Its starting to grow out there

[SNethercutt]

I've been poking around the forums here for a while reading this and that when it applies to my situation, although I just became a member. My name is Spencer, and I have a lawn and landscape business in the Houston area. I've at this for about 2 years now and have around 35 accounts. Although I would like to have more, I am a college student. I am graduating this semester so after that I plan to advertise like a mad man. I see there are a lot of knowledgeable people in this forum, and I hope to learn a lot as I am still "wet behind the ears"

[Grass Doctor]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by SNethercutt I've been poking around the forums here for a while reading this and that when it applies to my situation, although I just became a member. My name is Spencer, and I have a lawn and landscape business in the Houston area. I've at this for about 2 years now and have around 35 accounts. Although I would like to have more, I am a college student. I am graduating this semester so after that I plan to advertise like a mad man. I see there are a lot of knowledgeable people in this forum, and I hope to learn a lot as I am still "wet behind the ears" howdy here from S.A SUP men welcome to the forum.

[ratchetmaster2]

Howdy

It's cool to hear from a fellow college student trying to build something up. Everyone says "oh, you're so young!". Well, sorry I don't want a minimum wage job lol.
With you being in Texas, I'm surprised it's only just now starting to grow.

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

35 customers is a lot for a student going to college!

What kinds of marketing methods have you used to gain those so far? Are you going to be able to just ramp that marketing up to a larger scale? How many customers do you want when you graduate?

[SNethercutt]

35 is a lot, and one of the customers has 4 residential lot and one 3 acre lot that we maintain.

Where I target my business is heavily saturated residential areas, I picked up 2 accounts today. I advertise by making my own screen printed t-shirts and giving them away any and every way possible. I do my own web design and web marketing just from taking the time to learn. I leave business cards I get my girl friend to make pleasing little baggies with a business car and a couple pebbles and a ribbon and leave them hanging on mail boxes.

I have figured out that its OK to advertise the same way everyone else does, but put your own twist on it. A business card is a business card but when you add to that it catches their attention. And for internet marketing, I am in an area where one neighborhood has 10,000+ homes. And if you type in that city name and lawn care and Google, were on the first page.

And it is a lot of work to maintain, as its just me and my girlfriend that do it. I grew up in a family with money and screwed up in high school and got in trouble. I work a 10.00 an hour job at a dirt and rock yard who provided to consumers and businesses. I saw what the landscape owners had and said, I CAN do that. So I worked 6 days a week and mowed 8 accounts. Then I started college and quit the dirt yard. It has expanded from there. I don't now family members yards and try to stay away from friends. I want to earn my business I don't want to be handed anything anymore.

Also, when you advertise think of cheap things you can give away, like screen printing your own t shirts. I had a guy make the screen for $20 and I bought the ink for another 30 for 5 different colors. And every now and then I go get 25 shirts for $75 all different size and colors. I give them away to customers family friends homeless people. Its cheap. Its branding your product. Who knew what Hollister Jean Co. Was before every teen in town was wearing those stupid shirts? Koozies is another one. Can get them made for less than .25 a piece if I recall correctly, give them away like wild fire. A koozie is something people hang on to, especially if you do a cool design. In two years someone will find that koozie under there car seat and say, I'm tired of mowing my own yard.

I do give always on Facebook. I make a post saying if you like our page and share this post on whatever day I will be giving away.... whatever... right now I'm giving away a free year of fertiliziation service. 4 visits, up to 12,000 sq ft. Will cost me less than $120 for the year and I'm not on branding my product but also the fertilize I use. Nitro-Phos.

Just find creative ways. Doesn't have to be the complete opposite of everyone else. Just enough to get attention.

[SNethercutt]

Sorry I butchered that whole post, I'm on my phone.

[ratchetmaster2]

Originally Posted by SNethercutt

I don't now family members yards and try to stay away from friends. I want to earn my business I don't want to be handed anything anymore.

I dunno man. I think it's the opposite. You think friends and family are gonna pay you extra? Probably more like "I'm a good friend, can you do it for next to nothing? That's what friends are for, right?"

But seriously, that's quite the job you do. You have my respect.

[SNethercutt]

The only family yard I have is my girls friends aunt. And she pays MORE than I bid the job for. But we do extra stuff for all of our customers. When we get done if one of us is still blowing or whatever the other will start pulling a few weeds or this and that. My dad works for a chemical company that makes herbicides pesticides and stuff for fungus so I do spray and maintain yards for cash only. I don't have my applicators license yet and I don't apply anything that one couldn't get off the tractor supply shelf.

I take pride in my work and I make sure every customers yard looks as good as the next, even if I don't get paid for spraying weeds I still do. I'm not gonna now a yard and let it look shi11y... that looks bad on me. But I'm not gonna drop the account either.

[ratchetmaster2]

Originally Posted by SNethercutt

I take pride in my work and I make sure every customers yard looks as good as the next, even if I don't get paid for spraying weeds I still do. I'm not gonna now a yard and let it look shi11y... that looks bad on me. But I'm not gonna drop the account either.

I agree with you 100%. I don't like to work for nothing as much as the next guy, but if someone looks at a yard, and I mowed it, I don't want it looking bad. Kinda gets to be a touch spot when the customer doesn't want to pay enough to make it look decent, but it's not favorable for you to drop it.

Don't let some of these big guys hear you say that though. In a sense, they are right though. You have to keep track of all your expenses to maximize profits because it really is a cutthroat business.

[SNethercutt]

If I had the number of accounts these guys do I wouldn't worry about it neither. But trust me they all started off somewhere.