Nilsson Associates
01-07-2007, 11:47 AM
Lawn Care Business Planning
What You Need To Know
Available@www.nilssonbooks.com
According to the Small Business Administration, the lack of a business plan is the #1 reason for business failure.
The following is a rough outline on Business Planning for Green Industry Companies. It isolates the three main business functions common to the operations of lawn care and landscape business contractors. The outline forms the groundwork of what I call a Master Business Plan consisting of three things that happen in your business.
#1 Getting the work - sales
Getting lawn care accounts or landscape construction jobs entails advertising and promotion to get your phone to ring ... over and over ... year in and year out, so that over the long run you have reliable streams of jobs to bid on, and hopefully win your share of business. If business stops or "dries up" you're more or less "out of business". Sales "happen" first and here are some of the things you'll probably get involved with to keep your phone ringing.
Things to Consider:
.Competitive environment
.Selling technique
.Advertising & promotion
.Pricing strategy
.Contracting proposals
.Customer service & retention
#2 Doing the work - production
Doing the work is "easier said than done" because it requires planning and coordinating events, planning for materials, employees, working around the weather, having knowledge, supervising others, and having skills for creating quality results.
Things To Consider:
.Plant & facility
.Equipment
.Personnel
.Operating methods
.Quality control
.Work measurement
.Costing methods
#3 Management - controlling input & outcomes
Management are "concepts" that are at work "behind the scenes" in a business such as systems and methods of getting things done so that company objectives and goals are met. Things like cash flowing the weekly payroll, making sure funds are available to pay bills, lines of credit set up in advance, tax strategies, employee training programs,company policy, growth plans and business "survival strategies" are things management does.
Things to Consider:
.Business direction - growth
.Financial planning
.Accounting
.Taxation
.Evaluation of operations
.Regulations/legal
.Contingency plans
At one point or another, almost every business will have to deal with each of these areas of operations. Having a business plan and "working the plan" shortens the distance of where your company is right now, and where you intend to take it. Companies that do not plan, are known to be more stagnant than those that do. Struggle aimlessly with no clear direction. Taking the "long way" not having realized that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Planning is the straight line that takes us directly to a "target".
I think one reason why some do poorly in business is because they don't plan, and aren't aware of what will be required of them as they move from the "start up" to becoming an organized business. Organized business meaning that eventually, the owner "promotes himself" to managing operations, delegates the work to others, and focuses on sustaining and growing a business to become a major player in his or her market.
When owners wear too many hats, try to do all the work themselves, and not delegate, they tend to reach a plateau, become bored, become burned out, net incomes reach a fixed level and stay there. Many overcome the stagnation by maximizing their position, get their market share, then diversify into additional services that allow further sales growth ... where then "everything else follows" because sales don't "cap out" and growth stops.
Business planning is important because the lack of a business plan is the main reason for business failures according to the Small Business Administration.
Business planning is important as you grow your lawn care service or landscape business depending on how large a business you become. A good business plan and proper execution of the plan makes it possible to get involved with many facets of the green industry, as a company expands business and becomes diversified offering various services. The Business Plan should include a mowing plan, planting, pruning, plan for employee training, landscape installation plan and more. Irrigation, hardscapes, even waterscapes such as pond building is part of the landscape industry, as is snow plowing, pavement maintenance and many outdoor grounds chores. Each one of these specialties within the green industry can be unique and require its own business plan. In addition to the normal or general plan, business plans should be expanded to include a plan for equipment since the industry is equipment intensive requiring a continual investment and reinvestment for operating equipment. A good business plan should outline the need for specific equipment, set a time frame for acquisition and cost/payoff objectives.
Business plans should recognize that owning and growing a lawn care landscape business consists of many duties and responsibilities of ownership and management. Business plans often include a time table for seeking and hiring crews leaders, foreman and general managers.
The business plan should also include strategies and methods for producing and preparing Job estimates because estimating is a is a big part of business growth as is planning for and maintaining a wide variety of equipment such as; mowers, snow plowing trucks, edgers, string trimmers, sprayers, hydroseeders, slit seeders, blowers and other power equipment. A business plan should also include a detailed itemized list of the things that lawn care providers, landscapers, park departments, facility managers get involved with in operating their departments, facilities and companies.
Within the business plan is a Sales plan because you'll be selling To residential customers and commercial accounts and you'll need to learn how to overcome price objections, build a loyal customer following, project a professional image, best ways to advertise, why customers will or will not buy from you, how to reduce callbacks. The Sales Plan is a very important part of the overall business plan for lawn care service and landscape companies and should recognize the seasonality issues of running the business.
Business plans also have a section that projects and predicts business growth. Planning for business growth for much higher sales levels, more landscape employees & equipment, more debt, higher accounts receivables, larger facilities to house the lawn care equipment, vehicles, lawndscape tractors and various equipment and tools to service and make repairs.
Landscaping Business Plan Workbook
Specifically designed for lawn care service business and landscape business company plans and divided into three sections that form a master business plan model. Business plans for lawn care service - business plan for landscape construction - mowing business plans - grounds maintenance business plan. Has: sales plan .. advertising plan .. marketing plan .. production plan .. financial plan .. and business management plan. Contains fill in the blanks sections question and answer review to form a Sales Plan, Production Plan and Management Plan for your company. Takes the reader through the thought process to formulate steps and strategies and sequence of business events most business startups encounter. Each phase of the business plan is outlined and explained and the priorities made clear as the business plan unfolds and is developed.
Business Planning Workbook
Book # E-2 To order online Click Here (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm)
To order by phone Toll Free 1-866-280-2252
Other resources ...
Sales Boosters (http://nilssonbooks.com/sales_booster_package.htm)
Job Estimating Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm)
FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
New Business Startup Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/just_getting_started.htm)
Complete Operations Management System (http://nilssonbooks.com/coms_package.htm)
When it comes to pricing lawn and landscape jobs nobody has more industry pricing information than Nilsson Associates. Nilsson's Job Price Guides covers lawn care job bidding & estimating landscaping job bids for commercial & residential customers. Get more customers. Price estimates & bids, grounds services, landscaping pricing estimates , estimating & bid the price seasonal work, year around commercial estimate contracts, best price per square foot, best grounds maintenance & landscaping job to bid & pricing, price of lawn care, lawn mowing price, aeration pricing, lawns, commercial landscape job bid estimates, maintenance estimating & pricing, mulching prices, pricing chemicals, weeding & aerating pricing, fertilizer prices, prices for organic fertilizer, pricing weeds in beds, pricing pruning & trimming trees & shrubs, pricing commercial & residential snow plowing, hardscape pricing, pricing hydroseeding, irrigation service estimates for commercial & residential, pricing seeding lawns, pricing lawn sod, prices for slit seeding lawns, pricing edging lawn beds, spring cleanup prices, pricing fall cleanups, hourly price of pressure washing walks & patios, pricing trees, stump grinding prices, price for gutter cleaning, lawn dethatching price, price for shoveling snow, pricing salting, price sanding.
For more information about Pricing Click Here for FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
Click here for: Labor Time Data Handbook (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#)
What You Need To Know
Available@www.nilssonbooks.com
According to the Small Business Administration, the lack of a business plan is the #1 reason for business failure.
The following is a rough outline on Business Planning for Green Industry Companies. It isolates the three main business functions common to the operations of lawn care and landscape business contractors. The outline forms the groundwork of what I call a Master Business Plan consisting of three things that happen in your business.
#1 Getting the work - sales
Getting lawn care accounts or landscape construction jobs entails advertising and promotion to get your phone to ring ... over and over ... year in and year out, so that over the long run you have reliable streams of jobs to bid on, and hopefully win your share of business. If business stops or "dries up" you're more or less "out of business". Sales "happen" first and here are some of the things you'll probably get involved with to keep your phone ringing.
Things to Consider:
.Competitive environment
.Selling technique
.Advertising & promotion
.Pricing strategy
.Contracting proposals
.Customer service & retention
#2 Doing the work - production
Doing the work is "easier said than done" because it requires planning and coordinating events, planning for materials, employees, working around the weather, having knowledge, supervising others, and having skills for creating quality results.
Things To Consider:
.Plant & facility
.Equipment
.Personnel
.Operating methods
.Quality control
.Work measurement
.Costing methods
#3 Management - controlling input & outcomes
Management are "concepts" that are at work "behind the scenes" in a business such as systems and methods of getting things done so that company objectives and goals are met. Things like cash flowing the weekly payroll, making sure funds are available to pay bills, lines of credit set up in advance, tax strategies, employee training programs,company policy, growth plans and business "survival strategies" are things management does.
Things to Consider:
.Business direction - growth
.Financial planning
.Accounting
.Taxation
.Evaluation of operations
.Regulations/legal
.Contingency plans
At one point or another, almost every business will have to deal with each of these areas of operations. Having a business plan and "working the plan" shortens the distance of where your company is right now, and where you intend to take it. Companies that do not plan, are known to be more stagnant than those that do. Struggle aimlessly with no clear direction. Taking the "long way" not having realized that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Planning is the straight line that takes us directly to a "target".
I think one reason why some do poorly in business is because they don't plan, and aren't aware of what will be required of them as they move from the "start up" to becoming an organized business. Organized business meaning that eventually, the owner "promotes himself" to managing operations, delegates the work to others, and focuses on sustaining and growing a business to become a major player in his or her market.
When owners wear too many hats, try to do all the work themselves, and not delegate, they tend to reach a plateau, become bored, become burned out, net incomes reach a fixed level and stay there. Many overcome the stagnation by maximizing their position, get their market share, then diversify into additional services that allow further sales growth ... where then "everything else follows" because sales don't "cap out" and growth stops.
Business planning is important because the lack of a business plan is the main reason for business failures according to the Small Business Administration.
Business planning is important as you grow your lawn care service or landscape business depending on how large a business you become. A good business plan and proper execution of the plan makes it possible to get involved with many facets of the green industry, as a company expands business and becomes diversified offering various services. The Business Plan should include a mowing plan, planting, pruning, plan for employee training, landscape installation plan and more. Irrigation, hardscapes, even waterscapes such as pond building is part of the landscape industry, as is snow plowing, pavement maintenance and many outdoor grounds chores. Each one of these specialties within the green industry can be unique and require its own business plan. In addition to the normal or general plan, business plans should be expanded to include a plan for equipment since the industry is equipment intensive requiring a continual investment and reinvestment for operating equipment. A good business plan should outline the need for specific equipment, set a time frame for acquisition and cost/payoff objectives.
Business plans should recognize that owning and growing a lawn care landscape business consists of many duties and responsibilities of ownership and management. Business plans often include a time table for seeking and hiring crews leaders, foreman and general managers.
The business plan should also include strategies and methods for producing and preparing Job estimates because estimating is a is a big part of business growth as is planning for and maintaining a wide variety of equipment such as; mowers, snow plowing trucks, edgers, string trimmers, sprayers, hydroseeders, slit seeders, blowers and other power equipment. A business plan should also include a detailed itemized list of the things that lawn care providers, landscapers, park departments, facility managers get involved with in operating their departments, facilities and companies.
Within the business plan is a Sales plan because you'll be selling To residential customers and commercial accounts and you'll need to learn how to overcome price objections, build a loyal customer following, project a professional image, best ways to advertise, why customers will or will not buy from you, how to reduce callbacks. The Sales Plan is a very important part of the overall business plan for lawn care service and landscape companies and should recognize the seasonality issues of running the business.
Business plans also have a section that projects and predicts business growth. Planning for business growth for much higher sales levels, more landscape employees & equipment, more debt, higher accounts receivables, larger facilities to house the lawn care equipment, vehicles, lawndscape tractors and various equipment and tools to service and make repairs.
Landscaping Business Plan Workbook
Specifically designed for lawn care service business and landscape business company plans and divided into three sections that form a master business plan model. Business plans for lawn care service - business plan for landscape construction - mowing business plans - grounds maintenance business plan. Has: sales plan .. advertising plan .. marketing plan .. production plan .. financial plan .. and business management plan. Contains fill in the blanks sections question and answer review to form a Sales Plan, Production Plan and Management Plan for your company. Takes the reader through the thought process to formulate steps and strategies and sequence of business events most business startups encounter. Each phase of the business plan is outlined and explained and the priorities made clear as the business plan unfolds and is developed.
Business Planning Workbook
Book # E-2 To order online Click Here (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm)
To order by phone Toll Free 1-866-280-2252
Other resources ...
Sales Boosters (http://nilssonbooks.com/sales_booster_package.htm)
Job Estimating Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm)
FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
New Business Startup Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/just_getting_started.htm)
Complete Operations Management System (http://nilssonbooks.com/coms_package.htm)
When it comes to pricing lawn and landscape jobs nobody has more industry pricing information than Nilsson Associates. Nilsson's Job Price Guides covers lawn care job bidding & estimating landscaping job bids for commercial & residential customers. Get more customers. Price estimates & bids, grounds services, landscaping pricing estimates , estimating & bid the price seasonal work, year around commercial estimate contracts, best price per square foot, best grounds maintenance & landscaping job to bid & pricing, price of lawn care, lawn mowing price, aeration pricing, lawns, commercial landscape job bid estimates, maintenance estimating & pricing, mulching prices, pricing chemicals, weeding & aerating pricing, fertilizer prices, prices for organic fertilizer, pricing weeds in beds, pricing pruning & trimming trees & shrubs, pricing commercial & residential snow plowing, hardscape pricing, pricing hydroseeding, irrigation service estimates for commercial & residential, pricing seeding lawns, pricing lawn sod, prices for slit seeding lawns, pricing edging lawn beds, spring cleanup prices, pricing fall cleanups, hourly price of pressure washing walks & patios, pricing trees, stump grinding prices, price for gutter cleaning, lawn dethatching price, price for shoveling snow, pricing salting, price sanding.
For more information about Pricing Click Here for FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
Click here for: Labor Time Data Handbook (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#)