Hello from Central Kansas

[Sharp Cut LAWNS Salina Ks]

Hello from central Kansas, My name is Tyler Rathbun 22 years old, and owner of Sharp Cut Lawns, I’m new to mowing and landscaping. An hope to learn a lot from gopher haul. I just started my business this year and I only have five residential customers and one commercial customer a hotel. I work a full time job during the day, which allows me to get off by three in the afternoon. And gives me more then enough time to do my yard work. I really enjoy being out side. My big goal is to one day quit my full time job and really get into mowing and landscaping work full time!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for your time!!!

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Sharp Cut Lawns
Tyler S. Rathbun (Owner)
Salina, Kansas 67401
785.577.3765
tyler87.tr@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook/Sharp Cut Lawns

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Tyler, Welcome to our forum! I think a lot of members are trying to do what you are doing. How much of a plan do you have laid out to make that transition from part time to full time business operations? I only have five residential customers and one commercial customer a hotel. That is fantastic! What kind of marketing have you done to attract your customers and have you found marketing to residential customers is a lot different from marketing to commercial customers?

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[Sharp Cut LAWNS Salina Ks]

Originally Posted by Steve

Hi Tyler,

Welcome to our forum!

I think a lot of members are trying to do what you are doing. How much of a plan do you have laid out to make that transition from part time to full time business operations?



That is fantastic! What kind of marketing have you done to attract your customers and have you found marketing to residential customers is a lot different from marketing to commercial customers?

There is really no plan as of now. I plan on just going with the flow for a year or two, and learn as much as possible. Other then jumping right into it. I believe that’s where a lot of new business go wrong. Not to mention this will give me time to build a cliental and learn a few things like pricing, what I want to offer as a business such as mowing landscaping ext.

Steve,

How I came about my clients was mostly word of mouth. That’s where the phrase its not about what you know but who you know, Comes in handy. I came across my commercial contract just by walking in and talking to the manager. There flower beds and lawn was over grown pretty bad and I noticed just by driven by for a few weeks that no one was taken care of it. After about a twenty min conversation, I landed the job. Its not to bad $65 every week, and it takes me about 45 mins to mow and edge. Just for the front. That’s all the grass there is, the rest is parking and rock flower beds that I have to go threw and pull weed from time to time. I try to do this twice per month. I would like to get more commercial jobs. But not really sure if that’s how to go about doing business.

I did go to vista printing and made up some cards to hand out to people. So that’s one way to expand the business, its just really hard to do it here. There’s so much commotions…… I like the challenge!!!

[Steve]

Oh that is great!

For those new business owners on the forum that are more shy, what suggestions do you have for creating that word of mouth advertising?

How do you harness people you know to get them to sign up as customers? Have you found a good way to work your business promotion into conversations?

[Sharp Cut LAWNS Salina Ks]

Well I look at it this way, I’m a shy person. I know sooner or later I will run into someone that will turn me down… trust me it has happened many times before. But you can’t let that bring you down. It gets much easier as you learn how to talk to people. You’ll find that the person you are going to talk to or are talking to is just as nervous as you are. Just keep in mind that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. All was smile, and the big one MAKE EYE CONTACT. Be open to ideas that the customer might have lesson to them. Share your thoughts with them get to know them as a person. Just small talk and before you know it you’ll be deep in to conversation you wont even really notice that your nervous anymore.

I harness people that I have known for a long time… Like one of my friends was explaining to me how her lawn guy at the time wasn’t keeping to his end of the deal with her yard up keep. That’s where I jumped in and said I wouldn’t mind taken that stress off your hands. And I explained to her how I work, what the cost would be. I was actually a little bit higher then the last guy but that was ok to her as long as the stress was away and she didn’t have to worry about when I was coming if I was going to do it all that day or the next. Just by staying to what you say you will do means more then if your cheaper. Because you can be the cheap us guy on the block. But if you don’t keep to what you say you will do you will loss it to the guy charging ten dollars more a mowing then you.

[Steve]

What do you feel is the biggest thing that holds you back now from having your business be where you want it to be?

[Sharp Cut LAWNS Salina Ks]

I would have to say the biggest thing that is holding me back from growing my lawn business to the full potential I know it could have is the economy. There are a few other things out there like retirement, health insurance, life insurance, a steady income ext. I know all of these can be taken care of its just taken that step, and it’s a big one.

[Steve]

There are a few other things out there like retirement, health insurance, life insurance, a steady income ext. I know all of these can be taken care of its just taken that step, and it’s a big one.

When you say this, do you mean there is a lot of fear of the unknown when leaving a full time job that offers these benefits and putting all your energy into your own business that doesn't have them?

How important are such perks now at your age? Do you feel now is the best time you will ever have at being able to make the jump and not miss those perks for a little while at least until you can afford them yourself?