Life of a Lawn Care Newbie

You only started your landscaping business two months ago.  You are advertising aggressively with flyers and newspaper classifieds.  You already have a full roster of lawn care clients but you don’t seem to be making enough money to justify all the hours you are working.

What’s wrong with this picture?

If you are anything like many of the new lawn care companies we give business consulting advice to, you are suffering from the common mistakes many business owners make.

In the early days of your business you are excited and full of energy.  You give estimates to every potential lead that comes your way; grass cutting, shrub trimming, landscape planting, all types of yard work.  No job is too big and no job is too small for your new business.  Since you are new you think you need to lowball your estimates to get customers.  Afterall, if the other guy can do a job for $45 surely you can do if for $40…or $35…or even $30 .  You think it’s okay to underbid and overpromise.

Sure enough, all your prospects accept your lowball prices and suddenly you have more clients than you know what to do with.  That’s what you wanted, right?  And the money is rolling in…kinda.

Word of your great work and your low prices gets around to neighbors of your customers.  They want estimates too.  One neighbor wants grass seed planted and his lawn aerated.  Another wants fertilizer treatment and the grass cut.  Still another neighbor wants her leaves raked and hauled away.

With all these new lawn care customers you attempt to raise your prices.  You give higher estimates to your new lawn care customers:  “That will be $45 Mrs. Smith.”   You can guess what her answer is:  “But you only charge my neighbor $30 for the same work.”  Ugh, word is out…you’re a lowballer.

Check back tomorrow for part 2 of Life of a Lawn Care Newbie

If you don’t want to fall into the traps of Lawn Care Newbies, purchase the Lawn Care Business program available from our friends at:

Start A Lawn Care Business

The business program is less than $40 and it is FILLED with useful information and business tools to help you start your own successful lawn care business.

Remember to check back tomorrow for part 2 of Life of a Lawn Care Newbie.

Have you seen them? Have you seen the shabby looking pick up trucks with push lawn mowers in the back driving around your town looking for grass to cut for extra spending money?

While there is nothing wrong making extra spending money mowing grass during the summer months, many lawn care business owners want to step their businesses up a notch and turn part time on-the-side landscaping work into full-time professional careers in the Green Industry.

What separates a professional LCO from a part-time operation?

Knowledge:
Professional lawn care business owners have the knowledge to perform jobs correctly and recommend solutions to difficult lawn care related problems. Most anyone can grab a lawn mower, get customers, and mow yards. However, professionals know what types of grass they are cutting and at what height it should be cut. Professionals know how to perform soil tests and interpret the results. If a customer’s lawn needs fertilizer, professional lawn care companies know which formulation to recommend and they know how to apply it correctly.

Lawn Care Equipment:
Guys with beat up lawn mowers inevitably have equipment failures. Professional landscapers purchase commercial equipment and they maintain their equipment properly to reduce down time. Lawn mower blades are kept sharp. Sharp blades reduce ragged tearing of grass blades which causes stress and browning. Well maintained lawn mowers do not leak oil and they run cleaner since their air filters and oil filter are changed regularly. Customers (and potential customers) notice professional equipment.

Time Management:
Full-time commercial grass cutting companies manage their time diligently. Their customers never have to wonder if the grass will get cut on schedule. If rain prevents grass cutting, professional mowing outfits are able to get back on schedule quickly and without much notice by their clients. Professional lawn care companies know their customers rely on them 12 months per year. Lawns don’t need to be maintained during cold months but there is always other work that a LCO can take care of. A professional lawn care business makes money year-round.

You might be happy making a few extra dollars in your spare time cutting grass. However, if you are looking to step your business up a notch and eventually turn it into a more profitable and professional business, our lawn care business package can help you reach your goals.

Visit our website at: http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com