Fake it till you make it?

[Steve]

When you are getting your lawn care business started, do you find it is better to promote yourself as the owner of the business or do you feel it is better to make your business look bigger and 'fake it till you make it?'

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I see othe LCOs with broken equipment and stuff loaded on the trailer. I find my truck burns the gas faster when my trailer is fully loaded. so no I dont fake it. Maybe I should fake it

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I see othe LCOs with broken equipment and stuff loaded on the trailer.

Really? So they will load their trailers up with equipment that doesn't work, to make it look like they have a lot of equipment?

That is very interesting!

yea realy just one guy i see all over the city with three trimers and blowers but only one works.
the stuff even looks broken,
I guess he falls into the lowballer catagory.
I told my wife I would take a picture to show you guys but I never have the camera.

[musician/lawnman]

I didn't find much resistance telling people that we were a new company when we started though I also explained that I worked for my father in the same business for years & years so experiance was not an issue.
I do find now that people seem even more receptive to an established company & I can instantly make them feel at ease that we will do what we promise & do it right the 1st time.

I suggest to new owners not that you lie to customers but get the tools that help you appear more established than you are. Get uniform shirts, have your truck or trailer lettered or wrapped rather that stick on magnets, have your stationary done well. We now have our proposals, estimates, contracts, envelopes, fax cover sheets, flyers, & of course business cards all with the same lettering & logos. Gives off the "we have it together" vibe with out saying a word. I've had customers tell me they've hired me even at a higher price due to my proffesionalism. Another liked that my trailer was all done up & it was obvious it wasn't being used for some other trade last month. My web site is now helping to win over new customers every week. This can be any size business you want to make it, but it takes planning & some investment in your business to grow it quickly. 11 months ago I was considering buying an existing business for $60,000. I decided I could do this on my own from scratch. At this rate buy the time I hit 12 months running, I belive my business has better equipment & a more steady rate of income than it had. This year (2008) I should exceed the gross invoices & profit that they were running after 12 years in business.
If you do a good job, you don't need to fake it.

[comanche]

the first impression when you pull in the driveway says alot about you so just be professional and polite and confident and the new clients will see that .