When you pick up a new client and the grass is knee-high... Do you charge an hourly "clean up" rate? Charge 2x or 3x your normal mow price? Or just charge the normal price to secure the client? I see a lot of guys undercharging for that first massive cut. And it's a mistake. How you price that first big job sets the tone for the entire customer relationship. Undercharge and you're starting off losing money. New lawn care guys are desperate to land clients. They see knee-high grass and think,...
2 days ago • 1 min read
As a lawn mowing business owner, you know that properly maintaining your equipment is crucial to running your business smoothly. By regularly servicing your lawnmowers, trimmers, and other equipment... You can avoid costly repairs down the road and keep your gear running like new. Not maintaining your equipment can lead to uneven cuts, breakdowns, and lawns that look messy. Simple things like sharpening your blades will make it much easier for something like a wet cut or a new lawn. Book time...
3 days ago • 1 min read
So you're thinking about starting your own lawn mowing business. Before you dive in and buy all the gear, let me review some pros and cons. The Pros: Be your own boss. This is probably the biggest pro of owning your own business. It's a great lifestyle business where you can set your own hours. Relatively low start-up costs. You'll need a lawn mower and some advertising to let people know you're in business. Easy to start on a shoestring budget. Regular income. Working and getting paid...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Whether you're starting or already running a lawn mowing business, you need to have a plan. This may seem like a daunting task, but I'm here to help. Here's a simple 9-step process for writing a winning business plan: Define your business and target market. Do your research by getting quotes from competitors and seeing what they do well (and what they don't). Set goals and objectives, like bringing on a couple of new customers a week. Write an outline of how you would like to operate your...
5 days ago • 1 min read
If you're looking to start your lawn mowing business, one of the biggest obstacles you'll face is getting started on a tight budget. Equipment cost is one of your most significant expenses. When it comes to choosing a lawnmower, it's tempting to go for the most expensive, heavy-duty commercial option. Don't. Buy top-end domestic mowers instead. And don't buy a vehicle unless you have to. Your personal car can get you started, and you can get a tow bar fitted and a trailer for less than the...
6 days ago • 1 min read
How do you get more customers for your lawn mowing business? Here's what we do. Figure out who your target market is and create targeted marketing messages that resonate with them. Our ideal customer is usually retired and lives in a densely populated area. We don't mention tree trimming, hedge cutting, or gardening in our ads because it's not the work we want. When I'm working with lawn mowing businesses... I aim to bring on at least two new customers a week. As your business grows, you can...
7 days ago • 1 min read
So you've just started your own lawn care business. You're mowing a few lawns here and there... And things are going well. Then, out of the blue, you get a call from someone who tells you that you need to be listed in their directory. They promise it will bring in tons of new customers and help your business grow. But is it worth it? Have you ever heard the saying "beware of strangers bearing gifts"? Perhaps they should have said "beware of directories too." These guys charge high fees for...
8 days ago • 1 min read
I've never done this before... Until today. I started woring with other lawn care businesses in 2018 ... And it's been a great way for us all to learn and share. If you've been following me for a while... You know I don't recommend many products. In fact... In all my time running Lawnmowing101, you may have noticed that I have NEVER recommended any specific lawn care software. I've always felt that most of them were either too complicated... or too expensive... Or just didn't understand what...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Subject Line: rubbish piles have a strange habit of growing overnight Body Copy: When you're starting out on your lawn mowing adventure... You'll do pretty much any job. In the early days, cash flow is king. You'd rather do something than nothing... So you end up accepting work you don't really want. I remember in the early days I did anything and everything. Rubbish removal was my biggest bugbear. I learned one thing the hard way: You need to photograph rubbish piles when you quote...
11 days ago • 1 min read