One of the best things about owning a landscaping business is that you get to decide when you want to work. It’s up to you whether you want to provide winter services or not. If you don’t like the cold weather, you can simply take this time to focus on sharpening your business skills. However, you could be missing out on some major opportunities for business growth. In this post, we will discuss why landscapers should offer winter landscaping services.
The Benefits
When it comes to winter, snow is the only thing people think about, and no one wants to be the one outside shoveling it. This is where your landscaping business can step in. When a snowstorm hits, many customers look for crews to plow it. Here you can provide the quality and quick services by using a snow melting system. This system offers immediate assistance after a snowstorm and helps in preventing the frustration of the clients.
Moreover, by using a snow melting system, snow can be quickly melted and evaporated without leaving any residue behind. When you add this system in your landscaping winter services, it will expand your inventory of available services.
What Other Services Can You Offer?
Don’t forget that landscaping is much more than just tending to plants and cutting grass. It also includes taking care of the hardscapes on the property, such as stairs, patios, and sidewalks. As you know, these surfaces become dangerous in the winter when they get covered with snow and ice. Here are some other services that you can offer in winter months.
- Snow Blowing
Providing on-demand snow blowing can serve several purposes. Heavy snow on a lawn can cause damage and prevent grass from growing properly. Therefore, it is essential to remove the snow as soon as possible. There are some people who are not able to remove the snow on their own and want to hire someone who can help them with their lawn and garden care. Being a landscaper, you should offer this service in your area. Tree & Hedge Maintenance
Trees, shrubs, and hedge maintenance is something that needs attention year-round but your customers may not realize this. Reach out to them to offer this service. You can also create social media and blog posts around this topic to educate your clientel. Make sure your target market know you offer professional services, like tree and shrub pruning, winter lawn care, mulching around flower beds, and more.
- Planting Services
People love taking care of their flowers and vegetables, but the installation work becomes a barrier, especially during the cold months. But there are plenty of winter plants and vegetables that your clients can enjoy. Consider offering installation of garden beds. You can create custom designs according to space availability and your clients’ desires.
- Sell Your Landscaping Services
No matter what winter landscaping services you offer, you won't make any sales if people don't know about them. In order to grow your client base you need to focus on your marketing efforts as well, preferably all year long.
But winter can be a great time of year to revaluate your marketing plan.
Here are several questions to consider:
- Do we need new promotional material?
- What kind of promotional material is needed?
- Should we offer a discount?
- How can I reach out to potential customers?
- Does our business website require some work?
If you find difficulties in drafting a marketing plan for your business, you can consider recruiting a marketing team. This team can help you in making a solid plan to take your client base to the next level.
Make Sure You’re Ready for the Season
You’ve probably heard the phrase “hope for the best and prepare for the worst.” Though this time-old expression applies to everyone, it partially relevant for ice and snow management. As a landscaper, you should be prepared for all possible situations. You should start preparing yourself now to be ready for the upcoming season.
Make sure you are all set with a proper plan, including:
- Landscaping services that you’re going to provide.
- Equipment that you need to complete your job, like snow blowers, shovels, etc.
- Appropriate sales strategies; how to market services and make clients.
- Make sure you have enough hands to get the job done.
- Create contingencies; provision for possible unforeseen circumstances.
The Key Takeaway
So should your landscaping business offer winter services? The simple answer is – yes! If you follow the tips above, it will hopefully help you make your landscaping business successful during the winter season.
With a little creativity, you’ll find many ideas to make ends meet this winter. Winter may not be a peak season for some, but creating an effective marketing strategy and some effort can help you take your landscaping business to new heights.