Tips for Growing Your Landscaping Business
Category: Equipment and Solutions
Landscaping can be the perfect occupation for anyone who loves working outdoors and enjoys taking care of lawns, gardens and shrubbery. But growing a landscaping business takes time, effort and careful planning. You also need the right equipment to work productively and efficiently.
Besides doing excellent work and treating customers well, the following landscaping business tips can help you expand your operation and reach your objectives.
Target a Specific Area
Knowing how to get more customers for a landscaping business can be challenging. Word-of-mouth advertising is crucial in this industry. Homeowners love getting compliments about their beautiful lawns and are happy to tell others about their landscaping company. By focusing your operations on one neighborhood, you’ll allow the news about the quality of your services to spread quickly and generate even more leads. You’ll spend less time on marketing and more on making money.
You can take your word-of-mouth advertising efforts to a higher level by starting a referral program. Offer incentives like a reduced cost on landscaping services or a gift card to a fine restaurant to customers who recommend your services to neighbors, friends and family. You can also ask them to write favorable reviews on Angi and similar sites.
Use the Web
These days, even small businesses need a strong internet presence to attract more customers. A professionally designed website creates a favorable first impression and allows potential customers to learn more about your business and services. Your site should also include a frequently updated blog offering helpful landscaping advice and other useful information to position yourself as an expert. Place your web address everywhere, including on clothing and uniforms, the sides of your vehicles, business cards, and all advertising and marketing resources.
Tighten Scheduling
As you start landing more jobs, you may have difficulty fitting them into your schedule. You could begin losing track of your work and showing up late for appointments, causing you to lose customers. A scheduling software package can deliver an excellent return on investment by allowing you to plan your workdays more efficiently and prevent stressful scrambling.
Expand Your Staff
As your business expands, you’ll also need to hire more staff to help you meet the demand. Besides adding more people for mowing, mulching and other general landscaping work, you may also need specialized talent in other areas. An estimator can remove some of your burdens by visiting potential customers to assess jobs and discuss pricing. A licensed chemical applicator can take care of fertilization and pest control. Extra office personnel can help with administrative duties.
Raise Your Rates
You’ll have difficulty growing a landscaping business if you don’t boost your prices periodically. Increases are essential to cover your expanding costs and reach your income objectives. Your most loyal customers will likely understand — they’ll probably have a hard time thinking of other businesses they deal with that maintain the same pricing structure year after year. And if you do quality work and deliver exceptional service, it can justify the raise.
Keep Busy in Winter
If you operate your business in a cold-weather climate, you don’t have to put your equipment and tools away and sit on the couch all winter. Many landscaping companies make a seamless transition to snow removal. This service is an excellent way to generate an additional income stream and maintain a lucrative year-round relationship with your customers. And many of the machines you use for landscaping also work for getting rid of snow — you’ll just need to make a few quick attachment switches.
What Equipment Do You Need for Landscaping?
Speaking of equipment, you’ll find many compact machines that will boost your productivity and deliver better results for your customers. Mini excavators, compact track loaders and skid steers all have a small footprint and offer the maximum maneuverability required when working in confined spaces. You can also use them to perform specific job site tasks by equipping them with attachments like brushcutters, flail mowers, rakes, mulchers, and snow push accessories.
NMC Cat Can Meet All Your Landscaping Equipment Needs
If you’re building a landscaping business in Nebraska or Pottawattamie County, Iowa, NMC Cat can help. We carry an extensive lineup of Cat® compact machines and attachments that will help you get the job done.
Because of the industry’s seasonal nature, renting could provide a more convenient, cost-effective solution for your operation when you need new equipment. NMC The Cat Rental Store can provide affordable Cat rentals that fit your business plan — and your budget.
Contact us today to explore our landscaping equipment offerings.
