There is something we all must remember. Lawns are like A$$ho!e$, everybody has one and everybody thinks they know how to take care it. I run into this problem all the time with new customers. First I should say that I am not a mower, I only grow the grass. I have a great deal of respect for the people that mow. I am very lucky, my client base trusts me implicitly. The one way that I get my point across is pointing out my yards have a consistancy that is unmatched in my area. When the going gets rough my lawns always look the best before, during and after. I get to call the shots, my way or the highway. If they want to mow the yard short during hot, dry weather they need to find a different lawn man. My retention rate is 99.5 percent per year. I do not take new customers without a tie to current customers. I do not advertise, have my name on my truck, or in the phonebook. My father started business over 50 years ago and this is one credo we live by,"The longer the leaf, the longer the root." By letting the grass grow longer you give it the opportunity to reach moisture. If you get that across, you have made a big impression. I hope I don't sound like a jerk, but this is one thing I really feel passionatly about. <p>----------<br>thats my 2 cents, <br>mike