Turfer Update.

[Turfer]

I was researching the archives and I saw a message from Ray Kirby in the "What ever Happened To" thread about me on 8/19. Time sure does fly when you're busy ! Before daylight savings time hit, I was on a good schedule of taking care of all my lawns during the week. I was getting home around 9:00 p.m. every night. Boy is my wife supportive. I bought a used aerator and business really took off with my seeding and fertilizer "division". I paid for a trip to Disney World with my seeding money that I made in September. Now with daylight savings time being over, weekends are tough but the grass is barely growing here now so the season will be over soon. I've also done allot of hedge trimming. Easy money !! I'm still working full time at the bank but that will end on 1/15/01. I'll be laid off after that (with 10 month's pay). I've been at the bank 20 years.

Here's what I'm working on this winter. I want to get heavily involved in the fertilizer / pesticide area of lawn care. I do have my license. I have about 10 fertilizer customers now. My only competition is basically ChemLawn-TruGreen. I've been doing some informal questioning of ChemLawn customers without telling them what I am doing and the majority of them are not happy with their service. I'm local, their not. I going to concentrate heavily on this aspect of my business this winter. Updates coming.

Ray. The Toro 44 is doing great. After you've put a commercial mower on a lawn for several weeks, the striping pattern really kicks in. I put the striping kit on mine and my yards really stand out. I still have 2 customers that I have to use my lawnboy on. Both are postage stamp size yards but good money.

[greenlawncare]

My suggestion would be to make sure you differentiate yourself from Chemlawn. And differentiate yourself in a way that is sustainable. In other words, go for the value / premium segement of the market. If your only competion is Chemlawn I'm guessing that you have a segment of the market that is not even explored. So, use better chemicals, take more time, and for heaven's sake charge a premium. You'll get enough people who will pay it if they are dissatisfied wit ChemLawn.

And when you get the customers that say "$xx.00? But ChemLawn only charged me $yy.00" smile and realise as early on as possible that you won't get everyone, you are catering so the segment who wants to pay for and receive premium service, and that's what you are all about.

My suggestion. Take it or leave it.

[KirbysLawn]

Glad to hear from you again. I too am trying to grow in the fert/pest area, much more profit.

[Eric ELM]

Welcome back Turfer. I hope we get a lot of the members back here posting this winter.