Here is something I thought of driving down the road. I have heard of some guys offer every 5th cut free. How about every 5th cut half off. Then you are breaking even maybe a little profit and catching the eyes of customers. Anyone ever try this? If so how did it go over? If not why?
half off every 5th cut
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so your saying one week out of every 5 your gonna be just breaking even. Sorry sounds like a bad idea to be, i think any idea where your working and not making money is stupid.
i personally know a guy who advertised "every 4th cut free". he was a dumb azz, nothing more. he got swamped with work, couldn't keep up, coulnt upgrade the equipment cus there was no money, he ended up having his phone disconnected, and closing his p.o box just to stop people from calling. good luck
i don't think that'd be a very sound business model. thats saying to them "in the long term, i'm making enough money off you that i can afford to just cut that 5th mow right in half everytime the whole season" of course if you're raking them over the coals enough you can cover the bases.
I'd much rather just offer that as a promotion (if at all) free 5th cut with every signing referral or something along those lines.
I'd much rather just offer that as a promotion (if at all) free 5th cut with every signing referral or something along those lines.
OK I am not saying I am doing this at all. I was just wondering how those guys who offer every fifth cut or whatever for free how they made any money. Now here is some math I have done. I figure I am going to get 22 maybe 23 cuts per account per season. I am sorry I am not cutting someone's grass if it is brown and not growing like I have seen some people do in my area that is where I cut my number from. So based on that we will say 22 cuts. One of my accounts is $130.00 per cut. with not giving the half off that account brings in $2860. Now if I say every 5th cut half off I am giving four cuts at half off the account brings in $2600. I don't think I would be losing my shirt. Now in what you were saying BsDeality you could also look at it as hey because you are a loyal and good customer I am going to give you a discount and cut every fifth cut for cost that is how much your business means to me. The customer has to assume you are making a profit on them not ripping them off. Now as stated before I most likely won't do it but I might give it a try and see who knows lol.
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I have a new offer that will be on my doorhangers(look in Elements of Business to look at them), I'm offering anyone that signs up to my service thier 5th cut Free. But only thier 5th cut! I have other special offers that clients can earn but to offer every 5th cut free is not to smart.
I don't see a reason for working for nothing or half. I don't think the customer expects you to come over and and sweat in their yard anything less than a fair price . If you did that on all your accounts you would be killing yourself. Say you cut 60 yards the first week of April, now you get to the first week of May you will be cutting those same 60 lawns for the week and making zero or half. Plus I think billing could get to be alot more of a headache.
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After the first time, I don't think the customer is going to "really" appreciate it. After you do it once or twice it becomes expected and then you essentially just lowered your profit for nothing. Ya might as well just cut your rates by 20%. Same difference. Not a good idea IMO.
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Yeah, man. Don't cut your own throat. However, if you compensate a bit and go ahead and charge that extra 20% then you may be able to get away with it. I don't recomend it though.
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Right now i am charging about $20 a cut, how would the idea of including coupons with the flyers that is $5 off and exired the second week of may or so, that way people won't wait to start until there yard is way over grown and people might give it a try it if only costs them $15 and then get hooked when they see what a great job you do and once the coupons are expired they would pay $20 a cut then
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How about every week free. oops forgot.... some of you guys are already doing that!
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Cut your price to $10 and quadruple your volume kinda like the "Change Bank" on SNL you'll make it up in volume.
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spin 2098 I understand what your saying. It doesn't sound like your losing much but if you have 20 accounts equal to the one you used as an example you would give away $5200 a season. Which means you would end up working two of the accounts free.I think you will just end up raising rates to cover your sales "gimmick".
I just dont understand why lawn care companies think they have to give discounts and half or free mowings to get your business going.. i started 11 years ago with 16 acounts from an add in the city paper. i never offered nothing just a quility cut at a great price ..my price.. Today my father and i have 115 accounts.. many people have more.. but my 115 make probally more than the gut with 300 or more . we have municple contracts with the city also we have contracrs with our cities park distric.. and large commercial accounts and conds, not to mention our high end residential accounts go after the customer u dont have to offer adiscount to he probally to cheap anyway. build your business doing reshearch on who accepts bids like the city, your park distric usually these are 3 to 5 year contracts. I now have full lawn care division, landscaping division, and fert division. Started with 16 accounts 11 years ago . never gave a discount . I wnat my price for the work i do. Believe me there are customers who wil pay your price and want you quility of work.
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This is what I have seen most, potentially also when an annual mowing contract is signed as well.
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