The garden and lawn care industry can be fiercely competitive. Multiple competent business owners can be fighting for market share, and it can sometimes seem like there isn’t enough work to go around.

The reality is that it often just takes thinking outside the square to gain a competitive advantage. You might be able to do just that by taking some of the following actions:

Working for a Franchise

There is nothing wrong with starting your own lawn care business from scratch. However, a great deal of trust can already be established with a franchise business. If customers already know a company name, they might be more inclined to contact a franchise business owner working within it.

There can also be many benefits associated with working for a franchise, such as:

Having support from the franchise owner

Not having to worry about marketing and branding materials

A smaller risk than starting your own business from scratch

Having access to training

Instant name recognition 

Many franchise businesses also provide their new franchisees with an established client list they can build from. This isn’t usually the case when you start a business yourself.

Offering Extra Services

Some lawn mowing businesses focus strictly on lawn mowing. There is nothing wrong with fine-tuning your craft and being known for your exceptional lawn-mowing skills. However, diversification can be the key to creating a competitive advantage.

You can maximise your profit potential if you offer a range of lawn care services. Customers might come to you for lawn mowing first and foremost, but they’ll stick around for your hedge trimming, tree pruning, water blasting, and other property maintenance requirements. Being a one-stop shop for lawn care might help you stand out from the crowd.

Marketing Your Services

Many successful business owners can build a loyal client list through word of mouth. After all, word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertising. However, you might also expand your reach and grow your customer list by marketing your services.

There are a number of effective marketing strategies worth exploring, such as search engine marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, and direct mail. Explore each option to see if they’re right for you.

Best of all, most marketing options in today’s digital age are cost-effective and trackable. You can see if they’re working, tweak them if they’re not, and gauge which marketing method is the most successful.

Offering Desirable Deals

Kiwis love getting a bargain. Appeal to your customers’ desire to save money by offering desirable deals. You might be surprised by how many new customers you welcome onto your regular mowing list.

The type of deal you offer can be at your discretion. For example, you might advertise free green waste removal with your mowing service or a two-for-one mowing deal. Some lawn care service providers simply offer a discounted rate for a customer’s first mow. Offering deals isn’t compulsory, but you might find it effective for attracting new business.

Using Your Vehicle for Advertising

Some people don’t even think about their need for lawn care services until they see their neighbours receiving them. If your vehicle is parked outside a customer’s house with signwriting for your business, you might naturally receive inquiries from neighbouring properties. Secure enough work in one area, and you can keep your travel costs low.

Just don’t forget to carry around flyers and business cards with you! This way, you have something tangible to hand to prospective customers who approach you while you’re working.

Upskilling

Some homeowners just want someone who can quickly mow their lawns when they run out of time. Others prefer knowledgeable professionals who know why their grass is filled with weeds, going bald, or has other problems.

Your knowledge of lawns and gardens might set you apart from other lawn care service providers in your area. If you gain a reputation as someone who really knows your stuff, you might find customers lining up to request your services.

Let Your Work Do the Talking

Marketing and providing deals can undoubtedly help you gain a competitive advantage. However, your work can also do all the talking. If you take pride in your work and do it to a high standard, your customers are more likely to request your services in the future.

With time, your customers will naturally refer you to their friends and family members. You might gain an advantage without having to do anything other than your job.

Are You Ready to Buy a Lawn Care Business?

If you’re passionate about providing high-quality lawn care services for people in your area, why not buy a lawn mowing business within a well-established and highly regarded franchise? You can then try some of these tips above to help your new business stand out from the crowd.