We're sorry to break it to you, but if you were born between 1980 and 2000, chances are you're a member of that special class of avocado-eating, selfie-taking, brunch-loving Millennials. And like many of your brethren, you may be seeking something to do with your life that's a little more fulfilling than your ordinary day job.

Unfortunately, for many of these Instagram-your-lunch types, business ownership seems out of reach. Even so, here's a fascinating phenomenon: Millennials are snapping franchises at an astronomical rate.

Indeed, the International Franchise Association claims that almost 75% of all Millennials list entrepreneurialism as a key aspiration. And here at Crewcut, we couldn't agree more that being under 30 in 2018 gives you the perfect set of skills and values for making a franchise succeed.

Forbes claims that a staggering 72% of all Millennials want to be their own boss. Why? Because they're not afraid to tell you what they want. They don't want to just sit at a desk. They see the big picture and are powered by technology.

And there are so many other reasons why the Millennial is the absolutely perfect candidate for owning and running a lawn mowing franchise:

Why?

1. Fresh thinking

Whether it's an opinion about the new iPhone or a cool way to make mowing lawns easier, Millennials certainly bring fresh thinking to the table.

These values are powered by the Millennials' desire to live rather than let work dictate life, which means a range of fresh strategies to make opportunities come to life whilst having fun at the same time.

2. Ready for change

As the world so obviously changes, so too does the Millennial.

In fact, the world has changed from the previous generation to the current one so radically that the Millennial is fairly well placed to embrace brand new thinking. We've gone from pre-internet to online gaming, and landlines to a smartphone in the hand of every toddler. But the job market is changing hugely as well, meaning the Millennial is ready for anything and primed for multi-tasking and rapid adaptation.

3. Technology savvy

If there's one main difference between the Millennial generation and the one that preceded it, it's technology.

In short, Millennials were raised with technology from the cradle, and they embraced it with relish. When transferred to the world of lawn mowing franchise ownership, one thing is certain: the Millennial lawn mowing King or Queen won't let even rapid technology changes leave them behind.

Read more → Be found on Google with a Crewcut franchise

4. Social media as King

Ok, so running a lawn mowing franchise is mainly about mowing. And that seems to have little to do with the Millennials' love affair with texting and Instagram-ing

But social media savvy will actually come in very handy for the Millennial lawn mowing entrepreneur. Filming, creating, hashtagging and sharing work with the community will be easy-peasy, giving the Millennial a big marketing head-start over the Baby Boomer competitor.

5. Youth beats experience

'Youth beats experience' may seem the wrong way around, but let's face it: mowing lawns is hard. Mowing 8 lawns a day is even harder. And it's going to be a lot easier for a 20-something compared to a more-than-20-something.

Fit, active and with minimal health issues, it's the perfect stage of life for a Millennial to get out and active and soaking up that vitamin D with a lawn mower. We've known lawn care business owners who reported walking 25-30km a day during the summer months - and only a Millennial's latest Fitbit watch is equipped for that sort of workout!

6. Work, earn, invest

One of the secrets of achieving wealth independence later in life is to start as soon as possible.

This fact alone gives Millennials a hefty head-start when it comes to taking on the responsibility of business ownership - with the protection of an established franchise brand and the willingness to work hard, save and invest for the long-term as key factors on top. The younger you are, the less responsibilities you have other than earning, learning and aiming high for the future. The cost of living and home ownership is sky-high for the Millennial, but a Crewcut franchise owner is almost guaranteed more than industry standard earnings.

7. Mission independence

When the Millennial's parents grew up, they were still on the trajectory of 'one life, one career'.

But as the global financial crisis demonstrated a decade ago, the Millennial knows they cannot rely on the promises of the past, which makes them ready for financial confidence and independence, and primed to take that bold step into business ownership. In fact, 75% of the top 2000 high-earning Millennials said they had a hunch they'd make it big as entrepreneurs

8. World-changing ambition

Ask a Millennial what they'd like to see, and they'll think big: like ushering in the dawn of renewable energy, and solving the catastrophic predictions of climate change.

It means the Millennial really wants to make a difference and leave the world in better shape than they found it - and they are prepared to think big and outside the box to achieve it, whilst not shying away from a hard day's work.

9. Creativity

Even amid all of that youthful angst, no generation is as creative as the Millennial one.

Finding a stable job is one particular worry, which makes creating and crafting and perfecting a job that is entirely under their control particularly attractive. The Millennial hasn't given up on the idea of the 'dream job' - they're just more likely to create it for themselves than hope it is given to them.

10. Forget 9-5

Once upon a time, the young people of the world got ahead because they were going to work 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, 9 through 5.

But as the world slowly phases out that sort of job structure, the Millennial seems completely ready to take control of their own diary. They don't mind working hard, but the Millennial lifestyle is important too - and owning a franchise is a unique way to design a work itinerary with the flexibility they seek.

The bottom line? The lawn mowing franchise business seems like a match made in heaven for the Millennial. Are you a young, motivated and ambitious up-start who is ready to take the plunge but not sure quite where to begin? Give the Crewcut team a call today on 0800 800 286.

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By David Serville, Founder of Crewcut Lawn & Garden

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In my view, a lawn mowing business plan should be kept simple. Once written, it should provide you with clarity and should be easy to follow for any reader. 

 

So who are you writing your lawn mowing business plan for?

1. A bank

2. A business Partner

3. Yourself

These are in order of complexity. Before you write one for a bank or a business partner you need to address one thing; What sort of security and resources do you have to bring to such a venture?

The bank will likely want to see equity in a property or home. You will need to fill out a financial statement of position form. This tells the bank everything you own, your current outgoings, your debt and the equity you have at that point of time. The bank will want 3-6 months of bank statements (if it is a different bank or lender to who you normally use).

If you don’t own a property with a good amount of equity, in other words unencumbered home with little debt, then don’t bother even calling a bank as they will not be interested. One advantage of a Crewcut Franchise System is that we can overcome some of this as long as you have enough money for the vehicle, equipment and a small deposit. It is key that you don’t start any business with more debt than the business can handle in the start-up phase.

I would recommend in any scenario that you always start with your own plan. I mentioned what is required by the bank only to save you time. The place to start any plan is with your personal business plan. A business partner will at the very least want to see this if they are investing time and money into the venture, unless it is your wife or a trusting relative. In my view, you should alway start with a one page plan.

 

Answer these questions

How will you financially live or get by for the first 6-12 months as you build you business? 

If you purchase a lawn mowing franchise, this is less relevant as you start with a ready-made own business with only a small development cost, if any. This depends on the package.

 

What is the cost of the equipment? 

• 2 Lawn mowers of commercial quality for residential or commercial use.

• One straight arm loop handle of commercial quality line trimmer

• One blower

 

What vehicle or trailer will you use?

• Your current Vehicle with Trailer or Van or Truck - Vehicles need to white for a Lawn mowing Franchise.

 

 

Read more lawn mowing business tips:

• Can a millennial own a lawn care business?

• Be found on Google with a Crewcut business

• Grow your lawn mowing business like a pro

 

What is your marketing budget and how will this be implemented? 

This could be a monthly cost and strategy which is outlined in just a paragraph or two. A big unique benefit to a Crewcut Lawn mowing franchise or business is that you get your own web page and digital marketing package when you start along with dedicated marketing to insure your business always develops and grows. With an in-house marketing team, the national marketing plan is being constantly developed.

 

What number of lawns will you need and how long will this take to develop? 

If you are considering starting as an independent, you need to consider this and at least write yourself some targets. It may be crystal ball gazing, but it is an essential number as this is the thing that will be the difference of survival or not. I would estimate the average lawn price in Auckland is about $30 while this may be more or less in smaller cities. Based on Auckland lawn mowing prices, when your business has grown to 40 lawns a fortnight, it will have a revenue of $1200 or $600 per week in summer. This is still only a part time business. As a Auckland Lawn mower contractor, you will need grow your business to at least 80 lawns a fortnight with additional property maintenance so that you could earn revenues of $1500 per week. At Crewcut we like to introduce someone that is not mowing fit with about 60 lawns and then grow the business rapidly from there. This gives enough time for a lawn mowing franchise operator to orient themselves to all aspects of the business while their business gets to 80 lawns in the following weeks. Some lawn mowing franchises nominate to have larger businesses however, the only requirement at Crewcut is providing a top notch service to your client base. You could eventually have 140 or more lawns and this is determined by the franchise owner.

 

Will this be part-time or full time? 

A part time business may not need much funding, and could be started with just one 21 inch catcher lawn mower of commercial quality with the ability to mulch or side deliver. A line trimmer straight arm loop handle and a blower and trailer. However if you want to be working full time, then purchase a small private round or a lawn care franchise and get cracking.

Put all this in writing on one pager 

If it is for the bank with a position of statement form, it will be a two pager. Keep a copy to look back at and celebrate certain milestones. If you buy a lawn care franchise you can start any time of year. If you choose to start a lawn care business from zero, I’d advise you to start in spring. That will give yourself the best chance for your marketing to work. I can’t stress enough that you should always write your goals down and add them to your plan at the start of each year. People who do this have a written plan to look back at and have mentally prepared themselves for success each year.

Other things to consider are your plans for a lawn mowing health and safety policy, a trading name that is memorable also to use for the business bank accounts, selecting a good reputable accountant and taking advice. You can also get your tax returns done for as little as $500 if you are organised and shop around. If you are purchasing a franchised business you will need a lawyer as well. For professionals, always get a quote. A lawyer will prepare any sale of purchase agreement for you and or advise you on a Franchise Agreement. 

Now you have considered all this, don’t procrastinate. Start! 

If you're looking for my advice before starting your career as a lawn mowing business owner, check out some more lawn mowing business tips here.

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Mistakes. An inevitable part of building a business - but can you avoid some of them? When you start your own lawn mowing business, you're likely to encounter plenty. But many of these issues can be avoided if you know where to get sound advice. We've heard or seen almost every mistake under the sun. Here are our top ten mistakes we see from new business owners or independent lawn mowing operators - and how you can avoid them. 

1. Having unrealistic expectations

One of the biggest mistakes you can have in any business, but especially when starting a lawn mowing business. When you think you can do 100 lawns in a week, you'll probably end up under the mower. But this mistake can extend to other areas, like customers and type of work you get. While you may only expect to do lawn mowing, there are other services that will need to supplement your income. 

Pro tip - write down what you expect from your first year of business, and perhaps cross check this with another lawn mowing operator. They'll have a wealth of knowledge to share. 

 

2. Borrowing too much money

Quite a few can get trapped by borrowing too much. While starting in a new business or franchise can be expensive, it takes a lot of careful financial planning to make sure you do it properly. Those who join a franchise like Crewcut will be shown how to budget correctly to avoid getting into large amounts of debt. 
 

3. Lack of communication

Whether it's poor communication with your customers, head office, or your regional manager - it's not going to get you very far. Be sure to let people know when you're going to be there, and if you can't. Trust us, an informed customer is a lot less problematic than a confused and irritated one. 
 

4. Not making time for admin

While you're out mowing lawns during the day, you may forget one of the most important aspects of the business, admin. No invoices or checking cashflow can spell disaster if left too long without attention. While you may be a great multi-tasker, this work is often shared with a partner. Have a read of 'Couples That Work Together And Love It'
 

5. Under quoting

Out of fear of not getting the job, a lot of lawn mowing operators underprice the job. The only issue is the customer will get a certain expectation that this will be the ongoing rate. You don't want to sell yourself short to get the job. Ultimately there are always plenty of other lone wolfs out there who will try to give the customer a deal, but cheap rates only go so far. The best way to get the job is to show you're professional and can do a quality job. 
 

Read more on franchise lawn mowing:

• 7 reasons a lawn mowing business might be for you

• How to write a lawn mowing business plan

• How to start a lawn mowing business in 12 easy steps

6. Not planning the day or week

If you don't plan where you'll be or what jobs you'll do on a certain day - you're going to run into a myriad of issues. It's also not good for your customers as their mow may be delayed or they don't know when you're coming at all. 
 

 

7. Cheap or second-hand equipment

Going for the cheap isn't going to get you far in this industry. If you think you can get a cheap lawn mower from the Warehouse and expect it to last you forever, you'll be bitterly disappointed. Trust quality, well known brands. And again if you're going for second-hand equipment, you'll have to prepare to replace fairly soon. If you talk to head-office, you may be able to get a discount on some well-known brands. 
 

8. Lack of experience in being self employed or self motivated

A lot of people have been employed, but don't understand the pitfalls of having to take responsibility for their own business. Self employment is no mean-feat. It takes plenty of the 3 P's: persistence, planning and positivity. With a franchise network you'll have advice and support from other franchisees and a regional manager. This can take away some of the stress you may encounter if you were to start an independent business.
 

9. No financial planning or budgeting

It's important to budget for certain things in a lawn mowing business. Some of these things might include GST, ACC, or franchise fees. Another important aspect of the lawn mowing industry, is to plan around the seasonality of the work. For example, in the Winter months, lawn mowing services slow right down. If you supplement your income with extra garden services or you have another job - then this won't be an issue. However, if you're relying on lawn mowing for your entire income - you absolutely have to plan for these quieter months.  
 

10. Being a lawn mower instead of a proud business owner

Thinking that you're just the person behind the lawn mower really limits how far your business will grow. You're more than that. You're the face of your successful business. The person the customer will see on a regular basis. So be proud of your business and put yourself out there - it will get you a lot further than the guy who is just a lawn mower.

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Ultimately, all these mistakes are part of starting your own lawn mowing business. However, if you buy a Crewcut franchise, you're also securing yourself with fantastic training and ongoing help & support. This is one of the main benefits of joining a franchise rather than going it alone. For more information on how to build a lawn mowing business, be sure to have a read of 'Grow Your Lawn Mowing Business Like A Pro'

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The housing boom has seen unprecedented urban sprawl in many parts of Auckland and where there was once countryside, there are now lawns and new landscaping to be maintained. These new housing developments come accompanied by homeowners who generally fall into one or more of these categories:

1. They’ve made the move from the city and have no idea about lawn care

2. They’ve moved onto a bare lot that needs hedging planted and lawn sown before regular maintenance begins

3. The homeowner is too busy working to pay off the new mortgage to be bothered with the lawn mowing

4. The property is a rental and the owner will need someone to take charge of the lawn care, including lawn mowing and hedge trimming.
   

These areas, like Millwater in the north, or Paerata in the south, are ripe for Auckland lawn mowing franchise opportunities. Usually when buying into a franchise you inherit a list of clients, so targeting new suburbs will take longer to build up a client list - however, it will pay off if you get a lot of clients in a concentrated area. As we’ll see in a couple of paragraphs, your lawn mowing business can run into problems even when you start off with plenty of customers, if you’re unprepared and have no support.

Read more on growing a lawn mowing business:

• Grow your lawn mowing business like a pro

• Couples that work together - and love it!

• 10 common mistakes when starting a lawn business

Promotion need not be a headache – you’ll get a lot of support from head office, which will help you with marketing material. I suggest that you add localised touches to your flyers, like ‘new *franchise* round starting up in *suburb*’. There’s nothing I distrust more than a flyer that says ‘Auckland-wide’ and a cell phone number. People like local, it’s safe (you don’t have to live there yourself). Include a small smiling photo. If you look like Ed Sheeran, use a photo of your dog.

Ex-independent lawn mowing operator, Jamie, had the great luck to be given a lawn mowing round of 30 North Shore properties, as well as advice on where to get the best machinery. Jamie was experienced at both lawn mowing and hedge trimming but he had little knowledge of business or the practicalities of quoting a new job.

“Even though I was gifted a customer base, I didn’t know any tricks of the trade, so had no idea of the techniques of how to do a job efficiently,” he says.
“ My accounting was a mess because I didn’t pay any ACC premiums, so I got hit with a retrospective ACC bill. But the biggest problem I had day to day was that I didn’t know anything about quoting for a lawn or hedge trimming job, so I’d turn up and say something would take a couple of hours and I’d be there all morning and end up out of pocket. Also, it was quite lonely.”

Jamie advises anyone wanting to start an independent lawn mowing operation to register as a business and organise GST and ACC before cutting the first blade of grass. He says if did it again, he’d opt for the advice and support of belonging to a franchise. “Plus, you get the tried and true equipment. And the camaraderie. Outside work can be pretty solitary so it’s nice to have that feeling of belonging.”

When Jamie eventually left the Auckland lawn mowing industry, he handed on the lawn mowing round he’d been given gratis so was left with nothing but several black bin bags of receipts. However, he still has the commercial mower and line trimmer he was advised to invest in by his predecessor and they’re in excellent condition thanks to regular maintenance from a trusted local operator.

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by David Serville, founder of Crewcut Lawn & Garden

After 30 years in the lawn mowing industry, first as an independent, then building independent lawn mowing rounds, pushing a lawn mower and then building  a national lawn mowing franchise network, I have learnt a thing or two.  I’ve also listened to a lot of lawn mowing contractors and lawn mowing franchise owners. There are two types of people that are attracted to this industry: Those that think it’s easy, and those that take a more respectful approach to starting in this sector. In my experience those that prepare thoughtfully and approach the development of their business carefully, increase their chances of success tenfold. Those that thought it was easy often don’t last. 

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Table of contents

1. Make a lawn mowing business plan

2. Start with some work

3. Pick a trainer and coach

4. Choose the right lawn and garden tools

5. Give yourself some slack, and be patient

6. Use your existing clients to build income

7. Collect payment routinely

8. Organise your schedule

9. Communicate with your clients regularly

10. Love your clients

11. Market your business

12. Measure

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Key to success in this industry is having the thoughtful reason for choosing lawn mowing as an industry. Many of the successful people I know say something like. “I always saw myself doing this one day” or “ I always wanted to leave the desk job and work outside”  People that explain their motivation in a related way are pursuing a dream and will often have the clarity to make this great business succeed. 

Hopefully by sharing this list, it will make your start in the lawn mowing business a little bit easier. This list will apply to you if you join a Crewcut franchise or go it alone. Before you decide if you want to join a franchise or be an independent lawn mowing operator, be sure to read this blog 10 reasons lawn mowing franchises beat start-ups.

Step #1:

Make a lawn mowing business plan

Most of what you read about planning is not appropriate, complicated and confusing. The lawn mowing business plan you write down on one piece of paper will be suited to focusing your attention on the right type of development path. There will be some simple ideas you can edit and adjust over time.

Answer some simple questions: What sort of money do you want from you business? What hours and lifestyle do you want to attain, and by when? Will you work in the weekends? What type of jobs will you do? What geographic areas do you want to work in?

By asking and answering these questions, you'll make your decision to buy a lawn mowing business a whole lot easier. 

Step #2:

Start with some work

Buying some lawns is important. You want to hit the ground running, and you want to buy enough that you know you can comfortably service. A common mistake is to buy a fully developed business then struggle to keep up. Clients get disappointed with a drop in service and they haven’t built trust with you, so if you make this mistake, expect to lose some of your client base. If you buy a lawn mowing franchise ask your franchisor to hold some of your clients until you are ‘lawn mowing fit’.  Buying a good franchise business will make your first year much more profitable. 

Tip: It takes 1.5 x to 2x’s longer to cut a lawn for the first time, and that’s when the grass is being cut on time. If you’re a little late to cut it and it’s the first time, it may take you 3 times as long. It’s about knowing each lawn. To get to a maximum speed, it will take until the third cut to get the timings right. If you have been trained well it helps. 

Step #3:

Pick a trainer and coach

So you think you can mow a lawn, but can you run a lawn mowing business?  

My start-up hack is to give away 2-3 weeks with a couple of very capable lawn mowing men. 

Yep work for them, for free. The truth is that you will probably be slowing them down in the first week at least. Don’t do 8 hours mowing a day in your first week. Start with 5-6 hours a day for the first week, then only ever a maximum of 6 while you train. Then by the last few days you should be able to do 8 hours fairly comfortably.

Training with someone competent is essential. You just have to look at their rig and listen to their advice to work this out. Most people will need at least 3 weeks to build knowledge, but not many will want to work for free that long. I KNOW this will be one of the best investments you will ever make. You should learn the following in 3 weeks: pricing work, scheduling, equipment operation, quality of work standards, customer service and maybe even some admin and peer work if your trainers are generous.  This is just the start. Keep in touch with your trainer (this is your advisor).

Tip: keep in touch with your advisor even after you finish. Who knows, they may be able to share or sell their clients to you for a reduced fee. Who ever said that it’s who you know not what you know - really knew what they were talking about. 

Step #4:

Choose the right lawn and garden tools

Most people spend a huge amount of time here and this is almost the easiest part. Choose two mowers, as this seems like a correct balance to start with. 

Tip: Only buy new gear. Buying someone else’s gear secondhand has very little merit or value. If you get the gear for under 20% of replacement value and have the expectation to be buying newer gear in your first 3 months, then secondhand gear may be alright in this instance. If it lasts 6 months, that’s a huge bonus. But be sure to have the money to replace immediately if you have to. You don't want to disappoint clients by not turning up to jobs because your equipment broke down - it's not a great look.

The right number for a walk-behind round is probably two in the beginning. If you have too many mowers, your repair bills go up significantly.  Too little and you over-work your gear which will dramatically reduce their lifespan.

Buy a commercial quality kit and look to the the people who have been in the industry for years. 

Here are a few pieces of equipment you should definitely have:

• Catcher mower 21 inch

• Mulcher mower 21 inch or Side delivery

• Line Trimmer Straight arm loop handle 25 cc + plug in tools are handy like hedge trimmer Stihl

• Petrol Blower vac

• Pruner Clips

• Garden fages x 6

• 2X 20 litre petrol cans

Make sure you look after them, and budget for replacement. 

Vehicle and trailer

Make sure you consider your set-up and get a vehicle suitable to your requirements and demands of the business.

• Van - Go for a long wheel base

• Ute - Will need a trailer attached

• Lite truck

• Trailer - Consider the design. Single axel high sides with built ramps. Also on a wish-list is lockable cabinets, Stowage for lawn equipment on the cross bar with drop ramp.

Signage on vehicle and trailer is best loud and proud. Customers have mentioned that the Crewcut signage is recognisable and gives them comfort that their backyard is in good hands.

Step #5:

Give yourself some slack, and be patient

When you first start a lawn mowing business, you can have great expectations, but these can be set-back by the reality of the industry. The lawn mowing game can be a competitive one, it takes time to really build momentum. 

Tip: It can take 3 months to set up your lawn mowing business, depending on the season. This will obviously be more profitable in the summer period, but it’s short lived and you’ll be faced with the winter months. You also shouldn’t expect to make much money in the first few months. During this time you’ll be investing a lot in your equipment and gear. Plus you won’t have as many customers as you will in 12 months time. 

Step #6:

Use your existing clients to build income

While you can go out finding new customer sources, your best resource is your existing client-base. These are the people who will recommend you to their friends and family - a vital marketing tactic. Use all the options you have, whether it's handing out a few of your business cards, adding a message at the end of your invoice or offering a great referral benefit system. 

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Read more on starting a lawn care business:

• How to write a lawn mowing business plan

• 10 common mistakes when starting a lawn business

• 10 reasons lawn mowing franchises beat start-ups

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Step #7:

Collect payment routinely

Payment is one of the most important parts of a contractor and client relationship. Without it, you have no income, yet so many feel awkward discussing it. There are a few things to consider when thinking about payment:
 

• Training your clients with an invoice rhythm

• Trading terms

• Debt

• Collection rate

• Internet banking

This is something I could go into great deal about, but for the sake of this article I'll keep it short. Set out how you do payments within the first or second meeting with the client - that sends a message to them that you're organised, and they will need to fall in line. If you can't communicate this from the start, your clients will likely be lazy too. It's far easier to set a standard then try to recoup the costs from customers who don't pay routinely.

Read more: How to get payment on time, every time

Step #8:

Organise your schedule and prepare your equipment for the next day

After a full day mowing, the last thing you’ll probably want to do is prepare your equipment for the next day. But think again, this is an important step in ensuring you’re ready to hit the ground running in the morning. If you're not ready to go in the morning and end up late to your first mow - it will throw off the rest of your day and irritate your customers. This is especially important in those first few encounters with a client - make them unhappy at the beginning and they'll be lost forever. 

Step #9:

Communicate with your clients regularly

Don't be invisible. Be easy to get hold of and keep in touch. Many in the service and trade industries get marked with the label of ‘poor communicators’. Avoid this at all costs. Make sure to call or txt all your clients on a regular basis. It will show you’re being proactive and will make your clients happy. There’s nothing worse than not showing up to a mow and not telling your client. Always, always, always let them know if a part of your schedule changes and will affect them. 

Step #10:

Love your clients

Customer service is everything. You want to be friendly, with a ‘nothing is a problem’ kind of attitude. Many clients love to stop and chat with lawn mowing operators as it’s sometimes the closest and most regular form of interaction they get. Show your clients you’re glad to work for them - this will be so beneficial to you in the long-run. They may recommend you to their friends, or give you extra work. 

Tip:  Ask them for feedback on a regular basis. Ask questions and be curious. Customers like to have all their needs catered for. Showing you’re willing to go above and beyond will make them raving fans. Even if the feedback isn't always desirable, it will show your weak-points and areas to improve in. 

Step #11:

Marketing and growing your lawn mowing business

For a non-franchised business, this is a large task and only a few with some sales or marketing expertise will find this easy. Most people will need to have a suitable plan that will need to be reviewed regularly. 

This is probably one of the biggest reasons aside from support to purchase a well functioning franchise businesses. I hear some people ask; “Why even buy a franchise?”. Well this would be one of the compelling reasons. Marketers will do all your marketing, for a weekly fee of course. 

The marketing landscape has changed a lot since I started my lawn mowing business nearly three decades ago. Back then it was all traditional marketing like: Yellow Pages, local directories, letter box drops with advertising flyers, advertisements in local suburban newspapers, referrals through local communities and hubs such as sports clubs, churches and schools. All of these except referrals are pretty much out the door. But the old school strategy of building off your existing client base is still a good one to have.

The new era of digital marketing is here. Now you need to know something about developing a small web page or landing page and developing a Facebook page and getting 'clicks'. Does it sound a bit like mumbo-jumbo? To many it can be frightening to step into the wild world of new technology. While it's scary, it's even more frightening to think that all potential customers are using these technologies and could be going to your competitors. At the very least, you will need to set up a Facebook page to engage with your customers when you're not at their address.

Step #12:

Measure

Review and audit your lawn business every 4-6 months. Look at how your business is developing, and what things have changed since you last audited. Some things you can easily measure include: 

• Lawn numbers

• Average lawn price,

• Time spent on lawn jobs

• Travel time between lawns

• Debt collection rate

You'll be able to really tell how things are going by looking at these factors. Room for improvement? That's normal, besides it will have been the toughest 4-6 months you'll likely face in the business. 

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As you can see, owning a lawn mowing business can be a lot of work and careful planning. If you're thinking of starting your own, perhaps consider the benefits by joining a well known, national franchise system like Crewcut. We have lawn mowing franchises currently available right around the country, so check here to see if one is near you! 

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If you’ve ever talked to someone who owns a lawn mowing business, they’ve probably told you that it’s improved their life in many ways. You might be wondering how, and if you could mow lawns for a living too. So, here are the 7 main reasons why a lawn mowing business might be for you.

1. You want to call the shots in a business you can own

Owning your own business comes with the special authority to ‘be your own boss’. While you still get support from head office and a nationwide network of other franchisees, you are ultimately the maker of your own success. Do the hours you want, the days you want, and organise your business in the way you want to.

2. You want more time to spend with your family

One of the big reasons people come to us for a Crewcut business, is so they can spend more time with their family. As you can set your own schedule, it will allow for more flexibility - so, more time to hang out with the family (or do a bit of relaxing in the man cave).

3. You love the outdoors

It comes with the territory that a lawn mowing operator is going to get plenty of outdoor time. If you want to be successful in this kind of work, you’ll love the outdoors - sunshine or rain. It’s been scientifically proven that if you spend more time outside, you’ll spend less time at the doctor’s clinic. Boosted immunity, plenty of exercise and douses of Vitamin D are going to make you one healthy individual. 

4. You like people and you don’t mind having a chat

Although you’ll be dealing with lawns, you’ll also be dealing with the people that own them. We’ve found that the most successful lawn mowing operators love people - or at least, love talking. At the end of the day, any good business needs communication, and people skills. Trust us, a little communication goes a long way.
 

Read more Lawn Mowing franchise blogs:

• 10 common mistakes when starting a lawn business

• How to start a lawn mowing business in 12 easy steps

• 10 Reasons Lawn Mowing Franchises Beat Start-Ups
  

5. You like getting a bit more hands-on than you would in the office

Whether you’re mowing, pruning or clearing sections, you love getting hands on and doing things with a bit more (blood, sweat and tears) than in your regular office environment. 

6. Extra money? That sounds good

With Crewcut, you’ll be provided with plenty of customers for as long as you own the business. And with this, you’ll always have a steady flow of income. If you play your cards right, you’ll be earning well above what an independent lawn mowing operator would earn. Compared to other lawn mowing franchises, our low franchise fees means more money in your back-pocket. 

7. You want to own a lawn mowing business, but being independent sounds scary

A lawn mowing business can be stressful to set up on your own. However, with a nationwide network, most of the work is done for you. You’ll get a customer base, ongoing support, successful marketing, and all the things you need to make your business successful. Customers can trust a well-known franchise, which means you’ll be trusted too. Crewcut has now been in operation for over 25 years, which makes it one of the most respected and relied upon lawn mowing services in New Zealand.  

If you’re interested in learning more about how a Crewcut franchise could benefit your lifestyle, please give us a call on 0800 800 286 or alternatively email us info@crewcut.co.nz.

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