6 Tips to Succeed in Lawn care and Landscaping Business

If you enjoy the outdoors and working for yourself, one of the great choices you can make is starting a landscaping business. It is a lucrative industry that replenishes its demand without any effort on your part. Many homeowners do not have the free time, expertise or energy to take care of their lawns themselves. Landscaping does not only encompass mowing, weeding, fertilization and garden hoses, but also some advanced activities. Activities such as advanced installations and planting are usually out of the scope of the average person. This market gap is where you can come in and for a business in the gardening industry. Let us the most important things about starting a gardening business.

1.      Have a plan

Before any business investment, you need to have a solid plan. A blueprint that outlines your responsibilities and competitive advantages are instrumental if you wish to succeed. Just because there is a high demand for gardening services does not mean the market is wide open for you. Consider it a pirate’s map towards success and profit. Hopefully, your business will prosper over time. This inevitably will result in higher complexity of your enterprise. It is also something that you will need to take into account when making the initial plan. Your business will require increasing investments from you. Whether it be time, effort, energy or money, allocate these accordingly. The plan itself is not supposed to be complicated. It should be easy to follow and understand. A solid business plan is one that is founded on experience, yours or someone else’s.

2.      Layout your responsibilities

You need to understand what your future clients will expect of you. The better you perform in your duties, the more satisfied your customers will be. This will result in a higher referral rate and a much more favourable future prospect. There is a range of services that you can offer. Note that you may choose to specialize in some and not offer everything the sun. Landscaping and gardening is pretty much a must. Where it gets a bit more complicated is with pest control and landscape designing. Maintenance, irrigation and seasonal touch-ups are also highly personal requests that require plenty of forethought and expertise. The choice is yours on what your company will offer. Whatever you feel comfortable choosing, make sure that you are doing the best job out there.

3.      Price positioning

For your company to get hired for a job, customers will want price estimates. Now, this is where a bit of marketing and market positioning know-how comes in very handy. You will need to gauge the level of your skills and the added value you bring with your services. The quality and speed with which you will finish the job will dictate customer satisfaction. Also, it will determine how much you will be able to charge for your efforts. Make sure to take into account all of your materials such as hand tools, power tools, garden hoses, labour, equipment and overhead when estimating your prices.

4.      Marketing

Speaking of marketing, it is something that will become increasingly important in the future. The landscaping industry is in increasingly high demand. Many will jump at the opportunity to get a piece of the action. You need to be able to position yourself in some way above the competition. You need to let people know why you are better than the rest. Marketing is a set of tools you use to attract new and keep existing customers. Around three-quarters of the landscaping jobs is from repeat customers. Much like planning your business model, marketing requires careful and deliberate planning. You can make your own efforts or hire a small marketing agency to do the work for you. It all depends on your available budget and time. Define what makes you stand out from the competition and make sure people know that.

5.      The right tools

There is no trait without the proper tools. Especially in a very physical industry such as gardening and landscaping. Tools wear out, they break and require maintenance. All of this costs money and downtime. It is a big investment that will impact your balance significantly. Because of that, it is important to prioritise quality over affordable price. Quality products are reliable and last longer. Inexpensive equipment may be a good deal, but you never know what to expect. Also, jobs take longer and are more energy consuming with low-quality tools. Make a habit to only acquire quality tools as they will pay off their price premiums over time. A garden hose that does not leak, shovels that do not break, and fertilizers from reputable sources are a must.

6.      Safety, regulations and licenses

There is a reason “safety first” is more than a catchphrase. In this business, you will have a lot of contact with equipment that can cut or crush a limb. Therefore, it is particularly important to set up and enforce proper safety protocols. Inform yourself about the rules and regulations that are imposed by jurisdiction. To be a landscaper, you need proper licenses. Otherwise, you will not be permitted to enter the industry. Depending on where you are located, these can be different. Therefore, a part of your research into forming a company should include licenses. It is better to be safe than sorry. Know exactly what the rules are so that you can comply with those in the most economically viable way possible.

As with any business, you need to be on top of your game. Keep learning. Keep researching. Only then, will you be able to come out on top. Running any business is a serious commitment. Always be open to new ideas. Keep tabs on your local marketplace, but also the global. Subscribe to relevant articles, magazines and attend trade shows. There is a world full of information just waiting to be harnessed. Use these basic principles to make your customers and yourself as satisfied as possible.