Estimates

[greenscaper123]

Originally Posted by Steve Ok you are changing your process for a reason. What is that reason? Can you give us an example of what the customer may not be getting in your sales process? well for one, the presentation is 10x better than handing someone a piece of carbon copy paper with your chicken scratch on it. it provides so much more information for them to review. they can see a description of the services if they don't quite understand something. i could quote someone for fertilizer and walk away while he thinks about it. later he reads in the aeration description "oh ok, aeration improves water drainage and fertilizer efficiency, maybe I'll do that too" or they may read "spring cleanup, removal of leaves, weed out beds, edge walkway, sidewalk & planting beds" a lot of guys may just rake the leaves. let them know that you don't. i mean i still try to up sell in person and explain what all my services consist of, but when you're trying to sell the benefits of every service you provide, explain all your discounts you offer, explain the various packages you offer, explain how your different from other companies, paperless billing etc etc. i just imagine it can be daunting for a customer and they could forget some tid bit of information that is prudent in closing a sale. obviously, the ideal method is to close the sale right there on the spot, but if you don't they have something to review after you leave. i even mentioned in the bottom section now that "when you choose us, you'll notice extras like removing of any loose trash, blowing off your deck and even picking up your christmas tree for free" the customer reads that, "wow, i don't know if i remember him mentioning they would take away my tree in the winter, never heard anyone offer that before, plus the guy i have now never blows off my deck for me" little things like that could make all the difference. now if it's just "hey how much to cut my lawn" that's a different story. for those guys i'll just give a price over the phone usually. if they don't say yes on the spot Ill mail them a letter a week later if i dont hear from them, along with a follow up call, to make sure they received it and ask them if they have any questions. just more thorough IMO. i feel that most people associate your presentation and how you conduct your self with your quality of work and overall professionalism. i figure it can't really hurt.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I think that is brilliant and it makes you think about all the marketing you could do throughout the year to your customers to promote these different seasonal services.

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[Mayor of Mow Town]

Originally Posted by greenscaper123

just out of curiosity, how do you find it confusing?

Hey Greenscaper

I guess I was a bit confused because the Quote form said it was a "complete list" of your services, but it didn't show your packages.

From your other posts I now understand more about what you are trying to achieve.

I think about it a bit like the menu of McDonalds or a takeaway shop.... They don't have separate menus for the individual items (e.g. burger, fries, drink), and another menu for the meal deals. They are all in the same place, and logically grouped for ease of use. Customers can clearly see all the options.

If it were me, I would include all the services you offer on your "service sheet" (individual as well as packages); a bit like a brochure. Perhaps individual services on one side, and packages on the other. This can then become the reference page you leave with the customer so they can ponder it and decide whether they think (for example) aeration would be good to add to what they want doing.

Then, on the "Quote" sheet, I would show only the services they requested in a top section. And then in a section further down, you could show the services, packages and prices that might be a good add-on for them. The equivalent of the "do you want fries with that" question.

Hope that makes sense.

Also, as always, your branding on the Quote sheet looks awesome!

[grass guru]

Originally Posted by greenscaper123

I'm taking on a new approach to giving my estimates for lawn maintenance. I attached them below. From now on every customer will receive a complete break down of my services and what they consist of. Along with that they will receive a letter outlining our full maintenance packages we offer and our billing options. With that, a business card would be paper clipped of course, and hand delivered to the customer. If nobody is home we will either leave it in the mailbox or mail it to them, giving them a call a few days later to follow up. I'm aware it's more money in paper, ink, and other supplies but I'm hoping this will increase my sign on rate as well as up selling.

Thoughts?

I am unable to see your pdf file for some reason, so I can't really give feedback on it.
What I do w/all potential accounts, whether they want just mow and go, or mow/trim/edge/blow, spring/fall cleanup, fert/lime/pestiside/herbicide/fungicide, tree/bush trimming, beds weeded/mulched, aeration/dethatching (you get the picture), is I write up an annual service agreement, and give the price/month on just the lawn service. I will then in a separate area, give the prices for all other upsells, and they can choose from that "a la carte". I then mail them 2 copies, one for them to keep, and one to sign and return. It discusses in the agreement how to add in the upsells to the monthly service, or they can be paid as completed. Some potentials are sticker shocked by the additional cost for upsells, some don't even blink. For example, my lawn I would charge...

$75/cut (includes mowing/trimimg/edging/blowing ) x 26/year = $1950. Over 6 month period that's only $325/month.
Fert/herbicide would be $105
Aeration would be $220
Dethatching would be $220
Mulch would be $300

any upsells could be added into $1950 and divided by 6, or invoiced.

I don't have a separate letter form telling of packages. If someone tells me "I only want you to mow my lawn, don't worry about trimming, or blowing, or edging", I tell them the same price as if I was blowing, edging, trimming. If they want their lawn to look like ****, then they can let someone else put their name on it.
I was in a bad mood one day and had a guy call shopping around. He asked my rates for just mowing because his mower was in the shop. I told him $60. He said "If you can do if for $45, then it's all yours". I replied, "What would your cell phone company tell you if you told them they can only earn your business if they drop their rates by 25%"? He said "tell me, 'forget you'". I asked, "what would you tell your boss if he asked you to do your job for a 25% reduction in pay"? He said, "I would tell him to "F*** off", and quit".
I'm not going to say what happened after that, because my name is linked to this, but I will say

[greenscaper123]

Originally Posted by Mayor of Mow Town

Hey Greenscaper

I guess I was a bit confused because the Quote form said it was a "complete list" of your services, but it didn't show your packages.

From your other posts I now understand more about what you are trying to achieve.

I think about it a bit like the menu of McDonalds or a takeaway shop.... They don't have separate menus for the individual items (e.g. burger, fries, drink), and another menu for the meal deals. They are all in the same place, and logically grouped for ease of use. Customers can clearly see all the options.

If it were me, I would include all the services you offer on your "service sheet" (individual as well as packages); a bit like a brochure. Perhaps individual services on one side, and packages on the other. This can then become the reference page you leave with the customer so they can ponder it and decide whether they think (for example) aeration would be good to add to what they want doing.

Then, on the "Quote" sheet, I would show only the services they requested in a top section. And then in a section further down, you could show the services, packages and prices that might be a good add-on for them. The equivalent of the "do you want fries with that" question.

Hope that makes sense.

Also, as always, your branding on the Quote sheet looks awesome!

Yea I was originally going to put all my services on that sheet but it seemed redundant with them already being listed on the quote sheet and back of my business card as well. I updated the service sheet and the quote sheet as well. I liked your idea of having an area for the package prices though. This way if someone requests full service at the time of calling me, I know to give them that monthly rate at the time of the estimate, rather than just list all the service prices individually.

As far as a separate section for services requested and services recommended. I'm still not sure how to do that because I would have to change it every time I received a new call. I just print them all out together and paper clip them, put them in my clipboard, and have them all ready to go. What I have been doing is, I write down everything they requested and then just write in some prices for services I recommend. When I knock on the door at the end of the estimate I'll explain to them what I recommend and why. Appreciate your feedback man. I'm sure I'll change it 10 more times in the next week haha

check out the revisions

[Mayor of Mow Town]

Yeah, I see how it would be difficult to have a completely customised section at the bottom.

The way you've added the packages is actually probably better, because it focuses on what you are trying to sell (assuming packages are your most profitable or best value). If people who you just quote for lawn mowing and edging can see that only a small increase in price will get them on package #1, then hopefully they'll consider that option instead.

Adding a brief description next to the packages section on the quote form (like you have done for the individual services) may help potential clients see the added benefit of upgrading to a package. I know it's all on the other sheet, but the easier you make it for people, the better.

I'm sure I'll change it 10 more times in the next week

Continually evaluating what you are doing and what does and doesn't work is a good thing! It might drive you nuts, but it's good for your business!

[grass guru]

I have a section (about 1/3 of the page) with the most common upsells and recommendations in column form on left side of page, then a brief description of what it is, the time of year done, then a blank spot for me to write in prices. Something like this...

Service recommended description time completed price

Aeration plug aeration spring or fall
Fertilizer/weed killer organic based all year
Overseed overseed entire lawn spring or fall

Under price i write in the price of only the services i recommend. I have many more services listed, but this gives an example of how i do it.