50 Accounts unreasonable?

[lawnscapesLLC]

Anything is attainable, it's just about how much effort you put into it. I don't know your market but depending on much you advertise and such it could be possible. 50 customers with just flyers is ALOT of flyers and time but stick with it and I hope you the best!

[tinman]

I think I got around 25 my first season. I got stuck when I got around 45 - 50 in my second or third year. I think I was "hungrier my 1st season and the more work you get the less time u have for finding new accounts and frankly u might turn down work because you have a full schedule and don't want to hire another employee or whatever. That is what I did , now there is little to turn down as the drought has been bad this year and part of last season. So be prepared to add help if you want to grow quickly because there will be a point when you can not keep up.

[GreenT]

Nobody can tell you a number.

This a sales business. You are selling yourself, your company, and your service.

Some people are good at selling, some suck.

Some people only get 5 accounts the first year, some over a hundred.

Only you know where you fit in.

Good luck

[causalitist]

Originally Posted by BBL

Hey all, I only have a handful of accounts currently(not really trying to hard, waiting for next season) and working my regular job(also in lawn care) and doing those on the weekends. I am wondering if(in your experience) gaining 50 accounts in a season is a reasonable goal or not? I am trying to set some goals to reach for in my first full season(I started late this season), but I am not trying to set pie in the sky goals. I am figuring 50 is decent, but not too sure.

Should I shoot for 40 or less? possibly more than 50?

Thanks in advance,
Michael

its all about motivation. pass out about 7000 flyers and you should get that many.. be friggin sure you call back with an estimate within 24 hours or your sign up rate will drop alot. just what ever you do dont go quoting low prices because you think you need to. i did that and then once i got a few more customers i really just wanted to drop the first ones because i was way too cheap and dreaded doing those lawns

[BBL]

Originally Posted by GreenT

Nobody can tell you a number.

This a sales business. You are selling yourself, your company, and your service.

Some people are good at selling, some suck.

Some people only get 5 accounts the first year, some over a hundred.

Only you know where you fit in.

Good luck

Well I have several years of experience doing sales, telemarketing, door-to-door, etc when I did sales for another lawn company when I was younger, So I am confident in my ability to sell and advertise, But I was just wondering if 50 seemed to you guys like too much or about right for a first year.

The only reason I am trying to go on my own is because every job I worked at in lawn care, I got treated like garbage(except for tru-green loved me & treated me like gold) I had tons of experience, loved my work, very knowledgable, etc and never got any respect. Like I remember the last job I had the guys would B.S around at every stop, had to smoke every 5min, etc and I'd actually get chewed out for "going too fast" They would always be late every morning and I just got tired of it and said F' This I am going to start my own company. I enjoy the work, I just never enjoyed the politics in the office.(I don't like having scrubs as my boss/foreman)

I guess that last part has nothing to do with accounts, but that's kinda the jist of why I wanted to start my own LCO.

[dwlah]

Best advertising is word of mouth
Started full time this year (Feb) had 2 customers
Neighbor I worked with retired and he gave me about a dozen accounts
Put up one flier at a nursery (location location location) got 4-5 from there
All the others have been referred from customers
Have close to 50 regulars and a handful of once in awhiles

I only have 2 garden homes all the other customers are 1-5 hour yards
What Im saying is you need a balance of customers toward the type of yards you can make money with
Not everbody makes money on big yards Not everybody makes money doing postage stamp yards Find your niche and go with it

[QUOTE][be friggin sure you call back with an estimate within 24 hours or your sign up rate will drop alot. just what ever you do dont go quoting low prices because you think you need to. i did that and then once i got a few more customers i really just wanted to drop the first ones because i was way too cheap and dreaded doing those lawns/QUOTE]
What he said

[daveyo]

Remember don't sell yourself short

[daveyo]

Originally Posted by daveyo

"if you advertise alot you'll probably get there but!!! you'll probably have alot of PITAS My first year or two I had alot of rollover in customers. I took customers just to have accts in hope I could get in to the area. Youll wind up weeding out the Pitas and building up a route. And then when people in the area see you regularly then you'll get more customers. It pays to be friendly to people you see while your working!!"

Good advice



__________________

[lawnpro561]

I have to say. This is all great advice. I have learned the hard way that bagging flyers and chucking them from my truck doesn't work. I am looking into advertising. My only problem is were. I've looked at the penny saver papers that come in the mail. Local news papers, etc. Which ones have you guys found works best? Do you run five line classifieds in the service sections? or those 2"x4" inline ads in news papers. I love the forum. Been learning a lot. This is my first year. Actually my second month so I'm a newbe.

[Lawnut101]

Originally Posted by BBL

Yeah I know, no raining on my parade. I know it's pretty saturated with LCO's, and the economy is pretty down in the dumps. Hopefully I can get at least 35-40 or so, more would be nice.

Even if you don't get more than 50, you should be fine. Just advertise other services, such as mulch install, hedge trimming, and other minor landscaping jobs, and you'll be fine. Becuase if you get only 30 mowing accounts, but have 2-5 landscaping jobs a week, well you'll be making some good money. Just mow 10 lawns a day for 3 days a week, and then work on your landscaping jobs for the rest of the week. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Brant