How to Get Your First Landscaping Customers – A Step by Step Guide

So you’ve decided to launch your lawn care or landscaping business.Great!Well, you might get a mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness because you need to find your first lawn care clients, right? And, yes! It is, however, much easier than you think.Getting new landscaping customers isn’t always easy – especially when homeowners believe they can handle all of their lawn care chores themselves or refuse to spend hard-earned dollars on their lawn.If you’re just getting started, your main concern will be attracting more lawn care customers as quickly as possible. After all, if you don’t have enough customers, your landscaping business will fail. Getting a foothold among your target customers and distinguishing yourself from your local competition, on the other hand, can be challenging. So, what is the most effective way to attract lawn care customers? Before that let’s take a step back and see why you should start a landscaping business in the first place.

Why landscaping business?

Starting a landscaping business is a good option for someone who wants to be their boss, set their schedule, and work on their terms. To put it another way, you get to be the master of your business. Investing in your dreams can be intimidating at first, but the payoff will be well worth it if you do it correctly.If you’re just starting your own lawn care business, you’re probably wondering, “How do I get more customers?” Read on to find the answers!

How to get your first landscaping customers

Take a look at these tips for attracting landscaping customers without competition.

Use Google My Business (GMB)

If your landscaping company does not appear when people search for the services you provide on Google, your competitors will get the call and the job. Don’t even give them a chance! When you Google your Zipcode with the term landscaping services, you may find some of your competitors ranking in the top SERP results with photos, business hours, special offers, and even videos. You may be curious to know how they did it. The answer is just simple: they optimized their free Google My Business (GMB) listings, and as a result, Google rewarded them with higher search rankings. Google My Business enables you to leverage and expand your landscaping company’s online presence, ensuring that your landscaping business is visible when it matters most. A well-optimized GMB listing will promote your company to targeted users by pushing it to the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). So here is what you need to do to set up Google My Business.

1. Complete and accurate information – Ensure your Google My Business profile has all the essential details filled out accurately. This includes your landscaping business name, address, phone number, website URL, service area, and hours of operation. Maintaining consistency with your information across all platforms is crucial.
2. Compelling description and high-quality photos – Craft a captivating business description highlighting your unique selling points and landscaping expertise. Use high-quality photos showcasing your work, before and after landscaping transformations, and highlight your team in action.
3. Regular posting and customer engagement – Don’t let your profile become stagnant! Post updates about completed projects, seasonal tips, or special offers regularly. Utilize the Q&A section to engage with potential customers and showcase your knowledge.
4. Positive reviews and prompt responses – Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on Google My Business. Respond promptly to all reviews, thanking happy customers and addressing any concerns professionally.
5. Track performance and update them regularly – Monitor your Google My Business insights to understand how customers are finding you and what actions they take on your profile. Utilize this data to refine your approach, update your content, and optimize your profile for continued success.

Be easy to find online

When looking for a new restaurant or a great vendor, what is the first thing you do? You’ll probably search online, right? Yes, and the same applies to your landscaping business. If people search your name online and find nothing—your business is doomed. You don’t have to put in a lot of effort to establish your online presence. Instead, you can build a simple website in a matter of hours. Include a few photos of past work, even if it was just for yourself. Keep in mind that you’re using your website to showcase your strengths. Landscaping business software like Zuper comes in handy for not just streamlining your field operations but also managing your website marketing activities. Zuper’s integrated marketing module makes it easy to post articles, optimize SEO, identify and retarget abandoned cart customers, and more. We have also provided five strategies to attract your first landscaping clients online.

1. Optimize your website for local search (SEO) – Use relevant keywords throughout your website content to improve your ranking in local search results when potential customers search for landscaping services in your area.
2. Claim listings on local directories – Ensure your business is listed on popular online directories like Yelp, Angie’s List, and Nextdoor. Complete your profiles and include positive customer reviews whenever possible.
3. Run targeted online ads – Consider running pay-per-click (PPC) ads on platforms like Google Ads or social media. Target your ads to homeowners in your service area searching for landscaping services.
4. Partner with local websites and blogs – Explore opportunities to collaborate with local websites or blogs that cater to homeowners. Offer guest blog posts with landscaping tips or sponsor relevant content to increase brand awareness.
5. Utilize social media marketing tools – Take advantage of social media platforms’ built-in marketing tools. Run targeted ad campaigns, host interactive polls or contests, and leverage social media stories to showcase your work and expertise.

Collaborate with small business owners

Work with other small business owners to create a referral system that benefits everyone to increase profits and attract new customers for your landscaping business.  Develop relationships with individually owned hardware stores, plumbers, landscapers, construction companies, and other small businesses that deal with homeowners regularly. Business networks can benefit all of your community’s small businesses by providing a forum in exchange for business ideas and customer referrals. Here are five ways to expand your collaboration strategy.

1. Leverage customer referrals – Implement a referral program to incentivize existing customers to recommend your services to friends and neighbors. Offer discounts, rewards, or loyalty programs for successful referrals.
2. Build relationships with local media – Develop relationships with local newspapers, magazines, or community radio stations. Offer expert advice for landscaping articles or participate in interviews to gain exposure and build trust with potential customers.
3. Join industry associations – Consider joining local or national landscaping associations. This allows you to network with other professionals, stay updated on industry trends, and gain access to potential referral opportunities.
4. Network with realtors and property managers – Connect with realtors and property managers who might need landscaping services for their listings or managed properties. Offer special rates or packages for them to incentivize referrals.
5. Sponsor local events or home shows – Increase brand awareness by sponsoring local events, festivals, or home shows. Set up a booth to showcase your services, offer consultations, and distribute informative brochures.

Advertise your landscaping business

Google Ads for lawn care businesses is an excellent way to get new customers while enhancing your online presence and reaching out to a large customer base. Google Ads are an invaluable asset to your lawn care business’s advertising because they provide you with:

• Quick results (you don’t have to wait to rank on Google)
• Trackable data (you’ll know your ROI and how much you’re spending).
• Google’s preference (ad space has higher priority than organic results).
• Leads who are actively finding a solution to a problem.

Don’t wait for organic search ranking to bring in customers. Paid advertising on search engines like Google and Bing allows you to appear at the top of search results pages immediately. This puts your landscaping business in front of potential clients searching for services near them.

Attract new customers quickly and efficiently with targeted paid advertising campaigns. The best part is that you only pay when users click on your ad, making it a cost-effective way to drive qualified leads.

Make it simple for people to hire you

If someone saw your phone number on one of your vehicles or came across your website, the path to conversion should be simple and hassle-free. Ensure that your company is willing to receive inquiries. Consider setting up an auto-response for emails outlining how to book a service or answering FAQs to make the estimating process easy.You can also include contact information, CTA buttons, FAQ section, and schedule a call on a separate page on your website. Building trust with your leads from the beginning is another way to make hiring you quick and easy.

Bonus tips to give you a headstart

While hard work and dedication are essential, it will take more to stand out from other landscaping businesses and not just replicate what they do. Here are a few tips to make your landscaping business truly shine.

Specialize in a unique niche – Consider specializing in a particular landscaping niche such as water features, rooftop gardens, or sustainable practices. This will attract specific clientele and position you as an expert.

Become a seasonal trendsetter – Go beyond basic lawn care and offer seasonal services like holiday lighting installations, spring flower plantings, or festive container designs to cater to your customers’ needs all year round.

Host interactive online contests – Run engaging social media contests where followers participate by sharing photos of their dream yards or submitting landscaping questions. This increases brand awareness and fosters community engagement.

Offer free consultations with a twist – Elevate free consultations by providing a complimentary design sketch or a personalized landscape plan during the initial meeting. This showcases your expertise and adds value for potential customers.

Deliver exceptional customer service – Prioritize exceptional customer service from the first contact. Be responsive and professional and go the extra mile to exceed expectations. Positive word-of-mouth recommendations are powerful marketing tools.

Offer eco-friendly services – Highlight eco-friendly practices like water conservation techniques, native plant use, or organic pest control. This will appeal to environmentally conscious customers and differentiate you from traditional landscapers.

Landscaping in the new normal

COVID has made us feel more isolated and homebound than ever before. For businesses, this isolation can lead to intense drops in revenue and customers. However, with these tips (and some safety regulations), you can keep your landscaping business a vibrant and active part of the community.

Conclusion

With these few steps, you can be well on your way to realizing your dream of gaining more customers for your landscaping business. All you have to do is provide your customers with excellent landscaping services, and your business will thrive.If you desire to take your landscaping services up a notch, sign up for Zuper. Zuper is an intelligent field service management solution that helps you optimize your field workforce operations, streamline back-office functions, and implement marketing strategies effectively. Try Zuper for free today and see how effortless your landscaping business operations can be.