Business Bests: Making the Grass Greener
business bests
Make the Grass
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dding weed and insect control and fertilizing services may be a natural fit for
expanding your lawn or landscape business.
With licensing laws, recertification and the
necessity of staying current on pests, diseases, application technology and new products, you’ll need
ongoing education. But even with these requirements, chemical care can be a profitable part of your
business with the proper training and planning.
Why add chemical care?
Due to the confidence you’ve inspired by maintaining a customer’s lawn or landscape for years, you
have a built-in clientele for selling chemical services.
“This is a relationship-centered business,” says Fred
38 TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE / May 2012
Kapp, educational director of the Alabama Green
Industry Training Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Customers don’t want just anyone walking around
their yards and spraying chemicals. They already
trust you.”
Many business owners add chemical care because
customers ask for it. “It’s a value-added service,”
says Susan McIntosh, general manager of Lawn
Pride in Indianapolis, Indiana. “Clients want onestop shopping.”
Profit margins vary, ranging from 10 to 40 percent or greater. “We typically hear about 15 percent
from contractors,” Kapp says. In addition, customers who buy one service from you often purchase
others, such as irrigation or design-build projects.