Starting a lawnmower service requires a lawnmower, transportation, advertising, and pricing strategy. Commercial equipment is recommended, but used or homeowner-quality equipment can be used. Advertising should be done multiple times, and pricing should be based on the size of the yard.
To start a lawnmower service, you need to own a lawnmower and other equipment, advertise to potential customers, and decide on what to charge. Getting a lawn mower and a vehicle to transport it – if you don’t already have one – will be the most expensive upfront cost. Advertising can take many forms, including brochures and newspaper ads, but potential clients may not contact you for services unless they have seen more than one ad; therefore, it is generally recommended to use various types of advertising. Also, every mower service has someone who can give a sales pitch and determine how much to charge for a yard. When starting out, this important job can make or break the deal, and it’s probably up to you.
At the very least, a lawn mower service needs a lawn mower. Depending on the distances you need to travel and the size of your mower, you may need to get a pickup truck or vehicle capable of pulling it on a landscaping trailer. It is generally recommended to start with a commercial lawnmower, because mowers intended for home use cannot withstand long-term use. In the beginning, however, it is normal not to have the capital to buy commercial equipment, or even new equipment intended for domestic use. If you can’t afford a new lawnmower, look for a used one, or use a homeowner-quality mower, but remember that you may need to replace it after a few thousand hours of use.
Another piece of equipment to purchase when time and money permit is a trimmer and weed blower. Again, commercial quality is better, but not cheap. Either way, however, these items will be considerably less expensive than a lawnmower. Once your business makes enough profit, you might want to buy a trimmer for each person on your team to get jobs done faster.
Advertising is where some people go wrong; don’t fall victim to thinking that one-time advertising is enough. Potential customers are likely to contact a service they have seen advertised at least twice before. For example, you’re probably more open to the idea of buying a cell phone from a well-known manufacturer that frequently advertises in a variety of ways than you are from a lesser-known company that rarely advertises. You can start with colorful letterbox flyers, newspaper ads, or store flyers as inexpensive ways to advertise, but feel free to stack these ads for better turnover.
Once you’ve acquired the appropriate equipment, figured out how to transport it safely, and you’ve gotten an email or phone call from your first prospect, it’s time to estimate. Before you meet with the client, you can decide on an absolute minimum amount to charge anyone. This amount can be quite low to start with and increase as you earn a steady income. With that value in mind, look into the customer’s backyard; if it is reasonably large or if the client has made it clear that he wants a spotless job, quote a price above the minimum. Keep in mind that you won’t win over every potential customer and that it’s normal to make rookie mistakes in a new lawnmower service business.
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