How to Get Lawn Care Customers: 9 Ways to Impress Clients

Choosing a lawn care service typically requires a leap of faith. After all, customers can’t assess the quality of your work until after you’ve performed your services. Understanding why customers pick one lawn care business over another is key to your success. As a lawn care professional or lawn care expert, if you’re looking to learn how to build your lawn care business and how to get lawn care customers, you’re in the right place. Here’s a closer look at nine techniques that help create a positive impression among new customers.

1. Create a Clear and Consistent Brand

Creating a recognizable brand helps you stand out from the competition. Your brand is the personality of your business. It’s your logo, uniforms, slogan, business name, and more.

When creating your brand, first take a look at the other lawn care services in your area. You want your brand to feel different from the others.

All branding elements of your business should remain consistent. Use the same logo, color scheme, slogan, font, etc. on everything, including invoices, vehicles, and uniforms.

Also, maintain a consistent theme, especially in your online presence, social media platforms or business cards. For example, if your lawn care company is called Smith Family Lawn Care, then emphasize how you’re a family-owned business. Use pictures of your staff on your signs. Don’t mix multiple themes, as doing so will confuse potential customers.

2. Commit to Punctuality

Customers prefer punctuality and consistency. Stick to a set service schedule as much as possible. People will remain loyal customers for years if they never have to wonder when you’ll show up. This, of course, will also create satisfied customers.

At the same time, try to remain flexible too. Do your best to accommodate any changing schedule needs from your customers, they will appreciate the excellent customer service flexibility.

3. Treat the First Job as the Most Important

Customers will form an impression of the work you do right away. Most likely, they’ll continue that impression for the entire time they use your services.

Give 110% during the first job you complete for a new customer. Doing so helps create a positive first impression. They’ll end up far more forgiving of any mistakes that might occur later on if they think highly of your services in general.

4. Take Ownership of Any Mistakes

Accidents happen. Sooner or later, you or someone on your crew will likely cause some accidental damage to a client’s property. You might break a birdbath, run over a toy with a lawnmower, or otherwise wreck something.

Never try to hide accidental damage. Notify the property owner right away. Also, offer to pay for any repairs or replacement. You might be surprised. Most customers tend to be fairly forgiving.

5. Communicate Effectively

Effective communication plays a significant role in establishing trust and building relationships with customers. Keep clients informed about the services you provide, any changes to schedules, or potential issues that may arise. Be proactive; reach out before scheduled appointments to confirm times and discuss specific needs or concerns they may have.

Listening is equally important. Encourage feedback and be receptive to suggestions from your clients.

6. Showcase Your Expertise

Demonstrating your knowledge and skills can greatly influence a potential customer’s perception of your business. Share insights about lawn care best practices, seasonal tips, or common issues faced by homeowners in your area through blogs, social media posts, or newsletters. When clients see that you possess a deep understanding of their needs, they are more likely to trust your services.

Additionally, consider offering free consultations or lawn assessments. This not only showcases your expertise but also gives potential customers a taste of the value you provide. By helping them identify problem areas in their lawn and suggesting tailored solutions, you’ll position yourself as a knowledgeable resource they can rely on.

7. Create Trust

Trust is hard to obtain but easy to lose. Earning the trust of your customers involves handling multiple small issues well over a long period. Actions include:

• Always showing up on time
• Creating clear, easy-to-understand invoices
• Taking responsibility for any accidental damage
• Leaving all gates closed per the client’s wishes

Also, people trust other people. Showcase testimonials from happy customers on your website and in your advertising. Lawn care businesses have a unique advantage in that you can advertise your business by placing a sign up in your customer’s yard while you work.

8. Offer Loyalty Discounts and Rewards Programs

Almost 80% of all American consumers belong to at least one loyalty program. While most people typically associate loyalty programs with grocery and retail stores, they have a place in your lawn care business, too.

You have many options. Besides sending thank-you notes to your customers, you can occasionally offer some services for free or at a reduced rate in exchange for a longer contract. For example, if your customers sign up for a year of service, you can offer one month of free mowing.

Referral programs are also a great way of spreading the news about your services. Create referral incentives to get free publicity from satisfied customers.

Bundled services are another option. You can offer reduced rates if the customer purchases multiple services at one time. For example, if your client already wants weekly mowing, offer them a discount on other services like fertilizing or pond cleaning. Bundling makes sense for both you and your customers. Your customers get a discount while you save money on operating costs. It’s more cost-efficient to perform multiple services at one location than to drive around town from place to place and it’s a great way to get lawn care customers fast.

Additionally, people like control over their purchasing options. If you only offer one type of service, people feel restricted. Instead, offer different tiers of service, such as budget and premium options.

9. Stay Organized

Running your lawn care business isn’t always easy. You have to split your time between providing services and managing your business. Most business owners are far more comfortable with the lawn maintenance aspects of the business than the managerial side.

Unfortunately, even if you deliver amazing services, customers will feel wary if you appear to run your business in a hectic, disorganized manner. To create and maintain a great impression, you want to appear responsible and organized.

Simple actions that help project responsibility include:

• Providing professional, error-free invoices  
• Track your customers’ needs so you don’t have to ask for information multiple times
• Provide plenty of notice regarding any scheduling delays or changes.
• Keep staff consistent for each location as much as possible.

For new lawn care business owners, you might have to learn some of these techniques by doing. However, one easy way to stay organized is through the use of field service management software, such as a program from WorkWave.

It’s lawn care business software that helps you schedule appointments, manage employees in the field, track inventory, create invoices, track payments, and more. You can focus on providing excellent lawn care and landscaping services, while the software helps handle everything else.

Benefits of Using Lawncare Business Software

The use of software in today’s digital era significantly boosts efficiency and organization, leading to potential business growth.

Landscaping business software offers features to schedule appointments, track job progress, manage invoices and payments, avoid double bookings, monitor client preferences, and ensure timely payments all on one platform.

Partnering with RealGreen

Partnering with RealGreen for your landscaping business can bring numerous benefits. RealGreen offers professional lawn care software specifically designed for landscaping businesses, making it easier for you to manage all aspects of your operations.

Some of the key benefits of partnering with RealGreen include:

1. Streamlined Operations: Streamline your day-to-day operations, from scheduling appointments to managing invoices and tracking employee performance. This can save you time and reduce the likelihood of errors.

2. Improved Customer Service: Easily keep track of customer information, preferences, and history. This allows you to provide personalized service and build stronger relationships with your clients.

3. Mobile Application: Provides technicians with the necessary tools to efficiently complete lawn service and work orders, document conditions for potential upsells, and enhance the overall customer experience.

4. Enhanced Reporting and Analytics: Provides valuable insights into your business performance, allowing you to make informed decisions and improve your operations over time.

5. Financial Services: You can borrow anywhere from $1,000 to $1 million to help with your business needs. With quick access to funds in as little as 24 hours, you can ensure that your operations run smoothly and efficiently.

*Funding is provided by YouLend; WorkWave is not providing the credit. Prequalified offers are based on sales and are subject to a credit check. YouLend terms and conditions apply.

Final Thoughts

Making a great first impression in the lawn care industry is essential for attracting and retaining customers. By implementing organized practices and utilizing technology such as field service management software, you can enhance your business’s professionalism and efficiency. Ensuring that your operations run smoothly, from providing error-free invoices to maintaining consistent staff at each job site, will foster trust and confidence among your existing clients as well as potential clients.

Partnering with RealGreen can amplify these efforts by streamlining your operations and improving customer service, ultimately leading to enhanced client satisfaction. With the right tools at your disposal, you can focus on delivering outstanding lawn care services while effectively managing the back end of your business. Remember, a well-organized business not only leaves a lasting impression but also creates loyal customers who will return for years to come. Embrace technology, stay organized, and prioritize customer relationships to thrive in the competitive lawn care industry. With these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to making a great first impression and building strong, lasting connections with your customers.

As your business grows, use lawn care business software to help manage all aspects of daily operations, including scheduling, payroll, marketing, and more. Contact RealGreen today to schedule a free demo to learn more.