How to Start a Lawn Care Service Without Any Money
There is a lot of money to be made in the lawn care business. From individuals who want their homes nicely manicured to business that need to make sure their grounds look refined, there is plenty of opportunity to find clients. One of the best parts of having a lawn care business is you really don't have to have any money to get started.
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Instructions
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Get lawn care equipment. The challenge of getting lawn care equipment without money is the major hurdle that you have to overcome before going to work. However, there are several places where you may be able to score tools. First off you could borrow a lawn mower and garden tools from friends and family. You also could look for free listings on community websites, like Craigslist, or you could take a ride to the local junk yard. You may be able to barter for a working machine, or you may find a machine for free that needs fixing. Scrounge around for the parts and fix up the lawn equipment on your own, if you can. As a last resort, you could go to a hardware store and apply for a "no money down" purchase of a lawn mower and garden supplies. Of course, you'd have to pay for the items at a later date.
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Set your rates. When first starting the business you are going to want to offer competitive rates. Call around to other lawn care businesses and see how they charge their customers. Try to undercut their rates so that you can be an attractive option in the lawn care marketplace.
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Advertise your business. The great part about advertising, is that it doesn't have to cost any money. Create an email that is sent to every acquaintance you may have, post on community message boards, pass along the message by word of mouth as you interact with people. Tell everybody who will listen that you are ready to be their one-stop shop for lawn care.
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Ask your clients to purchase supplies and equipment---such as mulch, seedlings and sprinkler systems---ahead of time or give you the cash to purchase the items up front so you can complete the job. If they give you the cash ahead of time, just be sure to give them receipts and their leftover materials.
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Impress your clients with your superior work. In the lawn care business, there is always another company to call. Be sure that you listen to the requests of your customers and go above and beyond what they are requesting as you provide lawn care. If you build a solid reputation, more and more clients will start to come your way. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising you can get, and it doesn't cost a thing.
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Tips & Warnings
After you've made a little money, consider applying for a business license. Many states, cities and towns require that a lawn business have a business license. It's probably wise to invest the first money you make into a license so that you are legally allowed to operate your business.
Decide if you want to incorporate. As you build your business and want to hire additional workers, you will want to consider incorporating in the state where you operate your business. Incorporating will give benefits such as limited liability
After money you make some money, purchase insurance for the business that will cover the liability of an injury to you or an injury you accidentally cause.
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- Photo Credit gazon image by Claudio Calcagno from Fotolia.com
