Brand New; Want to Thank All Who Post!

[paulge]

:)

I want to thank all who post here. I have been viewing this forum since the first of December. I was considering starting a new lawn care company and this site answered all my questions.

I decided to go out and sell the idea before I spent a dime on equipment. I printed and distributed over 1400 fliers, set up a display at the local full service car wash, printed custom Post-It notes to put on front doors, had awesome signs made for my truck and later for my equipment trailer, and ran an ad in the service directory of the local newspaper.

My parents live in a develpoment that provides lawn care service. I found out the residents were not happy with the service so I made some inquiries. Then I had a meeting with the banker who is the trustee for the property. I landed the account which consists of 53 houses and will end up after completion with 115. This also will be a 12 month contact and has great potential for add on service for each homeowner.

My phone has been ringing daily from people wanting quotes from leaves to pruning. Of the few leaf jobs I have done thus far all have asked me to come back in the Spring for their lawn service.

My equipment choices are Red Max edger, trimmer, and backpack blower; Little Wonder Vac; and my old Honda Harmony 21" push mower. I decided to go with the Little Wonder for the leaves. It was much cheaper than a mower and collection unit and it is AWESOME. At the end of the month I will take delivery of a Cub Cadet 48" Tank. All this rides on a 7x14 tandem axel open landscape trailer outfitted with TrimmerTrap racks. On the rear gate I have mounted a 6'x3' sign. ( logo attached ) I will be running Mobil 1 2T Racing 2 cycle oil in all my equipment.

I have said all of this to make a point. This is an AWESOME Forum. I believe I have made some good decisions based on the info I learned here. I have also been blessed to get an account the size on my parents development. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, so my finding this site was not a fluke.

Thanks again to all of you that post and to Sean for putting this site up. I hope I can be half as succesful as all of you.


Paul G. Eberhart

[daveintoledo]

sounds like you have things planned out well, you may have it covered already , but dont forget the insurance and proper licencing for your area...

[paulge]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply. Already licensed, bonded, and insured. My goal is to raise the bar around here. I honestly believe quality and professionalism will win out every time.

Paul

[daveintoledo]

it can win out with some customers, some only care about price, and you could probably do with out those customers anyway...:drinkup:

[ooo]

Just starting out and 53 places to do with the potential for 115? That sounds like a heck of a start to me. Good work

[paulge]

ooo,

Thanks for the kind reply. Yes, I have been lucky so far. I have a great deal of marketing experience and I think it is paying off. I have too many ideas too list, but if anyone wants to bat a few around I will be happy to give my two cents worth.

Paul

[mcwlandscaping]

What did you do to get the phones ringing off the hook!! Im sure im not the only one wanting to know!! Very good start, pretty soon youll be needing a bigger mower. Awsome!

[nobagger]

ooo,

Thanks for the kind reply. Yes, I have been lucky so far. I have a great deal of marketing experience and I think it is paying off. I have too many ideas too list, but if anyone wants to bat a few around I will be happy to give my two cents worth.

Paul
Paul lets hear some of the idea's. You said you got a lot of knowledge from us now it's time to share.

[out4now]

Sounds like you're off to a great start! Welcome and good luck :waving:

[paulge]

Well, you asked for it!!!!!!!!

The 53 house neighborhood is comprised mostly of retired people. The lawn care is all done by an LCO. The trustee for the property wants a professional who will give somne attention to these folks. The way I look at it is I should be able to increase the revenue from this contract by at least 40% by just asking waht they need. I have written a letter of introduction to each resident introducing myself and offering them add-ons like: mulch, fertilizing, planting, weeding, pressure washing, garage organization and more. This is called "un-found money." The grass will be cut, why not schedule something else for an already happy customer.

I got my phone to ring by first putting out 1400 fliers. The small service directory ad reads " Leaf Removal Special" with phone number, simple!

The first dime I spent was for signs for my truck. I can't tell you how many trucks I see with no sign. Folks this is a business, let people know who you are.

A new car wash opened here a few months ago. I stopped by for wash and noticed a table in the lobby. I put a few business cards on the table. I stopped by a week later and the cards were gone. I asked the owner if I could put an 8x10 flier in a frame along with a business card holder. I am replacing the cards every week. I'm sure in another month that my phone will really ring.

If you notice my logo on the first post I am trying to be different. That is where the marketing comes in. Be different. Do things others won't do.

For example:

Custom Post-It notes on doors in tight neighborhoods

Fliers in mail boxes. If anyone wants to see my flier let me know and I will post it later.

Network. Talk to builders, construction guys, etc. I am giving an estimate Friday for one of the biggest builders in town. I am giving him a great price and he knows why. I want his commercal work and access to his developments.



Gotta go. Giving another estimate in 20 minutes.

Will continus later.


Paul

[29 Palms Property Management]

Congats to you and good luck! I would be interested in seeing your flier. You seems to have this marketing stradegy down good, so please share. I do have a problem with the fliers in the mailboxes though. It is my understanding that it is illegal to do so. Just curious.

[paulge]

Doug,

Attached is the flier I am using. I also modified some of them by removing all the services and replacing that text with Leaf Removal Special. Yes it is illegal to place fliers in mailboxes. I put the fliers in the newspaper boxes either underneath or beside the mailbox. I also took this flier and reduced it and had 6x4 Post-It notes made. We are going out Saturday and put these on doors. There is a very old neighborhood here that just oozes money. All the houses are very close to each other and the mailboxes are on the front porches. The Post-It notes look just like the notes UPS leaves when he makes an attempt and no one is home. I think they will be successful but we will have to wait and see.

BTW- I lived in JAX in the early nineties.

Paul

[sheshovel]

UUHHHH yer welcome

[PMLAWN]

Looks like you are off to a great start.
My only concern would be not to spread yourself to thin. To cut 50+ lawns each week (and growing) and other landscape stuff leaves little time to pressure wash and also clean garages. Go slow so you don't over commit.

Good luck

[paulge]

PMLAWN,

Very good point. I didn't expect to land something of that size so fast. However, the contract is twice per month on the 53 houses (and growing.) With this in mind what I am selling the residents is the add-ons on the alternate weeks. I do not want to get in to the habit of stopping my customary service routine to organize a garage. But I will follow up with them on the off week and organize all they want. That is the plan for now but I'm sure things will have to be tweeked.

Thanks again for the input.


Paul

[dcondon]

I like it!!!!! it's different but good, great job.......:waving:

[PMLAWN]

PMLAWN,

Very good point. I didn't expect to land something of that size so fast. However, the contract is twice per month on the 53 houses (and growing.) With this in mind what I am selling the residents is the add-ons on the alternate weeks. I do not want to get in to the habit of stopping my customary service routine to organize a garage. But I will follow up with them on the off week and organize all they want. That is the plan for now but I'm sure things will have to be tweeked.

Thanks again for the input.


Paul

What are you doing twice per month? I'm sorry, I thought you meant mowing

[paulge]

PMLAWN,

Yes, mowing twice per month. All the lawns are bermuda and have been maintained at twice per month from the beginning. The trustee said there may be occassions when I may need to cut every week,, ie: more rain, or times when once per month will do, ie: drought, and then the off season when I don't mow at all. They just set it up on a twice per month schedule over a 12 month period for ease of payment because the residents are ultimately paying me.

Hope this make sense.


Paul

[K.Carothers]

Congrats on your results:waving:

Here is my question:

Have you ever done work like this before? If so, to what extent?

Thanks,

kc

[paulge]

KC,


Nope, never on this scale. I have been mowing and doing general landscape work for more than 30 years. I have no delusions here, I have a great deal to learn and that is why I posted here. I hope what I lack in experience I can make up in work ethic ( in my previous business I worked 165 straight 14 hour days in a row, 5 hours away from my familly) and pure desire to do my best in everything I do.

Keep it coming, that's how I learn.

Paul

[dKoester]

Do not put fliers in mailboxes. Federal Offence!! Be Careful.

[Randy J]

Wow, incredible job! I sure don't consider you lucky though. It sounds as if you have thought it out and are a hard worker - while others feel differently, that's not luck in my book. I'm sure as you know, key to success will be showing up when you promise, doing what you promised, and making no excuses. Very impressive, keep up the good work.

[paulge]

Randy,

Thanks man! Every day I am impressed by the people posting on this forum and you are no exception. I agree we make our own luck but I also believe more in humility. I have been in business for longer than I care to admit and that is the most valuable lesson I have have ever learned. I try not to take myself too seriously (hence the logo.)

As to the previous post about mailboxes. I am not stuffing the actual mailbox I am stuffing the newspaper holder. When there is a mailbox without a newspaper holder I skip it. Just the other day I was putting fliers in the paper holdrs in large neighborhood. a Jaguar was following me around doing the same. At one point I pulled up beside him. He was VP for a local real estate firm. He was putting fliers out in the same manner. I gave him on eof mine and he gave me one of his. He liked my flier and invited me to an open house they are having next month. I have also struck a deal with the car wash that lets me leave business cards in their lobby. When I put out fliers I will put out some for them at the same time. In return he will wash my truck twice per month at no charge.

I'm rambling again.


Paul

[Branchland]

Sounds like everything is going to start out well for you. Good luck and welcome to LS.

[paulge]

Learned a very valuable lesson this week. I gave three estimates on leaf removal before using my new equipment. The jobs took forever and I under sold my work. I've been looking around and gather that most new start-ups do the same thing. The silver lining here is it only took two jobs for me to "get it." There are learning curves in everything I just wish they hadn't cost me so much money. On a brighter note one customer paid me more than I quoted and three want me to do year round work.

I guess I should have read the quoting posts a little better.

Paul

[dKoester]

Happy for you paulge. Its been a warm winter.

[PMLAWN]

Learned a very valuable lesson this week. I gave three estimates on leaf removal before using my new equipment. The jobs took forever and I under sold my work. I've been looking around and gather that most new start-ups do the same thing. The silver lining here is it only took two jobs for me to "get it." There are learning curves in everything I just wish they hadn't cost me so much money. On a brighter note one customer paid me more than I quoted and three want me to do year round work.

I guess I should have read the quoting posts a little better.

Paul
This post worries me as you have already "landed " the 53 unit gig and you are not sure how long jobs take. If you have an area where you can practice with your stuff go and do some time trials. If you are off just a little on a job that size you will broke in a few months. I would also revisit the every other week thing. Make sure both sides know EXACTLY what will be done. Be Careful.

[paulge]

PMLAWM,

Don't worry. The 53 house account is a contract job consisting of mowing, edging and blowing. The twice per month service has been in place for more that 5 years. I do not see any surprises in that I have talked to homeowners, banker and builder about what is expected. My proposal was very clear on what is customary service and what will be add-on service. I will be meeting with the homeowners as a group within the next few weeks for a face-to- face.

My learning curve this week was vacuuming and bagging leaves. I have never bagged leaves to this degree (108 bags in two yards.) I have already learned how to price the leaf jobs and are setting up jobs for next week. I am going to be philosophical about this and view the first two leaf jobs as my education with pay.

Paul

[MJL1929]

I'm holding off for another year before I start up, but I really like the post it idea. Mailers seem to just get thrown out with all the junk mail, but the post it seems like a great idea. The flier in the newspaper box sounds like a good idea also. I hope I can have success like you are.

[paulge]

MJL1929

I wish you only the best in your decision. If I can help with any questions please feel free any time to ask. I am new but learning evry day.

The website for the Post-It notes is http://www.iprint.com. It is very user friendly. You design your note and it is at your door in less than a week. I could not get them printed that fast at that cost locally.

Again, good luck.

Paul

[Jdmtnbikr]

sounds like you are a busy man, but if you get a chance would you shoot me an email? thanks

Josh

jdmtnbikr AT yahoo DOT com

[paulge]

JDMTNBIKR,

Administrator is not allowing me to view the back office yet.

My email is paulge@earthlink.net.


Paul

[ed2hess]

Fifty three people to keep happy and they don't have irrigation, and they mow grass twice a month? Tough to run the business when you may get 53 extra cuts weekly or you may go three weeks and no cuts? Why don't they have a contract price spread across 12 months that includes all the stuff including leaves? It would seem like they would want to know exactly what the charges are going to be so they can run a budget and set the dues?

[GroundUp]

oh yes i would really like to see your flyers.

[GroundUp]

ooops sorry. didnt see that there were more than one page on this forum....