Nothing boosts the appearance of a home or property quite like a well-cared-for lawn. If you have a lawn care business, you know how to make that happen — the only thing you need? Customers.
Here, we’ll guide you on how to get more lawn care customers by focusing on the importance of customer acquisition, as well as provide proven strategies to help you get started on attracting more clients and growing your landscaping business.
Let’s get started!
Optimize your online presence
Whenever people need something these days, their first stop is likely going to be the internet — or more specifically, Google. That means one of your first priorities as a business is going to be building an SEO-friendly website. SEO stands for search engine optimization and is how Google decides what to show when someone searches for a specific word or phrase. By building your website around these keywords, Google will in turn prioritize your website higher up in the search results.
Before getting into the details of SEO, you’ll want to establish website optimization on a foundational level. That means ensuring your website is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and includes strong calls-to-action (CTAs). Effective CTAs will be easily visible prompts that encourage users to click and take action, such as filling out a contact form or scheduling an appointment.
Target local SEO
Once your website basics are covered, your next goal will be targeting local SEO queries in order to gain more awareness. Local SEO is all about hitting keywords about the services you provide and where you provide them. For example, when people search for something like “lawn care [city]” your website will need to convey to Google that your business is the answer to that person's search.
Use Google Business Profile & reviews
Keywords alone won’t necessarily win you the Google search battle, however. Another important element for any localized business is to set up your free Google Business Profile. By doing so, you’ll ensure Google knows what your business category is (i.e., lawn care/landscaping) as well as the name, address, website, phone number, and hours of your business.
The final step in optimizing your online presence is through customer reviews and interactions. Not only will you want to post your own photos and updates, but you’ll also want to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and post pictures of their newly refreshed lawns. This helps Google prioritize your business and build trust and credibility with potential customers. As a bonus, you’ll also want to interact with customer reviews, such as simply responding with words showing your appreciation for their support.
Leverage social media marketing
It’s hard to be any kind of business these days without nurturing some level of social media marketing. Many turn to social media when looking to discover or learn more about a business, making it the perfect place to make a strong impression. According to recent marketing reports, 86% of businesses said that social media gave their business more exposure, 76% said it led to an increase in traffic, and 56% felt that it helped establish loyalty among customers.
Create engaging social media content
Social media can feel intimidating at first, but it’s really about providing engaging content that shows customers what they’re getting when they come to you for lawn care services. Posts on social media could include things such as:
- Before-and-after photos: Everybody loves a glow-up, and fortunately, that’s what your business provides for lawns. When you encounter a particularly neglected lawn, take some pictures before and after to display the magic of your work.
- Seasonal lawn care tips: For people who aren’t lawn care professionals, chances are at some point they’ve accidentally made some mistakes that resulted in a sad front or back yard. By providing some tips on lawn management, you’ll build trust with your customer base, and also be at the front of their minds should they need professional help.
- Posts sharing limited-time promotions or services: During slow seasons, it’s not a bad idea to let customers know you’re running a special promotion. By running an active social media account, announcements are much more likely to be seen, translating to more business.
Use paid social media advertising
Once you’ve established some level of social media presence, you might want to consider the benefits of paid social media advertising. There’s a lot that goes into social media ad campaigns but the general idea is that you want to run ads on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Nextdoor to help get your content in front of your target audience (home/property owners).
The benefit of running ads on these types of platforms is that you have an increased chance of exposure to local leads. On top of that, these platforms offer customizable ad management and analytics-supported feedback—such as with Nextdoor Ad Manager—, so you can tailor your ads to be as effective as possible.
Create a referral program
While it might not be as shiny and new as some other business-building campaigns, word of mouth is tried and true when it comes to effectively increasing your customer base. First, people trust people they know, so when a friend, family member, or neighbor gives them a tip as to who has their lawn looking so fresh, odds are you’ll be gaining a customer.
This certainly can happen naturally, but it always helps to encourage such interactions. One such way to accomplish that is by setting up a referral program. According to reports, 92% of consumers say they trust recommendations made by friends and family, and 78% of businesses say that referral programs generate excellent leads. So, by offering special discounts or free services for referrals from existing customers, leads should start sprouting up like weeds (pun intended).
Outside of simply having people name-drop referrals, it’s good practice to make your referral program as easy as possible. Create links or dedicated email channels that allow existing customers to easily share your services with others, so that when they contact you, you know they were referred over. By having an organized system, you’ll also be able to track the success of certain referral programs and adjust the terms based on performance.
Network locally
Running a local business requires community participation. The more well-known you and your business are in your area, the more likely people will come to you when they need lawn care services. There’s no shortage of ways you can build a local network, but some common approaches include:
- Community engagement: Join local business groups, sponsor events, and/or participate in local trade shows.
- Collaborations: Work with complementary businesses such as real estate agents, nurseries, and hardware stores for cross-promotion that can benefit both businesses.
- Promote word of mouth: Encourage your customers to let their friends, family, and neighbors know that you’re always looking for more customers. It builds your business and keeps neighborhoods looking prim and proper—a win for everyone.
Offer promotions and discounts
Getting new customers and retaining existing customers is the name of the game when it comes to running a business. A good way to attract new customers or keep previous customers coming back is through the use of promotions and discounts. If your business is overflowing it might not be necessary, but should your business encounter a slow spell, it’s always good to have something in your back pocket.
Popular promotions and discounts for lawn care businesses often include:
- Seasonal deals: Offer discounts or package deals during peak seasons (e.g., spring and fall).
- First-time customer discounts: Offer a special rate for new clients to encourage them to try your service.
- Loyalty programs: Create a rewards program for repeat customers to improve retention.
Utilize content marketing and blogging
We mentioned SEO content when building up your website, and it comes back into play when talking about content marketing strategies, such as blog content. A good way to start familiarizing people with your business is by creating engaging content that answers people’s common questions. These blog posts should be built around keywords relevant to lawn care, such as “Lawn Care Tips for Spring” or “How to Prevent Weeds.” When potential customers search for answers and come across your website, it puts you higher on their list when it’s time to hire a professional.
Outside of SEO, email marketing is another good way to stay on top of leads and remind customers about your services. Emails should be comprised of newsletters with content such as seasonal tips and special offers, and display a level of knowledge about your industry that conveys your business as a trustworthy authority.
Track and Measure Your Efforts
Maximizing your marketing efforts goes beyond implementing strategies. To get the most out of your marketing, it’s equally important to track key performance indicators (KPIs) so that you can measure the effectiveness of your current strategies. These should include staying on top of numbers such as website traffic, conversions, and new client sign-ups.
By setting goals and then tracking actual performance, your business will gain insight into what’s working and what needs to be adjusted. Regularly analyzing performance allows you to make tweaks that can lead to better performance, and ultimately more business.
Keep it local with Nextdoor
Running a business in today’s age requires modern strategies to grow and succeed. By developing holistic marketing campaigns, your lawn care business can get more customers and beat out the competition.
While you’re building your website and social media apps, don’t forget that local communities are still going to be a goldmine for finding new customers. An excellent way to reach your target demographic is through services such as Nextdoor Business. With over 90 million users (77% of which are homeowners) and customizable ads, you’ll be able to get your services in front of high-value local leads. Beyond just being seen, Nextdoor Ad Manager also lets you see in-depth analytics as to how your ads are performing on Nextdoor, allowing you to track and adjust your approach in order to maximize your growth.
By covering all your bases across social media, Google, and community engagement, you’ll be first in mind when it comes to lawn care in your area.
