The phone rang. Now what?

Published about 2 months ago • 1 min read

Most lawn jobs are won or lost in the first two minutes of the phone call.
Before you've even seen the lawn.

Here's how I handle a new lead.

Answer fast.
I wear a headset and pick up within three rings.
I smile before I say hello.
It sounds silly, but they can hear it in your voice.

Don't put anyone on hold.
If a second call comes in, let it ring.
Call back when you're done and say, "Sorry, I was on the other line."

Ask one question first: regular or one-off?
If I'm fully booked, I turn down one-offs.
If I'll take one, I give them my minimum charge up front.
Get them to laugh if you can; it builds rapport and can make them like you more.

Then get the details.

Full name. I tell them I'm a terrible speller but a great lawnmower. It usually gets a laugh.
Phone number.
Address. I check it on Google Maps while we're still talking. (if you can)
Do they have dogs?
Where did you find my number?

That last one matters most.
It's how you find out which marketing is actually working.

Watch for two kinds of caller.
The one fishing for free advice and the one who spends the call ranting about their last lawn guy.
I politely pass on both.

One-off jobs get paid up front.
I text them my account details.
Nearly every genuine customer is fine with it.
The ones who argue are usually the ones who wouldn't have paid.

If you ask questions and keep them on the phone for a while, then tell them exactly when you will turn up, they feel it was sorted.
They are also less likely to keep calling.
You want them to expect you and to stop ringing around.

Then think like a tow truck driver.
Get there as soon as you can, quote it, mow it on the spot if you can, and book the next cut before you leave.

All of that only works if the phone rings in the first place.

That's what my free Skool group is for.
I give away a free website in there every month, and a new draw starts as soon as the last one finishes.
The templates and training are in there too.

Enter this month's free website draw.

Until next time, get out there, mow lawns, and have fun
Stuart
Lawnmowing101

Read more from Hi and Welcome to my page

A $100,000 afternoon, and he had no insurance

A friend of mine, back in the 80s, jacked a car up on a sloped yard. It rolled and hit other parked cars. The repair bill came to $100,000. He had no insurance and it bankrupted him. I bought public liability insurance the very next day and I've carried it every year since. That's why "get insured" is one of the jobs in week one of starting a lawn business, not a someday task you get to once you're busy. A mower breaking a window, a trimmer throwing a rock through a car, a slip on a wet path,...

8 days ago • 1 min read

Two red flags before you've seen the lawn

Here's the first question I ask on every new lawn call."Were you looking for a price on a one-off or a regular visit?" The answer sets the price.It also tells you a lot about the customer. I know a contractor whose quotes went nowhere.He wasn't asking questions on the phone. Here are two red flags I listen for before I've even seen the lawn. The sudden change of heart.You give the one-off price.Straight away they say, "Actually, make it regular."Often that's not a regular customer.That's...

12 days ago • 1 min read

Three small lawns beat one big one

I used to think bigger was better.I bought ride-ons and self-propelled mowers and ran five trucks with staff. Then I did the math.To step away from the business and still match my income, I'd need over 1,000 lawns.I was just under halfway there. And the ride-ons broke down all the time, often halfway through a job. So I downsized.I kept my best 100 lawns and let the rest go.Turnover dropped by half.My workweek fell to under 20 hours.My take-home pay stayed about the same. Here's why small...

18 days ago • 1 min read