How to Get Landscaping Clients: 7 Ideas to Help Your Business Thrive

As the owner of a landscaping business, your livelihood hinges on your ability to grow your customer base. While this may sound like a fairly straightforward task, attracting new customers is not always easy. With over 120,000 landscaping companies in the United States, gaining an edge over your competitors requires a foolproof marketing strategy and superb results. If you are wondering how to get landscaping clients, then take a few minutes to review the seven ideas below.

1) Give your website a face lift

Your website is the face of your landscaping business. With over 90 percent of people beginning their searches for goods and services online, an inviting website is an absolute must if you are to succeed in Boston's landscaping industry. 

In fact, a beautiful landscape and an impressive website have more in common than you think. Just like a neat, organized landscape can increase a home's value by 5 to 12 percent, an inviting, well-organized website can boost the value of your landscaping business by attracting new customers.

2) Distribute flyers in your neighborhood

Eye-catching flyers are an excellent addition to your marketing arsenal. They offer prospects a tangible snapshot of your landscaping business and are inexpensive to produce. You can choose to mail them or to distribute them in person during a stroll through your neighborhood. Here are a few ideas to help your flyer stand out:

• Use color: Brightly colored paper or print will capture the attention of residents better than a standard black and white flyer.
• Feature a special promotion: Offer a time-sensitive discount for customers who request your services and reference your flyer.
• Include before and after photos: Including photos of your work on a neighborhood home is a great way to showcase your talent.

3) Drive branded vehicles

Driving a truck or vehicle that features your logo and contact information is a simple, cost-effective way to build awareness about your landscaping company. When neighbors notice one of your trucks parked in front of an adjoining yard, they will be more likely to remember your business when they have landscaping needs of their own.

But the value of branded vehicles will go far beyond your immediate neighborhood. The average American spends more than 17,600 minutes per year driving and over 90 percent of Americans notice and recall ads on vehicles they see on the road. Given these statistics, you can hardly afford not to advertise your landscaping business on the sides of your trucks and cars. 

4) Advertise on social media

As a business owner, you should make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date with your title, website address, and contact information. If you do not already have Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages for your business, then now is a great time to set them up. Once your social media pages are in order, create a calendar to help ensure that you remain active. Here are a few ideas to help boost traffic:

• Contests: Launch a "Most improved lawn" or a "Most creative landscape" contest wherein your customers can submit photos and cast votes.
• Blog Content: Establish a blog that contains content that will help readers maintain their landscaping in between professional treatments.
• Reviews: Encourage your customers to post reviews of your landscaping services on social media. Be sure to respond to their comments.

5) Attend local fairs and trade shows

Local fairs and trade shows are great venues to meet new prospects, promote your services, and network with community organizations who may require your services. The cost of booth space at local fairs is usually reasonable, and can sometimes be secured for as little as $200 to $300 for a small space. If you have never exhibited at a local fair or trade show, these tips can help you have a successful experience:

• Appearance: Make sure your booth space is clean and well-organized.
• Display: Choose a display that is tasteful and that features your business name and logo in highly visible locations.
• Materials: Bring flyers, handouts, and coupons that reference your company and your services.
• Freebies: Pens or magnets that feature your company information are useful giveaways for visitors.

If the cost of booth space is a bit out of your price range, then consider sharing booth space with an local exhibitor in a related field. For example, if a local real estate agency has secured a prime location at the front of the exhibit hall, ask if you could use a small portion of their booth space to showcase your services. You may even be able to use the space at no cost in exchange for free landscaping on one or two of their properties. 

6) Advertise in your local newspaper

In today's digital age, many people are surprised to learn that small community newspapers are growing in popularity. Advertising your landscaping services in your local newspaper costs as little as $12 per inch for a black and white ad, though you can expect to pay a few thousand dollars for a full page ad. 

7) Establish a customer referral program

Customers who are referred to your landscaping company by a friend or existing client are four times more likely to invest in your services than prospects who learn about your business another way. A proven way to increase referrals is to launch a customer referral program that incentivizes your existing customers to keep sending their friends and contacts to you for services. HubSpot outlines some points to keep in mind when developing your program, including the following:

• Define the goals that you hope to achieve through the program
• Clearly outline program incentives to customers who refer new business as well as your new referrals
• Track program participants, including referral activity and new business generated by the program
• Remember to thank all participants, including new and existing customers who are active in your program 

When choosing program incentives, try to select those that offer value to customers and are easy to use. Examples include gift cards, checks with hand-written thank you notes, and credits that can be applied to the landscaping packages that you offer.

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If you have additional questions, you can reach out to me directly here to discuss lead generation and making it work for your business.