How to Start a Lawn Maintenance Business

Successful lawn maintenance businesses maintain a large client roster that minimizes downtime and keeps revenue high. Whether you want to focus on residential clients or want to obtain business contracts, establishing a lawn maintenance business requires an effective marketing plan that targets a strong client base, purchasing quality equipment and formally establishing your business. Provide high quality lawn maintenance services, and you can grow your business organically by word of mouth advertising that sets your business on the path to long term success.

Things You'll Need

• Professional lawn mower
• Professional string trimmer
• Hedge trimmer
• Equipment trailer
• Property and liability insurance

Instructions

1. Research your area to determine the best location to concentrate your lawn care services. Determine what areas have high maintenance needs but fewer active lawn maintenance providers. Your goal is to find an area where you can service multiple houses or businesses at the same time to decrease travel between locations and increase the number of customers you can service in the same day.

2. Decide what types of clients you want to service. You can focus on residential clients, business owners, large residential properties, planned communities or large business sites like malls. Each concentration area has different methods of obtaining clients and different equipment needs, so determining your focus area is a critical decision. Obtaining business clients typically requires a bidding process and larger equipment. Residential or smaller locations usually require smaller equipment, and you can obtain clients through direct marketing efforts.

3. Purchase your equipment. Focus on equipment that is large enough to complete most of the jobs with as few turns as possible but that is small enough to maneuver around obstacles like trees and flowerbeds. Consider purchasing high quality used lawn care equipment to keep your costs low. You will also need a trailer to easily move your lawn equipment from job to job. Look for a trailer that you can easily organize for efficiency.

4. Formalize your business. Consider different tax options to limit your liability and personal finances in the event of an accident. Create a filing and accounting system that allows you to quickly process invoices, payments and outstanding bills. Obtain sufficient insurance to cover your equipment against loss and for any property damage or accidents.

5. Obtain clients for your business and start cutting. Distribute flyers, advertising your services in your targeted neighborhoods or start the bidding process with business clients. Focus on keeping most of your clients in clustered locations for greater exposure and decreased overhead from gas and driving expenses.

6. Offer additional services to keep a healthy revenue stream year round. Consider offering snow shoveling services, Christmas decoration services, sprinkler system services, lawn design and landscape lighting.

References

• How to Start a Lawn Care or Landscaping Service