care business isâ¦anyone with a lawn. Youâll want to decide if youâre going to go after residential or commercial property owners, but other than that, where thereâs a lawn, thereâs a mower.
Keep in mind, however, that not everyone with a lawn will have the disposable income required to pay someone else to maintain it. When it comes to narrowing your focus, you may want to spend the bulk of your time in more affluent or up-and-coming neighborhoods.
Weeding & Pest Control Service
Weed management and pest control service are providing pest control, lawn disease control, weeds control, and preservative lawn care for a healthy lawn. Many lawn diseases are often a result of the presence of a certain type or variety of fungus that use the grass as a food source. This can lead to things such as unseemly brown patches, shredded or shriveled grass blades, or even overall stunted growth. Sound technical knowledge is required to start this business.
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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.
Get Your Business Financials In Order
When you’re starting a landscaping business, it’s crucial that you keep your finances on track. And we’re probably past the days of using a pen and paper to keep track of all your business expenses, schedules, and accounts. Even spreadsheet applications, though capable of handling large quantities of information, are a bit outdated.
Luckily, there are plenty of business apps out there that can help your landscaping business operate more smoothly. There are apps and software to help with everything from inventory management and payroll to employee timesheets so you can focus on the important things like actual landscaping work.
Clayton also recommends accounting software for new landscape contractors. You’ll be able to manage invoices and, depending on the program, even automate fixed asset management.
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What Does Lawn Care Include
Maintaining a healthy lawn in Bergen County, NJ requires ongoing care and a huge commitment. Many landscape companies offer lawn care services in addition to regular professional lawn maintenance and landscaping services. Borst Landscapes professional lawn care services include:
- Pest Control
- Grub control and chinch bug control
- Natural aeration & thatch control
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Mulching And Lawn Fertilizer Service
If you want beautiful plants that are thriving, the soil is going to need a little extra attention. Unfortunately, most homeowners have no idea how adding fertilizer is going to affect their plants. They dont know how much to add and they have no idea how to incorporate it into the soil. The results of too much fertilizer could be a delay in plant growth. A lawn fertilizer service can come in and help ensure that the soil is ready for plants and will provide the right nutrients needed for everything to thrive. In addition to lawn fertilizer service, homeowners often need some help with mulch. This addition to the yard helps to keep the soil moist, reducing the amount of water needed to care for the yard. It prevents evaporation and can actually add to the finished look of a property. One of the best reasons to add a little mulch is the fact that it can help to reduce the number of weeds that you need to deal with on a regular basis. Professionals experienced in lawn care understand what it takes to choose the right type of mulch and lay it out in a way that offers maximum benefits.
How Does A Lawn Care Business Make Money
A lawn care business makes money by providing maintenance services to people or businesses with lawns. Usually, clients book services for an ongoing length of time. A homeowner might have you mow their lawn once a week from May to September, with monthly rounds of chemical application, for example.
When and how often clients pay you will depend on the scale of the projects and work youâre doing for them. If you mow for them four times a month, you might bill them monthly, after the work is complete. But if youâre doing more of a landscaping projectâmaybe paving their front walkway and laying down sodâyou will probably want to collect some of the money upfront, along with the cost of the materials. Remember, youâre a growing business, and you donât need to absorb all of the initial costs yourself. However you decide to collect payment, get the agreement in writing.
- Contracts: A contract is a good idea not only to keep payments on track, but also to decrease your liability and set reasonable expectations. Though youâll definitely want to have the contract reviewed by an attorney , be sure to include information about the parties involved scope of the work timeline of deliverables fees and expenses early termination and mediation.
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Tips For Commercial Property Landscaping Maintenance
Proper care and maintenance of commercial properties is a vital component of any landscaping business. Its important to note that commercial property landscaping maintenance is about more than just mowing, edging, and trimming. In addition to enhancing the appearance of each space, it also involves careful planning for the spaces function, style, and long-term viability. If youre a commercial property manager, read on for some helpful tips to help you keep your properties looking great.
What Is The Difference Between Lawn Care And Lawn Maintenance
As a Bergen County, NJ homeowner, your lawn and landscape are an extension of your home. Its a welcoming place to entertain, relax, and have fun. Regular lawn care and lawn maintenance keeps your lawn and landscape beautiful and inviting. A lot of time and effort is required to maintain your lawn year-round. As a homeowner, what type of lawn care and lawn maintenance do you need for a healthy lawn? And, what, if any landscape services are required?
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Temporary Insurance By Month Week Or Day For Your Landscaping And Lawn Care Business
Is your Landscaping and Lawn Care business working part-time or casually, or is the level of business fluctuating?
Using short-term insurance makes excellent sense. Business insurance by the month, day, or week temporary insurance for Landscaping and Lawn Care are special policies where you can cover a nominated period when you want to be covered.
The essential feature of short-term insurance is that you purchase the cover for a defined period a nominated date, or a week or month starting on a specific date, for example for 30 days beginning on the specified date.
When you are expecting periods of larger business activity, get the existing cover raised.
Talk to your insurance agent, broker or the companys representatives to see what options you have.
Work On Building Your Customer Base
Once you start your lawn care business, its important to find new avenues for building up your clientele base. Whether you create a referral program for existing customers or you invest in paid social ads to reach more people in your community, finding new ways to get more customers should always be an important part of your marketing activities.
Want to get a head start? Check out our guide on word of mouth marketing here.
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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
Step : Define Your Brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you aren’t feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we’ll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.
Recommended: Get a logo using Truic’s free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.
How to promote & market a lawn care business
Promotional signage on the truck used for the business is important. If possible, when the truck is not in use, park it on a street with lots of traffic in a place that is highly visible. Using door-to-door distribution of discount promotional flyers to residences and business is also an effective way to advertise your business. Hand out your business cards to everyone you meet. If possible, put a promotional sign on all the lawns that you maintain that has your contact information on it. Make sure you have an attractive website that uses the best practices for search engine optimization to have a good rank on the search engine results page for local searches.
How to keep customers coming back
Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.
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Osha Heat Safety Tool
The majority of your work involves being outside, especially in the summer months when the weather is hot. Being smart about how youre going to handle the heat is really important to your personal health and safety.
OSHA Heat Safety Tool tells you the temperature, humidity, and even the feels like temperature of the weather in your area. It also includes recommendations on how often to take breaks, drink water, and even gives you a list of heat-related illness symptoms.
No one wants to need a list like that but if you find yourself in a situation where you need that information quickly you wont have to worry about not knowing where to look.
The Lawn Care And Landscaping Services Industry
Landscape and Lawn Care Services
The lawn care and landscape business is a $75 billion industry, according to the research company IBIS World. The industry primarily provides lawn care maintenance, landscape installation services including planting and maintaining shrubs, flowers, lawns and gardens.
The industry has been growing at an average of 3.4% since 2010. One reason for the growing demand of this service is the growth of two income families. The increasing number of double-income families means the number of people with no time but has money on hand is increasing. In fact, according to a nationwide survey conducted by International Communications Research for the Bayer Lawn Care Institute, the average homeowner spends nearly eight hours each week on lawn care and landscaping tasks around their home and would consider hiring a professional service in order to acquire more free time.
The lawn care and landscaping businesses can be residential or commercial. According to Landscape Management magazine, the customer mix of this business:
The two main target markets of this business are:
1. Homeowners with larger size lawns.
According to a study by the Lawn and Landscape magazine, the three main factors that propel homeowners to buy landscaping and lawn care services are:
- 86% the ability to enjoy the outside space
- 77% a sense of personal pride
- 69% having an outdoor entertainment area
Services Provided
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