Running a lawn care business can be hard work. This is especially true if you have just started your first lawn care business. You’re busy managing the day-to-day operations and finding new lawn care leads can seem like an extra challenge you don’t have time to tackle (especially during the busy season). But acquiring and converting leads is crucial to any successful business; without them, how will you continue to grow? Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to get more leads for your business. Read on to find out the top 17 ways to boost lead generation and grow your lawn care, lawn maintenance, or landscaping business!
1. Go after customers in the “whitespace”
First, a definition: Whitespace describes the ways your business can increase revenue through your existing customer base by identifying areas where you can expand through upsells or cross-sells. For example, a customer who has contracted for fertilizing services but not aeration and seeding. If you use CRM software to help run your business, you can use maps and reports to identify customers to target for upsells. You can then reach out to them with the right message through various channels—phone calls, emails, texts, or even social media. Having a well-structured approach to reaching whitespace customers can help you increase sales and build relationships with previously untouched prospects.
2. Update all of your business’s social media pages (Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, etc.) with strong keywords
Your social media profiles are being crawled for SEO keywords, just like your website is. Including the right terms will make it more likely that you’ll show up near the top of relevant search results.
3. Create a social media calendar, and then post consistently
Social media is all about engagement, and engagement happens when you regularly post content that potential customers want to interact with because they find it interesting, helpful, or entertaining. Ideally, you should be posting five times a week. Having an organized schedule will help you keep things on track. So what kind of content sticks with your potential audience? Here are a few ideas.
- People love to see how-to videos. Post instructional videos of your team in action and explain what they’re doing—filling beds, nurturing plants, fertilizing, and caring for grass. It’s interesting to potential customers and shows your expertise.
- “Get to know us” posts Introduce your team with photos and short bios. Tell your business’s origin story. Anything that will make your company more relatable will encourage customers to learn more.
- Change your content to match the seasons. Obviously, spring and summer are prime times for lawn and landscape companies, so you can spend those months focusing on the many things you do to keep your customers’ yards looking beautiful. But even in the off-season, there’s plenty to talk about, such as preparing yards for winter, holiday decorating, etc.
- Got great reviews? These testimonials also make great social posts.
- Encourage happy customers to share photos of their beautiful lawns.
- Push engagement by asking questions What’s your favorite summer tradition? How do you make the most of your yard? Show us your favorite flowers!
4. Consider influencer marketing
Do you have a client or customer with a large social media following or any local celebrities that might be willing to work with you? Offer them free services to post about you! We recommend embarking on a three- to six-month partnership, which should include several posts that link back to your website. You could do stories, in-feed posts, and even a few reels on Facebook and Instagram; they could even offer your customers an exclusive discount code. If this works, consider a long-term partnership—something customers love to see as it builds trust.
5. Optimize your website
It’s not enough to just slap up a decent-looking web page and cross your fingers that people will see it. Your webpage is like a digital storefront; on your home page, your contact information should be easy to find, your list of services should be front and center, and there should be clear calls-to-action and easy ways to buy. Your website should also be SEO-optimized with strong keywords throughout. Are your photos out of date or generic? Time to update them. Make your site easy to navigate, and most importantly, make it easy for visitors to contact and connect with you.
6. Do you have a Google Business Profile (GBP)? If you don’t, get one ASAP
If you do, make sure it’s updated and optimized. Your GBP is like a mini-website for your business on Google, and it’s an increasingly important gateway to your website that can help you generate leads. Without a GBP profile, you could be missing out on 55% of traffic that comes from searches with local intent. It includes information like your business name, contact information, address, phone number, services offered, and customer reviews. When your profile is fully optimized, you’ll get seven times more clicks than your competitors, and those clicks are 50% more likely to end with a purchase or lead. Find out more about how to optimize your GBP here.
7. When was the last time you refreshed your after-service emails?
If you haven’t considered them in a while, now’s the time to take a look. Be sure you’re upselling based on conditions. It’s a good idea to include a referral link so that your customers can share your brand (and their positive reviews!) with their social media followers.
8. Make sure you have consistent branding across everything you do
This includes not only your marketing efforts but everything across your business, from branded apparel to truck decals to business forms to lawn signs. The benefit of a consistent, strong brand image is that it makes your company instantly recognizable to potential customers. By the time they’re ready to sign up for services, you’re already top of mind.
9. Is your data clean?
If you have an outdated mailing list or your customer data includes duplicate or erroneous listings, you could be wasting time marketing to the wrong people (or not reaching the people you’re trying to reach at all!). Your data should be “cleaned” regularly to avoid these pitfalls. Standardizing customer data entry using a CRM management tool can be a big help with this.
10. Make sure you have plenty of current, candid online reviews
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of customer reviews when it comes to attracting new business. 98% of customers check out online reviews when making a purchase decision. For service businesses like lawn care, lawn maintenance, and landscaping, reviews are even more important. A good number of recent reviews show that your business is trustworthy and reliable.
Plus, reviews can help your business show up in search engine results! There are plenty of ways to ensure you can get reviews from your happy customers, but the most important thing is to ask. Train your technicians to ask for reviews upon completion of service; send follow-up emails to customers to ask them to leave reviews; and be sure to include links in your communications to customers to make it as easy as possible for them to leave reviews. You can also use a program like ReviewBot to automate the review process and gather even more positive reviews!
11. Host educational workshops or webinars:
Organize and host educational events, either in-person or online, focusing on topics relevant to lawn care, such as seasonal lawn preparation, organic lawn care practices, or solving common lawn issues. These events position your business as a knowledgeable leader in the field. Promote these workshops through your social media channels, email newsletters, and local community boards. Providing hands-on tips, live Q&A sessions, and expert advice will not only attract potential leads but also build a community around your brand. Consider recording these sessions for future use, allowing you to offer them as resources on your website or social media platforms.
12. Partnerships with local businesses:
Forge strategic partnerships with non-competing local businesses that share your target audience, such as home improvement stores, garden centers, or real estate agents. You could offer their customers exclusive deals or services, such as a free lawn consultation or discounted services for new homeowners. This not only provides value to the customers of your partners but also introduces your business to a wider audience. Ensure that these partnerships are mutually beneficial by promoting your partners’ businesses through your marketing channels.
13. Direct mail campaigns:
Design targeted direct mail campaigns that focus on high-potential neighborhoods or demographics. Use eye-catching designs and compelling copy that highlights the unique benefits of your lawn care services, such as eco-friendly options or specialized treatments. Include a clear call-to-action, such as a discount code for first-time customers or a limited-time offer, to encourage immediate engagement. Direct mail can be particularly effective when combined with digital marketing efforts, creating a multi-touch marketing approach that increases brand recognition and conversion rates.
14. Community involvement and sponsorships:
Increase your visibility and brand recognition by actively participating in local community events, sponsoring local sports teams, or contributing to local charities. This not only demonstrates your commitment to the community but also puts your brand in front of potential customers in a positive light. Consider hosting a lawn care day for a local charity or offering your services to improve public spaces. These activities can generate positive press coverage and word-of-mouth recommendations.
15. Referral program:
Develop a structured referral program that incentivizes your current customers to refer new clients to your business. Offer rewards such as discounts on future services, free additional services, or even cash rewards for every successful referral that turns into a client. Make the referral process as easy as possible for your customers by providing them with referral codes or links that they can easily share with friends and family. Regularly remind your customers of the referral program through email newsletters and social media updates.
16. Content marketing and SEO blogging:
Create and publish in-depth, valuable content on your website’s blog focusing on lawn care tips, industry insights, and how-to guides. Use keyword research to identify what your target audience is searching for online and tailor your content to meet these needs. This not only helps in establishing your authority in the lawn care industry but also improves your website’s SEO, making it more likely to appear in search results. Regularly updating your blog with fresh content keeps your audience engaged and helps attract new visitors to your website.
17. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising:
Invest in PPC advertising on platforms like Google Ads and social media to target potential customers in your area. Use geo-targeting to display your ads to users in specific locations, ensuring your advertising budget is spent on reaching the most relevant audience. Craft compelling ad copy that highlights what sets your lawn care services apart from the competition, and use strong call-to-actions to encourage clicks. Monitor your campaigns closely, adjusting bids, keywords, and ad copy based on performance to maximize ROI.
Simplify lawn care lead generation with RealGReen
Getting leads is the first step in creating and maintaining a successful lawn care business. New leads allow you to reach potential customers that you may never have been able to connect with before. With a solid lead generation strategy in place, your business will be well on its way to growth! So make sure to invest time and resources into creating a lead-generating system that works best for you and your business. You won’t regret it.
Looking for the best lawn care software that shows up to work 24/7? RealGreen has the tools you need to succeed. Schedule a free demo today to find out how we can help you turn those leads into sustainable, scalable growth!
