When the weather gets cold, it doesn’t mean the income has to stop for lawn care businesses.
We know it’s not ideal to have to let your team go in the winter and have to rehire in the summer. So… don’t!
Your team might not be able to mow lawns in the winter, but there are plenty of services and upsells you can do to keep profits going ALL year.
In fact, we’ve got 5 ways you can make money with year round lawn care:
And in this article we’ll show you:
You’ve already built up your customer base, and your team is taking care of their lawns regularly.
Now it is time to offer some additional services that will benefit them and provide year round lawn care.
Here are a few services that are easy to add to your lawn care offerings:
One of the easiest services to add to a lawn care company is snow removal.
This typically includes things like:
You don’t need a ton of equipment to start, and for residential properties, you can get a lot done with a snow shovel.
For bigger residential properties and commercial clients, you may want to look into getting a snow plow as well as some additional snow removal equipment.
NOTE: When adding snow services, you might need more insurance and different contract language.
There are different liabilities your employees face when it comes to working with snow equipment in harsh conditions.
Make sure to look into what needs to go into the backend of your business before you start offering snow services!
Instant invoicing
Better scheduling
Manage your clients and employees all in one system
Setting up Christmas lights and decorations is something that more and more people are choosing to have installed for them.
Offering holiday light installation to your year-round lawn care services is actually pretty straightforward.
Thankfully, you don’t need too much equipment. For simple residential jobs, you can get by with:
For bigger jobs, you may need to rent a lift, but you can typically bill that into the pricing.
With Christmas light installation, there is a TON of room for upsells with things like inflatable decorations, different types of lights, and more!
Just like when offering snow services, make sure your current business insurance covers any additional liabilities that might come with climbing houses or trees!
Even though the winter means you won’t be mowing like you did in the summer, there are a lot of options to provide year round lawn care.
These services are great to help lawns prepare for the winter and are typically done in the fall months.
Do some research based on your local climate, but here are a few examples of how you can help winterize lawns and landscaping:
There are also options to spray against fungus, tree and shrub trimming, and even applying nitrogen-rich fertilizers to keep the grass strong in freezing temperatures.
Adding firewood services is a smart move that is also a repeatable option throughout the winter.
If you offer tree removal or trimming services already, this is an easy add!
Or, you can even partner with a local supplier to get the best rates and order in bulk.
You could structure it a few different ways, but typically firewood delivery and stacking are your best bet.
Offer add-ons like firewood storage and fire-starting kits too.
For busy homeowners, being able to help take care of some cleaning and maintenance can make a huge difference.
Gutter cleaning is one of those tasks that need to be regularly done to help with water drainage and prevent ice dams.
Gutter cleaning is especially popular in the fall after leaves have fallen and clogged gutters.
Thankfully, this service doesn’t require a ton of extra tools and you can typically get by with:
Speaking of pressure washing… this is another great service to offer along with your year-round lawn care.
Pressure washing decks, patios, siding and more can give a major facelift to clients’ homes and businesses
Plus, this service is really easy to get up and running and only requires a reliable pressure washer and a few attachments.
As an added bonus both gutter cleaning and pressure washing can provide you with some AMAZING before and after pictures you can share on social media.
So now that you know what you are going to offer as additional services, you need to market them to your existing client base.
And getting the word out to existing clients is actually pretty easy by leaving information after a job is completed.
A few ways you can do this::
Furthermore, you’ll want to promote digitally with things like social media posts, email blasts, and even paid digital ads.
Regardless of the medium, you’ll want to create an irresistible offer.
Simply put, this is a special discount that is hard to say no to.
It could be a percentage off, a specific dollar amount, or even a free trial.
Remember to follow up on your leads, and close on those offers for new services!
Additionally, email marketing is one of the easiest ways to reach a lot of people with a small amount of effort.
Setting up your next email campaign is pretty easy and you want to make sure you’ve thought through the following.
Lastly, be sure to check your metrics after you send an email.
Pay close attention to open and click-through rates, and consider doing A/B testing (the subject line is a great place to start) on your future emails.
As with all of these services, be sure to check that they are covered by your insurance plan.
You also may need to take some extra time to ensure that your employees are trained.
That could be as simple as on-the-job training or even shooting some videos.
Lastly, take stock of your equipment.
You don’t always need to go out and get the biggest and best equipment to add these year round lawn care services.
You can always start small and work your way up.
There you have it!
Adding year round lawn care options is a great way to make money all year long.
Plus additional services allow you to:
Be sure to do some research to see what makes sense for your area and start offering additional year round lawn care services today!
Related: How to Run a Snow Removal Business
Originally published Jan 17, 2024 3:50 PM
Tags: Business Operation
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