New Guy on the Block

[greenblade1]

My name is Scott, Im from Indianapolis, IN. I've always wanted to own my own business. Started a lawn care company this past spring, and I'm just finishing up my first season. I grew to 14 Clients, just basic mowing, some landscaping. Started with a push mower 21" Weedaeter brand 5.0, and electric weedeater brand trimmer. I have found something I truly enjoy, would love to figure out how to make enough to quit my 9-5, and do this full time.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Scott, Welcome to our forum! How did you get 14 customer? What kinds of marketing did you do? Many people seem to have such a tough time getting the first handful of customers. What advice do you have for them? Also, when do you service them and still have time to work a full time job?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[greenblade1]

Beleive it or not craigslist. I set up my schedule so that i did all my yards on the weekends. There were times I did six lawns on sat and six on sun.

Only half of my clients were weekly. The others were every other week and some were whenever they called. This really started as more of just a way to make a few extra dollars, cause for some reason i just like to cut grass. But when i set my mind on something I hit it full throttle. More and more people kept calling I did have to turn a few away cause i just didn't have the time. If you listen to the old school successful business men, to be successful sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I took whatever job i could. I push mowed a 3/4+ acre yard every sat morning, with that weedeater lawn mower for $25, it sucked but it worked. That Client ended up offering me her Riding lawn mower for free. I said I would be stupid to turn it down.

Then I ended up trading it straight up for a Dixon Zero turn and I LOVE that thing.

Unfortunately we haven't had a drop of rain here in like 6-8 weeks and its been stupid hot so things have really slowed down.

[Steve]

Do you have plans for offering different services in the fall and winter? Possibly plowing? Or if not, why else might you do?

[greenblade1]

As of now I offer many different ervices. Fertilizing, Dethatch, Aerating, seeding, lawn repair, leaf removal, basic lanscaping, Tree Trimmimg, I'll even pick up dog poo. and anything else i can do that a customer would ask. For the winter, thats is actually when my current job is at its peak, so I'm thinking I might stay on from Nov through February to have a paycheck come in. One of my customer does Plowing and we worked out a deal I basicaly get 25% of any referals.

[Steve]

That sounds likes a great plan. Maybe you can promote their snow plowing and they can promote your lawn care.