The landscaping business is quite lucrative and appealing, however, setting up one and maintaining it well isn’t a breeze. A lot goes into running a successful landscaping business and you must take care of numerous moving parts. You need in-depth knowledge and expertise to satisfy your biggest clients, affluent homeowners, and the process isn’t exactly straightforward. Here’s how you can start a successful landscaping company and build a solid business foundation.
Identify
your goals and mission statement
One often tends to overlook their goals and mission statement thinking these things are only for large enterprises. However, to be able to build a solid foundation, you need to set things straight first and foremost. Before anything else, pick a catchy name for your business. Next, identify your goals.
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Who will be your target customers?
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What will be your target neighborhoods?
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How many hours are you looking to work for?
● Do you plan on working yourself or looking to hire landscapers?
Once you have the logistics in place, focus on your business’s mission statement. Without a mission statement, you won’t have a target to strive for. When trying to set your company’s mission statement, opt to answer the following questions:
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What do you do exactly?
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What value are you bringing to your clients?
● How are you doing things differently?
Be aware of
all business expenses
Every business requires some investment before you can start conducting it. Further, you’ll also need to be aware of running business expenses so that you are not blindsided later on. This awareness will also help you put aside enough money to take care of all expenses. Some of the most common business expenses you must account for in a landscaping business are:
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Business license
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Professional
indemnity insurance for landscapers
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Business insurance
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A pickup truck
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Mowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers, and other small tools
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Toolbox for quick repairs
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Safety equipment such as gloves, boots, and goggles
● Fertilizers and pesticides
Invest in Professional
Indemnity Insurance
Before anything else, you must protect your business from
any unforeseen roadblocks. The landscaping business is such that you are at a
high risk of receiving damage claims from your clients. Whether it was your
fault or not, the slightest damage to your client’s lawns can invite heavy
legal fees. Should such unforeseen circumstances arise, Bizcover offers Professional Indemnity Insurance
for landscapers. It is highly probable to face legal claims regarding
breach of professional duty. Professional indemnity insurance for landscapers will cover your
legal fees as well as any damage payments that need to be carried out.
Estimate
your worth and establish prices
Depending on your expertise in the field and the number of clients you have, you must make an estimate of your worth and establish price points accordingly. Do not let your clients decide how much they wish to pay you. Establishing solid price points on your own is professional and lets your clients know that you are an expert.
Ensure that you do not quote a flat price irrespective of the client’s lawn size. Factor in the area and quote your prices accordingly. Another factor to consider when you are establishing your prices is the number of services you offer. Along with general mowing and trimming services, if you also plan on offering tree trimming, weeding, seeds installation or any other services, it is fair for you to quite a higher price than your competitors.
Manage your
finances well
One of the biggest issues with the landscaping business is running into financial trouble early on. To avoid this, keep a track of every penny that enters your cash flows and look out for all business expenses that you are taking care of. Identify unnecessary expenditures and find a way to reduce them.
Are you regularly spending money on fixing your tools and equipment? It might be time to invest in high-quality products to cut down regular repairs. Are you losing out on lucrative business opportunities because you don’t have the space to fit them in your schedule? It might be time to hire a crew of landscapers and put them on new projects. Are you in an area where it rains a lot and is not able to provide landscaping services daily? You might want to provide additional services such as cleaning and maintaining lawns after heavy rainfall.
Conclusion
When it comes to building a successful landscaping business, remember that it takes time, effort, and persistence. Build a solid crew only when you feel the need for it, work for repeated customers, and get excellent referrals. Moreover, protect your business using Professional indemnity insurance for landscapers and keep track of your cash flows regularly.
Sources:
[1] 2020, Landscaping Services in Australia - Market Research Report, Ibis World. Retrieved from: https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/landscaping-services/335/
[2] Professional Indemnity Insurance, AUS Dance. Retrieved from: https://ausdance.org.au/articles/details/what-is-professional-indemnity-insurance
[3] Allen Monique, 2017, 5 crucial actions when you start a successful landscaping business, TGC Academy. Retrieved from - https://www.thegardencontinuum.com/tgc-academy-blog/5-crucial-actions-when-you-start-a-successful-landscape-business
[4] Nevogt Dave, 2020, 6 Tips on How To Run a Successful Landscaping Business, Hubstaff. Retrieved from - https://blog.hubstaff.com/successful-landscaping-business/
[5] 2008, How to Start a Lawn Care or Landscaping Business, Entrepreneur. Retrieved from - https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/190462
[6] 2016, How to Start a Landscaping Business: Volume 1 -
Getting Started, Task Easy. Retrieved from - https://www.taskeasy.com/blog/recent-clippings/landscaping-biz-v1