Straight And To The Point, Or Roundabout Trimmer?

As stated previously, aside from the mower, the trimmer is the second most important piece of equipment needed for a mowing business.  This sometimes seemingly trivial extra performed by, say, a homeowner proves often to be an expected touch by the client.

Which may have lead to the question, "Is a straight-shaft trimmer more ideal than a curved one?"  For the entrepreneur, the short answer, "Yes, because it's more powerful."

A more technical response is that the straight trimmer allows for better torque (power) than that of the curved type.  As an analogy, imagine ringing out a wet towel with your hands.  If you're able to keep it taut, you will squeeze out more water faster than if you let it droop.   Similarly, the straight shaft allows  the trimmer's motor to twist the string more efficiently.

But for a quick-start into the business, the curved shaft is often the more affordable.

Good trimming!

Sprint or Mow - athon?

Some may contend that most anyone can 'do the grass', and that it doesn't take special skill.  As with most things in life, this depends on the context.  A typical homeowner might lug out the mower on occasion, as before Memorial Day, or periodically during the month.  Often they might assume a relaxed approach, committing the task to off hours on the weekend.  

But this can not be the approach as a lawncare entrepreneur.  For one, it's very easy to get started - all you need is essentially a mower and trimmer.  In fact, I once passed a man on a scooter, towing said equipment behind him!

This ease of entry means you have much more competition.  Therefore, the best of the pack will be the ones to win over customers.  So the lawncare entrepreneur should lean towards becoming a Sprinter.

Of course, quality is priority too, as poor work can translate into a lost customer.  But when you go out, you want to mentally clock yourself.  Better yet, note the time on your watch or phone before the cut, and aim for a certain time goal.

In truth, I have watched a crew come out on a mid-sized property (6000 square feet) and knock it out in under 3 minutes!  In perspective, a one-man enterprise may expect to finish a similar property in under 1/2 hour, give or take depending on equipment used.  Not bad.

Alice in Wonder - lawn

First, hi folks, thanks for stopping by in the 2012 season.  We're well into the spring, and I estimate things are flowing with you.

I got a bit of deja vu from a recent client.  As with a previous one, this client had an 'interesting' property.  Not for its size, nor for the height of the grass, or impressive landscape.  This particular client has the BUSY LAWN!!

You know the types.  These are the ones not very large in area but loaded with accents, attempting to mimic an estate!  I.e., they are over-landscaped, in my humble opinion.

Measuring nearly 3300 square feet, including the house and garage, this property presents a literal obstacle course for the lawncare provider.  I first had to remove the solar powered lights that lined the entrance pathway.  (Mind you, the previous mowing company was accused of having damaged one of these, so the client stressed very careful handling of the 'precious merchandise').

Another minor hurdle was the larger, singular solar light near the towering evergreen.  It wasn't difficult to navigate around it as it was another object to avoid in the mowing path.

Along the side of the front porch was the slinky-shaped gutter drainpipe extension.  Without stopping to lift it to mow, you're left with a small but noticeable amount of unsightly grass.

Last but definitely not least, comes the back yard.  Again, not a terribly large lot, but busy with a patio under construction, central tree with swing along a top branch, another two person adult swing, wheel barrow (temporarily placed, but still an obstacle!), and a mini kid's bridge of a sort.

I could continue but I think you get the picture.  The tip is this: think twice before you commit to a busy lawn.

Get a Handle on Routine Blues

Perhaps it's me or maybe it's common, but I notice how the lawncare business can get a bit humdrum even when it's profitable. This is not to say I have lost the knack for lawncare. I merely assert how the routine can become...well, routine.

If you are thinking about entering the business or run one now, what might you suggest? One action I take is visiting a local big box store, eying that commercial mower I want to buy in the future. It's one thing to have a vision for something, and another to see and touch that equipment in life-size.

Another way to handle boredom is to share some of the problems you've had and overcame during the season. This is likely the best way to past down-time, because in the course of helping other aspiring entrepreneurs, you simply get a good, rewarding feeling in return. Yeah, it's a tad corny, but they say vegetables are good for us. Eat up!

Tracking for More Customers

You hear about the importance of getting referrals to grow your customer base. This is true, but sometimes you might be surprised why you gain them.

One recent referral came not from a customer but a non-responder who got a flyer. They knew someone - now a regular customer - who was troubled by their previous lawncare provider. This customer had two main complaints of them. One, they had become short, and rude. Two - and this was insightful - they LEFT TRACKS on the lawn! That is, the tires from apparently their commercial mower left unsightly impressions. 

To be fair, as an entrepreneur I feel this may merely be a picky customer, as I have never heard that complaint before. However, it has worked in my behalf, using a 21" mower with tires 1/3 the width.  Push mower beats Scag®?!

They are apparently happy with my work,  now a weekly routine.  Plus, they have insisted on a higher payment than my solicited rate (to match that previous company's charge!)   The point here is this: we have be attentive to our customers, and not assume they will settle. Had they substituted a smaller mower exclusively for this lawn, they might have maintained the relationship.

Cost-busting by Clustering

I have been in the lawn-care business for a few seasons now, the current being the most educational, as far as making substantive income.  One thing I've found to be very, very important is this:  you have to cluster schedule if you want to eke out a decent profit.

The start of spring is that magical period where you get a windfall of interested customers. If you're done the advertising right, the phone will ring at least once-a-day, and this is just with flyer/door hanger promotion.

However, as you move into the meat of the season, you begin to notice how customers want slightly different terms with their individual service, usually a matter of frequency of the mowing routine. Many request a bi-weekly schedule, while a some - the most profitable - want it performed weekly. The challenge here is not staying on a rigid schedule, for most customers don't mind it off a day or two. THE challenge is timely arranging those nearest to each other to finish the largest CLUSTERS of customers at one time. Otherwise, you're driving across creation for a single person. From their
standpoint, they may feel special, but from a business standpoint, that is income suicide.

Good mowing!