i'm offering $10 first mowings

[MarkintheGarden]

Originally Posted by Exact Rototilling

No she stuck with me. She thought the quote was ridiculously low and almost comical and desperate. I still have the door hanger. In fact she is getting a price increase to $40 or $45 per mow or a prepay discount not sure yet. The grassy swell is a PITA and a corner lot grassy swell to boot. The rest of the lawn is manageable and small but it’s over fertilized and mulch mowing is more of a hassle than bagging frankly.

I like the first cut idea at a lower price but it needs to be firmly phrased they are forfeiting a quote for service until after the lawn is mowed. I think this is best left on a coupon type offer. It is a zero obligation offer but truly geared towards those looking for continued service.

And this illustrates the point that I made. Customers are not just looking to save money, and good lawn mowing services are not just mow and blow.
The lowballer that put the doorhanger with the 24.99 quote on this customer's door would not do as good a job.

Go look inside a fine restaurant filled with people spending 30.00 each for a good meal. Do you think that these people do not know that they could eat fast food for 8.00 each?

Directing your advertisements toward people who are looking for a quality continued service is one thing. Directing your advertisement toward people looking for low prices is another thing. Sure, you can do both, but it seems to me that you will do better focusing on one or the other.

[Glenn Lawn Care]

This is not a good idea in my option!

[Daily Lawn/Landscape]

Originally Posted by MarkintheGarden

And this illustrates the point that I made. Customers are not just looking to save money, and good lawn mowing services are not just mow and blow.
The lowballer that put the doorhanger with the 24.99 quote on this customer's door would not do as good a job.

Go look inside a fine restaurant filled with people spending 30.00 each for a good meal. Do you think that these people do not know that they could eat fast food for 8.00 each?

Directing your advertisements toward people who are looking for a quality continued service is one thing. Directing your advertisement toward people looking for low prices is another thing. Sure, you can do both, but it seems to me that you will do better focusing on one or the other.

Very good advice!

[jackal]

Originally Posted by grass disaster

This is what I was thinking. Its a easy way for me to cut the lawn then make a quote. No more guess work. And I've been doing this for over 15 years. So I'm not going to run myself broke. Yes 1/4 lots only.
Posted via Mobile Device

15 yrs in business you should be getting enough referals from existing customers or their neighbors.

Here's what I like to do. If its a fifteen minute job in a decent hood cut it for $20. Do a really good job pretty soon you'll have four on the same street. Cut all four in an hour and never move the truck.

[Exact Rototilling]

Unless a client sees your work on a ZERO obligation first cut, regardless of price $20 whatever, how are they going to know what your quality is like. Unless...they have seen your work else where. This has worked both ways for me. Neighbors of my clients will often say, “hey your lawn service makes your lawn look the best on the block”. This has happened countless times.

In another thread I posed the issue of intro or demo cuts and I was frankly criticized ....um.....hey “we all know what a mowed lawn looks like”....all things being equall sure good point. But I'm NOT equall.

My quality is really better. My mowers don’t rut, I use only WB’s at under 400 pounds, sharp blades daily, I bag in the early morning dew and damp conditions and only mulch mow when lawns dry out.

If I won the lottery and hired a lawn service I would NOT hire them unless their quality of cut and burn scalp free edging matched mine. I don’t get the price shoppers getting multiple quotes with out see the actual work on their own lawn or else where.....?

Only a few other LCO’s in my area can match my edging which is clean cut vertical and summer “burn free” and no scalping into the crowns. This is huge problem in hiring and finding someone who can edge like me. Most cutters here scalp mow and rarely cut above 2.5”. My default height is 3.0” and if the client will tolerate it in the summer I go 3.5” and even 4"

[CozyHollow]

Originally Posted by crazymike

That doesn't get you long term customers.

Why not offer them 20% off there first month if they sign a monthly contract?

$10 first cut you will just get people who are going on vacation, just want a cheap cut, etc...

then they will want the next cut for cheap.

You also are giving the same discount to a customer with a 250 sq/ft long as someone with a 2000 sq/ft long.

Rethink this business strategy

You inspire me bro.
Read some of your posts...thanks man!

[american dream]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do to survive in todays economy.

With this attitude you only put yourself in a more desperate situation! People need to stop driving prices down,this is not 1985 it's 2012 put your prices in line.

[205mx]

grass disaster you are a grass disaster.

[MarkintheGarden]

Originally Posted by Exact Rototilling

Unless a client sees your work on a ZERO obligation first cut, regardless of price $20 whatever, how are they going to know what your quality is like. Unless...they have seen your work else where. This has worked both ways for me. Neighbors of my clients will often say, “hey your lawn service makes your lawn look the best on the block”. This has happened countless times.

In another thread I posed the issue of intro or demo cuts and I was frankly criticized ....um.....hey “we all know what a mowed lawn looks like”....all things being equall sure good point. But I'm NOT equall.

My quality is really better. My mowers don’t rut, I use only WB’s at under 400 pounds, sharp blades daily, I bag in the early morning dew and damp conditions and only mulch mow when lawns dry out.

If I won the lottery and hired a lawn service I would NOT hire them unless their quality of cut and burn scalp free edging matched mine. I don’t get the price shoppers getting multiple quotes with out see the actual work on their own lawn or else where.....?

Only a few other LCO’s in my area can match my edging which is clean cut vertical and summer “burn free” and no scalping into the crowns. This is huge problem in hiring and finding someone who can edge like me. Most cutters here scalp mow and rarely cut above 2.5”. My default height is 3.0” and if the client will tolerate it in the summer I go 3.5” and even 4"

The thing is that a customer who responds to the cheapest offer would not appreciate all the things you do to make it the best service available. In fact, these kind of details do not mean much if the lawn is in lousy condition before you mow. A customer that calls you because you offered a big discount or low rate, will likely have a poor lawn.

There is the other side of every coin, cause many customers are not too interested in having the best lawn on the block. They just want the minimum service that they need. Providing affordable lawn services and focusing on high volume is a very good business plan. If you operate your business efficiently you can do well financially.

Good advertisement and special offers can be a win win situation. In any business you can have high volume by beating the competiions prices. But you have to still make some profit, so you have to win also. In the case discussed here, I would be glad to do a discounted rate for a new customer who happens to live next door to a current account. So, I would make offers of a first time low rate only in person and only to people who own property where I know I am going to be already.

[crazymike]

Originally Posted by CozyHollow

You inspire me bro.
Read some of your posts...thanks man!

thanks.

when I first started in this business I failed at a lot of things.

Everything needs to be thought through. Certain things might seem like a good idea at the time, but you need to think everything through.

I see so many people who think because they constantly have all this money coming in, that they are making good money. Within a year or two, they're gone or deeply in debt. Or working way harder for less than they would make elsewhere when you count the hours.