More individuals than ever are taking control of their own destiny and starting their own business.

In times like these, with major layoffs and big businesses providing less job security while demanding more from their employees, it makes a lot of sense to become your own boss.

You spend more awake hours at work than anywhere else so why spend it doing something you hate like sitting in a cubicle or standing at a cash register when you’d rather be enjoying the great outdoors.

If you want to be surrounded by nature than answering to a boss that doesn’t appreciate you then starting your own landscaping business may be a dream come true.

Keep reading to discover what you need to begin making that dream a reality.

Create a Landscaping Business Plan

A business plan can be the key to success and is often the difference between companies that make it and the 50% of companies that close their doors within the first five years.

Creating a business plan will help you succeed by allowing you to figure out the answer to problems before they happen.

You’ll want to include things like:

Business Summary and Overview

Your business summary and overview will explain what you hope to accomplish, your business mission and vision.

Financial Plan

This will explain how are you going to pay for the necessary equipment for your landscaping business. It should give details on what money you’ll need and where you’ll get it.

Competition and Market Facts

It can be very helpful to understand the landscaping market in your area. Research who your competition is and how they are earning their money. Knowing this will help you figure out where to put your energy and resources.

Products and Services

It’s important to decide what services and products your company will offer to customers. If you try to do too much or do not offer enough services you may not be able to do your best and miss out on profits.

Equipment Needs

You don’t want to be on a job and realize you don’t have the equipment and supplies you need to do it right. Ensuring you have all the business, landscaping and safety equipment necessary will make it easier to be successful.

You’ll need office supplies to run the business. This may include a laptop and software to keep business records or paper invoices, writing supplies, file cabinets, and office space to do your paperwork.

You’ll also need tools of the trade such as lawn mowers, log splitters, shovels, trowels and other supplies to be able to get down and dirty and do your job.

Sales and Marketing Plan

One of the hardest parts of running a business is finding customers. Creating a plan to advertise your business will help you do that. Whether it’s going door to door or creating a website to market your services, you’ll need time and people available to do so.

This will help you figure out what you need to do and how you’re going to do it. It’ll also help if you decide to seek outside financial investments or loans.

Learn the Business

There’s more to running a landscaping business than just grabbing a lawn mower and cutting some grass. Clients will expect you to have some knowledge of lawn care, trees, weeds, fertilizers and more.

You’ll want to research what plants grow the best in sun or shade. There’s a lot of safety information you’ll need to make sure you and your employees are not injured while working.

The more you know, the easier it will be to successfully run your business and offer the best services to your clients.

Networking

You’re going to need to build business relationships to be successful. This will include suppliers, customers, contractors, and others.

Your landscaping business will need a place to get plants, saplings, fertilizer, and other supplies. Since you’ll need a lot of these things on a regular basis you may be able to get a discount by creating a partnership with a gardening or greenhouse business in the area.

Local business networking events or trade shows can be a great way to meet with other entrepreneurs.

Social media and online communities are also a valuable resource for connecting with local businesses and potential customers or suppliers.

Get the Word out You’re Open for Business

Now that you’ve created a plan and have the equipment and supplies you need it’s time to get customers.

But how do you do that?

There are lots of ways to get the word out that you’re ready for business.

Website and Social Media Profiles

One of the fastest and easiest ways to announce to the world that you’re in business is online. More than 88% of Australians are active internet users.

Setting up a website and creating social media profiles let you reach the masses without having to even leave the office. You can be found 24/7, and customers can come to you.

LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be effective ways to attract visitors to your website and find potential customers. Creating regular posts about your company and information related to landscaping can help you attract the right visitors to your site and build your business clientele.

Business Directories and Online Communities

Listing your business on local directories and participating in online communities related to your neighbourhood can be one of the most effective ways to get customers.

They allow previous clients to leave reviews of your business. People trust online reviews just as much as word of mouth recommendations from friends and family.

Business directories also help those searching from their mobile devices find you more easily. Listing your physical address on each directory can help you rank higher in search engine results and drive even more potential customers to your business site.

Flyers, Signs and Decals

Hanging flyers on bulletin boards at local hardware stores, community centres, malls, and other local gathering places can help find those you don’t reach online.

Have current and past customers place signs on their lawn. This lets people know who keeps their yards looking so great.

Make sure you have a unique and eye-catching logo that will make your company easy to recognize and distinguish from the competition. Have a decal on your company vehicles that display this logo prominently.

You might even consider promotional gifts and clothing such as hats, t-shirts, bags to get noticed and make your company a household name.

Start Raking in the Cash

Now that you know how to go about starting your own landscaping business and to gain customers it’s time to start raking in the cash.

If you’re ready to take the leap to start your own landscaping business contact us today for all your equipment needs.