Radio Advertising Lawn Services

Ever use radio to advertise your Lawn Services? I have yet to do so myself. It can be a little pricey but there are many benefits. Small stations are local so you can hit your favorite audience (people close to you). This keeps you from having people 90 miles away call you for an estimate for a small job. Radio also builds name recognition. If a person hears your business name over and over it is like a friend is telling them about your business all the time. And when they need a service that you provide they are likely to call you first. check with your local radio broadcaster and see if you can even barter (exchange services for radio time). This can give you a feel for it before jumping in all the way. A great book to help with this method of marketing and much more is Guerrilla Marketing.

Late,
Shane

Using google adwords

One new way to advertise is using google adwords. You log into your google account and set it up. i advise you to read any tutorials , as it is complicated at first. You pay for clicks to your website which is as fair a way to pay as I can imagine. I have gotten some work from this method and am tweaking it every week.

Late
Shane

Gopherhaul

Great software for lawn service biz and great marketing ideas for you. Do a search for "gopherhaul on youtube.com
Gotta get some sleep.....we got some goo rain btw. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Late,
Shane

Bushhogging

Any of you all get calls for bush hogging? Or is it a steady service that you offer already? I get a few calls per year without ever mentioning it in my ads. I have thought about offering it for a while now. I could use a tractor for stuff around my house anyway. I could also let my grandfather use it for his garden every year. So it definitely would be worth the money. You also have to think about hauling it around though, which requires a good truck and a heavy duty trailer. Things I thought of that a tractor would be useful in: bush hogging, light grading, plowing gardens.

Late,
Shane

Finance or Pay Cash for Equipment

Cash or finance large equipment? This debate comes up often in the lawn service business. If you can pay cash I say great. If you can manage your money and get a good rate (sometimes even zero % financing) financing is great as well. It just depends on your personal preference and situation. Lots of people take out loans even if they have plenty of cash on hand. Using the bank's money to make more for yourself is fine, just make sure you do not get too far into debt. A friend of mine who is as good with money as anyone I know still buys things when they do the zero % financing for 1 years even though he could just as easily pay cash. He just prefers to do it that way.
If you do get a loan for a mower or other equipment try to pay it off faster than the loan is scheduled for to save some interest $$$ and you will feel good about doing so. Shop around for the best rate also. My first mower was financed through a local bank & I got a bad rate even though I have good credit. I just did not shop around. Sheffield Financial
is a great place and they specialize in mower financing as well as 4 wheelers and other equipment.
If you pay cash for your toys (i mean equipment :) ) everything is simpler. No payments to worry about or keep up with , etc. Either way you need to plan for your next purchase whether the plan is to add another mower or to replace the mower you are using. If you do not like to work on your stuff I suggest buying new every 2 to 3 years.

Late,
Shane

Fire Ants

I hate fire ants. No joke right. If ever a creature needed to be endangered those would be it. I have developed a keen sense of feel when it comes to ant mounds. I feel my feet step in some soft ground I immediately start stomping to get those things off my shoe before they get to the skin. I have found a good product for them. I use it on my own lawn and a few customers. It is guaranteed to work all year and it pretty much does. The weather has some effect on the ants also. I have to put some extra stuff on some mounds during the year but not many. The product is "Over & Out" and you can get it at Walmart & Home Depot. You can spread it with a spreader as it is in Granules. What products have you all used for fire ants or even other pests in your lawn service business?

Late,
Shane

Leaf Business

Most lawn service providers do some leaf removal in the Fall. In my area it is not a popular service, as most people just leave them on the lawn until spring (not a good idea). I just mulch my few accounts that do want leaves handled. I don't have enough leaf business to justify buying a bagger attachment for my mowers. In the event of a large amount of leaves I just blow them together and tarp them up. But I do all of them on a regular basis so unless they all fall in a short period of time mulching works fine. I don't do "one time" leaf clean ups since it takes too long & no one is willing to pay for that amount of time. Leaf work is a dusty aggravating ordeal with wind blowing th opposite way that you are mowing or blowing but it does provide some money in a slow period for grass growth. And this year in my area the plant installs are going to be slow because of the intense watering ban even on businesses. I don't do any installs but many depend on them in the fall & early spring.

Late,
Shane

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Government mistakes on Water Supply

As posted a week ago, we are in a deep drought and that is all the news is about now. An article in the AJC
reported on some huge amounts of wasted water by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. One case last year was from a faulty gauge that resulted in over 22 billion gallons of water released from Atlanta's main water source, Lake Lanier. Another case involves an endangered species (mussels)
that needs a certain water level to survive. So some water is set aside for them. No doubt they have a role in the environment but to try to save a species with water that humans need is ridiculous. No one would ever miss them (the mussels not the Atlantans :)). Everyone makes mistakes but with a company there would be someone held responsible. With the government screwing up no one will be held responsible.


Late,

Shane

Finding Dealers for Lawn Service Equipment

How do you choose your lawn service equipment dealer? I chose mine by word of mouth and have been pretty satisfied, but not as much lately. I rarely have a problem on pricing so that is no problem. I like good service. Lately I have had a couple of repairs on my old mower and when I picked it up I had another problem so I had to bring it right back. I am looking at another dealer that supplies me with another mower in the event I need to leave mine for repair. Unheard of around my area.
I do recognize price when it is a big difference. Blades for instance are expensive at the dealer. But I have found them online much cheaper but lower quality. So I then found Express Mower Parts
which is about 30% cheaper than the dealer and offers free shipping with $100 + orders. The products from them have been great quality and shipped fast to me. Bottom line is price is the main difference to most people but to me customer service means more. If I think I have been jacked up on a price I just do not go back to that dealer ($67 belt at a dealer I never used before or after that!).

Late,
Shane

Drought (continued)

I had blogged a little about our drought earlier in the year and it is still here. We got some rain in August but it did not come close to catching up for the year. One city near me has run out of water in its reservoir and is buying water from a nearby city and they have doubled the water rates to pay for the extra cost. It is really bad and some older folks I talk to say it is as dry as they EVER remember. The grass is dismal looking in most areas but I am surprised it grows at all and it has been growing just enough to keep a 2 week schedule going. This drought is bad on a lot of people especially lawn service providers. Hopefully next season will be better.
One problem I have is the side service I depend on (pressure washing) is slower than normal. The water restrictions do not apply to that service but I think homeowners assume it is restricted for everyone not just homeowners. So that has quieted my cell phone considerably. If you are getting a lot of rain and feel like you never can catch up because of the rain, don't complain..... the alternative is bleak.

Late,
Shane