Are you looking forward to a great year in 2015, or do you have business worries dragging you down? Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger if you tend toward the worry side of things. The following are concerns facing the lawncare business this year, and some thoughts on how to lessen the load, so you’ll feel like breaking out the champagne and celebrating with optimism this New Year’s Eve.
1. Stress
This is a big one. Life can get stressful when you work 60 or more hours a week, which is often the norm for a lawn care business owner. And the business has its own particular stressors given a successful season is dependent on the weather, something over which we have no control. An unusually rainy season can kill you. Other stresses, as you well know, include the difficulty of finding the right employees to hire and dealing with government policies and regulations that affect your business. But what to do about all this?
The first thing to do is to have a good business plan in place and retain your focus on offering quality services. That will give you confidence that will keep you strong and help you to handle the stress of the business.
And don’t forget to take care of yourself. A vacation with the family during the offseason, or even a long weekend away can clear your head, and you’ll get back to work with enthusiasm and fresh ideas. Then there are the things we always hear about ‑‑ exercise, eating healthy and regular sleep. We’ve all heard advice tips of this sort, but I’m here to tell you, I’ve been there done that, and I’ve found taking these simple steps really does work.
2. Fuel Prices
Fuel prices are down this year, but it’s impossible to predict where prices will head, making it difficult to budget. We can’t control the price of fuel, but a few ideas for getting fuel costs under control: next time you buy vehicles for your green industry business, consider vehicles with better gas mileage than your current vehicles. Watch for price breaks on fuel. There are often coupons or gas cards that can be used at particular stations for a discount on gas.
3. Competitors’ prices
This is a tough one. Lawn care is a business that’s easy for people to get into, and newcomers will often bid low to get customers. Small individual operations aren’t serious competitors for you, but their work can chip away at your business.
A solution for this one is to ensure you are offering something your competitors don’t provide. Figure out what makes your business unique and let your customers know what you have to offer. Customers often are willing to pay more for factors such as the quality of your work, the extra maintenance you provide and the knowledge you bring to conservation efforts.
Another opportunity is to expand your areas of expertise. Perhaps you specialize in exotic and native plants or patios and fountain features. A specialization can draw customers to you. Another opportunity is to diversify into new markets to grow your business. Perhaps you’ve been doing commercial work and could expand to include residential.
The main thing is to maintain your focus and provide quality service. Ask your customers for referrals. Your business will grow despite a few low-bidders in the market.
4. Customer knowledge
Often customers don’t have enough knowledge to make an informed decision when deciding whether or not to go ahead with a particular project. Their uncertainty can make life stressful for you and your team. So think of yourself as a teacher and educate customers on lawn care and green industry topics. Provide the information they need to make good decisions. For example, you can describe the advantages and disadvantages of using various grass seeds so the customer has the information needed to make a good decision based on what’s good for them as well as his/her pocketbook. It’s a good idea to provide white papers, fact sheets and brochures on various topics that will keep customers informed on lawn care topics.
5. Water conservation
Change is always stressful, and with awareness growing of the need to conserve water, the industry needs to keep abreast of trends, new technologies and regulations. If water restrictions affect your area of the country, knowing the regulations will reduce stress levels as you identify how to ensure you comply with the rules.
Even in areas where there are no water restrictions, customers have a growing awareness of the need to conserve water. This is an area where you need to educate yourself to ensure you can provide good advice and expert service.
For some great tips to keep your business growing during the offseason, download our latest eBook for free today!
