Are you waiting for the best time?
An old Chinese proverb says:
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
This saying also applies to starting your own lawn mowing business.
You may be thinking that the economy isn’t that great right now, and aren’t we going into recession right now? I might wait for a better time.
Don’t wait for the perfect time.
Honestly, if you keep waiting for that perfect moment, it will never happen.
Even if you work part-time or full-time at another job, nothing stops you from creating a side income. Then if things go south with your job, you still have an independent source of income.
And in times like this, that is what matters the most.
My favourite time to start a lawn mowing business here in New Zealand is around August/September. It’s like being on a surfboard and ready when a good wave comes instead of frantically paddling towards it and ultimately missing the wave.
The two-bite approach.
If you start a business (or start marketing a business) at this time, you will get two bites at the cherry, which will double your chances of success.
The first bite is spring.
When the grass starts growing, everybody wants their lawn mowed. The big players are taking their properties to fortnightly cuts, so they are a lot busier. By approaching quoting with a tow truck drive mentality, you can be the “Jonny on the spot”.
The smaller the business, the faster you can move. Take advantage of this.
The second bite of the cherry comes around Christmas.
You have built a nice list of customers in the Spring. Now is your chance to grow again.
At this time of year, the big players get busy again. Many leads start slipping through the cracks, and again with that “tow truck mentality,” you are ready to fill that gap.
You can speed things up if you are prepared to work through the holidays and only take stat days off. Some contractors go on holiday at this time of year.
The Big mistake.
Every year we get calls from desperate homeowners whose contractors have gone on holiday and left them in the lurch. We fill the gap, then tell the customers that this doesn’t happen with us because we holiday around mid-winter. We then get a customer for life.
If you are serious about building your lawn mowing business, then the mid-winter holidays are the price you pay.
Honestly, the best time to start is now, no matter what time of year.
I have game plans for the other seasons too.
To finish off, I will go through some of the things I love about growing my business in spring.
Here is why spring is a great time to build
Spring has sprung, which means warmer weather and longer days are on the horizon. For many people, that also means it’s time to start thinking about their lawn care. After a long winter of watching their yards go to seed, they’re ready to hand over the reins to a professional.
That’s where you come in! If you’re thinking about starting a lawn mowing business, there’s no time like the present. Here are a few reasons why right now is the perfect time to take the plunge.
1. People are ready to invest in getting their lawns mowed again.
After months of neglect, people’s lawns are in dire need of some TLC. They’re ready to invest in making them look nice again, so they’re more likely to hire someone like you to do the work for them.
2. This is the easiest time of the year to build
If you start your business now, you’ll have a leg up on the competition when everyone else is busy keeping up. You’ll be able to build up a client base and establish yourself as a go-to lawn mowing professional in your area before everyone else starts to think about getting around to the quote.
3. The weather is (mostly) cooperative.
Granted, you never know what Mother Nature will throw at you from one day to the next. But generally speaking, early spring is pretty reliable regarding weather. It’s not too hot and not too cold, which makes it ideal for spending time outside working on yards. So take advantage of it while you can!
The temperatures are warm but not too hot, and there is typically enough rain to keep the grass healthy without making it too wet to mow.
4. Grass Grows Quickly
Another reason that spring is an excellent time to start a lawn mowing business is that grass grows quickly at this time of year. Customers will need to have their lawns mowed more frequently, leading to more business for you.
5. There are More Opportunities for Marketing
In addition to getting a head start on the competition, starting your lawn mowing business in spring also provides more marketing opportunities. This is because people are generally more receptive to marketing messages during this time of year.
More people are looking for lawn mowing businesses at this time of year, so the cost of landing a new customer is cheaper.
6. Daylight saving is on your side.
Unlike winter, when it can start getting dark at 5 pm, spring is going to give you lots of extra time to work on building your business. Once those clocks move forward, it can sometimes stay light until 7.30. That’s another two hours of daylight to work to squeeze those extra jobs in.
Conclusion:
Now is the perfect time to start your lawn mowing business!
Although spring is my favourite season, any time of the year is good.
You can even start in midwinter; the bonus is that spring will feel like a breeze after surviving the winter.
Every season has its advantages.
So take advantage of it while you can! Don’t wait – the sooner you get started, the better!
