Starting your own gardening service might not be practical if you can’t tell a weed from a flower. But that doesn’t mean you can’t offer to help people with their gardens.
One of the jobs that a lot of people don’t enjoy is mowing the lawn. It can take some time to do if the garden is a large one, and many people simply don’t have the time to do it themselves. Even if they do, a lot of them would rather be doing something else instead.
So why not solve that problem for them? One of the best ways to make money is by helping other people out, and this particular opportunity has a lot of potential.
Not only does a grass cutting service have the potential to net a lot of clients, it is also one of the easiest businesses to promote. All your customers will be in your local area, so the best thing to do is design a simple flyer on your computer (you can use some clip art to make it look more impressive) and get a lot of them printed up cheaply by a local printer. Make sure you get your cell phone number printed on them too.
All you need to do then is distribute them door to door to get them in front of those people who might take you up on your service. You should start to get a few calls almost immediately.
The best way to offer a competitive price is to phone up other similar services in your neighborhood and ask for a quote from them. You can then position your own service in a similar price range.
Rather than offering a set schedule when you meet a new customer, ask them how often they would like their grass cut and what day and time would be convenient for them. Buy yourself a big diary with time slots and book people in as and when you get appointments. That way you won’t double book anyone and you won’t forget to turn up anywhere either! You should also make sure you get a contact phone number from them, just in case you need to contact them for any reason.
Some people may be happy for you to use their own mower, but it goes without saying that you should always have your own one to use. Make sure you carry spares for any parts which may need replacing, and make sure you clear up after yourself as well. Don’t leave any grass cuttings behind unless the customer wants you to put them in a compost bin.
One of the dangers with this business is that you could become too successful. If you aren’t careful you could end up working seven days a week, so always make sure you book the weekends off, or whatever days are best for you. You should also have a contingency plan in mind in case it rains on a day when you should be visiting clients’ homes, so that you can return when there is better weather.
In short this is a fantastic chance to build a worthwhile business by doing something for people that they don’t want to do themselves. You will also get a lot of exercise and it’s certainly an enjoyable experience to be out cutting grass in all kinds of different gardens, so make the most of it!
If you start this business and achieve some success with it, make sure you come back here and tell us all about it by leaving a comment using the form below.