Market Analysis

[MGO]

O.K. Here is a Market ANalysis question.....I realize that what I am about to ask will depend on a lot of factors.....but here it goes.

For residential neighborhoods that you guys out there have......what would you say is the % of homes in any given neighborhood have their lawn maintained by you or another lawn care company.

i.e. If you have accounts in a (200) home neighborhood.......how many people actually pay Lawn Care companies to maintain their lawn?

Follow-up........throw in some demographics as well if that seems to matter (which I presume it does.....make a difference). i.e. High income earners are more likely to pay someone to do their lawn??? etc. Elderly people of course must be more likely to have someone do it.....etc.

Just trying to get an idea of what types of potential customers I should target.....and how many potential customers there are in certain residential areas near me.

[clclawn]

if don't mind i have a few questins to

if you are going to flyer a hood

is it better to target upper class new homes,
older homes ( asume old people live there),
middle class
new hoods,

where is the return going to be best

poth for landscaping and lawn main.

[Phil Nilsson]

Search google ... (demographics) companies are out there with "specific" info for almost any town you name. Fee per request basis ...

P.S. Above is "first step" in biz plan ... do I have a market?

[RRS]

MGO,

Let me start by saying that I wish I knew of a place to find this kind of infromation. I've been in business three years now, and I don't really know where to find Market Anlysis info like this. Therefore, I'm just basing all of this on what I've gathered by watching what goes on in the neighborhoods I service. Listed below are the neighborhoods I service, and my estimate of how many people contract lawn care. Also, this is basic service I'm referencing, not fert. apps. or installs. I would say that more people pay for apps. than pay for mowing.

1. Ash Creek Subdivision: 600+- homes built in the last ten years. Average lot size 8000'sq. $225,000-$400,000 homes. Average customer age 35-50 14 accounts. Average price/cut $35-$40.
30% contract mowing

2. Westhampton: 400+- homes built between 1920-1950. Lot sizes vary greatly because this neighborhood is in the city. $250,000-1,000,000+ homes. Average age 40. 22 accounts. Average price/cut $40. 40% contract mowing.

3. River Rd. Hills 200+- homes bulit between 1940-1960. Average lot size 10,000'sq. $275,000-$600,000 homes. Average age 60. 11 accounts. Average price $40. 40% contract mowing.

The rest of my properties are here and there in neighborhoods that vary from $125,000 homes to two homes that are over 100 year old Victorian mansions, well over 1.5 million dollars.

Like I said I wish I knew of a place to get more precise information. I'd say that I'm in the ballpark though. I talk to a couple of the lco's in these areas, but most of my estimates are based on watching them, not talking. It's pretty competative around here. Especially near the city. You get a lot of idiots trying to make a few bucks.

Hope this helps.

-Casey

[Phil Nilsson]

I've been in business three years now, and I don't really know where to find Market Anlysis info like this.

There's an outfit in NJ somewhere ... these market studies are done (all the time) for franchises to show their franchisees.

Call WeedMan or somebody ask them.

[RRS]

Search google ... (demographics) companies are out there with "specific" info for almost any town you name. Fee per request basis ...

I've done this, and never really came up with much. Phil, do you know of any specific sites, or businesses that offer this service? I'd love to know.

Above is "first step" in biz plan ... do I have a market?

I finally wrote a business plan after my first year in business. I think it turned out nicely, but I can say that it lacks in this area.

[GrassMaster]

Hello RRS:

Have you Looked here:

https://www.infousa.com

You can get it anyway you want it there as far as I can tell!

You may also go to:

https://www.google.com

and do a Search on "Mailing List" & find many more Mailing list Companies available!

Some of them will let you select many preferences as far as building your list! zip, income & Bla Bla Bla!

[Phil Nilsson]

Let me see if I can dig out a name ... there was an outfit that we used when I was working on the Organicare Franchise start up been a few years ... I'll try to locate it.

[RRS]

Grassmaster, that site looks like it has a lot of info. I'm going to check it out a little deeper. Thanks.

Casey

P.S. what is Weedman?

[Phil Nilsson]

what is Weedman?

Its a lawn care service franchise ... I'd also check with them because they may have studies that are industry "specific" to lawn care markets ... also check www.plcaa.org or check state of the industry reports at www.lawnandlandscape.com mag seems some info there too.

[MGO]

Thanks everyone...I will check those sights out Phil......

RRS,

Thank you for taking the time to give me your information! That is better information than I had up to this point. It at least gives me a rough idea of what I might expect.

I am planning on targeting 2-3 neighborhoods near me at first....with direct mailers. I am going to mix up the demographics of the neighborhoods that I target and then I can get some of my own data for my local area. Then I will concentrate in similar areas...the is the best approach I can think of without any better data.

Also, I have a buddy in the Lawn Apps. business that is going to refer customers to me (I think this may be where I get a large majority oif my customers strarting out.....he is constantly turning down Lawn Maint. jobs because he only wants to do Apps.). He is in the same area I will be targeting....and I am sure he can give me some info that I need as well.

Thanks!