Hello from Waverly Ohio!

[SouthallMowing]

Hello all! My name's John. I'm 17. I joined the forum to get info and hopefully learn some stuff. I created Southall Mowing a year ago. One of my friends help me out on larger jobs. However, since we're under 18 we can't get insurance, an LLC license and all the good stuff to become reputable. By next year that will change. I mow quite a few residential lawns. No commercial yet, but I cut the grass at the church that I attend as a ministry. I used their equipment and everything. But it was good experience for larger scale jobs. I have a Toro Z380, two Toro push mowers, and a Stihl trimmer and leaf blower. I also have a custom 5x10 utility trailer, and a 2006 Ram 1500 to haul equipment. But, like all new/young entrepreneurs I have a lot to learn, and just by looking on here, I can probably fix that.

[ToastedToad]

Lawn care business tips

Welcome! Read read read, all the posts you can. You'll learn for sure!

[Steve]

Hi John,

Welcome to our forum!

What kinds of things are you planning on doing to market your lawn care business?

[SouthallMowing]

I've been mowing in my neighborhood for 4 years now, but never really "Marketed" it, then last year, I put a few flyers in public places, and I got a few calls, but they were all too big for my equipment, so I went around my neighborhood and sold a la carte services, and racked in the dough, bought a new zero turn, push mower, trimmer, and blower. Late last year, my dad gave me his 2006 Ram 1500, then bought me a 5x10 trailer. Over the winter, I had a pretty good snow removal thing going on. I "hired" 3 of my friends to work for me, we could clear about 20 driveways in about 3 hours, roughly 10 minutes a piece with 1 or 2 people on the driveway. Then from that, I had almost all of my regular snow removal clients ask me to mow for them. There are only 3 other mowing companies in waverly, they all have a $30 minimum. Well, Since I'm 17 and can't get insurance, and all that I don't have much overhead. So I go in and say either $20 or $25 depending on how much stuff I have to mow around. So, I take 3 or 4 yards in a row from competition. I haven't marketed big, cause I don't need to, I'm 17 and still in high school. So I have to work around that. But once I go to college I can schedule my classes to where I have almost all day to go and mow.

[Steve]

That is great!

so I went around my neighborhood and sold a la carte services, and racked in the dough,

What is your view on the best way to sell or promote a la carte services? Should you list all your services on a flyer and have the customer pick which ones they want or should you handle it in another way?

[SouthallMowing]

What I did, was just went to all the people in my neighborhood that I know, which is most of them. there's about 100 houses. And gave them a brochure with all of my services and info about my "company". I took a walk around their property with them and pointed out stuff that needs done, then if they had 3 or 4 things that need to be done, I knocked off $10-15 just to get the business. My take on flyers, (dont even listen to me cause I'm 17 and too new to marketing) but I think they are good if you are looking for work in other places around town. But I'm trying to keep my business within a few miles. My mom works for an Attorney in Chillicothe (15 Miles north). And I put a flyer up, for a la carte services, but another attorney came by and saw it, and wanted a 100x100 lot with a 2000sq. ft building on it mowed, I told them I'd have to charge milage, then they weren't interested. But they still wanted an estimate, so when I went up to get blades, I stopped by, and gave them one of $85. including milage. They thought it was a good estimate, which I think was a little high, but oh well. But They want me to redo their flowerbeds and clean up the property next month. So, flyers are good, as long as you are expecting business from everywhere. Which is great for you pro's. But I just need business in town.