Introduction
It will always be possible to make a profit mowing lawns, but the level of profit needs to be considered. By and large overheads are low and so many people have gardens and are either not able to or not bothered about mowing them, that there will always be work for you. As long as you have a mower and a way to get it from A to B you should be able to set up and build up a business. Don’t be afraid to make a loss to carry out a job for a short time, as there is the chance to do one job in a neighbourhood, then contact neighbours to see if they would like your services as well.
Starting Up
As mentioned there will be little outlay needed to get the business up and running. If transport is an issue, then there are still 2 options. One will be to carry out work close to home so it is easy to get the mower there, or if you know the neighbours, use theirs. Secondly, ask a client further away if you can use their shed or garage for storage. Most would agree to a mower, trimmer and maybe a blower being there. Anyone who thinks there has to be a state of the art sits on mower would be mistaken and while that is something to aspire to, it won’t be necessary until you are well established and mowing massive lawns.
Advertising
Even with advertising it does not have to be too expensive as there are a lot of ways to get your name and business out there without a lot of expense. Some papers don’t charge a lot for an advert and some may even put them in for free. When you have done a job in an area, if you have a bit of spare time, drop flyers through letter boxes, or if people are in, knock and introduce yourself. Often that will make a better impression. If you don’t have time, there are other ways. Some papers will agree to flyers being inserted in their copy and this way someone else will deliver. Finally, a satisfied customer may offer to help, or agree if there is a little incentive for them. Even the flyers can be basic to begin with and if you have the ability, print them off at home to save costs.
Aim Low – It Can Pay Off
The main reason some people are not able to make money when it comes to mowing lawns, is because they want the biggest and best jobs right away. Often you will make the most money by taking the jobs that others think they are too big to take. It might not bring in a lot but it is a foot in the door in the area. You could even take a job that costs you more to do than you make due to traveling, but again you have a foot in the door in the area. In some cases, there will be bigger companies who will tell you about jobs they do not want. They may be doing them out of a sense of guilt or obligation, but having someone to take them off their hands works well all round. If it does not work out that you pick up a lot of extra jobs in the area, you can always pass them on to the next young kid on the block.
Do a Good Job
It may seem pointless saying this, but it is a good way to make money mowing lawns. The better you are the more likely it is that there will be personal recommendations and word of mouth is a great way to build up a business. Once the business has started to grow it will just seem to keep getting bigger – as long as you can keep up the standard of work.
Timing is Everything
If you want to get the business off to a good start, then you need to make your visits when there is going to be the highest demand. This is going to be the spring, and even once the worst of the work has been done and the lawn is in a good condition for the summer, you will be able to make money as the residents will want it to stay that way.
As mentioned there will be little outlay needed to get the business up and running. If transport is an issue, then there are still 2 options. One will be to carry out work close to home so it is easy to get the mower there, or if you know the neighbours, use theirs. Secondly, ask a client further away if you can use their shed or garage for storage. Most would agree to a mower, trimmer and maybe a blower being there. Anyone who thinks there has to be a state of the art sits on mower would be mistaken and while that is something to aspire to, it won’t be necessary until you are well established and mowing massive lawns.
Advertising
Even with advertising it does not have to be too expensive as there are a lot of ways to get your name and business out there without a lot of expense. Some papers don’t charge a lot for an advert and some may even put them in for free. When you have done a job in an area, if you have a bit of spare time, drop flyers through letter boxes, or if people are in, knock and introduce yourself. Often that will make a better impression. If you don’t have time, there are other ways. Some papers will agree to flyers being inserted in their copy and this way someone else will deliver. Finally, a satisfied customer may offer to help, or agree if there is a little incentive for them. Even the flyers can be basic to begin with and if you have the ability, print them off at home to save costs.
Aim Low – It Can Pay Off
The main reason some people are not able to make money when it comes to mowing lawns, is because they want the biggest and best jobs right away. Often you will make the most money by taking the jobs that others think they are too big to take. It might not bring in a lot but it is a foot in the door in the area. You could even take a job that costs you more to do than you make due to traveling, but again you have a foot in the door in the area. In some cases, there will be bigger companies who will tell you about jobs they do not want. They may be doing them out of a sense of guilt or obligation, but having someone to take them off their hands works well all round. If it does not work out that you pick up a lot of extra jobs in the area, you can always pass them on to the next young kid on the block.
Do a Good Job
It may seem pointless saying this, but it is a good way to make money mowing lawns. The better you are the more likely it is that there will be personal recommendations and word of mouth is a great way to build up a business. Once the business has started to grow it will just seem to keep getting bigger – as long as you can keep up the standard of work.
Timing is Everything
If you want to get the business off to a good start, then you need to make your visits when there is going to be the highest demand. This is going to be the spring, and even once the worst of the work has been done and the lawn is in a good condition for the summer, you will be able to make money as the residents will want it to stay that way.
Conclusion
Hard work is the main way that you will make money mowing lawns. By doing a good job, and being prepared to work were others may not will get you a good reputation and the chance of a lot of business. Just remember that the new equipment can come once the business is well established.