When you started thinking of starting a lawn care business you probably began to really notice all the guys in trucks with mowers in the back. In your awareness you probably also noticed that there were two groups or classes of lawn companies. The clean crisp professional looking crew or rig, and the "fly-by-night" looking crew or rig. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to generalize or point any fingers. Everyone has to start somewhere. God knows I looked the "fly-by-night" role when I started. I mean really, does the image of a 21 inch Snapper Mower sticking out of the trunk of a 76 Cadillac Eldorado evoke an image of "the landscape professional"? No, I don't think so. But it was all I had, and I was determined NOT to stay in that situation. There will always be those operators, who don't really care to become "professionals" in their field. This applies to any business. It just seems to be glaringly visible in the lawn care industry. A great number of these operators, will be able to charge substantially less than you because they don't carry any insurance, they may not be paying for their portion of employees social security and tax deposits. They operate in the "gray area" and as such will NEVER be your competition. Why? because I am sure, you, are committed to be a professional. These "fly-by-nighters" will not be able to bid on many office buildings, apartment complexes, townhome communities, etc. because they do not play by the rules that many of these clients require. A manager of an office complex or apartment complex will want you to have valid liability insurance, take care of your payroll responsibilities and such. These are the clients who pay for professionalism. They demand it. These are the customers who will make it possible for you to earn a $100,000 a year (if that's what you want). Well, I guess that's it for this time. Nothing more than a pep talk on being your best. I've said before, "image is everything"? Well, put some knowledge determination and guts, with a professional image and the world is yours. |
