possible extra work in your area

Originally Posted by [b Quote[/b] (Clean Lawn @ Oct. 19 2007,10:53)]$6000 for 25 accounts and equipment? Wow that is cheap. Basicly from everything I have read about buying accounts you can offer up to three months what the accounts are bringing in per month. The person I am talking with has a Z turn mower that is in great condition and only 2 years old, a 2 week old trailer (he paid $5700 for which was the biggest expense in buying from him), 2 backpack blowers, a push blower, push mower, 2 weed eaters, 1 stick edger, 1 billly goat lawn vacuum (this i like because i was going to buy one next year for fall clean-up), and 1 spreader. The accounts are all lawn service accounts and the current owner said they all pay for extra services...mulch, grass seeds, aeration, landscaping, etc... But I would talk to the person selling his 25 accounts and equipment for the 6k. You could recoupe some of your costs in selling the equipment you do not need. We are going to sell the 2 week old trailer because we don't need it and that will be some of our cost. This is the second business that has been for sale in my area. The first one I talked with the owner and he wanted $110,000 for a business, 2 new trucks and equipment that was worth $60,000-$70,000 and the $70,000 was if someone was feeling overly generous. After reading a lot of what people were saying with Moseley Creek we are having our webpage done as soon as possible, revamped our referal service (which I think our customers are going to really like), working on lawn service and landscaping packages to push this spring and I want to really work on flier, postcards, etc... and push CleanLawn over and over again this fall and coming new year. I would really like to take my small business to an entire new level. I am hoping to turn 25 accounts into 50+ accounts this spring with a lot of longer hours working on great ideas I have from everyone here. I also e-mail regarding the webpage you left here that contacted you and hope to find some leads for the Hampton Roads area. I would like to ask what I consider the veteran lawn service providers that have been doing this for more than 5+ years how they found out about city jobs that become available for bidding and property managers for different areas? I know there are so many different places I could look for leads but get dead ends, for construction companies...I would love to work with one and get my landscaping going but I cannot get past the words I ask regarding where to go to find out. Also, people keep saying to buy lists for direct mailing, where are these lists because I am driving around neighborhoods and finding great places to put out fliers, postcards, etc... but there has to be an easier way then writting down every street name and house number. First off let me say from a veteran lawn service provider. I want you to understand this, its coming from the bottom of my heart cause I know, I saw local LCO get over his head and lost alot of clients. You say you want 25+ more acounts. First off I want to say do you have enough help, Equipment? If you do not you will find your self doing what I see alot here is Mow N Go! You will be in such of a hurry durning the mowing season to get the job done cause you want to keep up, ( Cause its rain 3 days out the 7 days you have in a week) and your work will start slipping and Customers will notice. So be aware not to get to much so your work in other area's start slipping. If you lose one account from poor work habits you will lose more. I know from seeing this other LCO doing that all this summer, NOW he lost some BIG commercial accounts that he had for few years. So when you start growing just remember the guy that got your business going. Just because you have 50+ accounts does not mean you have to forget about the ones that got you started. Just me rambling Rodman PNP

[Clean Lawn]

Lawn care business tips

Right now we are small. My lawn care business before the purchase of the 13+ accounts is running one day a week every week and we have Saturdays free for any additional work or for a rain day. When the purchase happens we will have another 8 hour work day or we can split it and make it 3 easy work days. That is where the 2 and a 1/2 work days came into play. I talk to the few customers I have as often as possible without being annoying to them and make sure they are always happy with the work they request of my business. So, even with this purchase I am by no means going to be running around like a chicken with my head cut off. As for the helpers/workers. My husband, our partner and myself work the business and they love it when I give them one or two addresses each week to go to for lawn estimates or for a one day job. As per the 50+ accounts I am not there yet but I would love to be there in the near future. I am working on several things for the business which I think will be very profitable for us and very much for the benefit of my customers. I tell my customers all the time how much I appreciate them having us service their lawns for them because without them, I am nothing. They are the greatest!