Why can't I sell lawn care?

[Doster's L & L]

This is my first year to really push myself to sell lawn care. I am selling in areas where they have $150K- 350K homes. There is obviously no one doing lawn care there b/c they have weeds out the arse. I have gotten several calls and have been timely in giving them an estimate. They are eager to talk to me and hear what i have to say about my plan and how good it's gonna look come summer time and even better in April next year. But when it comes down to the numbers, i hear them freeking out with their thoughts. What i get is, "Well, i'll have to think about it for a while." What does this mean, guys? Are they hoping that i will get desparate and drop my prices? (it's starting to become an option) Does this mean, "Hell, man, do you want my arm too?!?" What does it all mean? I need your advice! Please help!

 

[jsr2741]

Around here, people in homes that run in the 200k to 500k range are what we call house poor.

Try targeting some of the older homes in the 90k to 150k range.Those are usually the blue collar folks and they are good at paying on time and are more geared to qaulity than price.

Just my .02.

 

[poolboy]

Try to target an older age group. And you might look into doing some “before and after” photos; that way homeowners can ponder over what their landscape might look like.

 

[Lawn-Scapes]

Like the previous poster said.. try a different area and income level. Don't limit yourself.

Also.. if you are not getting any bites at all... maybe you are overpriced. Just because you read on here that some are making $60 per hour.. that everyone and anyone who is in this business is or will. I certainly don't but I make a good living.

Don't get discouraged.. Good luck.

 

[little green guy]

whatever you do don't lower your prices.

 

[Tonyr]

This group I also deal with a lot, in my area I call these folks the "bargain hunters", they are the worse time wasters, they call, I quote, they say they need to think...

Obviously they try to better my offer, many fail and simply try it themselves and many fail, to them to fail is better than to see their money go into your pocket.

This group also a lot of times expect you to mow by hand, I've been asked to mow with a pushy instead of my Z as they say they want to see effort into earning their money....no chance!

Don't lower your price, this is admitting defeat to them, saying you work to their cheap price not to your higher standards.

When clients say they need to talk or think with their partner I find means they expected cheaper, they are just to shy to say no to your face.

The only services I can sell to this group successfully ae, mowing, trimming, edging, and roundup application in gardens for weed control. All just basics.

Keep battling, it works out eventually.

Gotta go, a bloody cyclone is on us, bit scary!

 

[jsr2741]

You could also do some shopping. I've had calls from other LCO's (posing as potential customers) who will want me to price a yard or qoute them my minimum to find out what I'm charging. I'll go by and leave a quote and then not get a call back but I'll go back by a few weeks later out of curiosity to see who got the job, and 2 instances I saw guys pulling their equipment from the garage and loading on their trailer.

You can bet wal-mart shops k-mart and vice versa, so I guess you could do it also.

 

[bobbygedd]

well, here comes the obvious, what these guys say "doesn't matter". what is "the going rate" for your services? u better be damn sure you know what the competition is charging, it means everything.

 

[specialtylc]

Originally posted by little green guy
whatever you do don't lower your prices.

This is bad advise. You may be too high. Its great to say I only work for $50 per hour. But if you aint working , youre not getting $50 per hour. Or maybe you are off on how long these jobs are going to take. I know when I first started I was sometimes off on the time a job would take.

 

[Doster's L & L]

I hear ya mate! I saw on the news that our aussie brothers are having a time with a nasty cane. I hope everything turns out ok for ya after the storm leaves. Thanks for your reply!

My thoughts are: if i were to give them a lower price just for this year alone just to let them know that i do excellent work and let them see what their lawn will look like, next year, i will raise my prices back to what they are now. Of course, they will be told about this when they sign the agreement. I figure that if i get a handful of folks to sign, their neighbors will see this as well and i will have their interest as well. I also think that word of mouth will spread like wildfire that i'm courteous, professional, and so on. Should i bend a little bit for some of them just for now to get started up?