Sewing The Seeds: How To Start A Landscaping Business

If you love gardening and are looking to launch your own business, a landscaping startup could be an exciting venture to explore. Below we’ll explore some of the steps to getting your landscaping business up and running.

Identify your target market

First, you need to find your niche. There are likely to be many other landscaping companies operating in your area. To compete with them, consider specializing in a particular service. Examples could include:

• Patio installation
• Fencing
• Tree surgery
• Lawncare
• Pond installation
• Landscape lighting design

Consider getting professional training in this specialism and then do your research to find out what types of customers are seeking out this service so that you can devise marketing tactics to reach out to them.

Register and insure your business

The next step is registering your business. When doing this, consider whether you want to operate as a sole trader, or whether you want to set up a limited company. Carrying out certain landscaping tasks professionally may require obtaining a license. You may also want to look into public liability insurance to protect yourself (take your time to compare different insurers to find the best rates and coverage).

Acquire equipment and supplies

You now need to source equipment and tools. You can buy tools or you can rent them. Renting is cheaper upfront, while buying will often save you money in the long run. Some basic tools you may need to acquire as a landscaper include:

• Gloves
• Hand tools (trowel, fork, shovel, secateurs, rake)
• Power tools (lawnmower, string trimmer, hedge trimmer, leaf blower)
• Site preparation gear (tarp, wheelbarrow)
• A suitable vehicle

Focusing on a specialism and then ‘branching out’ might save you money upfront. That said, having a range of tools from the start might allow you to take on more general landscaping jobs immediately and give you more flexibility when building initial clients.

Set your pricing

Before you start taking on any clients, you need to work out what your rates will be. Do some research to find out what other landscaping companies are charging in the area. Work out how much you will need to be making to break even and how much profit you ideally want to make on top of that. Working with a financial advisor could be worthwhile to create an effective business plan. Once you start building an income, you can then consider whether to use an accountant to help you with your taxes.

Market your business

In order to get customers, you need to do some marketing. Start by using your network – volunteer to do work for friends and family, take photos of your work to post online and encourage these people close to you to leave reviews. With friends or friends, you can start charging money. To reach out to complete strangers, you’ll need to consider marketing tactics like social media advertising, local SEO, email marketing and flyer advertising. By working with a digital marketing agency for landscapers, you can outsource much of the complex online promotional work like web design and SEO. Local print advertising companies can meanwhile help you produce flyers and business cards.

Conclusion

Getting any business off the ground is the hardest part. The key is to not rush the process – thorough planning and preparation will increase your chance of success by keeping organized and helping you look professional.