Hello From Fargo ND

Hey everybody after being a lurker I decided to finally register and hopefully become aquainted with a few good people on here. My name is mike and im 34 years old and am married with a beautiful daughter of 2 years old. Well this is my first year of actually trying to make some changes with my mowing. Very interesting to say the least. Im enjoying every step of the way of all the little obstacles and mistakes and success. So, basically in a nutshell im starting out. Anyways hope you all have a good weekend and a great day.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Mike, Welcome to our forum! Im enjoying every step of the way of all the little obstacles and mistakes and success. Can you share with us a little about the obstacles and mistakes you faced and how you overcame them? I bet others would love to know before they come upon the same situations.

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Originally Posted by Steve

Hi Mike,

Welcome to our forum!



Can you share with us a little about the obstacles and mistakes you faced and how you overcame them? I bet others would love to know before they come upon the same situations.

I dont mind at all. The biggest obstacle i am facing is getting clients to say yes to me and my services that i am offering. Equipment costs money, gas is expensive. wear and tear on the truck. The economy is not all that good and there seems to be alot of competition in my area lately. However, with that all said. I placed my ad in the paper and I told myself the first call I get im going to get. and the phone rang. I always try to be friendly over the phone and in person. i dont over due it but i tend to lighten the situation. I didnt want to lowball but i wanted the first customer who called as a client. I justified it that way for me to feel better on the price. He took it and said thats really a fair price. Well it takes me about an hour and 20 minutes for his lawn with trimming and blowing his sidewalk off. i regret that but, I also have him all summer. I could easily have done it for ten more dollars. And im getting more comfortable as i go but when you think about competition and everything else its hard to to be high priced because of those factors. If you bid too low you dont eat, if you bid too high you dont eat. where do you draw the line?. I quit worrying about everything and decided well i can do it for this much and be happy or i can charge this much and lose?. Hard game on bidding because theres people out there that will always do it for less. But, your trying to offer a good quality proffesional service. Thats how you brand yourself from the rest. I tell people over the phone im not a cutter and a slasher. Another lady i actually raised her price from what she wanted to 15 bucks more that i wanted because i basically told her this. I will call 3 people up personally and have them come over and bid on this job. it was an apartment complex with an empty lot in the backyard. and i told her i said well id rather see my competition lose money on this so i dont mind if you do go with someone else. this is my price. to me its a fair price. they dont understand or just dont care what you have to go thru. i understand. but, its a hard game out there with people. everybody wants the best deal. depends how far down you can go to adjust or how high you can push it to come out.

with lawns that nobody has cut so far that are knee high i charge a flat 35 an hour rate. bagging trimming and cutting. ive made alot so far doing that. because your there for 3 hours and they dont blink when i tell them that. Its very funny because those are the ones that complain about your prices but its costing them more. i just dont get it...LOL. So, if i have to say anything of importance i say this charge what you need and dont worry about it. Be friendly dont be a jerk dont act ****y they dont need you. remember that. these people dont need your service that your offering and if your acting like a jerk with a very important attitude that they need you well, you might as well go sit on the interstate with your sign up. Because they dont need you. you need them. so i always be nice and friendly and try to get them to laugh and get comfortable with me. Im nervous too, but, i have to eat as well. they have money otherwise they dont call. Alot of things to learn thats for sure but im getting better. i have a good attitude and im not big time you know that but, theres alot of learning involved. when i bid on a job i tuck my shirt in and have my estimate paper out and i walk with them around there house and i usually take longer and get to know them a bit and see where there coming from. Does it help? id rather make 40 bucks an hour then go in and out and not say anything. i take longer so, works for me.
sorry rambled.

[arthur712]

Originally Posted by MikeO

I dont mind at all. The biggest obstacle i am facing is getting clients to say yes to me and my services that i am offering. Equipment costs money, gas is expensive. wear and tear on the truck. The economy is not all that good and there seems to be alot of competition in my area lately. However, with that all said. I placed my ad in the paper and I told myself the first call I get im going to get. and the phone rang. I always try to be friendly over the phone and in person. i dont over due it but i tend to lighten the situation. I didnt want to lowball but i wanted the first customer who called as a client. I justified it that way for me to feel better on the price. He took it and said thats really a fair price. Well it takes me about an hour and 20 minutes for his lawn with trimming and blowing his sidewalk off. i regret that but, I also have him all summer. I could easily have done it for ten more dollars. And im getting more comfortable as i go but when you think about competition and everything else its hard to to be high priced because of those factors. If you bid too low you dont eat, if you bid too high you dont eat. where do you draw the line?. I quit worrying about everything and decided well i can do it for this much and be happy or i can charge this much and lose?. Hard game on bidding because theres people out there that will always do it for less. But, your trying to offer a good quality proffesional service. Thats how you brand yourself from the rest. I tell people over the phone im not a cutter and a slasher. Another lady i actually raised her price from what she wanted to 15 bucks more that i wanted because i basically told her this. I will call 3 people up personally and have them come over and bid on this job. it was an apartment complex with an empty lot in the backyard. and i told her i said well id rather see my competition lose money on this so i dont mind if you do go with someone else. this is my price. to me its a fair price. they dont understand or just dont care what you have to go thru. i understand. but, its a hard game out there with people. everybody wants the best deal. depends how far down you can go to adjust or how high you can push it to come out.

with lawns that nobody has cut so far that are knee high i charge a flat 35 an hour rate. bagging trimming and cutting. ive made alot so far doing that. because your there for 3 hours and they dont blink when i tell them that. Its very funny because those are the ones that complain about your prices but its costing them more. i just dont get it...LOL. So, if i have to say anything of importance i say this charge what you need and dont worry about it. Be friendly dont be a jerk dont act ****y they dont need you. remember that. these people dont need your service that your offering and if your acting like a jerk with a very important attitude that they need you well, you might as well go sit on the interstate with your sign up. Because they dont need you. you need them. so i always be nice and friendly and try to get them to laugh and get comfortable with me. Im nervous too, but, i have to eat as well. they have money otherwise they dont call. Alot of things to learn thats for sure but im getting better. i have a good attitude and im not big time you know that but, theres alot of learning involved. when i bid on a job i tuck my shirt in and have my estimate paper out and i walk with them around there house and i usually take longer and get to know them a bit and see where there coming from. Does it help? id rather make 40 bucks an hour then go in and out and not say anything. i take longer so, works for me.
sorry rambled.

Welcome to the forum! I am new here too!

The one thing I have learned is that if you do quality work. Then that is what you are selling! There will be accounts that take more time and at times may not seem worth the job, but think about the referal you may get from them.

I also work in real estate for a new Home builder and with this market, I will get 100 people say no no no but I keep at it and I will get a yes after a while.

Main thing is to never give up!!!! I know how it feels to get rejection. It sucks and sometime I just want go home and wath TV. HAHA We can not do that, just keep keeping on!!

I think you will do just fine! You sound like you can be very succesfull!!

Welome to forum again and nice chatting with you.

I do think this is great place to get good advise.

Thanx!
Artie

Fargo huh, I spent some time in Minot. Have to say I am not made for that State waaaay to cold for me. Even Alaska seems warmer.

Originally Posted by doug1980

Fargo huh, I spent some time in Minot. Have to say I am not made for that State waaaay to cold for me. Even Alaska seems warmer.

i grew up in minot...LOL. thats 2 funny. it does get very cold alot of snow last year which is good if your in that business. take it easy man

Originally Posted by arthur712

Welcome to the forum! I am new here too!

The one thing I have learned is that if you do quality work. Then that is what you are selling! There will be accounts that take more time and at times may not seem worth the job, but think about the referal you may get from them.

I also work in real estate for a new Home builder and with this market, I will get 100 people say no no no but I keep at it and I will get a yes after a while.

Main thing is to never give up!!!! I know how it feels to get rejection. It sucks and sometime I just want go home and wath TV. HAHA We can not do that, just keep keeping on!!

I think you will do just fine! You sound like you can be very succesfull!!

Welome to forum again and nice chatting with you.

I do think this is great place to get good advise.

Thanx!
Artie

thanks artie i wish i could watch some tv once inawhile..know the feeling. and ur right it is a good place, stay cool breeze