How can you take your lawn care business to the next level this year?
Happy New Year, Clippers! Dave Tucker here to ring in a new year. Now that we’ve sung “Auld Lang Syne” and smooched our sweethearts, it’s time to get down to business.
I’m sure we’ve all made New Year’s resolutions in the past, and there’s a reason for that. A new year is a clean slate, a mental reset. It’s a great time to try something new. And that’s just as true for your business as it is for yourself.
So let’s talk about how you can use that fresh-start feeling to add a little oomph to your lawn care business. Here are five ideas for New Year’s resolutions for lawn care business owners:
Get organized.
I don’t mean clean out the garage or arrange your socks by color. (Though be my guest if that’s your thing.) I’m talking about building ironclad systems to streamline your lawn care business. If you want to get rid of clutter and cut down on wasted time, organized systems are your new best friend.
In my mind, there are four types of systems that every lawn care business should have. And lucky you, I’ve written articles about all four of them for you! Which do you want to work on this year?
A final note about systems: When you have good systems in place, more of your business runs itself. And you’re free to take a more hands-off approach. You can’t put a price on that type of freedom. More on that later.
Lose weight.
Holiday weight who? I’m talking about low-value customers! CLIP, my lawn care business software, has a job costing tool you can use to track down your worst earners. Not familiar with job costing? Read this >
Your lawn care business is a business. You’ve got employees to pay, equipment to maintain, and life goals to fund. Let’s not mess around with unprofitable accounts. Use the job costing tool to trim the fat, and focus your energy on real earners.
Make new friends.
Does your lawn care business have a good marketing strategy in place? Let me tell you a secret: Marketing doesn’t have to be painful or complex to be effective. You just need to be consistent and get in front of the right people. In fact, I’ll tell you exactly how to do it.
There are lots of ways to market your lawn care business and maintain a steady stream of new customers. Obviously I love door hangers, but mailers work great too. You can also have fun with signs and logo apparel. And don’t forget the power of Google!
Reduce stress.
Did you ring in the new year feeling like you’ve bitten off a little more than you can chew? Maybe this is the year you get some help. You could hire:
- An accountant.
- An office manager.
- A right-hand leader.
- More crew leaders.
- More plain ol’ good workers.
Take a look at your current needs—and stresses!—and see where you could benefit from another set of hands. Then make a plan for bringing a new person on board. You might even aim to hire them before the spring busy season!
Plan for the future.
Here’s a question for you: Why did you start your own lawn care business? Are you really fired up about grass? Or were you looking for more control over your own time? More profit in your own pocket? More freedom to live the life you want?
If your goal was to liberate yourself from the rat race and forge your own path, you’re my kinda people. But here’s another question: Are you actually doing what you set out to do? Are you living the life you wanted?
Maybe this is your year to figure out how you’ll bring those dreams to life. What does that mean for you? More revenue? Better leaders, so you can take a step back?
Bottom line: You can resolve to make this year about maximizing your life outside of work. In fact, as a fan of beach management, I encourage it!
So tell me: What’s your New Year’s resolution for your lawn care business? Share in the comments! And if you’re looking for a tool to streamline your systems and earn more freedom, check out CLIP. We designed our lawn care business software for efficiency, ease, and stronger earnings. Take a look at all the features we offer >
Happy New Year, Clippers!
Dave