How to get started

Hi everyone!! I currently have a couple of customers and i am looking for ways to expand to a much larger customer base (I realize I cant grow into a hug company overnight). How did you all start getting customers??? Any and all ideas are welcome!!

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi sfitzpat, Welcome to our forum! Can you tell us a little about what you are doing now to attract customers? How many customers would you like to acquire this year?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[Little's]

I started by knocling on doors and then was referred to more people, and was going full time within about 2 months.

I live in Iowa and theres still plenty of snow on the ground so I haven't really started doing much to attract customers yet. However I do plan to start putting up flyers on community boards at grocery stores and other box stores. I was thinking about going around to different neighbor hoods and putting door hangers out but I'm not really sure how affect that would be? What experience do people have with that idea?

I also really like the idea of free lawn care for a year idea especially with the way the housing market is going. With the customers paying up front it would give me some cash to buy some better equipment. How does everyone one else get these customers lined up?

Also, I am currently a junior in high school so I wont be able to have a bunch of customers because time just wont allow it. I am thinking anywhere from 15-25 customers this year.

Tell me your ideas!

[Steve]

Have you done much experimenting with craigslist.com yet? It's free. Also have you created some business cards? You really need to hand them out to everyone you know and let them know you are in business.

What are your thoughts on that?

Yes I have used craigslist.com and mysimion.com. I have put out about 1 add a week and I haven't received any responses yet. I have even offered a 15% discount for anyone who signs a season long contract before March 15th. I haven't made any business cards yet, I will defiantly get some made and start handing them out!!!

[Steve]

I bet you know a lot of people in town and have a lot of friends. Everyone you know should be getting a business card from you. Also are you involved with any community groups? You could market your lawn care business at these groups too.

What about doing a good deed in the area for a local resident? Can you find someone in need of a yard cleanup and do it for free and send out an email to the local paper about what you are doing? They are always looking for community related stories.

I printed off my first set of business cards today and have already handed a few out so hopefully this will generate some activity!! I did some snow removal for one of my neighbors last week and I know that they use a lawn service in the summer months..any suggestions on how to get them to switch over to me? Is there anything special I should offer them? I know in the past that this neighbor and another neighbor have used the same company and get their yards serviced at the sometime...what can i do to get both of these accounts?

Thanks for all the suggestions thus far!!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ].any suggestions on how to get them to switch over to me?

I would start off by simply asking them. If you don't ask, they may not consider it. Also ask any customers you have now if they could refer an of their friends or family to you as well.

Let us know how this goes.