3 things you'll do this year that you didn't last

[thegroundscrew]

Hansen Lawn Care how do you plan on obtaining these commercial accounts? I'm also hoping to gain a few commercial accounts I just truggle finding them. My dad was the one who got all of my four commercial accounts but I'm getting older and I want to do things all myself. A professional look is key because it will separate you from those run-down, cheap looking landscape companies. Uniformity is key.

[jford1995]

Lawn care business tips

customink.com is a great place for great looking shirts they may seem high compared to the rest but you get what you pay for and the results look great!

[hansenslawncare]

Originally Posted by thegroundscrew

Hansen Lawn Care how do you plan on obtaining these commercial accounts? I'm also hoping to gain a few commercial accounts I just truggle finding them. My dad was the one who got all of my four commercial accounts but I'm getting older and I want to do things all myself.

A professional look is key because it will separate you from those run-down, cheap looking landscape companies. Uniformity is key.

Well my approach for the commercial accounts comes from some advice a guy on this forum gave me...and that's to find a commercial property manager, and find the properties they manage that I would be interested in submitting a bid. I think part of this business is a numbers game, really anything in sales can be said of this...and that's if you put enough bids out there you're bound to get some back. So, that's what I'm going to do, hopefully bid on enough to get back a decent amount which will put me ahead of where I was last year.

[ringahding1]

Since we all have access to the web and most of us are experiencing serious boredem do to the lack of snow, a great way to find Property management groups would be at our fingertips. LinkedIn is a great resource for finding anything. There is also groups in our industry that would benefit from GopherHaul.

[IVPropertyMaintenance]

This is my second year of running my own business so you better believe there are MANY things I will do differently this year. Just to name a few:

1: I already wear a "uniform" (Green shirt with brown Carhartt pants and a camo hat) but I would like to get my business name and number printed on the shirts and hats.

2: Begin to fade in annual service packages. I spent all winter wishing I had something to do. So, I came up with annual service plans which keep the customer paying throughout the winter. They pay the same price all year and I do winter maintenance during the cold months. I've already got a few customers to sign up for these packages.

3: Hire an employee. Last year I found myself scrambling around to get all my jobs done as well as trying to remember to call everyone back and service all the equipment everyday. I would definitely like to have another set of hands, even if it eats into my profit a little bit. I guess you can take on more work with another person so it really wouldn't hurt at all..

[marks500]

1. Become more motivated to Expand my business, In past years I have taken the lazy way through the busy season. Only doing what has to be done and no more.

2. Actually Expand my businesss, Get another crew going while I am out advertising and giving estimates.

3. Make enough Money to where I dont have to worry about money in the slow season. That has to be the worst part of the business, Stressing through the winter months around here in GA.

4. Dont do work for people that have bad payment history. They either pay before next service or they get no service at all.


I am gonna make it happen this year no matter what it takes!!

[marks500]

Originally Posted by ringahding1

Since we all have access to the web and most of us are experiencing serious boredem do to the lack of snow, a great way to find Property management groups would be at our fingertips. LinkedIn is a great resource for finding anything. There is also groups in our industry that would benefit from GopherHaul.

I keep hearing about this Linkedin site on here.. what exactally is it? Should I sign up?

[falgarth]

Well I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Ive seen NO SNOW for almost a month now. kinda odd since i live in "the great white north".
for the 3 things ill be doing different this year.

#1. MORE ads. thats onine PPC ads, FB ads (worked the best for me) and good old door to door ads

#2. focus on getting bigger places that pay more.
(im 100% res. right now, looking to expand, and get into condos & the bigger, more expensive houses)

#3. decals on my s10 blazer.

There is a thousand other new things id like to do this year, but ill have to wait and see if any of my attempts will bear fruit!

www.crystalwaterslawncare.ca

[gardenbarber]

No snow where I live - but all the leaves blow down so I'm cleaning up mountains of leaves etc in winter .

1. Increase local advertising with postcards etc. My website does a good job and gets me about 3 new customers a week but I'd like to double that to 6 and get a new team running.

2. Increase the number of corporate gardens I do. They pay better and are easier to work with.

3. Expand my garden work with a pressure washing service. Just bought my first Briggs and Stratton 3500psi washer and done my first cleaning job. Looked like the mud man when I finished but got it done on time and in the money.

[hansenslawncare]

Originally Posted by marks500

I keep hearing about this Linkedin site on here.. what exactally is it? Should I sign up?

Great question. Linkedin is basically a professional networking website where you can list your business info. and connect with other business owners/professionals.

It's actually a great website with a lot of potential to bring traffic to your website and connect with other business minded people like us (Lawn Care Owners). It's ranked 13 in the world! So, it's probably worth your time to at least check it out. If you do look me up "Hansen's Lawn Care" and I'm sure there are a few others from Gopher on LinkedIn.

On another note...there has been some great feedback on this forum. Thanks a lot to everyone who contributed, I'm going to take a note of these things and incorporate them into my business in the future.

Thanks!

Hansen's Lawn Care