As we approach winter, lawn and landscaping work slows. Seasonal cycles are a normal part of outdoor work, and the slow season gives you an opportunity to spend some extra time on the business side of things. With a little more downtime available, winter is a good time to review your contracts, policies, and pricing models to make sure you’re not losing money.
Underpricing yourself or making contract mistakes is very common among green industry pros, particularly those who haven’t yet been in business for many years to learn through trial and error. Here are five tips to help you avoid some of the big mistakes that can impact your company’s finances.
1) Always Have A Contract
Handshake deals just don’t cut it anymore. It’s too easy for different parties to remember the agreement differently or for you to get stuck in a deal that’s not good for you. You don’t need huge, elaborate contracts, but you should get deals in writing every time.
A contract for lawn and landscaping services should include client contact information, a detailed estimate sheet, agreed-upon start and end dates, price and payment information, and a detailed description of services. You should also include notes about how the weather might impact services and clarify that changes in the client’s orders may affect the pricing and schedule.
2) Be Specific With Expectations
When you’re working with clients, be as specific as possible in your contracts. Vague wording like “mow yard on Mondays” can leave clients unsatisfied if their expectations for what time of day you’ll mow and how high you’ll cut the grass are different from your plans. It’s also good to use specific dates rather than phrases like “next Wednesday,” which can be open to interpretation. Specific expectations like “mow grass ½ inch tall every Monday morning starting on March 9, 2026” help protect your company and ensure customers will get what they want.
Similarly, you’ll want to be open and up-front about your pricing model while being careful not to underbid. Using hourly or daily labor rates links your payment to the project timeline, which helps prevent you from losing money if jobs run long. If you charge a fee for customers making additions or changes to the contract, make sure that’s clear to them upfront.
3) Check Your Pricing Model
It seems like the cost of everything is going up. Raising prices is a tricky topic because you don’t want to raise them so much that you drive clients away, but you need to make sure that you’re still making a profit. Winter is a good time to go over this so you can introduce new prices at the start of next season rather than trying to raise prices in the middle of the season.
Take some time to examine your books. As your cost of doing business goes up, you need to raise your prices. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing the same amount of work, or in some cases even more work, for less money. If your profit margins shrank this past year, you’ll need to consider a price increase next season to make sure you’re covering your costs and making a profit. Make sure you’re building deposits into your contracts to cover up-frond costs, and consider offering incentives to customers like early-pay discounts.
4) Don’t Skip Marketing
If you want to grow your business, or even just replace any existing clients who leave, you need a solid marketing strategy. Failing to market year-round, not building relationships with clients, and not updating your online presence are big mistakes that can cost your company.
Marketing year-round helps keep your company on the radar of local homeowners and organizations that are looking to hire a lawn and landscape contractor. It’s also much more efficient to retain existing clients than to constantly look for new ones, so make sure you invest in building relationships with your customers. A quality blog or newsletter that goes out once or twice a month can help with year-round marketing and with client retention. Finally, make sure you have an up-to-date website that makes it easy for potential clients to get in touch with you.
5) Invest In Your Crew
Your company’s reputation is vitally important to the success of your business. Bad reviews can drive new clients away before they even get in touch with you. On the other side, good reviews help draw new clients. Happy customers are also more likely to retain your services and recommend your company to their friends. Delivering quality lawn and landscaping care is key to keeping customers happy. Your crew plays a major role in that, so it’s important to invest in training them.
Onboarding training and ongoing education help keep the crew up-to-speed. Your team needs to know how to use equipment properly to avoid rookie mistakes like scalping the turf when mowing or burning the grass by overfertilizing. They should also know how to answer common customer questions about lawn care and landscaping, such as why yearly aeration is important for a lawn and when they should schedule tree pruning services. Also, invest in performance-based incentives and morale-boosting activities like a company BBQ to help incentivise good employees to stay with your company.
Bonus Tip: Work With A Local Dealer
Working with a local equipment dealership benefits lawn and landscape contractors in several ways. First, you have access to top-quality brands that are designed to meet the demands of commercial work. A lot of the best commercial equipment brands simply aren’t available online or in big box stores. Dealers also offer competitive pricing, personalized service, and long-term support. Your local dealership is nearby when you need warranty support, routine maintenance, and fast-as-possible repairs.
Some dealerships, including Richardson Saw & Lawnmower, also offer additional perks for our commercial clients, like operator training, where we work with your crews. These training sessions cover topics like how to properly use the equipment and everyday checks and maintenance. If you’re in the market for top-quality equipment or you’d like to learn more about how we can support your company, stop by for a visit or contact us.
