Reaching 100 customers

[jrs.landscaping]

There are 5,000 people in my town. How many new customers could I gain using the online quoting site?

[32vld]

Originally Posted by MSlandco

Yea man B lost more income, but man B makes 10 times more on a regular basis.


Posted via Mobile Device

Man A and B both are making $1,000 a week. Your feel for math makes me think you're not making the money you think you are.

[SRT8]

Originally Posted by 32vld

Man A and B both are making $1,000 a week. Your feel for math makes me think you're not making the money you think you are.

Just because they gross the same amount at the end of the month doesn't mean that they have the same profit margins smart guy.

Our profit margins were a lot greater on large commercial sites that's why we sold off our residential.

2 guys working 5 days a week on commercial sites made way more then 2 guys in a week on residential.


And what I make is none of your business but if you wish to know.........its a good amount.

[jrs.landscaping]

This is why the concept of a certain amount of customers as a milestone doesn't make sense. No two customers are the same, even residential. My average lawn is 1.5 acres, and I know all areas are different, so there will be a lot of differences on whether or not a solo guy can mow 100 lawns. I agree with MSLand that this thread is towards residentials but isn't it good to have a mix of accounts? I also agree that margins can be higher on larger properties.

[ringahding]

Originally Posted by cutman2000

How difficult was it for you all to reach your first 100 (weekly/biweekly)customers. This will be my first full year in November.

For you bigger companies, how long/difficult was it to go to 200? Does it get easier, or harder to grow?

We have over 100 solid weekly mowing customers. We sat around 50 accounts in 2010. After publishing our new website in December of 2011(WordPress website)and lettering up my trucks & trailers....let's just say BOOOOOOM !

I highly recommend you not think that this will happen over-nite. Just like fine wine, it takes time.

Branding your name everywhere and anywhere you go or are, will set you apart from the competition. Yes lettering up your equipment, t-shirts, etc. are great....but so is how you present yourself in the eyes of your immediate community. Believe me word of mouth will trump any Social Media or Website any day.

A website is great for new customers. So of course you want to show photos of the work you do. It also needs content explaining & teaching these new potential customers why your service will be the best fit for them.

If you can get this in front of new customers, you will grooooooow. It has been written here that with growth, comes headaches...but you will know when that time comes...personally speaking, I will take the headaches all day if it is putting my favorite foods on the table for the FAM...haha

[Bunton Guy]

I think many are looking over a big hurdle.

What happens when you as a operator gets injured or sick and can't work for weeks or months? If you are a part of your 1-2 or 3 man crew that is working yourself to death on a 100 lawn route....how will you make it work? I tried for years to get 100-200 lawn thinking the # would make me happy. All it did was drive me nuts and stress me out trying to reach this made up number.

Now I strive to create more work from each client to maximize income each month off as little client base as possible.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

We started in 2003 and did our first real job on April 30th of that year. We hit 100 lawns 11 months later and had 130 lawns by the end of April of that second season so 12 months. Jumping to 175 seemed rather easy as well but going to 200 has been very difficult. We have been hovering at 180-195 lawns for I think the last 4 years. Attrition is brutal on numbers that size you can easily lose 40 of em from one year to the next. I probably have 10-15 accounts that are for sale right now that were not at the start of this season. Then I have 3-5 die every year add in divorces and dead beats. And then the ones that are on hard times and need to cut back then add in the ones who try the new low baller and you can see how the numbers get up there.

[Chilehead]

Originally Posted by Kelly's Landscaping

We started in 2003 and did our first real job on April 30th of that year. We hit 100 lawns 11 months later and had 130 lawns by the end of April of that second season so 12 months. Jumping to 175 seemed rather easy as well but going to 200 has been very difficult. We have been hovering at 180-195 lawns for I think the last 4 years. Attrition is brutal on numbers that size you can easily lose 40 of em from one year to the next. I probably have 10-15 accounts that are for sale right now that were not at the start of this season. Then I have 3-5 die every year add in divorces and dead beats. And then the ones that are on hard times and need to cut back then add in the ones who try the new low baller and you can see how the numbers get up there.

Also, you were adding accounts when everyone was buying homes, and the economy was bustling. by 2006, things were starting to taper off, and by 2007 the economy tanked. Your numbers reflect the economy.

[McFarland_Lawn_Care]

All areas are different. I started part time in 2007 and just slowly started building and building until I decided to do it full time. Then grew a little more and a little more. I took my time and didn't do a LOT of advertising - just a handful of newspapers, flyers, etc. Just broke over 100 customers mid-season this year. These are a mix of mostly resi and a few commercial and average 3/4 acre lawns. Not to mention many other services we are offering and starting to develop the fert/chem side of things. This is a very rural area and I need to grow rather slow at first while I learn more and more and find "dependable" help. hahha.

[Bunton Guy]

I beleive I live in an area that is just to congested to have a fair chance at high volume work.

We spend close to 9% of our gross sales on advertisment every year. Still we don't have over 100 lawns.