With many aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs giving all their attention lately to the online world, it’s easy to forget that sometimes the best business ideas can be about meeting regular needs in people’s offline, day-to-day lives. If you are searching for a business idea that’s profitable and requires little investment to get started, landscaping can be an excellent choice. This is especially true if you want to run an outdoor business that will not tie you to an office chair.
Here is how to get your landscaping business started and ensure success from the early beginning.
Get Good Equipment
The most crucial aspect that will determine the quality of your work is having good pieces of equipment. You will need several tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows, chainsaws, cord drills, and others. If you work with a partner or several employees, you might need to buy separate tools for each person.
Make a list of must-have items. If you cannot afford the full price, wait for sales or search for coupons. You can also buy second-hand. In the worst-case scenario, you can buy only some items on your list and borrow the rest.
Start with Simple and Affordable Materials
Your biggest weakness as an emerging entrepreneur is a lack of reputation. This means that some homeowners might be wary of assigning you complex and expensive landscaping projects. To build a reputation and gain experience, start small. Take projects where you work with inexpensive, easy-to-assemble materials and do a great job at those. This will also help you keep your rates low and attract clients who seek affordability.
To be profitable with low investments in your business, you have to start with low-risk work that’s in high demand. Many more clients need fences and walls rather than swimming pools, and not many things can go wrong when erecting a fence. Get informed about affordable construction and landscaping techniques. Something as simple as assembling and filling gabions can kickstart your landscaping business.
Sell Expertise, Not Labour
If you want your business to be successful, you need to make it clear why you are better than your competitors. Many people can work hard, but not many have the necessary tools, skills and vision to do an excellent job. A low-investment business can only become profitable if you sell intangible assets such as knowledge and expertise. The key idea is to sell value.
Homeowners usually don’t have a clear image of their property’s potential and don’t know how much difference good landscaping can make. You can guide them on how to upgrade the existing landscaping. Talk about how your improvements will help them enjoy their property more or improve its curb appeal in case they want to sell the house. Show them how your work can increase security. The more convincing and knowledgeable you sound, the more clients will trust and recommend you.
The challenge of entrepreneurship is that no matter how small your venture is, there are still many aspects to learn about. The good news is that you can find sound and verified advice to help you decide on the best course of action, so you can minimize risks and have guaranteed profit.
