Running a lawn care business can be hard. There are a lot of moving parts and you spend so much time and energy performing lawn care services that it seems you have nothing left for marketing and growth.
What if we told you there is an easier way? You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Delegating your lawn care marketing to a trusted industry professional can take the stress off so you can focus on running your business effectively. RealGreen, who has been in business for nearly forty years, knows what it takes to grow a lawn care business, and we can help you achieve your goals.
First things first. When it comes to boosting sales with lawn care bids, you must get organized. If your truck is covered in crumpled estimates from five years past or you have difficulty deciphering what your estimates say, you may have a problem. No worries, though, because we have solutions to help your business get organized. Before we delve into how we can improve your bid sheet, let’s cover the basics of how to make a profit in the landscaping space.
How to Make A Profit Bidding Lawns
For your landscaping business to be profitable, you must make it a priority to cover your costs first. Although it may be tempting to cut corners and give ballparks or guesstimates, don’t. Unless you are donating to charity, you should always know how much each job will cost you to perform before providing a lawn maintenance proposal to your potential customer.
Invest in Your Bid
There’s only one way to know your costs before performing the lawn maintenance service: to do a detailed estimate. Investing your time in the pre-bid process will pay off for you when it comes to profits. How much time you invest in bidding will vary depending on the system you are using. Some businesses choose our Arbor Care Software option to quote landscaping services. But if you prefer to use good old-fashioned pen and paper, our custom-printed bid templates can help you get organized. With our help, it’s easy.
When you’re in the field putting together a lawn care proposal, you can’t just scribble down the number of hours you think it will take to do the job. Your estimate needs to be thorough and cover all aspects and potential problems. If you prepare ahead of time by using a lawn care bid template, you will save time and money because a standard template can ensure that you capture all the information you need on your first site visit.
Invest in Your Image to Boost Sales
Besides covering your costs in your bid, another tip we have for making a profit in the landscaping industry is this: present yourself professionally so that your potential client sees you as trustworthy. You can establish a baseline of professionalism and trust simply by using a BrandPack to proudly display your company identity.
Related: “How to Market a Lawn Care Business“
How to Estimate Lawn Care Services
As a lawn care professional, you already know how to estimate your properties. But let’s take a look at some specific details that companies sometimes overlook.
Be Wary of Free Satellite Software
Take real measurements before quoting a price to a potential client. Some businesses skip this step by using free satellite-view measurements, but those will only tell part of the story. You may justify the use of these services as a time-saver, but they can also cost you a lot if any of the following happen:
- Images are outdated or the landscape has drastically changed
- Obstacles are obscured by trees
- Scale is incorrect
Download Free Templates for Your Business
Use our free, downloadable templates to quickly create proposals, estimates, contracts, work orders, invoices and receipts for your field service business.
We’ve included templates for lawn care, landscaping, arbor care, irrigation, snow removal and pest control. Easily customize each form to create professional-looking documents.
Get Accurate Measurements
It is always advisable to take at least one on-site measurement to confirm an accurate scale. With an in-person visit, you can also quickly identify any labor-intensive areas. Some other questions to consider when calculating labor costs for lawn care bids are:
- How much trimming is required?
- Which mower can access the property?
- Will multiple mower sizes and types be required?
- Are there any access issues?
With our custom bid templates, you can quickly get the measurements you need and be on your way to the next job.
Lawn Care Bid Template Ideas
RealGreen isn’t just a marketing and printing company. We’re dedicated to the industry, and we’re experts in landscaping services. You shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel each time you quote a new property. We can make bidding simple by creating the perfect custom design and print template to match your lawn care services.
Add Your Brand
What exactly goes on a lawn care quote template? That is completely up to you, but if you are looking for inspiration, here are some suggested line items:
- Your company name and logo
- A cover letter
- Your company’s contact information
- Date of estimate
- Property address
- Customer name and contact
- Hourly rate
- Quote amount
- Services offered
- Notes Section
- Payment details or payment terms
Use Customized Grids and Legends
Create grids right on your lawn care proposal template. The use of a grid resembles graphing paper and can be used as a scale. For example, one foot equals one grid square. Grids can also help draw straight lines on the go.
Add symbols and a legend to customize your bid sheet template. For example, you may include a symbol to note obstacles like trees, hydrants, or poles. You can also use a color legend and different-colored pens. You might use one color for a fence and another color for landscaping bricks.
Finish with References and Checkboxes
Save time and avoid having to go back and forth looking up labor rates. Instead, display your quick-reference information directly on your bid sheet. Most landscaping companies will have standard rates for figuring costs and quotes. For example, how many square feet can be mowed per hour for each mower your business owns? How many linear feet of edging work can be done per hour? You may even want to include blanks for entering quantities and the calculated answer in hours. You can do all of these things with our custom bid sheets.
Checkboxes are an excellent way to guarantee a thorough estimate. Add a list directly to your bid sheet to check off each aspect of the estimate as it is completed:
- Measurements completed
- Mower size determined
- Edging needs calculating
Checkboxes can display all of your lawn care services to clearly show your customer the proposed scope of work. You can also notate the frequency of services with checkboxes right on your custom bid sheet.
If you decide that you love the idea of our custom bid templates, nothing stops you from having us design an internal bid sheet along with a separate, simpler one for your customers. This service is truly customizable to meet your exact needs.
Provide a Professional Quote to Your Customer
You should feel proud of the hard work that you put into each lawn care bid. Using our bid sheets, your customers will take you seriously. A professional presentation could mean more money in your pocket and less time wasted on lawn care bids that never materialize. Your customer needs to know that you are a legitimate operation. Since our bid templates are custom-designed and tailored to your specific lawn maintenance services, you can turn your bid into a quote that you provide directly to your customer.
Save Time and Combine
Calculating an estimate and writing a quote doesn’t have to be separate steps. Streamline your process by turning your template into a quote. When your bid sheet looks professional from the start, you can feel confident when handing it over to your potential client. This saves you time, money, and energy and might be the frosting on top that convinces your customer to sign your lawn care contract.
Close More Deals
Custom print lawn care templates can boost your sales by streamlining your processes, organizing your bid information, and marketing your brand effortlessly. Let us help by creating beautiful and functional lawn maintenance proposals that will save you time and turn a profit while allowing you to focus on your day-to-day business operations. This small step in marketing is an essential part of growing your lawn care business and getting more clients.
Once you’ve provided your quote to the client on your newly custom-printed bid form, you can move on to the next project with peace of mind, knowing that the BrandPack will work its magic without you lifting another finger. If you like the idea of marketing that works without continuous exertion, you may also be interested in knowing that our automated email software can help you keep track of your quote’s status and remind customers to close the deal.
Sign up for a free demo today to find out more about how we can help you grow your business with our effective software and marketing solutions.
FAQs
Why should I use custom print lawn care bid templates?
Custom print lawn care bid templates present your services professionally, making a positive first impression. They help standardize your bidding process, ensuring that all potential clients receive consistent and comprehensive information about your services and pricing.
How can custom bid templates help boost my lawn care sales?
Well-designed bid templates make your proposals more attractive and understandable, highlighting your services’ value and professionalism. This clarity and professionalism can significantly increase your chances of winning bids by making your offer stand out from competitors.
What information should be included in a lawn care bid template?
Your bid template should include your business name and contact information, a detailed list of services offered with descriptions, pricing, terms and conditions, any guarantees or warranties, and a clear call to action, such as instructions on how to accept the bid.
Can custom bid templates be adapted for different types of clients?
Absolutely. Custom templates are designed to be flexible, allowing you to tailor information and pricing to meet the specific needs and preferences of residential, commercial, or industrial clients, ensuring that your proposal is relevant and appealing to each target audience.
How often should I update my lawn care bid templates?
Review and update your templates at least annually to reflect any changes in your service offerings, pricing, or market trends. Keeping your templates current ensures that you’re always presenting accurate and competitive bids.
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Senior Content Strategist Kelly Mozena has spent more than two decades helping companies connect to consumers, including some of the largest and best-known brands in the United States. She draws from a diverse portfolio of industry experience to help WorkWave’s clients achieve their real-world business goals.