According to IBISWorld, there are over 650,000 US businesses offering landscape services. The data is from 2023, showing an increase of 3.5% from 2022. Competition is going up in numbers. Standing out in such a market requires more than just expertise in trimming hedges.
To truly outpace the competition, it’s essential to focus on local market expertise and tailor services to meet specific community needs. For instance, companies offering landscaping in Burnsville, MN can leverage their understanding of the local climate and soil conditions to provide customized solutions that resonate with residents. By emphasizing unique offerings and building strong relationships within the community, landscaping businesses can establish a loyal customer base. Additionally, staying updated with the latest trends and technologies in landscaping can further enhance service quality, ensuring that the company remains a preferred choice for clients seeking innovative and reliable landscaping solutions.
Success grows from strategic thinking and customer-focused approaches. Operational excellence alone won’t get a business far. Companies that pay attention to these three factors have an easier time competing in the market. Among those 600,000+ businesses, many close down eventually or continue to struggle to keep their roots in the ground.
The journey can be challenging. But a few practical strategies can help landscaping businesses do exceptionally better and even outpace their competition.
Let’s dive into those strategies.
Optimizing operational efficiency
Pretty much the Rule 101 in any business. Efficiency drives profits, but ask yourself if the business is optimized for the best possible efficiency. Leave no stone unturned and start by looking into the daily operations.
- Measure the time it takes for each job
- Map optimal routes between job sites to cut down transit costs
- Invest in technology and equipment that boosts productivity
- Create strict maintenance policies to prevent costly breakdowns
These are just a few things you can do that a lot of long-standing landscaping businesses also practice. They emphasized the importance of reorganizing client schedules geographically. Might even help in scheduling additional jobs daily. Optimizing operational efficiency also influences how fast the company can grow. The whole idea is to make sure the team doesn’t spend too much time driving instead of working.
Invest in building a digital identity
That old-school way of satisfying customers and leaving with the paycheck hoping the customer would recommend it to others, won’t work anymore. Customers don’t flip through phone books anymore. Like you, they will be checking out blogs too. The world’s moving fast, accelerated by digital factors. A modern landscaping business requires a solid digital presence, so potential customers can find it and check it out.
To build such a presence online,
- Make sure to capture before-and-after photos of jobs & publish them online
- Request happy clients to leave reviews
- Create and share content that demonstrates the business’ expertise
- Respond promptly to online inquiries and feedback
Content that shows rather than tells can do a lot for a landscaping company that’s centered on real estate aesthetics.
Make sure the first impression scores big
First impressions are game-changers for service businesses. And that begins with the uniformity within your team. You can showcase it by working on the appearance of your team when they step onto a property. Ideally, you want the team’s appearance to show professionalism, approachability, and trustworthiness at first glance. That is exactly why you shouldn’t shy away from sourcing the right uniforms. Landscapers wearing quality gear branded with the company logo create credibility instantly. This also helps clients overcome the natural hesitation they may feel about strangers working around their property.
Long sleeve t-shirts, vests, polo shirts – these are all viable uniform options. They can be sourced wholesale to minimize the investment without compromising on quality. To ensure quality, you can invest in reputed brands. Sourcing District t-shirts wholesale or Polos from Port Authority K500 do not demand heavy upfront costs but pay dividends in customer trust and team uniformity. This small detail can make a huge difference in customer comfort levels—especially for elderly clients or those new to hiring landscaping services.
Growing your niche
Trying to be everything to everyone spreads your resources too thin. It’s smarter to focus on specific niches. Something like drought-resistant xeriscaping for environmentally conscious customers or commercial property maintenance for businesses and HOAs – identify your niche and work for its growth. Specializing allows you to become a recognized expert in your chosen area. This expertise justifies premium pricing and attracts clients specifically seeking your specialized skills.
Focus on retention not acquisition
Retaining customers is relatively a lot easier than acquiring customers. It also doesn’t cost as much as acquisition generally. If it is, you are doing something wrong. Retention must be a primary focus. Many landscaping businesses neglect to nurture existing client relationships. Try these:
- Check in on the clients periodically with personalized recommendations
- Figure out how you can reward long-term clients
- Give occasional gifts to top customers with your best compliments
- Proactively communicate with customers regarding potential issues due to weather, pests etc.
Many successful landscaping companies send personalized plant care guides to clients after installing new gardens. It’s a small gesture with a big impact as it positions the brand as helpful experts rather than just service providers.
Not all business is good
There will be problem clients that just drain resources. Unreasonable demands, payment delays, constant complaints or just impossible to satisfy in any way. These clients need to be identified along with the problems. You can transition them to your competitors. It’s counterintuitive but might potentially save your business a lot of struggle. It frees up time and also benefits clients who value your work and pay promptly. Just focus on gratifying work and spend less resources to put out small fires from unreasonable clients.
Learn from the results
You need to be always aware of where your business is performing and where it’s underperforming. There are a lot of metrics to track but a few important ones worth tracking are:
- Customer retention rates
- Average revenue per client
- Profit by service type
- Employee productivity rates
These metrics can give you insights about your business’ health so you can make adjustments to your strategy regularly.
Conclusion
To outpace the competition in the landscaping industry, businesses will need to combine expertise with business savvy. Refine your operations, cultivate strong client relationships, and present a professional image to gain good momentum.
Sustainable growth happens gradually. Focus on steady improvements rather than a quick push to keep up with or beat the competition.
What step will you implement first to help your landscaping company blossom?