start up

[Jayd54]

Hello all,
I posted to this forum many months ago. At that time I was advertising my part-time, one man "lawn care service" with flyers (for a month or maybe two) got no customers, got frustrated and gave up. I live in a fairly affluent suburb of a city in the midwest with a population of about 200,000. I really intended only to do residential mowing then (still do). Now I'm starting to think about "starting up" again. Problem/question is this--I don't own a truck to haul with (can't afford to buy new one)and have only the trunk of my Buick to haul the push mower, gas and tools in. More "can't afford to's" are buying alot of professional equipment (36 inch mowers, Ztr's etc,). I really intend to keep this a very small, one man operation--just trying to earn money for a house. The last question is this--is it wise to start advertising from now until, say next April, to take "reservations" for the next mowing season ? I really am just wanting to know if I can make this thing fly or if I'm just kidding myself. Thanks much.

[polsmurphy]

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I know how you feel. My husband and I are feeling things out too. We are taking the winter to study the market and learn what we need to know about the business.

A couple of years ago (in 1998) my husband tried to start up his own business. We did fliers, and he got a couple of lawns in the neighborhood. The problem was that he wasn't really wanting to start a business, he just wanted to make money. And needless to say "the business" failed miserably.

The problem (we figured this out later) was that he did not look professional at all. To the people that he was marketing to he just looked like some sad looser that didn't want to get a real job. I am not saying that this is what you are coming across as, but it is something that you might want to think about.

Try taking professional looking fliers to the office buildings in your area and asking if they wouldn't mind putting them in their break room. Have business cards and give them out liberally.

Then once you get going a little, put money towards a truck, and a mower with a larger deck. The only reason I say that is, the larger the deck the faster you can move, thereby getting more lawns, and making more money. And also, as I am sure you are aware, mose people don't want to hire someone that looks like a fly-by-night that will gouge their lawn and their pockets.

Good Luck!

[qualitylandscaping]

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I usually start with the penny saver and newspaper around the 20th of February. I run my ads for 6-8 weeks. I usually start the flyer in the newspaper box, and door to door around the beginning of March.. Most services up here don't start until early to mid April..

Good luck!

[alcpi]

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Sell the buick and get a pick-up! You really can't go wrong, what can you do in a car that you can't do in a p/up? However, there's lots you can do in a pickup that you can't do in a car, including making money! I would imagine your flyer probably wasn't professional enough... just guessing. They always get at least 1%. If your appearance is professional you'll be much more successful. I don't know what else to tell you short of spending a fortune on advertising, flyers worked for me.

[BUBBA]

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I AGREE WITH ALCPI, SELL THE CAR FOR A TRUCK. I FIND IT IMPORTANT TO LOOK AND ACT BIGGER THAN YOU ARE. BUY SOME MAGNECTIC SIGNS FOR THE TRUCK, THEY ARE FAIRLY CHEAP. I HAVE HEARD MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT FLYERS DO NOT WORK, I SAY THAT THIER FLYERS DO NOT WORK. I HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH FLYERS, I PUT OUT 500 FLYERS IN MID JUNE AND NOW HAVE 49 ACCOUNTS. I PUT PRICES ON MY FLYER, I FEEL THIS HAS GIVEN ME THE GREATEST RESPONSE. SCOUT OUT A NEIGHBORHOOD AND DECIDE A PRICE THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO GET FOR THE AVERAGE YARD IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, PUT INCLUSIONS FOR FENCED YARDS, CORNER AND OVERSIZED LOTS. SPEND SOME TIME MAKING THE FLYER AND GET OPINIONS FROM OTHERS. THEN TAKE YOUR FLYER TO A COPY CENTER AND RUN 1 REAM. I MAKE MY FLYERS ON 1/2 SHEETS OF PAPER SO I HAVE THEM CUT AND GET TWICE AS MANY. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT PUT TOO MUCH INFORMATION ON YOUR FLYERS, THE LESS PEOPLE HAVE TO THINK THE BETTER. GET DISTINCTIVE RING ON YOUR PHONE AND CHANGE YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE. SINCE I PUT PRICES ON MY FLYER I KNOW WHEN THE PHONE RINGS THAT I'M GETTING PAID. I ALSO RECOMEND COLECTING YOUR MONTHLY FEE IN ADVANCE, I'VE SEEN TOO MANY PEOPLE GET BURNED. NO MONEY NO CUT. YOU CAN ALSO MAKE YOUR OWN BUSINESS CARDS AND HAVE COPIES MADE. SIGNS-$75.00 1000 FLYERS INCLUDING PAPER $30.00 BUSINESS CARDS $30.00
AFTER YOU GET PAID A COUPLE OF TIMES GET SOME COMPANY SHIRTS MADE AND BUY A SMALL TRAILER. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMEND GETTING A COMERCIAL MOWER AND 2 CYCLE AS SOON AS MONEY PERMITS. EVEN IF YOU DO A GOOD JOB IT IS HARD TO LOOK PROFESIONAL UNLOADING YOUR LAWN TRACTOR OUT OF THE BACK OF YOUR TRUCK WITH WOOD RAMPS WHEN THE GUY PULL UP TWO HOUSES DOWN WITH A 350 DUALLY 18FT TRAILER, 2 ZTR'S AND IS DONE BEFORE YOU GET THE MOWER OFF THE TRUCK.
BUBBA