When I started my first lawn care business almost 20 years ago, finding customers meant a lot of knocking on doors with a smile and a firm handshake. Now, technology has largely replaced shoe leather and door knocking. In this article I’ll show you 10 ways to grow your business fast.
Many of these tips I’ve used to expand my lawn care business, and they can help you, too.
1. Have a Plan
First things first, figure out what you’re hoping to accomplish with your lawn care business. Rushing into any business without a plan can end up costing you in the long run.
Ask yourself “What are my goals?” and have a solid idea of why you are starting your lawn care business. Some questions you might ask yourself are:
- Am I looking for a second income? Extra income?
- Do I have the ability to work “full time” (over 40 hours)?
- Is my goal to manage a team and push rapid growth?
- Am I prepared to manage taxes, invoicing, marketing, and sales?
Spend some time researching the lawn care industry and figure out what separates you from the competition. Why would someone choose your lawn care business over the dozens of other lawn care companies in your area?
Think about how your business can make your community, town, or city … heck, the PLANET a better place, and TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT! Create a mission to define who you are and why you are starting your business.
You might think this step is a waste of time or find it challenging to integrate into your business plan. Try thinking about it practically: Every time you make a decision, you can reflect on your mission statement. Ask yourself, “Is this decision in line with the mission?”
2. Who is Your Ideal Customer?
One of the great things about owning your own business is getting to decide who you work with and for. Determining your target customer is one of the most important parts of your business plan.
Do you want to mow, trim, and edge lawns at commercial properties, or do you plan to focus on residential homes in your neighborhood?
Are you considering starting a franchise to service a larger area?
Be as specific as possible when you pick your ideal customer and you will eventually find your niche. Ask yourself:
- Do you plan to establish a customer base with low prices?
- Do you want to charge more for full service lawn care to customers who prioritize lawn care more?
Answering these questions is exactly how you find your target market.
3. What Equipment to Buy
I don’t care how long you have been in lawn care, there are few things more exciting than Equipment Shopping Day! You have been patient and diligent with your business plan, and now it’s time for the fun part.
Once the kid-in-a-candy-store feeling goes away, it’s time to ask yourself some serious questions before you sign a blank check to the local equipment dealer.
First off, think about your goals and the types of services you would like to provide. You want to purchase equipment that will help get lawn care jobs done quickly, professionally, and requires very little maintenance.
In other words, you want to tackle as many jobs as possible, provide quality service, and limit the amount of money and time you spend on repairs.
What you need (essentials):
- Lawn mower – Pros prefer commercial-grade push mowers for smaller yards and stand/ride-on mowers for anything over ¼ acre (There are really nice battery-powered models that comply with California regulations).
- String trimmers – Keep in mind that more power usually means more weight so try to find your comfortable balance (also, get a cheap backup as soon as possible).
- Edgers – Get something inexpensive OR consider purchasing a combination unit with edger, hedge trimmer, and pruning saw attachment when you expand your services.
- Leaf blowers – Again, power usually adds weight. There are several inexpensive and lightweight backpack units available at any big-box store (a small, cheap backup will be useful ASAP).
- Gas tanks to fill equipment and mowers – Keep at least 2 containers handy: one with 2-cycle mix and another one with regular unleaded.
- Truck and/or trailer – Consider a truck-ramp rig if you plan to mostly do maintenance. This will save you some money on insurance and allow for quick access to equipment on the job.
What you need (extras):
- Trash can – You will be amazed at how often an empty trash can will find ways to get full and you will thank me for the recommendation.
- Trimmer rack – Securely holds 2-3 weed trimmers or stick edgers for easy access.
- Miscellaneous equipment – Shovels (flathead and spade), rake, batteries and chargers for electric equipment (and lots of them), large spools of weed trimmer line, tools to maintain equipment (socket wrenches, blade sharpeners, screwdrivers, etc…)
- Ear/eye protection – Safety first, gang!
If you want to get the best equipment, consult fellow lawn care pros, chat with various equipment dealers, and use the internet to get a feel for the best mowers, edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and trailers.
4. Pound the Pavement
We talked earlier about the strategy of getting out in your community with a smile and a firm handshake as the most tried and true method of attracting customers. This approach has stood the test of time because it gives you a chance to engage with potential customers in your element.
That said, using technology (social media, websites, customer relationship management or CRM software, etc…) can give you a huge advantage over your competition.
We’ll talk more about social media later, but with regard to hitting the streets and engaging with customers in person, keep a few things in mind:
- Come off as professional as possible
- Logos and branding on attire are ideal (ex: cap or polo-style shirt with your company name)
- Pass out door hangers after every job – this will help build route density
- Make sure you do good work and your jobs will advertise themselves (neighbors talk – and word of mouth really works)
- Limit your work radius to jobs within a few minutes drive of each other
5. Know Your Numbers
If you’re a fossil like me, you might remember the ‘90s classic, Myth Busters. To quote the hosts, “It’s all just goofing around unless you take notes…” and the same is true with your business to a certain respect.
Without metrics, your business just won’t be as efficient or profitable as it could be.
I recommend that you invest in field service software. What is field service software, you ask? It’s what enables you to keep an eye on prospect and client information, schedule jobs quickly, collect and transmit data, and automate billings.
Using all of this information will allow you to adapt and adjust your business so it can grow.
Salesforce is an excellent program that can help you keep track of your growing customer base and potential leads. This program works particularly well if your target audience is corporations.
And LawnStarter makes starting and growing a lawn care business easy with our own free software which finds jobs near you so you save time and gas. LawnStarter also handles scheduling, billing and accounting.
LawnStarter’s free software for pros has been a huge help for me, but don’t forget to take door hangers with you!
6. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
When you start a lawn care business, there’s probably only going to be one person running everything, and that’s you. As time goes on and your business expands, the responsibilities will increase as well.
So, to spare yourself the high blood pressure and hair loss, you need to find and build a team you can rely on. It’s up to you if you want to hire a part-time employee or a full-time employee. Just remember that who you hire can have significant consequences, so make sure to run a background check.
7. Offer Incentives for Referrals
One of the best ways to grow your business is word-of-mouth referrals. Why not offer incentives to your customers to be your sales team and advocates? This is one of the best ways to boost business.
For example, you can hold a contest for current customers to see who can give you the most referrals. In return, you can offer a prize like 50% off all lawn maintenance or one month free.
Along with the grand prize, try adding something with your company’s name on it, like a calendar or pens. It’s a win-win on both accounts: You get business, and your customers get quality service.
Additionally, try to build relationships with businesses you share similar markets with. Tree trimmers, landscapers/hardscapers, roofers, contractors, and irrigation companies can all be candidates to establish mutually beneficial referral partnerships with.
Get out there and talk with your peers whenever you can!
8. Use Social Media
When businesses are starting out, they don’t have a big enough budget to compete on corporate levels. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t improvise, and that’s what social media is for.
Although you can use social media to promote your business for free, you won’t gain as much attention. Now, paid social media is an entirely different story, but it’s not always the answer.
Here are a few social media platforms that can pique interest in your lawn care business and convert leads into customers:
Even though Facebook has a lot of traffic, spreading the word about your lawn cutting business is much easier said than done. Fewer people see notifications from their favorite companies they follow.
Luckily, your business won’t fade into the shadows with the help of Facebook ads. Paying for Facebook advertising lets people who are already followers see you more often. Also, it will help you reach out to new customers.
It’s worth mentioning that you should pay for Facebook ads only if it’s in your budget. Do not waste money on ads if you don’t have a clear understanding of how to use them. Take the time to learn how to target your audience on Facebook before promoting your business effectively.
X
X (formerly Twitter) is where you can grow your business through engagement.
For example, you can follow other companies and start a conversation. The key is to raise awareness of who you are and what you care about.
If you already have an X account, you can use that or make one specifically for your business. Since we’re talking about opening a lawn cutting business, there’s plenty you can do. For starters, you want to position yourself as an expert in lawn care.
Try some of the strategies below to gain a presence on X for your business:
- Frequently post updates and weekly deals
- Show off before and after pictures of each job
- Announce contests for special deals
- Offer tips and tricks for keeping your lawn pristine
YouTube
There’s almost nothing you can’t find on YouTube. From makeup tutorials to how to change a tire, YouTube is the best platform to gain some serious exposure. Even if you’re just starting your business, you can still create short snippets of informative video about lawn care.
If your niche is keeping lawns lush, create a video about how to keep your grass green. If planting trees and shrubs is more your speed, a short video about which types thrive the best is sure to please.
Google Ads
Facebook and X are excellent platforms for engaging with customers, but Google Ads can work wonders. By creating geo-specific ads, you can target specific areas near you to promote your lawn care business.
Also, you can also use Google Trends to search for particular terms your target audience members are using in their search queries.
SEO
In addition to the above-mentioned marketing strategies, you should implement SEO strategies in your website content. By creating high-ranking copy, your website is more likely to come up on the first-page search results on Google and Bing.
The best way to rank high is to research lawn care industry-specific keywords and then write copy that you can link to other reputable sources. This can include blog posts, headers in your website, and even on your landing page.
The main focus should be getting more traffic to your site to boost awareness.
9. Interact with Your Customers
One of the best ways to retain your customers is … surprise, communicating with them! Remind your customers why they hired you in the first place and always try to add a little more value with each conversation. To make sure you are accessible and approachable, ask yourself:
- Is there someone else answering the phone calls?
- Are you checking to see if there are any potential customers?
- How good are you at keeping the communication lines open?
You can also go above and beyond for your customers. Here’s how:
- Set expectations for arrival times
- Confirm job completions with your customers
- Recommend additional services upon completion
Not only will being active with your customers give you a good reputation, but this also separates you further from other lawn cutting businesses in your area.
10. Offer Off-Season Services
Sure it’s great that you’re free to maintain your customers’ lawns during spring and summer, but what about fall and winter? One of the best ways to attract customers is to offer year-round services.
Think of what you can do during the fall and winter when people are more inclined to neglect their yards. From planting next spring’s bulbs and raking leaves, to shoveling snow, there’s a lot of opportunity for growth and expansion. Hanging holiday lights is another popular off-season lawn care service.
Get Started and Keep Growing
Regardless of what direction you decide to take your lawn care business, these are exciting times. Becoming your own boss is tough, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible or can’t be fun. Start with your business plan, once that is solid, take the next step.
Some of the best advice I ever received on how to overcome seemingly insurmountable problems was to tackle it in small chunks: “The best way to eat a tough steak is one small bite at a time.”
Consider the 10 ways to grow your business fast listed above to be a checklist. Take a small bite out of the checklist from time to time. The tough task of starting a lawn care business will be made easier when tackled in small chunks.
Good luck and merry mowing!
Main Photo Credit: lovelyday12 / Canva Pro / License
