Making a success of your lawn care service business requires much emphasis on the key word service. Home owners and business’s such as shopping centers, banks and realtors have a mixed inventory of properties that all to often are in great need of yard garden and lawn maintenance . Often these properties are distressed and the yards and grounds have fallen into dis-array.
A properties curb appeal starts with the lawn. That is a good sales approach when talking to a potential client. Go over the obvious needs and work your sales approach into a total package. Trash pick up, tree limbs, flower beds, leaves and pet or animal droppings are always removed first and bagged to avoid odors and potential problems. Explain to the client that your service will improve the overall appearance and desirability a clean well maintained property provides.
The most cost effective way to get started is the purchase and use of gently used tools and equipment. Good quality tools are always available at bargain prices if you will just do a little searching. Garage sales, flea markets auctions and of coarse on line sources not to forget to look for services that have failed for one reason or another. The primary reason lawn services fail is too much debt! A good working clean pickup truck and small used trailer are your most expensive single needs.
Dependability wins over looks every time no matter what type of tool we are talking about. Labor costs are the most damaging to the bottom line, keep labor to a minimum! Do everything you can do with the least amount of labor. Make sure all workers are experienced and have good moral and work ethics. Every one involved must be self starters. Avoid on the job training unless you do the teaching. You do get what you pay for in the experienced labor market. Offer incentives to you helpers on commissions for new business or extra revenue threw contact with the client buy the offering of extra service to increase the value of the situation to the client.
A good and honest service provider follows all local laws and obtains all necessary permits and licenses and insurance if required. Liability insurance is not as expensive as an accident with no insurance. Commercial accounts as a general rule have requirements that remove them from your errors. Good advice is to always protect the client and yourself.