really need your input

[jimslawns@yahoo.com]

I am interested in advertising my companies new business offering soil laboratory testing in the following areas:
pH
Phosphorus
Potassium
Nitrogen
Iron
Calcium
Magnesium

By sending soil samples and sample locations or numbered locations, the city and state by which the soil is sampled, We will be able to analyze and offer solutions to lawn / turf.
We are a new company rising up in Tennessee and will soon be opening offices in Florida. Currently need your input or advice on this company venture:help:

[Runner]

So you have labs that you will be analyzing peoples' soils in, or do you mean sending to places?

[jimslawns@yahoo.com]

We have laboratories available to conduct soils testing.

[Runner]

I thgink as long as you could offer a reasonable enough rate, accurate testing, and market enough, you may have a market. It's really hard to say, though. For instance, many of the facilities that do this, don't just do this. They do other things as well,...it just so happens that because they have the labs and the means to do this, they do. Universities, for instance. Ours are sent out to MSU through our cooperative extension services.Our local Lesco sends theirs to an independent firm, but I don't know who or where. Both cost us around 12 to 15 dollars, and include the printout that also has the CEC. Now, if you could market your local suppliers and fert. companies, and give them some sort of mass discount, you might be into something. It would be interesting, to say the least.

[jimslawns@yahoo.com]

Thanks Runner,
We are currently entering into the marketing firms and are working the prices so that someone covering a large portion of property wouldnt spend a small fortune to give their customer an accurate quote.

[Shane7258]

This may loose my spot here but here it goes; most of the people on this site are full of hot air that couldn't give advise to a chicken crossing the road; most of the folks on here are part timers giving advice of full timers! Be careful of the advice you take

[DLS1]

This may loose my spot here but here it goes; most of the people on this site are full of hot air that couldn't give advise to a chicken crossing the road; most of the folks on here are part timers giving advice of full timers! Be careful of the advice you take

Thanks Shane with one year of experience. I will be watch out for you hot air. :D

[Runner]

No, he's right. I've only been in this industry for 23 years, now. 21 of the years with my own company. He spotted me right out.:p :D

[DLS1]

This may loose my spot here but here it goes; most of the people on this site are full of hot air that couldn't give advise to a chicken crossing the road; most of the folks on here are part timers giving advice of full timers! Be careful of the advice you take

You should only listen to advice from full-timers. The best advice from a full-timer is BobbyGedd so do whatever he says. :D

[daveyo]

Shane, I think you may have a point but it just came out a bit harsh. It's a good idea to do a little thread search on the people your going to take advice from. If they do nothing but talk about how they get rid of customers you may want to take there advice with a grain of salt. I know when I do soil testing for customers I only charge $25 and I send it out to Rutgers University. I don't charge a lot because I am looking for the work that is possibly generated from the results. How about marketing to other landscapers, especially ones doing newer developments and rehabs. Being able to offer solutions for the landscaper to give to the customer gives the landscaper incentive to work with you.

[garth1967]

This may loose my spot here but here it goes; most of the people on this site are full of hot air that couldn't give advise to a chicken crossing the road; most of the folks on here are part timers giving advice of full timers! Be careful of the advice you take
thats a big statement what do you base that on

[ProMo]

http://www.orbeco.com/prodPages/soiltesters.html
I have been using the ph test kit from this place and get accurate results

[Kelly's Landscaping]

We do soil tests on all our fert customers to determine lime and phosphorous applications later in the season. We use the university of Connecticut for our tests we do not hide anything from our customers they get a print out of the findings and the recommendations. Tests cost us 12 dollars but only 3 in bulk we charge the customers $25 dollars to do the tests its on all our fert contracts. Its not free money you need to get a soil probe and on bigger lawns it can take a while to get all the areas then you have to package and mail the samples and when you get the results you need to work out prices for the recommendations a few of our customers had soil in the 4.5 range and on 40,000 square feet that added up to some nice income. All told we made $1800 this year just in soil tests.

[sheshovel]

This may loose my spot here but here it goes; most of the people on this site are full of hot air that couldn't give advise to a chicken crossing the road; most of the folks on here are part timers giving advice of full timers! Be careful of the advice you take

OH REALLY?:rolleyes:
.. The "Most"of us you are referring to have a combined knowlage base that I say probably exceeds any other similar site on the web.
We don't bother giving advice to chickens.:blob3:

[daveintoledo]

you have to figure out who the truely successful busness people are on this site,

you can takes anything runner said to the bank, as well as she shovel, and older then dirt and many more here who have lots of experience.

Many of the best full time businesss here came form part time start ups.....