If you open a small business mowing lawns, what is the best/most common way to contract your customers?
Posted: June 29, 2009 at 11:35 am
I've been thinking about opening a business mowing lawns in the summer and plowing snow in the winter now for the last 2 years now, except I've never actually worked in the industry. I was just wondering if anyone could give me any information about the way that these business owners contract their business. Do they get a year or two contract with each business or is it by the job? Also, in either of the two scenarios how much money would be considered going rate to their customers? Thanks in advance for the information.
The Discussion
see what everyone is saying
door hanger flyers
Well, you can put up flyers.
well it depends on the business and also how well do you do the job.
Ask them for their souls.
Find someone in the industry and ask for advice.
place small signs on lawns you've done (with customer consent) so that others can see it and know who to call
I'm confussed, you want to start this business but you have no expirence. Thats ok, but how old are you? If your serious about this than i would start slow and just get verbal agreements, charg each customer what ever you want based on how big their yard is. I used to chage 20 dollars to cut, edge, weed, and pick dog poo. But this was when i was 12-18 years old in junior high and school. And the yards wern't football fields or anything either.
usually it is job by job for residential customers, and contractual for business customers. fees depend on where you live and what the market will bear. usually residential customers will consider you their "lawn guy" or "snow guy" and out of loyalty only hire you. but the thing is that this is a free enterprise economy, and you do what you can as cheap as you can, and charge as much as people are willing to pay. the only way to find those 2 numbers is with experience. bad news though, if you want to be competitive in those industries begin by getting some illegal aliens to do work meant for a beast of burden, and giving them scraps. but you get to drive around in a really cool ford F-250 dooly yelling at the workers (who haven't eaten all day) to hurry up.
make up signs to post around town, in stores(that is, those that will let you), even go door to door, check with your neighbors as well as those make great first customers to build your business clientel, because if you do a great job, they'll be bragging to their friends who will take interest in what you do and want you to mow their yard, or shovel snow. it's all about advertising. take out an ad in the paper. shop around first though and see what other similar businesses charge and compete with their prices as well. offer a guarantee on the work you do, such as if you're not satisfied we'll do it over for free. so far as contracts or by the job goes, let the customer decide, if they opt for a contract cut them a deal for buying 3 months of work or 6 months, however long you want to offer your contracts for, tell them how much they'll save by signing a contract instead of paying by the job. hope this helps a little.
Try advertising in news papers or craigslist if a lot of people use it in your area. Start off with low rates like 12$ and hour for yardwork, and as you build a strong customer base you can increase that. Once you build something of an infrastructure and have some employees etc start and limited liability company. Then try going to places that require a lot of yard work, like an apartment complex or some stores and stuff and ask how much they pay for maintenece and offer them a lower rate just to get your foot in the door with a contract.