MAKLawnCutter
02-16-2011, 05:23 PM
Are you starting new? Do you plan on attempting to acquire government properties, commercial and industrial?
Here are some ways to help you get to the right people, and be in front of your competition.
Attend as many or ALL local meetings on emergency services, property awareness, economics and lawn care/landscaping. All cities hold meetings daily, weekly and monthly that are open to the public that you can attend. If they aren't open to the public, you can get a transcipt as soon as 24hours after the meeting, so you can read into it and know all rules and regulations.
My company M.A.K. Landscaping recently relocated to Daytona Beach from Orlando. We had 57 contracted residential customers that we let go of last at the beginning of 2011 so we could concentrate on Volusia County, FL. When we got here i heard about a "Safety Standard" that the local police department does, i went up and picked up all of the information available, read it and submitted a pamphlet to the PD so if they needed to recommend a company that can do the "Standards" to other apartment complex's i know the rules in and out. This landed us a "City Certification of Compliance" that got us into the database for the "Emergency Contact Number Sheet" that is mailed to all business (commercial/commercial-resident/Industrial) complex's in VOLUSIA COUNTY. Nearly 75,000 businesses in one county will have my direct information.
This has entailed three cities in the county to contact me to let me know i NEED to apply a bid submission to the parks and recreation offices, along with all city buildings (Court houses, Fire Departments, Police Stations, ect.). Those alone can total more than 2.3million dollars in new revenue for the 2011 season.
After looking into it and talking to a few friends, i realized "I dont have enough equipment to handle a 23acre city park, nor do i have enough man power to handle them in a 2 - 3 day process... I need to equip and man-up. One friend told me i could submit that i can put into my contracts that i will need "X" Amount up front to buy equipment and train employees specific to these jobs at hand.
Along with attending local/city/state meetings, you can also attend as many home owners association meetings, and chamber of commerce meetings. Talk to ALL of the realtors in your location, find out if they need a forclosure cut, or if they are taking bids on them? Hit all of your local apartment complexes with a small goodie bag for the ladies in the office. Drop a box (or a few) of doughnuts at the city zoning office with a folder of information and leave a small pile of cards on the counter.
Marketing your business is the ONLY way you will bring in income. Make sure more people know you, than you can remember. Always make sure you check in with anyone you have seen... never let them forget you.
Matt
M.A.K. Landscaping
Here are some ways to help you get to the right people, and be in front of your competition.
Attend as many or ALL local meetings on emergency services, property awareness, economics and lawn care/landscaping. All cities hold meetings daily, weekly and monthly that are open to the public that you can attend. If they aren't open to the public, you can get a transcipt as soon as 24hours after the meeting, so you can read into it and know all rules and regulations.
My company M.A.K. Landscaping recently relocated to Daytona Beach from Orlando. We had 57 contracted residential customers that we let go of last at the beginning of 2011 so we could concentrate on Volusia County, FL. When we got here i heard about a "Safety Standard" that the local police department does, i went up and picked up all of the information available, read it and submitted a pamphlet to the PD so if they needed to recommend a company that can do the "Standards" to other apartment complex's i know the rules in and out. This landed us a "City Certification of Compliance" that got us into the database for the "Emergency Contact Number Sheet" that is mailed to all business (commercial/commercial-resident/Industrial) complex's in VOLUSIA COUNTY. Nearly 75,000 businesses in one county will have my direct information.
This has entailed three cities in the county to contact me to let me know i NEED to apply a bid submission to the parks and recreation offices, along with all city buildings (Court houses, Fire Departments, Police Stations, ect.). Those alone can total more than 2.3million dollars in new revenue for the 2011 season.
After looking into it and talking to a few friends, i realized "I dont have enough equipment to handle a 23acre city park, nor do i have enough man power to handle them in a 2 - 3 day process... I need to equip and man-up. One friend told me i could submit that i can put into my contracts that i will need "X" Amount up front to buy equipment and train employees specific to these jobs at hand.
Along with attending local/city/state meetings, you can also attend as many home owners association meetings, and chamber of commerce meetings. Talk to ALL of the realtors in your location, find out if they need a forclosure cut, or if they are taking bids on them? Hit all of your local apartment complexes with a small goodie bag for the ladies in the office. Drop a box (or a few) of doughnuts at the city zoning office with a folder of information and leave a small pile of cards on the counter.
Marketing your business is the ONLY way you will bring in income. Make sure more people know you, than you can remember. Always make sure you check in with anyone you have seen... never let them forget you.
Matt
M.A.K. Landscaping