OP
flyingdutch16
Member
Okay i was looking for home made striping kit, not to hard to make.
Im guessing that your suggesting that i should base my price on how many obstacles and the size?
Need a new zero turn mower(new or used)
- Thread starter flyingdutch16
- Start date
- Views: 12325
Okay i was looking for home made striping kit, not to hard to make.
Im guessing that your suggesting that i should base my price on how many obstacles and the size?
sweettractors
Advertiser
Yes, Because, time is money, as the old saying goes. The more you things that you have to mow around and the larger the yard the more of your time it burns. The same guy that mows my yard also mows our Church yard and there are only 8 trees and 1/2 acre to mow around and he charges $25 per mowing. That includes blowing off the sidewalks and weed eating where needed. Ken Sweet
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
Sounds fair, I will take this in consideration.
I like the fact that you said time is money haha
gerard
Veteran Member
Take this as a compliment, but I find it sad that many on this board are so impressed with a 16 year old willing to work. Why is it sad? Because it's an anomoly! I can't find high school kids to do barn work for $10/hr. Farmers around here are stopping baling small square bales beacuse they can't get kids as help. Sad commentary but I predict you will do well in your endeavors BECAUSE you are an anomoly and a rarity now days.
Just say what you'll do and do what you say and you'll do fine. As a "marketing" tool and because you have little experience, you may want to consider giving a real low ball "introductory" price on the first cut. Watch your time closely, start to finish, then you can base you actual quote on that. Just make sure they understand what you're doing so they don't think that's going to be the regular price. (If you REALLY think they're serious and you'll get them as a customer, you COULD even offer the first cut free. No lose for them as long as you don't get people just grabbing a free cut!)
They get a break on the first cut, even if they decide not to use you, and you get to give an honest quote without having to guesstimate how long it will take. Worst case scenario is you don't make a whole lot if they don't use you but you gain experience. Best case is you get a new customer and priced yourself fairly. Best of luck!
Just say what you'll do and do what you say and you'll do fine. As a "marketing" tool and because you have little experience, you may want to consider giving a real low ball "introductory" price on the first cut. Watch your time closely, start to finish, then you can base you actual quote on that. Just make sure they understand what you're doing so they don't think that's going to be the regular price. (If you REALLY think they're serious and you'll get them as a customer, you COULD even offer the first cut free. No lose for them as long as you don't get people just grabbing a free cut!)
They get a break on the first cut, even if they decide not to use you, and you get to give an honest quote without having to guesstimate how long it will take. Worst case scenario is you don't make a whole lot if they don't use you but you gain experience. Best case is you get a new customer and priced yourself fairly. Best of luck!
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
gerard said:Take this as a compliment, but I find it sad that many on this board are so impressed with a 16 year old willing to work. Why is it sad? Because it's an anomoly! I can't find high school kids to do barn work for $10/hr. Farmers around here are stopping baling small square bales beacuse they can't get kids as help. Sad commentary but I predict you will do well in your endeavors BECAUSE you are an anomoly and a rarity now days.
Just say what you'll do and do what you say and you'll do fine. As a "marketing" tool and because you have little experience, you may want to consider giving a real low ball "introductory" price on the first cut. Watch your time closely, start to finish, then you can base you actual quote on that. Just make sure they understand what you're doing so they don't think that's going to be the regular price. (If you REALLY think they're serious and you'll get them as a customer, you COULD even offer the first cut free. No lose for them as long as you don't get people just grabbing a free cut!)
They get a break on the first cut, even if they decide not to use you, and you get to give an honest quote without having to guesstimate how long it will take. Worst case scenario is you don't make a whole lot if they don't use you but you gain experience. Best case is you get a new customer and priced yourself fairly. Best of luck!
Its post like these that make me even wanna work harder, and harder. So there for thank you for the compliment. And for the marketibg i was thinking of givig them a free first cut, it will help me a lot hopefully! Thabks for the tips!
smstonypoint
Super Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2009
- Messages
- 6,119
- Location
- SC (Upstate) & NC (Piedmont)
- Tractor
- NH TN 55, Kubota B2320 & RTV 900, Bad Boy Outlaw ZTR
Good luck in your new venture.
Just a cautionary note on pricing your services. It would be a good idea to figure out your costs.
You will have variable costs -- these vary with the number of lawns you mow and would include items such as fuel, allowance for repairs & maintenance, your time, transportation, etc.
You will have fixed costs (once you acquire the lawnmower) -- these will remain relatively constant regardless of the number of lawns you mow in a given period and would include things such as depreciation, interest on your lawnmower investment, insurance, etc.
If your price covers your average variable & average fixed costs (e.g., $/hour), you will make a profit. I hope you do.
Steve
Just a cautionary note on pricing your services. It would be a good idea to figure out your costs.
You will have variable costs -- these vary with the number of lawns you mow and would include items such as fuel, allowance for repairs & maintenance, your time, transportation, etc.
You will have fixed costs (once you acquire the lawnmower) -- these will remain relatively constant regardless of the number of lawns you mow in a given period and would include things such as depreciation, interest on your lawnmower investment, insurance, etc.
If your price covers your average variable & average fixed costs (e.g., $/hour), you will make a profit. I hope you do.
Steve
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
Now i was looking at the john deere website, and saw that the john deere EZtrak Z425 with a 54 inch deck. Cost around $4000. And the TimeCutterｮ SS5000 with 50inch deck is around $3200. And the dixon mag 50inch is around $4000.
If im gonna spend around i might as well buy a good mower, most likely if i go to my locale dealer i can get the john deere with a small discount. Now which of those will be the most durable for mowing around 5 around lawns in a weekend? The dixon and the deere look the strongest out of the three, but also the most expensive. I hope you guys can give me some feedback on this.
Btw thanks for all the responses so far they have really helped me!
Thanks!
If im gonna spend around i might as well buy a good mower, most likely if i go to my locale dealer i can get the john deere with a small discount. Now which of those will be the most durable for mowing around 5 around lawns in a weekend? The dixon and the deere look the strongest out of the three, but also the most expensive. I hope you guys can give me some feedback on this.
Btw thanks for all the responses so far they have really helped me!
Thanks!
MikeInMaine
Bronze Member
Hi 'Dutch,
I think you started an excellent post, and I'm impressed with all the help everyone has been volunteering. I don't know much about zero-turn mowers, but I've got some advice about advertising.
I live in a small community where "word of mouth" is king. Wouldn't you want to hire someone you know instead of some stranger who advertises in the paper? Also, people you know will appreciate your personal service, and will pay you promptly.
Here's what I did when I started my own company years ago: I did not advertise in the local newspaper. Instead, I created an inexpensive direct-marketing campaign. I printed up a very short announcement saying that I was starting my own business. I had business cards printed up and paper-clipped one card to each announcement. Then, I created a list of everyone I could think of (I thumbed through the local phone book to help jog my memory), and I mailed my announcement to everyone on my list. 220 announcements with a business card plus postage came to $60. It was incredibly effective and affordable. Some people even held on to my business card and called me a year or two later.
I think you could adapt the above template to your own situation. Perhaps you don't need or want a business card (about $20 for 500). Perhaps you want to only advertise to people in particular neighborhoods, to minimize travel time. Direct marketing to people you know will give you way more bang for your advertising dollar, and your customers will be happy to hire someone they know and can trust.
Best of luck!
gerard
Veteran Member
I concede I don't have experience starting a business but still disagree with your logic. Many brand new business's offer free goods, services, or substatial discounts when they first open to generate customer awareness and get the word out so people know you're around. Pretty basic marketing tool. Works for many multi million dollar enterprises. Maybe lawn care is an exception??:confused2: Cost of doing a start up business. He's starting a pretty simple business at this point (minimal equipment, no employees). He's not buying $250K in equipment, hiring 10 people etc. What he lacks is pricing experience. He can gain that rather rapidly on the first few lawns if he keeps careful records.
I still don't see the downside of doing the first cut free. From a customer perspective it would be well received by me and I would probably pay him anyway afterward if I signed him up. Some won't. What's he lost? A little time, gas and wear and tear on the equipment. After getting a few different kinds of properties, he can then price accurately and fairly and can do away with the promotional offer.
MikeInMaine
Bronze Member
Hi 'Dutch,
Me, with more advice. I disagree with offering an introductory price, or offering to do the first one free. Here's why. While you are thinking of yourself as a business person, i.e. the boss, you also will want to view yourself as an employee of your own business. Why would you work for a company that asked you to work for nothing? You could get an hourly job anywhere else and do better. As the boss of "FlyingDutch16 Lawn Service" you need to be competitive with other employers. If you don't, your employee (i.e., you!) will be better served working for someone else.
I hope the above isn't too confusing, treating you as both the employer and the employee. The bottom line is, you need to treat yourself well, and working at a discount is a bad way to treat yourself. Your customers should hire you because of everything else you can provide -- a quality job, dependable service, trustworthiness, satisfaction guaranteed, etc. If you charge a fair price and provide a quality product, your customers will be very satisfied.
Me, with more advice. I disagree with offering an introductory price, or offering to do the first one free. Here's why. While you are thinking of yourself as a business person, i.e. the boss, you also will want to view yourself as an employee of your own business. Why would you work for a company that asked you to work for nothing? You could get an hourly job anywhere else and do better. As the boss of "FlyingDutch16 Lawn Service" you need to be competitive with other employers. If you don't, your employee (i.e., you!) will be better served working for someone else.
I hope the above isn't too confusing, treating you as both the employer and the employee. The bottom line is, you need to treat yourself well, and working at a discount is a bad way to treat yourself. Your customers should hire you because of everything else you can provide -- a quality job, dependable service, trustworthiness, satisfaction guaranteed, etc. If you charge a fair price and provide a quality product, your customers will be very satisfied.
sweettractors
Advertiser
Dutch, Ad cost zero. Get on the computer and make up some 1 page color flyers. Something with a catchey phrase like "You grow it and I'll Mow it" along with your contact Email, phone # and maybe a facebook business account address and "Free Estimates" . Put these in the local grocery, minit marts, FSA office and any business that has a bulliten board. All free. I also like the mail outs suggested earlier. Ken Sweet
MikeInMaine
Bronze Member
Hi 'Dutch,
One other friendly criticism of discounting the first cut -- you might be sending some unintended messages:
My rate is negotiable.
I am a kid, so I can afford to work on the cheap.
I am desperate for work -- I'll do anything to get the job.
I'll treat new customers better than I treat my old, loyal customers.
The messages you want to send go more like this:
I am a hard worker.
I do a great job.
I charge a fair price.
I am not so desperate that I'll bust my butt for nothing.
I'll reward my old customers for their loyalty.
Frankly, I hate being an established customer and seeing new customers get a better deal. That stinks. So, perhaps you could turn it around -- offer some kind of reward for sticking with you. Perhaps, "12 cuts, get the 13th free". (This might be too generous -- it's just an example.) Advertise this in the beginning, so this promotion will still have the effect of attracting new customers. It also sends the message that you will be there for them months from now, and not just a "hit and run" service.
Once you get customers, you want to be able to count on them being there, long term. That's why rewards programs are used by so many businesses: Subway sandwiches, airlines, credit cards, etc.
How you structure this reward may depend on how long your mowing season is, and balancing the cost to you versus the value to the customer.
One other friendly criticism of discounting the first cut -- you might be sending some unintended messages:
My rate is negotiable.
I am a kid, so I can afford to work on the cheap.
I am desperate for work -- I'll do anything to get the job.
I'll treat new customers better than I treat my old, loyal customers.
The messages you want to send go more like this:
I am a hard worker.
I do a great job.
I charge a fair price.
I am not so desperate that I'll bust my butt for nothing.
I'll reward my old customers for their loyalty.
Frankly, I hate being an established customer and seeing new customers get a better deal. That stinks. So, perhaps you could turn it around -- offer some kind of reward for sticking with you. Perhaps, "12 cuts, get the 13th free". (This might be too generous -- it's just an example.) Advertise this in the beginning, so this promotion will still have the effect of attracting new customers. It also sends the message that you will be there for them months from now, and not just a "hit and run" service.
Once you get customers, you want to be able to count on them being there, long term. That's why rewards programs are used by so many businesses: Subway sandwiches, airlines, credit cards, etc.
How you structure this reward may depend on how long your mowing season is, and balancing the cost to you versus the value to the customer.
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
I did that last year thats how i got my first customer for last season(sadly hes moving this year so i wont be mowing for him this season)
Then my second customer. They moved in during the summer 3 days later i walk to there door introduce my self to them gave them my flyer. That weekend i got a call and they wanted me to mow for them.
The idea of emailing people is really good, my mom has an whole entire mail list from the neighborhood(i think its 30+ houses) and many neighbors know me, and know that i work pretty hard ( my mom got some compliments, not trying to brag tho) anyway i hope this really works. THanks guys for the help its unbelievable how quickly they respond on this forum, love it.
Now any suggestion on the 3 mowers i mentioned earlier.
gpick
Member
In rereading the initial post, I read that Dutch is not starting a new business. He is EXPANDING his business. That means he should already have some good work references. If not, he should attend to that first.
Assuming he does have existing satisfied customer, then the first step I would advise him to do is personally visit each one, tell them that he is planning on investing in his business by purchasing new commercial equipment and ask if they would help him by giving him a letter of reference. If they agreed, then I would also ask them for referrals to their friends and neighbors. If he is a good worker I will guarantee you that most will be pleased to help -- especially if he is earning money for college.
When I got the letters and personally followed up on the referrals, then I would print up a flyer with a couple pictures of the best looking freshly mowed lawns of his customers and excerpts of favorable quotes from his references. (Since it sounds like he may be in snow country, the pictures could be added to his Spring flyer.) Either way, then I would take the flyers and go door to door to the houses near each of his current customers. Tell them, he cuts the lawn of their neighbor and that he wanted to let them know that he has purchased some new equipment and is adding new customers.
I think if he professionally presents himself he will find many people who will be thrilled to use him if for no other reason that seeing that there is at least one kid left who isn't shuffling around with the butt of his pants down around his knees.
Pricing is an issue only in that someone is already cutting their lawn. Either they are or a service is. If they are and don't enjoy it, they may just ask your price. If they like to cut it, agree with them that you enjoy it too and ask them for a referral. If they are using a service, then your price is going to be strongly influenced by the competition assuming you are trying take their customers away from them by under-cutting their price. Here is where you, Dutch, will have an opportunity to learn some valuable, practical lessons in business. There is always the guy who will do it for less. Don't be that guy. Look for ways you can earn your price.
In the process of cold calling and meeting these prospective customers, you will quickly learn your local market. You will learn who your competition is, what they do, what they charge and whether their customers are pleased. Talk to the people.
When you talk with the people, you may be a little nervous. That's normal, but don't give them a mechanical memorized spiel. Treat them with respect like friends of your parents and give them a chance to talk. Just tell them who you are, which neighbor is your existing customer and you just wanted to make them aware of you and your services. Ask them a question, like do you cut your own lawn or use a professional service? Then, be quiet, let them talk and engage them in conversation. After a couple of these you should know what to do.
Assuming he does have existing satisfied customer, then the first step I would advise him to do is personally visit each one, tell them that he is planning on investing in his business by purchasing new commercial equipment and ask if they would help him by giving him a letter of reference. If they agreed, then I would also ask them for referrals to their friends and neighbors. If he is a good worker I will guarantee you that most will be pleased to help -- especially if he is earning money for college.
When I got the letters and personally followed up on the referrals, then I would print up a flyer with a couple pictures of the best looking freshly mowed lawns of his customers and excerpts of favorable quotes from his references. (Since it sounds like he may be in snow country, the pictures could be added to his Spring flyer.) Either way, then I would take the flyers and go door to door to the houses near each of his current customers. Tell them, he cuts the lawn of their neighbor and that he wanted to let them know that he has purchased some new equipment and is adding new customers.
I think if he professionally presents himself he will find many people who will be thrilled to use him if for no other reason that seeing that there is at least one kid left who isn't shuffling around with the butt of his pants down around his knees.
Pricing is an issue only in that someone is already cutting their lawn. Either they are or a service is. If they are and don't enjoy it, they may just ask your price. If they like to cut it, agree with them that you enjoy it too and ask them for a referral. If they are using a service, then your price is going to be strongly influenced by the competition assuming you are trying take their customers away from them by under-cutting their price. Here is where you, Dutch, will have an opportunity to learn some valuable, practical lessons in business. There is always the guy who will do it for less. Don't be that guy. Look for ways you can earn your price.
In the process of cold calling and meeting these prospective customers, you will quickly learn your local market. You will learn who your competition is, what they do, what they charge and whether their customers are pleased. Talk to the people.
When you talk with the people, you may be a little nervous. That's normal, but don't give them a mechanical memorized spiel. Treat them with respect like friends of your parents and give them a chance to talk. Just tell them who you are, which neighbor is your existing customer and you just wanted to make them aware of you and your services. Ask them a question, like do you cut your own lawn or use a professional service? Then, be quiet, let them talk and engage them in conversation. After a couple of these you should know what to do.
gpick
Member
Have you introduced yourself to the new owner?
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
They havent moved out yet, but i will do that as soon as they move in. Since the professional mowing rates are kinda high a lot of new comers like the lower prices so i have a good chance
OP
flyingdutch16
Member
I was just looking on the john deere website. I noticed that they have a used equipment section. Would it be better to buy a mower off of there instead of buying it from ebay or craigslist?
crbr
Veteran Member
Of the recent selections that you have mentioned, Dixon is the better choice. JD doesn't hold up. They used to have good small equipment in the early 90s but not any more.
All you need in a simple local paper ad (as a closing point of sell) is "free estimate" and "satisfaction guaranteed." I used to cut grass more than I care to remember. Had more yards than I could accept. One thing I found beneficial is to not cut crappy yards that will take too much time or beat up your machine. I got my yard clientel to my preference to where I could cut 7 yards a day (decent size yards) because I chose the yards that were easier to cut. I never even hauled a push mower for trimming. A weed trimmer does the trick. Again, too much time to fool with the push. And never offer to rake or accept someone's petetion to rake grass. Never. Takes too much time and manual labor. You can mow two or three more yards instead of raking one. Also, yards with crap scattered in them that would need to be picked up, toys, etc.... Don't pick up toys for the customer. Mow around them and move on. Said customer will get the hint (or ask them nicely to have the yard picked up). And never feel bad about losing a customer (and it will happen). If you're doing your best, it's usually a customer that will never be satisfied, even if it were being done for free.
You'll learn the most efficient methodology that works for you. Never work for the customer or they will wear you out with pickiness. Work for you. Do them a good job but make it to your benefit, and move on to the next yard.
Or you can lolly-gag all day long......... Just sayin'.
Good luck. And carry a spare set of sharp blades. Grass cuts out nicely and quickly with good blades. And don't forget a sack lunch.
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 16,331
- Location
- Daleville, IN
- Tractor
- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
Around here its by the minute. My neighbors rate is $1 per minute. He figures when he engages the blades to disengage the blades. So my 2.5 acre yard takes him 45 minutes its $45 if I were to pay him.
This is using real commercial mowers like the Ferris and Scag with 61 and 72" decks.
Chris
Here are some similar links:
