New Year's Resolutions for Lawn & Landscape Business Owners

[Sean Adams]

Ahhh yes, another year and with it will come all of the New Year's Resolutions. A nice tradition actually. It's like a fresh start. It gives people the opportunity to make their lives better, improve, focus and succeed.

For all the lawn and landscape business owners out there I think taking this time to map out some new year resolutions is a good idea. But first, get out that pen and paper. If you haven't read or heard this by now, your chances of achieving your goals increase significantly when you actually take the time to write them down and read them on a frequent basis.

Now that the pen and paper are out, start making a list - doesn't have to be in any order, doesn't have to make a lot of sense at first either. Just write.

What can you do better? How can you improve as an owner? Employer?

How can you become more organized? How can your business become more efficient? How can you train your employees to become more productive?

There is no time limit. Sit there as long as you need to and just write it all down.... what needs fixed? What can be done better?

Once your list is complete you may seem a bit overwhelmed. Don't be. This is a good start.

Rome wasn't built in a day, the iPhone wasn't perfected the first time around and let's face it, your business will always be a work in progress. But if you focus on that word "progress", you will see things getting better every single day. Afterall, isn't that what it's all about - doing your best to improve just a little bit every single day?

Best of luck and Happy New Year!

To read this blog post and more like it go HERE

[weeze]

i think it's the same thing every year. get more customers lol.

[alldayrj]

Become a better closer
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[ponyboy]

It's not about more customers its about making more profit
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[Dugann]

I enjoy this time of the year, right, right around the 1st of the year. Sitting down putting the new year plan together, and putting new ideas in place. A feeling of newness, and excitement for what is to come. Great time of the year to reflect and adapt.

[weeze]

Originally Posted by ponyboy

It's not about more customers its about making more profit
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you raise prices you're likely to lose that customer altogether lol.

[SRT8]

Originally Posted by JasonsLawnCare1

you raise prices you're likely to lose that customer altogether lol.

You dont have to raise prices to make more profit. You have to figure out how to be more efficient in every possible way without sacrificing quality.
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[Sean Adams]

Originally Posted by JasonsLawnCare1

you raise prices you're likely to lose that customer altogether lol.

Not necessarily. I think raising prices is necessary every year no matter what. The average cost of living increase I think is somewhere around 2-3%. I'm not suggesting you charge someone $25 for a mowing in 2012 and charge them $45 in 2013. But a bump from $25 to $27, for example, should not break anyone's bank for the most part.

Think of it this way....was just on the phone with a business owner from Florida.

He mows 45 cuts a year on average. His prices are low and we figured out his numbers, but he can't instantly jump every client where they need to be just because he wasn't good at bidding in the first place. Has to be a gradual process (but with new clients moving forward he will be pricing properly).

He has 195 residential weekly mowing accounts. Do the math....

$2 increase for each client, 45 mowings, 195 clients = $17,550 more in revenue. He is very confident that none of his clients will have issue with a mere $2 increase since he has not raised prices in 3 years and he admits his prices are probably on the low side to begin with.

[alldayrj]

sean any advice/books/classes on sales? I've spoke to many people about this. I feel I provide good service, have a good reputation, and present my self well but I dont capitalize on the leads I receive and close the deal as well as I should. I'm also fresh in the business and am working on the referral base that most strive for but I'm working on it. my business is mostly concrete, pavers, walls, grading and sod etc, no lawn maintenance FYI

[Smallaxe]

An annual 10% increase in what is charged is standard... Sometimes it applies and sometimes I leave it the same... Always look at the value to the client as the final determining factor...