Starting up

[Cjking]

Hello everyone

 

Im new to the forum and im after some advice. I currenlty work for a landscaping company an im wanting to go it alone. What the best way to get work i.e handing out leaflets door knocking

Thank in advance

[samarb]

Quit first! Hope for the best.

[Landscape Hub]

Ideally you would look to build a schedule of 4-6 weeks work before you actually start your first job, otherwise you really will be living hand to mouth. Initially you will probably be best advised to keep your advertising costs as low as possible, (you'll need plenty of funds as it is for tools, equipment and transport, etc). Ways to build a schedule of work when you're basically starting from scratch might include:

 

Approaching friends and family, (and their contacts).

Leaflet dropping - Doing the hard miles yourself.

Cards in local shop windows.

Small ad's in local magazines - Sometimes a good way to burn money mind.

Sign written vehicle.

Signs outside work place.

Use all the free resources the web has to offer... Freeindex, Facebook, free web building sites, forums, free directories, etc....

Leaflet drop road you're working in.

 

Basically it will be very tempting to start spending money on advertising, unless done correctly this is the easiest way to blow hundreds of pounds. There's often no one answer to what works and what doesn't, sometimes a magazine / paper can deliver decent returns and yet inexplicably dry up. Often local magazines only perform well once you've been in them long enough for people to recognise you as a regular advertiser.

 

When starting up you basically need to stay lean and retain your cash as much as possible. Many make it but some fail to get past their first winter. Hopefully you'll be determined enough to be one of the former.

[chrisj]

Try getting friendly with your local garden centres. I have a local garden centre that recommends me lots. I've had quite a bit of work through them and they give me discount on my purchases too :-)

To be fair it is a case of you scratch my back I'll scratch your's. I recommend them if someone asks me where to go for plants and if I need a few bits I go to them for it. They make bespoke fencing and garden buildings as well so we get each other a fair but of work with that too.

All in all well worth fostering the relationship.

[bikewoo]

Sign your car/van

get a uniform

word of mouth is best, ask for work wherever you go.

start with keen prices and get known.

[easy-lift guy]

I would not give up my regular job unless I had at least 18 Months in savings in reserve to handle your existing non business expenses. I believe weather your here stateside or the UK more businesses fail with in 6 months due to being under capitalized and not having a business plan. The business plan will be your guide in order to establish budgets for equipment, supplies, advertising, etc. save your Money and get a plan together, remember its you against the world. No one can Pimp yourself better than you!

easy-lift guy

[John Shutler]

Do you have any of your own work?

Start doing a bit on weekends whilst in your current job and see if it takes off

Easy

 

 

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[Cjking]

Cheers for the advice an im still in my current job an working nites an weekends at the min tge past three weeks ive had abit on. Jyst worried about what im going to do on the winter? Think the best thing i could do is stay in my job till nxt year an do what i can at weekends

[dogman]

t sounds like a plan. I took the plunge, but i'm taking early retirement, so have the buffer of a pension.

 

Rob

[likeitorlumpit]

I quit my regular well paid job with one weeks notice and had no work in the pipeline- 30 years later I'm still here. Never look back.

Hunger feeds the worker to make it happen. Don't expect!!