| ess | | | | all the city, state, andfederal rules before you |
| You have permission to publish this article | | | | start. |
| electronically orin print, free of charge, as long as | | | | If you can afford it, you should get insurance |
| the bylines are included. | | | | before you start. |
| A courtesy copy of your publication would be | | | | If you can not afford it when you first start your |
| appreciated. | | | | business |
| How to Start and Run a Landscape & Garden | | | | (remember, some activities, in some states, |
| Maintenance Business | | | | require insurance)then plan on getting it as soon |
| Article by Jack Stone | | | | as possible. It is for yourown protection. One |
| Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz | | | | lawsuit could ruin all your hard work. |
| Own your business, own your job, own your life. | | | | Arrange your work hours so that you have time |
| Statistics show that nine out of every ten new | | | | to start yourpart-time business. You can start on |
| businesses fail. | | | | week-ends, but an idealschedule would be to have |
| Most of these businesses fail within the first year. | | | | two or three weekdays off and worknights so |
| The restdon't make it past their third anniversary. | | | | that you can put in some hours on the other |
| Given such dismalodds why would you want to | | | | days. |
| start a landscaping orinteriorscaping business? | | | | By now you should have the time, equipment, and |
| First of all because the odds are better than you | | | | the knowledge |
| think. | | | | (or working on that by studying). Now you need |
| Landscaping and interiorscaping are service | | | | the work. To getthis you need to advertise. How |
| businesses. Aservice business is the most easy | | | | and where you advertise dependson your budget |
| business to start and besuccessful. The "statistics" | | | | and your market. |
| usually do not include smallservice businesses. So, | | | | For gardeners and landscapers I would |
| one would hope, your odds are betterthan you | | | | recommend that you startwith residential work |
| think. | | | | and add commercial work later. Forinteriorscapers |
| There are other reasons that make starting a | | | | the work is almost all commercial. |
| service businesseasier than others. You can start | | | | To acquire residential work there are several |
| out with low capitalinvestment. You can run your | | | | ways. They arepresented below in order of cost |
| business with low overhead. Ifyou manage your | | | | and are rated foreffectiveness. |
| business properly, slow periods will notcause | | | | *Word-of-mouth. Recommendations. Cheapest |
| financial hardship. | | | | and best,but requires that you already have done |
| The reason for most business failures is that they | | | | some work. |
| cannotsurvive slow periods or cash crunches. | | | | *Door-to-door. Cheap, but ineffective and time |
| Other types ofbusinesses have large overheads | | | | consuming. |
| that require a constant influxof money. Such | | | | If you have no alternatives then pick new areas |
| expenses as employees, rent, loan payments, etc. | | | | with new homesand upper income areas. |
| You can design your business to survive these | | | | *Flyers. More costly than door-to-door, but no |
| problems. | | | | moreeffective. |
| These guidelines for starting your own service | | | | *Newspaper classified ads. Very effective. Try to |
| business are forthose who have little or no | | | | use asmall direct mail weekly that allows you |
| money to start with. If you haveplenty of money | | | | target specific zipcode zones. Weekly direct mail |
| (start-up capital) than you can follow | | | | publications with names like |
| theseguidelines much easier than the rest of us. | | | | Pennysaver, Advisor, etc. are your best bet. Your |
| So before we getstarted, remember we are | | | | money willbe better spent than in the large city |
| assuming that you have no start-upcapital, but are | | | | daily. |
| willing to work hard and take a few risks. | | | | *Yellow pages. Very Expensive. Not a good place |
| First you need to know what you are doing in | | | | to putlimited dollars when just getting started, but |
| your new field. Alittle business knowledge would | | | | effective atlater stages of your business growth. |
| not hurt either. But youprobably do not have time | | | | Most successful service business that are growing |
| to go back to school. Also, I wouldimagine you are | | | | get most oftheir leads (prospective customers) |
| interested in getting started right away. So,visit | | | | from word-of-mouth andnewspaper ads. A |
| your local book store. | | | | classified in a direct mailed weekly can beas low |
| If you know nothing about gardening and | | | | as $30.00 per zip code zone. I would recommend |
| landscaping pick up acouple of books that cover | | | | the typeof weekly that consists mainly of |
| the basics. A good book for everyoneis Sunset's | | | | classified ads and displayads. |
| Western Garden Book. Not only does it cover all | | | | To acquire commercial work is completely |
| thebasics and more, it also has a complete | | | | different. Thisrequires print advertising in local |
| encyclopedia of plants,trees, shrubs, and flowers. | | | | business magazines orupscale monthly magazines |
| Each description tells you what theplant is, how to | | | | that reach the upper income peoplein your city. It |
| plant it, care for it, requirements, etc. | | | | also requires direct mail campaigns to |
| If you lack a business background buy some | | | | thebusinesses you are trying attract as |
| good books onbusiness basics. There are many | | | | customers and direct |
| books on running a smallbusiness. Remember, | | | | (door-to-door) solicitation. An ad in the Yellow |
| most gardeners, landscapers, orinteriorscapers | | | | Pages isa must for attracting commercial work. |
| that fail do so, not because they did not | | | | If you advertise in the Yellow Pages use the |
| knowtheir trade, but because they did not | | | | phone company |
| understand how to managetheir business. In fact, | | | | Yellow Pages and not an imitation. You money will |
| it is almost more important tounderstand good | | | | be muchbetter spent. |
| business techniques than it is to know aboutplants. | | | | Once you start advertising you will not |
| After you have purchased your small library set | | | | immediately get work. |
| aside at leastone hour a day (morning, evening, | | | | First you must bid on the job, that is give the |
| lunch-hour, anytime) to studythem. Give yourself | | | | prospectivecustomer a summary of what you |
| as much time as you can to read and study. | | | | intend to do and what it willcost. This is the part |
| Be sure to divide your time equally between your | | | | that will make or break you. |
| business andtrade books. | | | | The lowest price does not always get the job. In |
| Now, I presume you are currently working at | | | | fact, we don'trecommend trying to get work by |
| another job tosupport yourself and possibly a | | | | price alone. Charge what youare worth, what you |
| family. Rule Number One: DO NOT | | | | what, and what quality work will pay in |
| QUIT YOUR | | | | yourmarket. Let the competition work for less. |
| JOB! Start your business part-time. You need your | | | | The person that getsthe job is usually the person |
| income tosurvive on while you build your new | | | | who gives the most professionalpresentation. This |
| business. Your new businesswill take time to | | | | means knowing what you are doing. Being ableto |
| develop to the point where it will support you. | | | | estimate the time and materials necessary for |
| If you have debts (credit cards, auto loans, etc.) | | | | the job. |
| try to getthem paid off or paid down as much as | | | | Presenting yourself and your service in a |
| possible before you startyour new business. | | | | professional way. |
| There will be rough times ahead and you wantthe | | | | Always be on time for a bid. Never miss a bid (if |
| decks cleared for heavy weather. In other words, | | | | something doescome up, call and change the |
| when cashgets tight you do not want to lose | | | | appointment). I won more jobsbecause nobody |
| your car or be hauled intocourt. | | | | else showed up then you would care to know |
| Acquire the basics you need to get started. | | | | about. |
| Gardener: A truck or trailer to carry your | | | | Just being there is half the battle. |
| equipment and debris | | | | Dress neatly. Wear a uniform, if possible. Sears |
| (although some enterprising people have even | | | | sells uniformshirts and pants in many different |
| started withoutthis). A lawn mower, rake, broom, | | | | colors. It does not have tohave your company |
| and other small hand tools. | | | | name on it to look like a uniform (althoughthat is a |
| Buy your equipment used if necessary, but shop | | | | nice touch). Be conservative in your appearance |
| carefully. | | | | andhair style. Remember, even in your own |
| Landscaper: Basically you need hand tools and a | | | | business you are notcompletely your own boss |
| truck or trailer. | | | | the customer is. Often the job goesto the |
| To start with most other tools you can rent. | | | | person the customer felt most comfortable |
| Interiorscaper: A car or truck is necessary, | | | | about. |
| watering cans, andassorted small hand tools. | | | | Look professional. Carry a clipboard to take notes. |
| From the basic requirements to start it would | | | | Have somesort of pre-printed estimate sheet to |
| seem thatinteriorscaping requires the smallest | | | | provide to the customer. |
| capital outlay. This iscorrect, but starting an | | | | Use a brochure (if you can afford it) to describe |
| interiorscape business is moredifficult in other | | | | your services. |
| ways. It requires a better understanding ofthe | | | | Have business cards. |
| trade. Indoor plants are much more difficult to | | | | If you have done all this, then do not sell yourself |
| maintain. | | | | short. |
| Also, acquiring accounts is not as easy as in | | | | Charge an appropriate rate. Don't worry about |
| outdoor work. | | | | those who willnot pay your price. You only need |
| Most, if not all, interiorscape accounts will be | | | | those who will. |
| commercial,as opposed to the residential work of | | | | From here on in it is simply a matter of acquiring |
| gardeners. | | | | the work anddoing it. Do an excellent job and you |
| For gardeners and landscapers a truck or trailer is | | | | will have more work thenyou can handle. As the |
| a must, butas I mentioned earlier it is possible to | | | | work fills up your available work hoursstart |
| start without one forsome work. If you are doing | | | | considering your move to leave your present job. |
| maintenance you may be able to getaccounts | | | | Perhapsfind a part-time job to fill the gap. |
| that will allow you to use their equipment and | | | | Eventually you will haveno need for an outside job. |
| notrequire you to haul away debris. You will be | | | | Your business will provide for allyour needs. |
| expected to workvery inexpensively, though. If | | | | As your business grows you can grow with it. |
| you can get a truck do so. | | | | Move carefully anddo not overextend yourself. |
| For both gardeners and landscapers another | | | | Keep your overhead low. Only spendmoney when |
| source of income isfrom clean-ups. This is simply | | | | it is an investment that will return profits. |
| a one-time job of cleaning up anovergrown | | | | Eventually you may hire employees, salespeople, |
| landscape. These jobs are hard work, but can be | | | | rent an office,etc., but by that time you should be |
| quiteprofitable. | | | | making enough money toafford it. |
| In every business you have to contend with the | | | | Once you have started and are moving |
| government. | | | | successfully forward, yournext problem will be |
| Service businesses are no different. Before you | | | | growth and how you handle it. Rapid growthhas |
| get startedinvestigate what is required in your | | | | killed many businesses. But if you keep a close |
| area. Most likely you willneed a business license | | | | eye on yourbooks, watch which jobs are |
| from your city. The state may require a | | | | profitable and which are not, knowexactly why |
| contractor's license or certification for landscape | | | | and where you are making money or losing |
| contractors. | | | | money thenyou should have no trouble. |
| Most likely your state will require a pest control | | | | Good Luck! |
| license if youintend to apply pesticides. Check out | | | | |