What do you offer that your competitors don't offer?

[GrantELC]

I am really planning on building up my lawn care business next year and am preparing through out winter. I want to learn as much as possible and offer everything there is to do in a yard for my 3rd year of business in hopes of more money and increasing my client list. Besides mowing, sprinklers fixes, and clean ups, I have not done aerating, sprinkler start ups, complete sprinkler installations, etc. I am hoping to just get a list of what services you guys offer and what equipment you use / might need or want for next year / what do you offer over your competitors and what you might start doing next year that you haven't in the past. Hopefully this will give everyone ideas and help their business.

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Work Hard - Succeed - Be Happy

Elite Lawn Care - 3rd year in business

[element009]

Lawn care business tips

Are you licensed in application of pesticides? You could offer pesticide/fertilizer application to your existing clients. Seeding in the Fall or Spring could be rolled in with that as well.

[Steve]

Also, have you talked to your customers to find out what other services they could utilize?

Maybe a new direction will appear from that? Is it possible they may want more landscape projects completed on their property? Or maybe other services that have not been thought of.

[GrantELC]

I still have yet to talk with my current customers but I will definitely start out there. I am not licensed in pesticide/fertilizer application, however I am looking into this.

[element009]

I am not licensed in pesticide/fertilizer application, however I am looking into this.

Not sure where you're based, but here the certification/licensing is done through the state university and dep. of environmental protection.

[mark123]

Originally Posted by element009

Not sure where you're based, but here the certification/licensing is done through the state university and dep. of environmental protection.

Also try your local county extension office.

[Ryan's Lawn Care]

one thing i do is gutter clean outs. In the fall if you are doing a leaf clean up u may as well offer to blow the leaves off ur customers roof and clean the gutters out. A lady I work for has some big oak trees and when the leaves start to drop it plugs her gutters up really bad and piles up on the roof in spots. Also in the summer time her roof gets covered in that goofy pollin that oak trees drop so she has me blow that off to.

[bruces]

I do just about anything for my customers . I have repaired hot tubs,swimming pools [pumps,liner replacements and repair ,heater work,slide repair ,salt chlorinator installs ,not to mention pool installs ] ,roofing,shed construction,windows , doors ,siding ,satellite dish installs ,fences,lockstone driveway repairs and installs ,garage door repairs and installs ,wheelchair ramps ,playground installs,decks,docks , and not to mention I have repaired many of their vehicles as well .I also forgot to mention that I have even completely stripped to the studs and cleaned out 4 crack houses .I did everything on the above list this summer and actually ,this summer I hardly cut anything at all ,my son and daughter took care of that for me .
I have found that the same people who pay for lawn service ,generally are not able or interested in doing any other home maintenance and repair themselves so its very easy to get these jobs especially when they know and trust you and your capabilities .

[element009]

Originally Posted by bruces

I do just about anything for my customers . I have repaired hot tubs,swimming pools [pumps,liner replacements and repair ,heater work,slide repair ,salt chlorinator installs ,not to mention pool installs ] ,roofing,shed construction,windows , doors ,siding ,satellite dish installs ,fences,lockstone driveway repairs and installs ,garage door repairs and installs ,wheelchair ramps ,playground installs,decks,docks , and not to mention I have repaired many of their vehicles as well .I also forgot to mention that I have even completely stripped to the studs and cleaned out 4 crack houses .I did everything on the above list this summer and actually ,this summer I hardly cut anything at all ,my son and daughter took care of that for me .
I have found that the same people who pay for lawn service ,generally are not able or interested in doing any other home maintenance and repair themselves so its very easy to get these jobs especially when they know and trust you and your capabilities .

bruces, do you have employees on your lawn care side or is this something you handle just w/ your kids? I don't think i'd be able to handle providing so many services, even if i had the ability to do it all. I'd rather focus all my energy into specializing in one line of services, i.e. lawncare.

[bruces]

basically the lawn side is handled by a two man crew ,usually me and my son,but this summer it was my son and daughter .I did the other work mostly myself,but when possible my son would help ,or I would hire a helper when required .