When is the best time to start a lawn care business?
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Don’t wait for the perfect time.
An old Chinese proverb says:
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
This saying also applies to starting your own lawn care business.
You may think that the economy isn’t that great right now, or aren’t we going into recession?
I might wait for a better time. Honestly, if you keep waiting for that perfect moment, it will never happen.
Even if you work part-time or full-time at another job, nothing stops you from creating a side income. Then, if things go south with your job, you still have an independent source of income.
And in times like this, that is what matters the most.
Starting in Spring.
My favorite time to start a lawn mowing business is about a month before spring. It’s like being on a surfboard and ready when a good wave comes in and riding the wave.
Getting your marketing in place first
The reason that I say a month before spring is because you want to get your ducks in a row with your marketing. If you start to market your lawn care business on the first day of spring, your ads will take a while to warm up. Expesselly is you are using something like Google Ads, which is a slow burner to start but can bring in great results in the long term.
You don’t want your ads to kick in a month after spring has started. You have missed all the action. The ideal time to begin to market your business is a month before spring hits. Then you will catch that wave.
Services you can offer in spring.
Spring is when everything starts happening, and the lawns emerge from their winter dormancy and start growing.
Homeowners are looking to breathe a bit of life into their lawns, and this makes spring a perfect time of year to start a business and offer services such as
Lawn mowing: This is the peak time to sign new lawn mowing customers up. This is the best service to aim for when you start a lawn service because it equals regular income, which is far better for cash flow than one-off work.
Lawn fertilization: Feeding the lawn has some benefits; it will immediately put money in your pocket and kick-start the lawn’s growth. You also want to get every customer for lawn fertilization to sign up for a regular mow if you can.
Aeration: This is a great money-maker if you have the tools. It is a high-profit service that a new business can offer.
Spring clean-up: One of the best things about this kind of work is that it fills some empty spots in your diary when you start your lawn business and are still building.
Seeding or sodding: This is also an additional service that you can sell at that time to get those tired or bare patches fixed up in time for summer.
Here is why spring is a great time to build
Spring has sprung, which means warmer weather and longer days are on the horizon. For many people, that also means it’s time to start thinking about their lawn care. After a long winter of watching their yards go to seed, they’re ready to hand over the reins to a professional.
The grass starts growing; everybody wants their lawn mowed. By approaching quoting with a tow truck drive mentality, you can be the “Jonny on the spot.” The smaller the business, the faster you can move. Take advantage of this.
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People are ready to invest in getting their lawns mowed again.
After months of neglect, people’s lawns are in dire need of some TLC. They’re ready to invest in making them look nice again, so they’re more likely to hire someone like you with a mower to do the work for them.
This is the easiest time of the year to build
If you start your business now, you’ll have a leg up on the competition when everyone else is busy keeping up. You’ll be able to build up a client base and establish yourself as a go-to lawn-mowing professional in your area before everyone else starts to think about getting around to the quote.
The weather is (mostly) cooperative.
Granted, you never know what Mother Nature will throw at you from one day to the next. But generally speaking, early spring is pretty reliable regarding weather. It’s not too hot or cold, making it ideal for working outside on yards. So take advantage of it while you can!
The temperatures are warm but not too hot, and there is typically enough rain to keep the grass healthy without making it too wet to mow.
Grass Grows Quickly
Another reason that spring is an excellent time to start a lawn mowing business is that grass grows quickly at this time of year. Customers will need to have their lawns mowed more frequently, leading to more business for you.
There are More Opportunities for Marketing
In addition to getting a head start on the competition, starting your lawn mowing business in spring also provides more marketing opportunities. This is because people are generally more receptive to marketing messages during this time of year.
More people are looking for lawn mowing businesses at this time of year, so the cost of landing a new customer is cheaper.
Starting in the summer
Summer is also a great time of year to start a lawn & landscape business. You may have missed the spring rush but you haven’t missed the boat entirely. This is the maintenance and preservation part of the lawn care cycle.
Services you can offer in summer
These services could include
Lawn mowing services: You want to cut the lawns regularly and preferably cut them a bit higher than usual. This will help the grass retain moisture if the weather gets dry.
Weed control: This is the season where weeds can go wild, so you could offer some weed control treatments so they don’t take over the lawn. Be aware that you may require licenses and permits in some areas.
Irrigation management: Maintaining or installing irrigation is something that’s needed at this time of year. The client may want someone to manage the watering schedule as well.
Pest Control: Summer is when all the pests arrive, which clients do not want when hosting outdoor BBQs and parties. You can monitor the lawn for grubs, insects, and diseases and offer treatments as needed.
You can start building an excellent business in the summer, and although it won’t be as busy as spring, you will still get lots of work.
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Starting in the fall
Even though this is the tail end of the season in some areas it is still a busy time. People are preparing for winter and thinking about the next growing season.
Services you can offer in the fall
These services could include
Lawn mowing services: There are still lawn mowing jobs to be had. However, when quoting lawn jobs, consider any large trees they have that may lose leaves. Decide what kind of arrangement you will make with the leaves; that will make your job harder.
Leaf removal: Someone must take care of all those fallen leaves. If left they can damage the lawn and encourage mold issues. This can be good steady work in the fall.
Lawn aeration: Aeration will promote root growth before winter. Healthy roots will be essential to survive the winter and return healthy in the spring.
Fertilization: The lawn will need nourishment, especially after a long, hot summer. They must also stock up on nutrients to prepare for winter dormancy.
Weed control: It’s time to target the late-season weeds so they don’t get a foothold before winter.
There is plenty to do in the fall and you can still start your lawn care business then. You may need to have a bit of money in the bank to get you through.
Starting in winter.
Not for the faint-hearted, but it can be done. This is certainly doable if you are fortunate enough to live in an area where you can mow lawns all year round.
Services you can offer in winter.
Snow Removal services: This makes the most sense if you get a lot of snow in your area. Snow plowing or de-icing services are a great way to get work at this time of year.
Winterization Services: Things like irrigation systems or outdoor faucets could be treated to prevent them from freezing in cold temperatures.
Holiday Lighting Installation and Removal: This is becoming more popular and affordable as new technology becomes available. Offering holiday lighting services for homes and businesses is an excellent income boost. Better still, at the end of the season, they pay you to take it down. You store it for the year and bring it out again the following year. You may even serve some of the same customers for years.
One good thing about starting in winter is that you will be building a solid business. Because it is the hardest time of year, it will make the rest of the sessions look like a cakewalk. A business started in spring when the going is easy can sometimes go downhill when times get tough.
The other thing that you could do if you wanted to wait until spring is spend the winter planning a spring launch. You could spend the time writing your business plan and getting your marketing materials ready. Then, as soon as spring comes, you could hit the road running with a full sign-written truck and a brand that stands out.
Conclusion: When is the best time to start a lawn care business?
Now is the perfect time to start your lawn-mowing business!
Although spring is my favorite season, any time of the year is good.
You can even start in midwinter; the bonus is that spring will feel like a breeze after surviving the winter.
Every season has its advantages.
Don’t wait – the sooner you get started, the better!
If you’re considering starting a lawn mowing business, there’s no time like now.
Frequently asked questions.
How do you start a lawn care business?
How do I market my lawn care business?
Can you start a lawn care business with no money?
How do I make money off-season (winter) in a lawn care business?
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