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hispaniclawnforum
09-20-2005, 05:31 AM
Phil Nilsson's Lawn Care Service & Landscaping Business Resources How To Start, Run & Manage A Profitable & Successful Business

Motivated Owners Do Better
By Phil Nilsson, Green Industry Consultant (http://nilssonbooks.com/)

Motivation is a concept that we normally associate with employees, not "us" as owners. Nevertheless, motivation also applies to business owners - and perhaps even more so - because you can be motivated a little, a lot, or not at all.

Just how motivated you are has a direct impact on profits and how well your own workers produce for you as boss. If your workers detect that the boss isn’t motivated, not interested in his own company and not trying hard in his own business, then expect that attitude to have a ripple effect throughout your company. This, in turn, means lower productivity and lower profits. If that fits your situation, you need to correct it and, in the meanwhile, appear to be motivated even if you’re not to prevent an attitudinal "spillover."

YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT MOTIVATED WHEN … First off we know that when a person "wants" to do something, he or she is more likely to be more motivated than when a person "has" to do something. People that feel that they have to go to work, have to earn a living and have to make ends meet usually do just that; they’re driven by nothing more than a desire to "get by" rather than excel at business. Call this "surviving," rather than getting ahead, making progress and fulfilling goals. This lack of energy is why some people have come to a point in their business where just getting out of bed in the morning and facing another presumed boring day at the same old business is all they can manage. Some of these same unmotivated owners will view the business as being at fault when things go wrong. They think there must be something wrong with the business, not themselves as the owner - something wrong with the equipment, something wrong with the customers, something wrong with the employees, etc.

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It is commonly said that it takes an equal amount of energy to do well as it does to fail at something. It’s just as difficult to be successful and affluent as it is to be living at the poverty level. It’s just as "painful" to do the homework as it is to suffer the penalties of failure.
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That is a condition that is voluntary, not mandatory. Nobody has to be rich and successful, and nobody has to be poor and destitute. It’s a choice made by individuals, but when running a business, you’ve got employees to set an example for, and being poorly motivated can have a devastating carryover. Overall, if a business owner finds himself "faking" his interest level in his own business, it follows that the business is probably just getting by as well.

A PLAN … A "SUCCESS MODEL" TO FOLLOW? In a word, "Yes." If you’re going to win at business, you’ll need to work at it every day. You need to "work" on yourself. You are the business. Change you first, and the business gets better. It’s mind and attitude conditioning, not unlike body conditioning - if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Getting and staying motivated is mind conditioning at the upper levels of your imagination. What do you imagine for yourself? What drives you? Why do you work? What do you really want from your business? What do you expect from your business? Finally, what are you willing to do to achieve your goals, and have you established timetables for accomplishing them? Motivation has to do with personal development. Develop and train the person to improve, and the business will almost automatically follow in step.

MEET THE MOTIVATIONAL EXPERT. Denis Waitley - noted motivator to Olympic athletes, member of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flying team, noted speaker to Congress, B.S. Annapolis, M.S. Georgetown, M.A. American University, PH.D Georgetown - after years of research, has come up with the ten most identifiable qualities of a total winner. Waitley’s study indicates that winning is something that can be learned and that anybody can do it. All it takes is practice and a plan to accomplish reconditioning the mind and spirit - reprogramming oneself to win, not lose, at the game of life in general. Businesses need this reconditioning as well, and it starts with the owner.

Here are Waitley’s 10 most identifiable qualities of a total winner:

Positive self-expectancy
Positive self-image
Positive self-control
Positive self-esteem
Positive self-awareness
Positive self-motivation
Positive self-direction
Positive self-discipline
Positive self-dimension
Positive self-projection

Copyright 2001 by Phil Nilsson

Nilsson Associates, Green Industry Consultants and nationally known "Best Selling Authors" has the information you need to operate your lawn care service or landscape business and make it a success. We offer one of the Largest Resources Available in The Green Industry (http://nilssonbooks.com/books.htm) on the internet. Everything from how to sharpen a mower blade to how to manage, operate and grow your business.

FREE Job Pricing Guidelines are available from Nilsson Associates (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm) to help you avoid overpricing and not getting any work or underpricing and not making a profit. You'll see what other landscapers charge and use these prices as a starting point to developing your own prices. You can keep your business small or grow it each year. It's up to you how far you go. Some are just interested in mowing lawns as a service, then add on pruning, planting, trimming, shrubs, trees, plowing snow, and getting into job bidding, estimating and pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) grounds maintenance, landscape installations, hardscapes, patios, retaining walls and waterscapes. We also offer extensive advice about Sales and Advertising Methods. (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm)

No mattter what services you want to offer, we have the technical and managment information you need that will save you time and money getting started. Take a look at our extensive line of books, audios and videos (http://nilssonbooks.com/books.htm) and employee training materials in English and Spanish. Start at the Nilsson Associates Home Page (http://nilssonbooks.com/) and scroll down the left side of the home page to locate the business problem you want a solution to. The index includes all these categories dealing with just about all lawn care, the best mowers, how to maximize profits in mowing, job bidding and pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) , what equipment to buy, lawns, grass, chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, landscape company operations, irrigation, snow plowing, planting, pavement services and many others.

The instruction you will receive And ... The ongoing personal support from Industry Experts (http://nilssonbooks.com/about_the_author.htm) is the Best Professional Management & Ownership Training Program in the Industry. With us assisting you every step of the way, your business will be up and running fast, making money, organized to win, separate itself from the competition, and on the "Path To A Rewarding Future."

Nilsson Associates Covers all this information: how to Operate your business, how to hire Employees, how to Manage your company, the best ways to Advertise to get Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/sales_booster_package.htm) and everything there is to know about Job Bidding and Pricing ... Advertising methods to get customers fast with little or no money ... Bidding Jobs to make the most profit ... Business Growth - the safe way (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) .... Business Plans made simple, easy and effective ... Commercial customers and how to get the large contracts ... Company Policy for better employee motivationEstimating and controlling costs ... Customers - how to get them and keep them long term ... Job Specs, Labor Time Data, Pricing Formulas ... Sales, Sales Letters and Sales Skills ... Snow Removal, Subcontracting, Winter Income

Click on a
Business
Solution:
Advertising (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Bidding Jobs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) - (http://www.asharpdesign.com/nilsson/discounts_and_deals.htm)
Business Growth (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Business Plan (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Business Planning Workbook) -
Commercial (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Company Policy (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Writing Your Company Policy Manual) -
Contract Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) -
Customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Employees (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm) -
Estimating (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) -
Job Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Job Specs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Writing The Maintenance Speci-fications) -
Labor Time Data (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Maintenance (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Grounds Maintenance Manual) -
Management (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Mowing Profits (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Maximizing Profits In Mowing) -
Pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Pricing Your Services) - Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Sales Letters (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#How To Write Effective Sales Letters) -
Sales Skills (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Snow Removal (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) -
Subcontracting (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm#Subcontracting the Work) -
Training Video (http://nilssonbooks.com/video_tapes.htm) -
Website Services (http://nilssonbooks.com/other_services.htm#Web Design) -
Winter Income (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm)

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)

NEED HELP?
Please call toll free 1-866-280-2252 for more information, to order by phone or if you need advice selecting the books that will best solve your business problems. Take a look at our Discounted Book Package Deals on the home page and save even more money when you buy Nilsson's Complete Operations Management System (http://nilssonbooks.com/coms_package.htm)

http://nilssonbooks.com/_borders/Phil-Nilsson-Picture.jpg
Phil Nilsson
"Best Selling Author"


_________________
Phil Nilsson
Nilsson Associates
Green Industry Consultants
Visit the bookstore: www.nilssonbooks.com (http://www.nilssonbooks.com/)
Toll Free 1-866-280-2252
Email nilsson.assoc@snet.net

Nilsson Associates
05-19-2007, 03:06 PM
Lawn Pricing - Landscape Prices - Hardscaping - Snow Plowing Price - Irrigation - Tree Care FREE Job Pricing Guidelines

Nilsson's Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm) are in use by lawn and landscape contractors nationwide. See what other landscapers are currently charging from price lists compiled and updated by Nilsson Associates. Avoid Pricing Too High - Avoid Pricing Too Low - Win More Bids. Compare Your Prices With Nilsson's Price Lists Before You Bid - Makes Pricing Lawn & Landscape Jobs Fast, Easy, Accurate, Competitive.

Nilsson's Job Pricing Guides takes the guesswork out of bidding, and helps build confidence in your bids before you present them to your customers. Makes Job Bidding easier, faster. (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) Figure your price for a job, then compare your price (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm) with the list price before you bid, or use the price given in the price lists to bid on jobs shown below:

Includes
Prices For:
Aerating lawns
Aerating Core
Back Pak Spraying lawns,
Bak Pak weeds shrub beds, curbs
Bed Edging - in lawns
Bed Construction
Cement Curbing Installation
Cement Borders Installed
Chemical Applications of lawn care chemicals
Deck Installations
Dethatching of lawns
Drain Gutter Cleaning to remove leaves
Drain Gutters Installed
Drain Gutter Screening
Edging Walks
Edging Beds
Fall Cleanups of lawns and beds
Firewood sales
Firewood Cords
Firewood Bundles
Firewood Delivery
Flower Installations Flats
Flower Pots
Grading & Filling of soil for lawns
Ground Covers - Plants
Ground Covers Mulch
Hardscapes - patios, stairs, walks
Hourly Rates lawn care
Hourly Rates - Landscape
Hourly Rates Landscape design
Hourly Rates Plowing
Hydroseeding of lawns
Hydroseeding Preparation
Hydroseeding Materials
Install Sod
Install Shrubs
Install Trees
Irrigation lawn Installation
Irrigation Service - lawns & beds
Irrigation Winterize
Irrigation Repair Rates
Irrigation Controllers
Landscape Designs - designing computer image landscapes
Landscape Lighting Installations
Landscape Lighting Fixtures
Landscape Floodlights
Landscape Solar Lighting
Landscape Grading
Landscape Installations lawns, shrubs, plants & trees
Lawn Aeration Spike
Lawn Aeration Cores
Lawn Care Service Chemical Applications Fertilizers Weed Controls
Lawn Chemical Applications
Lawns Fertilized
Lawn Mowing Riders
Lawn Mowing Walkbehinds
Lawn Mowing Trim
Lawn Weed Treatments
Lawn Treatment Programs
Lawn Chemical Prices - Acre, Square Foot
Lawn Grub Control Apps
Lawn Insecticide
Lawn Renovations - Slit Seeding, Reseeding, Elimination of Growth
Liquid Applications of Fertilizers, Weed Killers
Loam Installed for lawn building and planting beds
Mowing with walkbehinds
Mowing with ztrs
Mowing with riding mowers
Mowing with trim mowers
Mowing Residential
Mowing Commercial
Mowing Condominium
Mowing Sports Fields
Mowing Cemeteries
Mulch Installs
Mulch pine bark mulch
Mulch pine needles
Mulch Spraying
Organic Lawn Care of lawns
Organic Lawn Programs
Parking Lot Line Marking
Parking Lot Sweeping of sand and debris
Paving Installations and hardscapes
Pavers Stone
Pavers Concrete
Pavement Sweeping
Pavement and litter control
Pavement line marking
Planting Trees & Shrubs in landscapes
Pressure washing of houses, vehicles, walks
Pruning of shrubs,
Pruning trees
Pruning ornamental trees
Putting Greens Installations - artificial turf for golf
Retaining Walls Installed of wood, stone
Retaining Walls Timbers
Roto Tilling turf, soil, lawns
Roto Tilling gardens
Salting Roads
Salting Walks
Sanding Roads
Sanding Walks
Sanding & Salting of parking lots and roads for ice control
Seeding lawns
Seeding wildflowers
Site Work of grading, hauling, rock removal prior to seeding
Slit Seeding of lawns
Slit Seeders
Snow Plowing Prices
Snow Plowing and ice control
Snow Removal
Snow Plowing Driveways
Snow Plowing Hourly Rates
Snow Plowing By The Inch
Snow Plowing By The Storm
Snow Plowing Fixed Seasonal Rates
Snow Shoveling
Snow Blowing Walks & Driveways
Sod Installations on lawns
Sod Rolls Installed
Sodding from Pallets
Spraying Lawns
Spraying Weeds
Spraying Shrubs
Spraying Trees
Spraying Curb Lines
Spring Cleanups of lawns, beds and paved areas
Stone Installations for shrub beds, landscape areas
String Trimming Lawns
String Trimming Edging
String Trimming Obstacles
String Trimming Trees
Stump Grinding after removal and tree takedowns
Tree & Shrub Programs - fertilizing - weed & insect control
Tree Trimming of ornamental trees in landscapes
Trimming Shrubs
Trimming Trees
Trucking & Hauling of landscape materials
Vegetation Management for weed control, growth control
Weeding shrub beds
Weeds in lawns
Weeding Pavement
Weeding Parking Lot Curbs

For more info: FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)

About Nilsson Associates
Business consultant, speaker, nationally recognized best selling author, Phil Nilsson's articles are published in Lawn & Landscape, PRO Magazine, The Arborist and Landscaper Publications. Nilsson's books are endorsed by national trade organizations and are in use by thousands of landscapers, parks, municipalities, universities and property managers.
Nilsson owned and operated a successful Landscape Design-Build-Maintain firm for 15 years. Nilsson Associates are Consultants to the membership of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America.

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)

For more info: FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)