Starting a lawn care business is about more than just being able to show up and mow a few lawns. There are a lot of things that go into owning a business and lawn care is no different in that aspect. You’ll have to consider what type of business you want to be, when or if you want to hire employees, and even what kinds of equipment you’ll need to buy.
If you’re considering starting a lawn care business you may have already considered a lot of these things. If you have a plan in place that’s great, but you should still be looking for tips from lawn care business owners who are already successful at what you’re trying to do. There are also lawn care business apps you can use to help you along the way.
Once you’ve thought about some of the more basic aspects of owning a business you might still have some questions left over. Here are five important tips you’ll need to know when you’re considering starting a lawn care business.
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1. Make Sure You’re Aware Of The Local Requirements
Any business you start is going to have to do some research about local ordinances and even state or federal laws about what you can and cannot do. Locally you may be limited on ways you can advertise or areas you’re allowed to offer your services in depending on your business type. If this isn’t something you’ve looked into yet you’ll need to do this as soon as possible.
You can even go to the length of talking with your chamber of commerce about how to get listed in directories, fees involved in being part of town events, and other local marketing options. Your lawn care business is going to be operating in your local area more than anywhere else. Make sure you’re aware of the rules and making connections with the right people to help you along.
2. Look Into Lawn Care Business Apps
You’re going to be spending a lot of your time on site with your clients. When you need to be able to bill on the fly, or even answer questions you might not know off the top of your head, your smartphone is your new best friend. There are apps to help with invoicing, managing which employee is where, helping to create estimates, and even apps to help identify plants.
Take a little stroll through the app store and see what’s going to help you be more productive. Place a special emphasis on the apps that you are going to be able to use to make your time onsite as productive as possible. The less you have to wait to do until your back in your office the better. And hey, if a weather app can alert you to unfavorable work conditions, that’s great too.
3. Think About The Details And Organization
The service you provide while you’re working on your client’s yard is the most important part of what you’re doing. However, there are a lot of steps in between getting the first call and starting to work on their law. Being prepared ahead of time for managing the details of things and how you’re going to keep them organized is a good way to set yourself up for success from day one.
There’s a lot of software out there focused on productivity and ways to stay organized. They can help you make lists and even create a workflow chart for you. You can use software to start a new task for a job, and as that job progresses from phone call, to estimate given, to onsite work done and so on, you can move it to different columns so you can easily see where things are.
Since you’re doing this as a business you’re likely to have more than one client. Using software that keeps things organized will help you be able to know at a glance what needs to get done, or even who hasn’t paid their bill yet. All of this will help you be more efficient and appear more professional to your clients. That’s a great asset to have.
4. Look At Your Area And Plan Effective Routes
If you’re going to be driving from job to job it’s good to know what the most efficient ways to get from place to place are in your area. This will become increasingly important as you gain more clients. Knowing your area well, spending time looking at local maps, and even looking for route planning apps in the app store can all be extremely helpful.
Remember that the less time you waste getting from job to job the more you’ll save on gas, and the more you’ll be able to do each day. Both of these things mean more money in your pocket and a bigger profit for your business. This might not be the most exciting part of getting ready for your lawn care business but you’ll be glad you spent time on it later down the road.
5. Consider Your Online Presence
It’s easy to think this might not matter if you’re running a business reliant on local customers but that’s a myth you shouldn’t buy into. There’s a lot to be said for having a great presence online for your lawn care business. This isn’t limited to just marketing attempts either. You can consider things like starting a blog about lawn care tips, or even a YouTube channel.
Your online presence as a content creator with blogs or videos gives you an additional revenue stream. Blogs and other content creation options give you a chance to build up a following outside of your local area. Since content online can be easily monetized you can use your expertise to build a following and bring in extra money to your business.
You can definitely also think about marketing online as part of this effort. There are a lot of options for advertising online that let you target specific demographics including people who live in a certain area. Although you’ll be spending a lot of time working locally, you shouldn’t discount the ways you can use the internet to help grow your business.
Conclusion:
Starting a business is a big undertaking but it’s definitely not impossible. The more you think about the tips you’ve read hear and take them to heart, the more likely you are to be successful. Remember that you can always seek advice from other people who have started a lawn care business and are now doing well. Once you feel you have everything in place, it’s time to get started. Enjoy the chance to be your own boss. Good luck!