If you have a passion for the outdoors and the grit to start a business<\/a>, landscaping is an incredible full-time business or side hustle opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n Wondering how to start a landscaping business? We\u2019ve got you covered with our 10 step guide:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Consumer behavior has shifted towards a more self-sufficient lifestyle, giving rise to home gardening<\/a> and the search for larger properties. As home sales grow<\/a> and a newfound appreciation for gardening sets in, the\u00a0landscaping market is set to grow by 4.9% from 2020 to 2025<\/a>, making it a tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurs with a green thumb.<\/p>\n Starting a landscaping business aligns with emerging business opportunities<\/a> and consumer demand. Homeowners will always need help taking care of their properties, why not be the one they call when spring starts rolling in?<\/p>\n If you’re still on the fence about starting a landscaping business, take a look at these pros and cons to help you decide.<\/p>\n Costs are always an important consideration when starting any service-based business<\/a>. We\u2019ve researched costs for you and sorted out some ballpark estimates of startup costs for a lawn care business.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Don\u2019t be discouraged if it feels out of reach. We\u2019re going to cover how you can find equipment to save costs and cut corners without cutting quality.<\/p>\n As a solo business owner, you may be more limited (at least initially) in how much you can earn in a year. Start by ironing out a solid hourly wage for yourself and working from there. The\u00a0average landscaper hourly wage<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0$14.62\u00a0so you can set that as your base and add in the costs of service, tax, and labor.<\/p>\n Based on Payscale data, landscaping business owners can earn from $25,302 to $147,577<\/a> in annual salary. You can land on the higher end of this range by focusing on work quality, customer service, and excellent marketing. But don\u2019t forget, building a business takes years, so be patient with your progress!<\/p>\n The best part about owning a business is that you\u2019re not limited in how much revenue you can generate. However, prepare to invest in your business before seeing a profit. Becoming profitable lies in your hands – which is both exciting and scary.<\/p>\n If you start from scratch, you may need to work hard for the first few years to build a solid customer base and become profitable. As a rule of thumb, try to factor in a 10% profit with every project and be aware of what your competitors are charging before setting your prices.<\/p>\n Lastly, remember that the backbone of the economy is the small business owner, so keep track of various small business grants<\/a> you can apply to. The world needs more small businesses!<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019re ready to start a landscaping business, we\u2019re going to take you from picking a business name to executing a marketing plan in 10 easy steps.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re coming in with little to no experience, don\u2019t worry! You can gain landscaping experience by:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n You can start your portfolio as a page on your website, Instagram account, or booklet that you can show to potential clients. Either way, be proud of your work and show it off!<\/p>\n Quality and customer service always top price, so make sure you collect feedback<\/a> and take pictures of all of your work. Happy customers do the marketing for you, and having an incredible portfolio is an excellent way to woo new customers and keep existing ones.<\/p>\n Check out this landscaper Instagram for inspiration: @perennial_landscaping<\/a><\/p>\n Your business name is a cornerstone of your brand, so make sure that it\u2019s unique, creative, and communicates your business values.<\/p>\n The landscaping industry is a competitive one, so you want your name to be memorable. Try using Looka’s free Business Name Generator<\/a> to quickly come up with creative ideas, check domain availability, and see logo designs.<\/p>\n Make sure that your business name meets the following criteria:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n If you’re interested in learning about naming your business, read our guide to coming up with a catchy business name here!<\/a><\/p>\n Landscaping includes a large variety of services from mowing lawns to landscape design and planting. Create your services list based on what you\u2019re comfortable doing, and keep an eye on what is most in demand in your region. You\u2019ll be able to learn new skills and expand your services list as you gain experience and gauge what your community wants.<\/p>\n Generally, your list of landscaping services should look like this:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n If you\u2019re debating whether to buy or rent the equipment you need to get started, here\u2019s a list of landscaping equipment to prepare you for any landscaping job.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Starting a new business doesn\u2019t mean you need brand-new equipment to go with it. There\u2019s no shame in using the equipment you already have or going to your local pawnshop to find the tools to get the job done.<\/p>\n Monitor platforms like Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay to find everything you need to complete your landscaping arsenal. Saving money on lawn care equipment means you can start turning a profit faster and spend money on marketing and customer service activities.<\/p>\n After all, a rake is a rake whether it\u2019s new or not!<\/p>\n Before creating your price sheet, keep in mind that different regions have different standards. Make a list of your top five competitors and call them all for quotes before building your competitive pricing model.<\/p>\n Costs also change based on the square footage and how many hours you need to complete the project. On average, you can expect to charge:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Keep time, size, and labor as the three pillars of your pricing strategy, and set your base hourly rate from $15 to $17 based on your experience level.<\/p>\n Based on the home advisor average cost guide<\/a> in the USA, landscaping services can range from the following price points based on lot size and level of work being done.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Now that you\u2019ve ironed out the tools you need, the rates you\u2019re going to charge, and the name of your wonderful new business, it’s time to answer an important question:<\/p>\n How will you differentiate yourself from your competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n Instead of adding value through price only, keep in mind that people are looking for a memorable customer experience, high-quality work, and value above all. Building a brand can help communicate these values consistently.<\/p>\n The most consisitent aspect of your brand will be your logo<\/a>. It is the representation of your business and it\u2019ll be on your invoices, marketing materials, uniform\u2014 and maybe even your car.<\/p>\n A logo represents your brand, and creating an original logo by working with a designer can cost thousands of dollars<\/a> and take up a lot of your time.\u00a0 If you choose to go down this route, prepare to add these expenses to your list of costs.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to save time and money, you can use Looka\u2019s logo maker<\/a> to create your landscaping logo and be ready to launch your business (and brand) in no time.<\/p>\n Check out some of these landscaping logos<\/a> for inspiration before designing your own:<\/p>\n Building your brand is the fun part of ironing out how to distinguish yourself and communicate your services and values consistently.<\/p>\n You can start building your brand identity<\/a> by establishing these brand assets:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Once you have a solid brand identity, you\u2019ll be able to seamlessly incorporate your brand into your flyers, posters, social media posts, and marketing materials. Having consistent visuals helps build trust with customers and establishes you as a legitimate small business and brand.<\/p>\n Check out these brand guidelines<\/a> for inspiration:<\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/januarymade.co.nz\/portfolio-work\/2018\/11\/winterhome-garden<\/p><\/div>\n A critical first step to starting any business is to apply for a business license and register your business. This process varies based on which country, state, or province you\u2019re in.<\/p>\n Registering your business means protecting your assets and separating yourself from the business. This makes it an entity of its own – with you as the owner. On the other hand, getting a business license is simply a matter of applying for a license to legally run a business in your country, state, or province.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve compiled a list of resources for you to look through so that you\u2019re covered wherever you\u2019re from:<\/p>\n So now, the fun begins! Before jumping into marketing, you first need to hone down on who your customers are.<\/p>\n Your target audience is homeowners within a 25 mile\/ 40KM distance (or more) of where you live. This is flexible if you\u2019d like to service more rural areas or target entire states.<\/p>\n Homeowners are easy to spot, so choose a specific area that you\u2019d like to focus on. Once you have a good idea of who your customer is, you can start marketing your business to them.<\/p>\n Register as a business on Google<\/a> (free) and make sure your website copy indicates your region so people can find you. For example: \u201cRory\u2019s Rakes – Best Landscaping in Utah\u201d<\/p>\n This way, you\u2019ll have a distinct presence on the web for that location. You won\u2019t have to find your customers, they can find you!<\/p>\n For landscaping, you\u2019re usually looking at a target audience of a particular age that lives in a home or owns a property. This means social channels like TikTok or Snapchat might not be the best options for you.<\/p>\n Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have more promising audiences of adults who are looking for home decor, renovations, and lastly – landscaping to make their home their own.<\/p>\n Create a profile on these social media channels<\/a> and start uploading photos of your work, lawn care services, as well as testimonials to start building your presence online.<\/p>\n Check out this Instagram page for landscaping inspiration: @portphilliplandscaping<\/a><\/p>\n\n
Why start a landscaping business?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nThe pros\u00a0 of starting a landscaping business<\/h3>\n
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The cons of starting a landscaping business<\/h3>\n
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How much does it cost to start a landscaping business?<\/h2>\n
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How much can a landscaping business make in one year?<\/h3>\n
Is owning a landscaping company profitable?<\/h3>\n
How to start a landscaping business<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Gain experience and build a portfolio<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nStep 2: Choose a landscaping business name<\/h2>\n
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Step 3: List the landscaping services you want to offer<\/h2>\n
Recurring Lawn Maintenance<\/h4>\n
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Landscaping Projects<\/h4>\n
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Step 4: Buy or rent the landscaping equipment you need<\/h2>\n
![\"landscaping](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20210420173747\/landscaping-tools-600x400.jpg\")
<\/p>\nList of landscaping equipment<\/h3>\n
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How to save on lawn care equipment<\/h3>\n
Step 5: Choose your landscaping rates<\/h2>\n
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Average costs of landscaping<\/h3>\n
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Step 6: Brand your landscaping business<\/h2>\n
Create a landscaping logo<\/h3>\n
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\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nBuild your brand identity<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Step 7: Register your landscaping business<\/h2>\n
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Step 8: Start marketing your landscaping business<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nDiscover your target audience<\/h3>\n
Set up your Google Business account<\/h3>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20210421110709\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-21-at-8.06.47-AM-600x333.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSocial media<\/h3>\n
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