New guy from michigan here

[adamsmowing88]

hey guys,
Adam here. I have been in the business for 1 year now, and have leaned towards new things a long the way and realized that lawn care is where i wanna be. I even branched off and did some horticulure classes for a while and thought that landscaping would be more profitable. NOT! The grass is gonna always grow, and if someone could let that mulch bed go for another season to save a dollar, then by god i wouldn't blame them. I did not use contracts last year, and this year will probably be no different. In fact, all my customers were per cut clients. I will make it real clear that this growing season, I will be putting most of them on monthly billing. Its just so easier to do,....the bill comes in the mail, and you write it down. Instead of cutting the grass, getting paid, and having to do that after every mow gets a little irritating. I was bouncing back and forth between business names. "Adam's Mowing Service and Adam's Outdoor Services" I am going to be offering eventually pressure washing. And I do leaf clean up now. Any ways glad to be here and if you have any suggestions for a green horn please feel free!!!

[ProCut TM]

WELCOME

good luck in 2010

[Steve]

Hi Adam,

Welcome to our forum!

With all those great services you offer, what ways have you been marketing your business this past year?

[adamsmowing88]

hi steve,
Thanks for the welcome! I have marketed my business thru door hangers that i made on the computer, business cards, craigslist. Although I am moving, I will have to start basically from scratch now. Well sorta, the town I think I am moving to is the town my wife grew up in, so I know a handful of people there. The only bad thing is that I have no idea really what the demographs are for doing business are. My overhead and profit are all gonna be thrown off now. Year # 1 here I come again.

[Steve]

It's good to know people. Make sure they all get a few business cards from you.

Does the new area have wealthy houses there? Are you gonna try and target the richer part of the area or what is the plan?

[adamsmowing88]

Well in up North Michigan, it is kind of a blue collared area, but it is a area with lots of cottages on the lakes here. Alot of "down-staters" from the Lansing and Detroit areas own cottages up north to go to on the weekends during the summer. But the people who live there, are kind of DIYer's. Alot of people who live there have small businesses as well, so its kind of word of mouth and referrals kind of town. But I guess I would have some connections.

[Steve]

Could you offer security checks on their property to make sure no one has caused any trouble on their property or to their structures?

Do you have any pics of the area? I'd love to see what it looks like with the cabins and all.

[adamsmowing88]

The security check idea is a pretty cool idea. I have never thought of that. I will have to check on that when I move up and start getting clients. I personally don't have any pictures, but here is a link to one of the resorts of there thats on the local lake everyone comes up from detroit to rent.

http://www.clearlakeresort.info/html/cabins.html

[JP Landscaping]

did you have a lot of clients last year? what happens to them this year?

[adamsmowing88]

no actually, it was just side cash and a chance to get my feet wet. I didn't even keep track of my time and overhead properly. so really and truly, this is my first official year of doing it right i think