Hey y'all.

drola3 · #1 03-28-2009, 12:53 PM

My name is David. I am brand new to this forum. Actually, I'm brand new to the lawn care business as I have just started up my own company. I decided to start my business because of a 4 month layoff that I just went through. It was one of the most helpless feelings that I have ever felt. I'm pretty sure if any of you have gone through a layoff you can idetify with that. So I decided that I never again wanted to work my butt off for someone else, only to be laid off so the high brass could get their bonuses.

A few things about me: I live in a small town in south Alabama, I enjoy hunting,fishing,golf,weight lifting, and brazillian jiujitsu. Pretty typical southern boy hobbies I guess.

I just want to say that I have read some very informative things on this site, and I look foreward to interacting with y'all on this forum.

David

Steve · #2 03-29-2009, 10:18 PM

Lawn care business tips

Hi David,

Welcome to our forum!

What kinds of things are you doing to promote your business now?

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drola3 · #3 03-30-2009, 09:15 PM

Steve, right now I'm just doing the normal things: running ads in local newspapers, passing out business cards, I've ordered door magnets for my truck. Just things like that. I'm going to have flyers printed up also. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Steve · #4 03-31-2009, 11:18 AM

Are you a member of any social organizations you can network market through? Also have you been using craigslist at all?

drola3 · #5 03-31-2009, 05:16 PM

No, I'm not a member of any social organization. I haven't yet but I am going to run an ad on craigslist. What do you think of doing a special offer? I was thinking about offering to cut someones lawn for, say $15-20 one time only, just to see if that might drum up some business.

Steve · #6 03-31-2009, 08:30 PM

Sure you can experiment with that but I think some of the big things that sell lawn care service are being personable and being reliable. If you offer those two things, you are going to be set. You just gotta get the word out that you do offer those traits.

#7 03-31-2009, 09:44 PM

Hey everyone,

my name is Mike and I just joined the site and I already see some great 411... I like david started my business after being laid off from a pharma co. that I worked for 6yrs. its been 1year today since I left and I vowed to never go back to corporate america again and work for someone else!!!

I started my business officially August of last year in atl GA but was cutting 3 months prior just for extra cash. i since have gone ahead and decided to make it my Bread and butter. I've started out early this year and have already retained some old customers and picked up several new ones as well.

I just was asked to do a bid on a subdivision today. Cutting edging, blowing and weed trimming in the common areas. I definetly can handle this job but i have no clue how to price it and what i should request the pymt terms to be.

Any advice?

Steve · #8 04-01-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

I just was asked to do a bid on a subdivision today. Cutting edging, blowing and weed trimming in the common areas. I definetly can handle this job but i have no clue how to price it and what i should request the pymt terms to be.

Welcome to our forum!

Would you like to make a new post on this and give us some of the job details so we can help you?

drola3 · #9 04-01-2009, 03:33 PM

Yeah Steve I spoke with a couple of guys who have been in the business for a few years, and they said the same thing: being reliable is the key. I ran the idea of offering to cut someones lawn for 15-20 bucks by my wife, and she said hell no, lol. She said it could cause a lot of problems when I told the customer my real price.Which is a good point.

Steve · #10 04-01-2009, 04:06 PM

I think the first inclination we all have is to compete on price. But what happens when you do that is you don't stay in business long. Customers HATE having to find a new lawn care company every week because everyone is so unreliable. The reason they are unreliable is because they aren't taking their business seriously and charging enough to survive and grow.

You don't need to be the cheapest. Be the most reliable. Be there to help them and charge enough to live on and grow from.

Quote:

A few things about me: I live in a small town in south Alabama, I enjoy hunting,fishing,golf,weight lifting, and brazillian jiujitsu. Pretty typical southern boy hobbies I guess.

With all of these interests you must know a lot of people in the area that are into these things as well. Can you hand them out business cards?

Also, did you put together a website yet?

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