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There are numerous advantages to the idea of starting a gardening business. First of all, nature can never be permanently tamed, which means that if you do your job right the first time, you have the unlimited potential for return business. This is also quite a lucrative industry, seeing as how initial investments and operating expenses are fairly low. Because there’s a universal need for these services, it provides great job security, which is simply invaluable as a factor in these trying times. Lastly, it’s a creative, liberating and interesting thing to do. Now that you know why, here’s how!
1. Choose a name for your business
The first thing you need is a name for your business. This is integral for your brand identity and it’s something you have to do before registering or coming up with an intellectual property (logo, slogan, etc.). The biggest danger here lies in finding an available name. this way, you won’t infringe on someone else’s intellectual property. In order to make things easier, you can always customize the name by adding the location to the phrase. This will also help with local SEO, which brings us to our next section…
2. Invest in local SEO
As a gardening business, the majority of your activity will be local, which is why you need to make sure that the bulk of your digital marketing activity is invested in local SEO. Start by trying to become competitive for all the relevant local keywords. We’re mostly talking about the keywords that have locations as a part of the phrase. Second, ensure that you are listed on databases like Google My Enterprise, Yelp and similar. This will increase your local visibility and notify potential clients of your contact info.
3. Think about the rest of your marketing
You also need to invest in other marketing methods, in order to cover as much ground as possible. Make a website, start a blog and invest in old-school marketing. For instance, you could print some promotional materials in order to promote your business. You should also hire a billboard and advertise through local newspapers. Brochures and flyers are always handy and when made from recycled materials, their carbon footprint is drastically reduced. Overall, you need to start spreading the word as soon as possible in order to get enough clients for the self-sustainability of your business.
4. Make a written business plan
The first thing you need to do is make a written business plan. Start by figuring out the very basics of your business model. First, how much money do you need to start? Second, how much do you expect to spend on operational costs during the first month? Third, do you plan to work alone or will you have to bring a couple of people in from the very start? While you may believe yourself capable of keeping all of this information in your head, make sure to put it in writing. This way, you will have an easier job of noticing mistakes and it will become less likely that you will overlook something.
5. Get a proper equipment
One of the perks of a gardening business lies in the fact that the majority of equipment really isn’t that expensive. First, you need some basic tools like a shovel, some rakes and pruning shears. While gardening clothing and goggles are essential parts of personal protection equipment, the most important item in your PPE is quality gardening gloves. On the more expensive side, you will need a grass trimmer, a hedge trimmer and a leaf blower. Buying a lawn aerator might not be a bad idea either. Overall, your inventory can be expanded on the go.
6. Expand your knowledge
The gardening business is incredibly complex and requires a lot of knowledge. Understanding landscaping properly, mastering the tricks and techniques of the trade will take a while. However, your further education is something that you need to take direct charge of. How? Well, there are numerous courses that you can follow. You should also look for great learning materials and try to go through them in your spare time. You shouldn’t underestimate the importance of microlearning either. Learning from experience (once you start working) will also be quite invaluable.
7. Start a blog
Once you’re experienced and knowledgeable enough, you may find that a lot of people want to know opinion on industry-based trends. Why not profit from this attention? Just think about it, if people need gardening advice, you’re there to offer your first-hand experience. Soon, you can even diversify your sources of income by selling your own gardening products. You can use your blog to link to your e-commerce website or even make direct sales. Most importantly, you will start building brand loyalty by providing value (in a form of advice) for free.
8. Understand that it’s a difficult industry
This is an incredibly difficult industry. It requires you to invest some hard labor, negotiate with clients and carefully manage your resources. At the same time, it requires you to be a skilled gardener and a brilliant entrepreneur. Still, achieving success in the business world was never supposed to be easy, to begin with. Soon, your business may expand so much that you will start tendering for larger commercial jobs. Until then, you need to acquire enough experience and infrastructure.
9. Get the right transportation
Remember that getting to your clients and taking all your equipment along requires that you purchase a vehicle with enough carrying capacity. One of the ways to fund this is to apply for a commercial auto loan. Once you own the vehicle, you should always consider your options of using it to promote your business. How? Well, by placing a logo on the side of your vehicle. This way, it will be as if you had a mobile billboard. Branding your vehicle will also contribute to your image as a serious business.
10. Work on your people skills
Your ability to negotiate with your clients is also a huge part of your potential business success. This is why it’s important that you start working on your people skills. One of the first things you can do in this respect is to find and read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. This amazing book offers some invaluable insight into the art of negotiation. There are also some courses that could help you out in this regard. A part of your budget should always go towards self-improvement and this will help you grow as an entrepreneur.
In conclusion
At the end of the day, this is one of the simplest ways to find a profession in which you can profit from doing something calm and creative. It also has great job security and amazing options for the growth and expansion of your enterprise. Just keep in mind that this isn’t easy and that in order to make it in this field, you really need to love what you do. Only passion can carry you through some of these hard moments in life.
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