Mistakes?

[LawnBoy8]

What are some of the most common or biggest mistakes that are made among young businesses in the lawn care field? Either ones that you yourself have personally experienced or ones that you have heard of?

 

[Ric]

What are some of the most common or biggest mistakes that are made among young businesses in the lawn care field? Either ones that you yourself have personally experienced or ones that you have heard of?

One of the biggest mistakes made by people starting a Lawn-care business is not dealing with the reality of what it is. They think they can get rich quick, make all kinds of profit. They think all I need is a lawn mower a trimmer etc.etc. Not even close.

Even a small business venture must be clear cut and well defined, First a license then insurance and how about a marketing strategy and equipment cost.

The next thing people over look is the competition. Underestimating your competition is the second and most common mistake the new guy on the block makes.
Find out the going rate in the area, remember you have to compete with the big outfits as well as the kid down the street, price wise as well as what services are being offered.

Another thing to look at is equipment, check out the competition and see what's being used. Remember in the Lawncare business time and the quality of your work is money. Equipment alone can cost you thousands of dollars.

 

[jekjr]

What are some of the most common or biggest mistakes that are made among young businesses in the lawn care field? Either ones that you yourself have personally experienced or ones that you have heard of?

Living in the south and looking around me I saw leaves everywhere. I decided that I would purchase a leaf mulching system and install it on my Kubota ZG222. I figured that I would have more work than I could do.

I was very disappointed at the amount of work I have been able to get grinding leaves.

It does an incredible job but there have been very few takers. Either people just cut them up with the lawn mower without the mulcher or they want them raked for what ever reason or they just leave them alone.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

One thing some businesses do when starting out is they charge too little. The business with the cheapest prices isn't always the one the customer is going to choose. Focus on quality! :smile:

 

[jekjr]

One of the biggest mistakes made by people starting a Lawn-care business is not dealing with the reality of what it is. They think they can get rich quick, make all kinds of profit. They think all I need is a lawn mower a trimmer etc.etc. Not even close.

Even a small business venture must be clear cut and well defined, First a license then insurance and how about a marketing strategy and equipment cost.

The next thing people over look is the competition. Underestimating your competition is the second and most common mistake the new guy on the block makes.
Find out the going rate in the area, remember you have to compete with the big outfits as well as the kid down the street, price wise as well as what services are being offered.

Another thing to look at is equipment, check out the competition and see what's being used. Remember in the Lawncare business time and the quality of your work is money. Equipment alone can cost you thousands of dollars.

I don't know if any of you use it or not but I have used Facebook very successfully for advertising as far as getting yards to cut. I started up my little business the first of August this past year and cut grass for over 20 people. All but a couple of those came through Facebook. I have not had much success with any type of marketing I used on mulching leaves however.