Whether you're a landscape, irrigation or lawn maintenance business, the green industry can be a tough one in terms of profit. It would seem that the main focus of 2015 is going to be increasing profit. Without raising prices, which we all know isn't the easiest or smoothest route to take, increasing profit is somewhat of a mystery. Well fear not! We are here to help you increase your profits this year. Here are 5 ways to do so:
1. Update or replace equipment
It's no secret that the equipment used in the green industry gets beat up pretty fast. If you're working hard, why shouldn't it? I think it's a good thing, it means you're getting a good amount of work done. It is important however to replace and update this equipment before it malfunctions. This can be as simple of having your machines checked monthly just to make sure nothing is wrong. By doing these periodic check-ups, you will be saving a huge embarrassment and headache that comes with a break down on a job.
2. Look into your marketing strategy
Marketing, in my opinion is completely underutilized in this industry. Who can blame us though? We work hard and sometimes marketing is just at the back of our minds. This is understandable but also is a huge mistake to make. Marketing is what fills the top of the funnel by which customers become customers. By filling that funnel, you will be increasing profit. Focus a bit more on marketing, even if it's just spending more time online curating and producing content or brainstorming simple local marketing tactics. Marketing your green industry business will be the best decision you've ever made. If you can, I would suggest dedicating a small budget specifically for marketing, but if you don't have the dough to do that yet, start small. The most important step is the first.
3. Utilize your off season
Utilizing your off season doesn't necessarily mean that you can't take a break. In fact, taking a break to regroup and relax will benefit your business' profit because you'll be ready for anything. That being said, don't forget about all the things you could do to work "on" the business when you're not working "in" the business. There are a multitude of things you can do during the off season to grow your green industry business. I would recommend starting with your core values and reevaluating whether you are sticking to them in every way. This includes; hiring, in-office communication and even the way you are treating your customers. The off season is the best time to do this because you won't be distracted with more pressing issues.
4. Prioritize and delegate
This one has been an issue for green industry business owners for a while now. I like to think it's because they are such hard workers. The truth is though, without knowing if and when to delegate and get things off your plate, you could end up falling behind on more important issues. Get your management team together and go over each task. Prioritize said tasks and then discuss which can be delegated out and to whom. Trust me when I say that some of those tasks will be done better by someone else.
5. Invest in field service software
The basic goal here is to increase profit without increasing your stress level. Luckily for you, software does both. By creating an electronic environment for all invoices, reports and schedules, your team will be free to potentially do more in a day and do it more efficiently. Saving you time and money. It would do you good to research how field service software could benefit your business.
If you'd like some hiring tips, check out our free hiring guide eBook!
