Hey… let’s have a heart-to-heart.
It’s late spring. When you’re in the lawn and landscape business, you’ve (likely) been running wide open since March. You’ve battled Covert-19 hangovers, Fedzilla red tape, late shipments, unexpected rain, equipment breakdowns, and the age-old frustration: “Where’d that new guy go?”
I get it. You’re tired. You’re juggling a dozen things at once. And in the middle of that chaos, it’s easy to forget why you started this business in the first place — to make money, serve great people, and enjoy life.
So let’s get you back on track with three priorities for the next 30 days that’ll boost profits, ease your stress, and help you run a company that works for you — not just because of you.
1. Get Paid What You’re Worth: Job Cost Every Recurring Account
Now listen here… If you’re not doing job costing, you’re guessing. And guesswork in business is a recipe for broken bank accounts and late-night stress.
Here’s the formula:
Revenue per job ÷ actual total man hours = dollars per man hour.
Write it on the whiteboard. Tattoo it on your forearm. Just don’t ignore it.
Let’s say you’re charging $100 per cut on Mrs. Smith’s lawn. If your crew of two takes one hour to knock it out, that’s $50 per man hour. But if it takes 1.5 hours? You’re at $33 per man hour — and you’re LOSING MONEY if your break-even rate is $48.
What do you do?
✅ Raise the price.
✅ Or bless ‘em and fire the customer.
If the job’s above your target man hour rate — leave the price alone and thank the Good Lord for a profitable account. If it’s below? Fix it. Because bad accounts don’t magically improve — they silently destroy your margin…and eventually your spirit.
Raise prices on jobs that cost you money…don’t wait until next season. Do it now.
If you are worried that you gave the customer a “season long price”, forget about it. Raise the price anyway. I promise you. If you were to provide shotty services, they’d fire your butt mid-season. Got it?
If this job-costing stuff is new to you, I wrote a book on the subject called: The Lawn and Landscape Business Owner’s Guide: How to Double Profits in 12 to 24 Months. Buy it here. Instant download. It’s $197 and the information could turn you into a millionaire…
2. Do Proactive Marketing: Don’t Let Summer Dry Up Your Sales
Here’s a fact: The work never ends.
Grass grows. Trees get bushy. Weeds sneak in. Irrigation systems break. And that old mulch job from spring? It’s already fading.
And yet… most contractors go radio silent after June 1. That’s a mistake. Big mistake. Huge.
You need to reach out to your existing and past customers NOW. These are folks who already trust you. Already paid you. Already said “yes” once. So what are you waiting for?
It doesn’t have to be fancy.
📧 Send an email.
📬 Mail a postcard.
📞 Pick up the phone.
🚪 Knock on the dang door!
Here’s your script:
“Hey there! We’re catching our breath after the spring rush and I wanted to let you know we’re so grateful for you and your business. We are also now booking summer lawn and landscape upgrades. If you’ve been thinking about freshening things up, now’s a great time to get on our schedule with a current client discount!”
You’re not bugging them — you’re helping them. Don’t let the phones stop ringing just because spring is over.
I want you to know that successful marketing is the highest paying job in the good old USA. It always has been and it always will be. The best marketing doesn’t cost a lot of money. But the best marketing does require energy and intent. Now is the time! Say hello…never stop.
3. Take a Dang Vacation: Recharge the Boss Battery
Now this might shock some of y’all, but I’m gonna say it loud for the folks in the back:
You need a vacation.
Yep, I said it. Not a day off. Not a Sunday nap. I’m talkin’ a real, phone-on-silent, toes-in-the-sand, bass-boat-on-the-lake kinda break.
Why? Because when you rest, you recover perspective. You return with better ideas, clearer priorities, and a whole lot more patience for the “Where’s the trimmer?” drama.
And here’s the truth bomb:
If your business can’t run for a week without you, you don’t have a business — you have a job with overhead.
That ain’t what you signed up for, is it?
Use this as your wake-up call to put systems in place so the show goes on — with or without you. Crew leaders, checklists, written procedures… All that E-Myth magic we talk about? It works.
Final Word from Tony
Business owners like you — the job creators, the tax payers, the folks who mow the fields and plant the trees — you are the backbone of this country. But even the strongest back needs rest and rhythm to carry the load.
So don’t just survive the busy season. Let’s use this mid-season checkpoint to revise, refocus, and recommit to building a business that pays you well, serves your customers faithfully, and gives you the freedom to enjoy the life you’re working so hard to create.
Let’s go get it…and Profit Greatly my friend!
Tony Bass, founder
Super Lawn Toolkit | Super Lawn Trucks
Helping Landscapers Work Smarter Since 1987
P.S. Don’t wait. These three priorities — job costing, proactive marketing, and recharging — will change your year. Share this with your team. Pin it to the bulletin board. And if you need help putting these systems in place, you can schedule a 15 minute strategy session by clicking here. No kidding…click and schedule.
