I'm 16 and need some help with my business

[hockeyfan11494]

OK so I started my first door to door march today. Most people just took my flyer and said thkns without batting a eye I took a notpad to get down info if they were interested only one was with fertilization. I went to about 50 home and only the one said anything. I know I am only 16 but I really want to make my business profesional what are they ways you big boys get all your residental clients marketing ideas for me sience I am only 16 or anything to help me get a good number of clients would be great!!!

[jklawncare]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by hockeyfan11494 OK so I started my first door to door march today. Most people just took my flyer and said thkns without batting a eye I took a notpad to get down info if they were interested only one was with fertilization. I went to about 50 home and only the one said anything. I know I am only 16 but I really want to make my business profesional what are they ways you big boys get all your residental clients marketing ideas for me sience I am only 16 or anything to help me get a good number of clients would be great!!! Hey I'm 17 now i started when I was 15. You may think 50 houses should get you alot more responses but if this is your first year a good thing to remember is flyers get a 1-2% return rate. Sure going door to door can help that percentage but youll need to do some serious walking to get alot of houses. Do you have a truck? and what equipment are you working with? what do you charge as a minimum and how many accounts are you looking to land?

__________________
Just Kut Lawn and Landscape
"Where Service is Always in Season"
Reach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud.

[DillonB92]

Hey I started when i was your age! I'm 18 now. When i first started I passed flyers out in my neighborhood. Aside from my house and my grandpa i had none. Out of all the houses i put flyers out on I got 2 calls. Both Leaf Clean-up. I did those jobs and got hired on for mowing in the summer months for one. the other one had a person who mows already but she always calls me to do the leaves. Next i Started asking with Referrals. I received a few calls from there. I also asked my family to give my Number to anyone who needed anything done. I had a total of 10 customers my first season. I got 2 customers from flyers, 3 from customer referrals, 3 from Family referrals, and 2 more from mowing and a neighbor coming out and asking me.

If i had to do over again, I would start with Family. They can give your number to people they work with. I'd also go to some stores that you frequent often. Ask them if you can put your flyers in there. Ask anyone and i do mean ANYONE that you have done work for in the past (even something as simple as helping them move a heavy box) if they can give your number to people they know.

I'd also get a shirt or two from Vistaprint. They're cheap and a good place to start. They send free offers for t-shirt on email almost every day. You can upgrade once you get a few more yards. Shirts with Business name will make you look more professional. Also Signs for your vehicle will help you look more professional. You can also get them from vista print to start off with.

Good luck!

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

There has been a lot of good info so far posted. I agree, start with family. Try to get your neighbors to sign up too. Try to get everyone on your block. I would think in just your immediate area, you could find enough work to keep yourself busy.

Be available to do a lot of little services too. Let them know, if they need help moving stuff, changing light bulbs, whatever you can do, let them know you are there to help.

Give them your business card. Maybe even use a magnetic business card so they can stick it on their refrigerator.

Keep us posted on how everything goes.

[hockeyfan11494]

thanks for all the sugestions I just got my first job! it's a big clean up from a pond that has a bunch of corn stalks and husk in it from a flood we had a couple of weeks ago. I currently am a one guy opperation and have a ver old rider an edger a gas blower and push mower and a 250 superduty truck. I was just curious when it came to starting are there any boundries when it comes to using family and people you know. I am a pretty favored youth at the church I go to but dont know if this is corssing the line tottaly or is a customer a customer? love to hear ya'lls opinions

[DillonB92]

I wouldn't think so! being at church you will get to keep a close contact with customers by seeing them every week. I would talk to people at church and just exsplain you are trying to get your lawn care business going and hand them a card. If they need anything they can call you!

[cruzgardening]

Originally Posted by hockeyfan11494

thanks for all the sugestions I just got my first job! it's a big clean up from a pond that has a bunch of corn stalks and husk in it from a flood we had a couple of weeks ago. I currently am a one guy opperation and have a ver old rider an edger a gas blower and push mower and a 250 superduty truck. I was just curious when it came to starting are there any boundries when it comes to using family and people you know. I am a pretty favored youth at the church I go to but dont know if this is corssing the line tottaly or is a customer a customer? love to hear ya'lls opinions

hey there im glad you started thinking about starting your own business young!

some of the suggestions i can give you you will learn them on your own with time but me mentioning them might help.

the family and church friends to start your business is an amazing way to start off on the right foot since they will tend to be less picky and will understand you a bit more but then again you can't charge them as well as clients you do not know, so i would suggest you limit your family and friends clientele for the first year or so and advertise like there is no tomorrow, get one of your buddies to go walking every day with you around your neighborhood and just pass out lots of flyers you should aim at passing around at least 4 blocks daily so that will be about 20 blocks a week which means about 500 flyers get a map and mark off where you start and where you stop and mark the area around your home for a whole month and the next month start on the same spot and repeat it again soon you will get 2-3 homes on one block and your phone will not stop ringing.

create a free website for general information and be polite to your first costumers they will recomend you to people they know.

oh the most important thing is to charge the costumer the right amount. so if you plan on making $25/hr that should be your base, meaning that should be the minimum you should charge any one client per service even if you will take 15 minutes doing the job, but always explain to the costumer what your services include. So if you cut, edge and blow only and weeding is not included let the client know so they do not expect you trim their hedges for the same price.

well enjoy the line of work and be patient you should have at least 15 new costumers by next year

[mowman1970]

In this business all you have is your INTEGERTY!!! That will carry you farther than anything else you can do. Word of mouth will make you or break you. So remember, if you tell the customer something, follow through. Above all have fun.

[SouthallMowing]

I'm almost 18, in October, I had this problem. I started out with a old lawn tractor, trimmer, and a blower. No trailer, just a truck. I was "mr handyman" if you will, to the older people that live around me. That was in the fall, then in the winter, I shoveled snow, did a great job, then come Feb, I asked if they wanted me to mow, then they said "as good of a kid you are, sure". Started out that way. Doing houses next to me. Then my dad bought me a tank of a trailer, and let's me borrow his truck on mow day. Then this spring, I asked if my clients could refer me. They said sure. So I got 1 or 2 jobs from that. I went to other peoples houses, people who I know want a good lawn, but don't have time to do it themselves, asked if they wanted me to do it, gave them a brochure, and told them how I'm better than the actual companies (sorry you pro's) and said, I'll mow it one time for you, if you don't like it, then just pay me for the one time, and it's a done deal. They all took to it. Every single one of them kept me. I get all kinds of calls from teachers, people at church, and city officials for one time jobs. No weekly mowing or anything, still, it's good business, do a good job, it shows. ADULTS LOVE HARD WORKING TEENAGERS LIKE US!!!! and they will keep you working. Stick with people you know, or kinda know. Going door to door is great and all, but for teenagers, it doesn't work. They don't know you, your work ethic, or anything. and it's the other teens that screw us over by doing drugs, crime, etc. Prove the people you know that you can do a great job, then slowly work your way into the community.