- First,
make a business plan and stick to it.
- Next, get some business cards and put up a
website. ...
- Then call, e-mail and Facebook everybody you
know and tell them you are now in the lawn care business. ...
- Budget what you can spend on equipment.
- Get
Sample Business Plan Free
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The Pros
You're master of your own destiny
You can devote as much or as little
time to the business as you want.
You have a short commute to work if
you're based in your own community.
The price of all this freedom and body
contouring is relatively low-so low,
Once you invest in the tools and toys
you need to manicure lawns or install landscaping professionally, you're
generally set for years. You don't need much in the way of office equipment,
either, and you can set your office up in a corner of the den or a spare
bedroom rather than laying out extra cash for a commercial space.
Reality Check
To begin, you have to be a lot more adept at mowing, trimming and pruning than the average person. That means you'll have to invest some time in learning gardening basics and techniques.
To begin, you have to be a lot more adept at mowing, trimming and pruning than the average person. That means you'll have to invest some time in learning gardening basics and techniques.
You have to be physically fit
You'll be handling potentially
dangerous machinery and hazardous chemicals.
And you'll have to be a very savvy
business manager who can administer cash flow, invent advertising and marketing
campaigns, and implement a survival plan that will take you through the lean
winter months.
Who
Are the Customers?
The 77 million aging baby boomers, many of whom are affluent homeowners..
The 77 million aging baby boomers, many of whom are affluent homeowners..
Of
course, baby boomers aren't the only ones whose fingers do the walking online
or through the phone book to find a reputable lawn or landscape professional.
Other potential customers include:
·
Homeowners who don't have the vision,
skill or tools to design their own landscaping
·
New homeowners who wish to update the
existing landscaping
·
Homeowners who plan to put their home
on the market and want to improve its curb appeal with fresh or updated
landscaping
·
Builders of both residential and
commercial properties who don't already have their own landscaper on staff
Lawn maintenance:
·
Homeowners who are frequently out of
town on business
·
Retirees who don't care to do their own
maintenance any longer
·
"Snowbirds" with winter homes
in warmer climates
·
Golf course managers who may need help
with maintenance
·
Rental property or condominium
association managers who are personnel-impaired
·
Facilities managers for botanical
gardens, historic buildings, municipalities and other government entities, universities,
cemeteries and other public places with green spaces
Types of Green Industry Service Businesses
·
Sod
installation/hydroseeding
- Weeding
or fertilizer and/or pest control application
- Landscape
care/maintenance services
- Landscape
design/contracting services
- Landscape
architecture services
As you know, lawn maintenance is a
seasonal business, with downtime during the winter in about two-thirds of the
country. Depending on your area and climate, the prime growing months run from
about April to early October.
You'll need to market your services
aggressively in the spring so you'll have enough clients to carry you through
the summer. Then, in the fall, you should be winterizing lawns, raking leaves
and collecting past-due accounts.
Still have energy left to spare? Then during
the winter, you can offer services like snow plowing
The typical startup lawn care business
services 20 to 30 residential clients a week and offers up to three types of
services: mowing, fertilizing and chemical application.
