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Realistic expectation of number of clients in first year?

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm in the mindset that I'm going to do whatever work I can that is still within the wheelhouse of the landscaping industry. I have done general contracting work in the past and can pick up as many hours I want with my brothers business, so I'm going to focus on profitability and efficiency, and if I only get 10 clients to start off with, so be it. I most definitely don't want to sell myself short and do work for less than the rate I'm shooting for. It's cool to see all the other Maryland guys on here too!
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
prezek said:
Operate out of Joppa. Customers spread from bel air and southern Harford County and all eastern Baltimore county. About oakleigh road in Parkville is my farthest your way. Nothing in Towson.
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Cool man I actually live right around where harford and joppa road meet. Working for my brothers business we generally do a lot of work in perry hall, parkville, cub hill, loch raven, and towson. It's funny I've noticed that our customers in the $600k houses in perry hall are the slowest payers
 
#25 ·
2003 was my first year started with nothing had 65 by end of August. 2004 was easier the economy was just booming back then easiest sales I ever had. Were going into 2018 after a massive tax cut and coming off a 3% gdp year for the first time since Bush and we will likely see it ramp up to over 4% this year. If ever there was a great year to start this is it. Perfect your message and your advertising plans now and be ready to launch when spring hits. T is right 10 accounts is to be expected on a bad year and so its a safe number to use but there's no reason in an economy like this you can't max yourself out in a few weeks in spring.
 
#26 ·
chrisd814 said:
I have another question for everyone, when it comes to liability insurance, should I get a policy before I start advertising or wait until I have clients to get it?
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I'm not offering legal aid or advise...but IMHO

I would get a quote, have everything ready so the only thing to do is call n pay or e-mail the carrier and the policy is effective (they can make it effective as of that phone call or e-mail). There is no point it carrying a policy if your not "working" per say

HOWEVER *** the minute you start to drive to give bids/estimates and step on someone else's property I would have that policy effective. Goes with-out saying if that policy included commercial auto insurance. ..DUH...

So in short if your "marketing" from the office then hold out on the policy until you have to...'have-to' meaning your off the computer screen and in motion operationally, there for: open to liabilities and you want to cover against those liabilities.
 
#27 ·
I honestly don't think a website is a good marketing tool for lawn care.. Yes, I do have a website. A nice 3 page layout etc.. My reasoning is once you get going or at least for me once I was established was to focus on cutting costs. For me that means dropping accounts further out to tighten my route up. Less driving between accounts is more profit. The end goal is to work as tight as possible not driving across the county for a couple of accounts. I find now that I hardly ever get a hit from within the area I want to work..
 
#28 ·
flashsmith said:
I honestly don't think a website is a good marketing tool for lawn care.. Yes, I do have a website. A nice 3 page layout etc.. My reasoning is once you get going or at least for me once I was established was to focus on cutting costs. For me that means dropping accounts further out to tighten my route up. Less driving between accounts is more profit. The end goal is to work as tight as possible not driving across the county for a couple of accounts. I find now that I hardly ever get a hit from within the area I want to work..
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Have heard other guys saying the same things about their web sites.
 
#29 ·
Sounds like your off to a great start. Your work experience will be highly beneficial, as well as having a brother who seems to be doing well as a built in mentor. Invaluable factors.
I was up to 20 accounts doing this part time last year, all from word of mouth/walkups. Plenty of opportunities for more work, with my full time job I was maxed out though. Going for 50 this year, making lawn care my fulltime and more. Love this industry!
You should have no problem hitting your goal of 25/30 accounts at all. I'm also in Maryland, right outside of DC in PG county. Good to see some MD representation on here!
 
#30 ·
Kelly's Landscaping said:
2003 was my first year started with nothing had 65 by end of August. 2004 was easier the economy was just booming back then easiest sales I ever had. Were going into 2018 after a massive tax cut and coming off a 3% gdp year for the first time since Bush and we will likely see it ramp up to over 4% this year. If ever there was a great year to start this is it. Perfect your message and your advertising plans now and be ready to launch when spring hits. T is right 10 accounts is to be expected on a bad year and so its a safe number to use but there's no reason in an economy like this you can't max yourself out in a few weeks in spring.
Click to expand...
 
#32 ·
We bought a list of names of a certain income level. ( I wouldn't do that today we learned the better way is get the grand list for the town you want and your get all the property owners names and mailing addresses) Then we did a introduction letter we mailed to about 3000 that landed us over 30 accounts that May. Then continued to get some who saved the letter (guess I can write a good letter we would hear things like I want to frame it) and as we were working then we got the neighbors and the referrals from our new clients. We learned what worked and didn't in advertising and had a much better blitz the following spring. In 2004 on a 3 day weekend in March I did solid estimates for Friday Saturday and Sunday nearly 10 a day had 29 of them by the end of that I had 27 new lawn accounts and a bunch of side jobs like pruning and mulch jobs. That was the last time the economy was similar to this one you couldn't miss it was that easy. So by April of that year we were in our 11th month and had over 130 accounts.
 
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donamow
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