Every business has its ups and downs, no matter how well run they are.  Perhaps the most dangerous time for any business is when it initially starts up, because you are going on instinct and research rather than experience.

It’s no secret that all lawn care professionals have made mistakes of varying sizes at one time or another.  But reading about them is always a good idea because it means you can try and avoid making those same mistakes yourself.

For starters you need to advertise your business in as many ways as you can.  If you are sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring and you have an empty order book, the chances are you aren’t doing enough advertising.  Get yourself out there and make sure you can be found.

It is also a big mistake to invest in lots of equipment before you can afford to pay for it.  Start small if necessary and build up from there; this gives you a much better chance of achieving the results you want.  As you make a bigger profit you can invest some of it in new equipment.

And this brings us to another tripping point commonly experienced by lawn care professionals across the country.  How much time and research do you put into everything you buy?  There are countless stories around about contractors who have bought what seemed to be a bargain trailer or mower, only to discover it doesn’t meet their needs.

To avoid falling into this trap yourself, find out what the competition is using and consider the pros and cons of any piece of equipment before you buy it.  How will you use it?  How often will you need it? Is the bargain you spotted really such a good bargain after all?  What about the costs of maintenance and running that equipment in the first place?  Would you be better off buying something more expensive that will last longer?  Finding the answers to all these questions will help you to avoid making some of the major mistakes made by others before you.

It’s also a big mistake to buy cheap equipment.  Cheap stuff simply doesn’t last as long as more expensive items.  You’ll likely get better results with better gear as well, and since your clients want the best results from you, you can see how a more expensive mower will help you keep existing clients and bag some new ones as well.

There are plenty of mistakes you can make as a newbie to the business.  But even experienced professionals make mistakes sometimes.  It is far more likely that your mistakes will be made initially though.  If you can keep them to a minimum and focus on developing your business by reinvesting your profits into it, you’ll get better results in the long term.  If you make the mistake of never plowing some of your profits back into the business, you’ll never be able to grow.

Interested in starting a Lawn Care Business? Click here to learn more about our Lawn Care Business Guide.