Each turf requires a unique seasonal approach, and as a lawn care professional you should always be prepared for seasonal changes. Knowing what you need to do, when you need to do it, and how much you need to charge are foundational steps to make sure your business is a success.
If you are able to articulate the importance of a service, your customer will be happy to pay you. If they know why you are aerating and the benefit that aeration will provide their lawn, their confidence in you as an expert will increase and you will gain trust from the client. Making the next seasonal service a breeze to sell.
With a confident understanding of how the grass grows and what makes a lawn happy, you'll earn a reputation as a true lawn care genius. A good way to gain this level of confidence is by becoming an expert by paying close attention and keeping track of what you see.
The Lawn Journal
In general, record keeping is one of the largest pitfalls for lawn care professionals. By not keeping consistent records, you'll be feeding a sleeping giant that will keep on growing until it comes out of nowhere to bite you.
It's one of those things that isn't hard but gets pushed aside when there's work to do. Just recognizing that it's a part of the job, and not something separate will enable you can get it done.
You'll need a simple and consistent system. I like a good old-fashioned spreadsheet. Here's an example of some things you could include:
Date : 07/01/2020
Weather : 80deg - 90deg, AM heavy rain, PM sun
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Address : 123 Street Lane Ave. Citytownville, NC 12345
Client : Mr. Misterson
Service : mow, trim, rose pruning
Charge : $100
Event : yellow jacket ground nest, front yard, Miguel stung 3 times.
Notes : client very happy, lawn looks good, spring weed and seed effective,
mole and vole treatment effective
That is by no means the only way to do it. But it is a way. And it only takes a couple minutes. Just make sure you pick one way and stick to it. Otherwise, you'll wind up with a couple post-its in the glove-box, something scribbled on the back of a receipt sitting underneath a half-full Mountain Dew bottle in the passenger seat of your truck, and a couple notes in your phone, another note in your front pocket, etc...By the time that happens, things have officially gotten out of control.
With patience and consistency, you will find that keeping a lawn journal will make you more prepared and increase your knowledge as time marches forward. By tracking smaller details, you will soon have a treasure trove of information that will set you apart from the competition and give you a unique insight into the minute details of seasonal changes that will impress your clients and increase your status as a true lawn care expert.