Every business owner knows that a marketing plan is crucial for growing your brand. The investment you put into marketing will come back to you tenfold in new sales and customers. If you’ve owned your business for quite some time, you’ve probably seen a shift in the most effective types of marketing. At one time, it made good business sense to buy an ad in the hard copy of Yellow Pages. Now, you are better off investing that money into an ad on Facebook or another social media site. The […]
Consider for a minute how your business finds potential customers. Do you send the same mailer out to your entire service area? Are you making scores of cold calls? Or do you target your marketing messages directly to each customer? If the last sentence rings true, you’re one of the growing number of businesses using database marketing. But if the first two sentences are more your speed, you may be missing out on all the advantages database marketing can offer. Not quite sure what the difference is? Read on to […]
According to a survey by BrightLocal, a search engine tool provider, 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. The lawn care industry has always thrived on word of mouth—if a customer’s lawn looks great, their neighbor will probably ask for your information, and so on. Customer reviews are the online equivalent of traditional word of mouth, and if you’re not taking advantage of them, you’re missing out on a huge pool of potential business. Customer reviews can help bring visibility to your business, encourage […]
Without a doubt, the cost of labor is the single largest expense for most businesses. The employees you keep end up costing more than the base hourly wage or salary you’re paying them, due to taxes and insurance, but a business can’t run without the people who make the work happen. Take a look back at how your business fared this spring. Does your profit margin need a boost? If so, perhaps you’re considering your options. You could lay off a few employees, but you know that will decrease morale […]
There are so many different ways you can market your business, so when a trade show is announced in your area, you’re probably wondering: Is it really worth the time and money it takes to participate? Pre-registering for a booth is usually free, but not always, and if the trade show is in a different city you may have travel and hotel costs. Then there’s the time lost either to training staff members on how to run the booth or to manning the booth yourself. Despite the costs, however, attending […]
You’ve started your own business in the lawn care industry. You’re doing well, and you have a loyal set of customers. But maybe your growth has stagnated and you’re not sure how to fix the problem. After all, your business can only improve if you continue to grow and obtain new customers. That’s why it is so important to have a customer acquisition strategy. Here, we’ll share a few creative ways to build your customer base and keep your business in the minds of potential customers. How To Improve Your […]
Often when a customer calls your business, one of the first questions they ask is “how much does this service cost?” Customers are always looking for the best value—a good quality service at an affordable price. An effective way to hook customers is to provide special offers and programs that entice customers to try out your services. Then, once that person has become a customer, those same offers and programs are what will help you keep them. Implementing Special Offers & Loyaly Programs In Your Business Make a loyalty program […]
In the United States, most workers are hired under something known as “at-will” employment, a policy that states employees may be terminated at any time, with no notice, and for almost any reason—or no reason at all. However, this doesn’t mean an employer can wrongfully terminate an employee. Firing an employee for any of the following reasons is illegal. Information To Know Before You Fire an Employee Discrimination It’s illegal to fire an employee because you are discriminating against their race, color, religion, sex, gender identity (including sexual orientation and […]
Whether your business fails or thrives greatly depends on the strength of the people who work for you. If you’re a Spring-Green franchise owner, you know you’re getting best-in-the-industry consultation and business planning. But what good is a solid business plan without great employees to make it happen? To that end, here are 5 tips for attracting—and hiring—the talent you want for your green industry business. Attract and Hire For Your Green Industry Business Tip 1: Branding Is Important Prospective employees are always looking for a business with a strong […]
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 12.5 million people misused prescription opioid and over 800,000 people used heroin, resulting in $78.5 billion in economic costs. Those costs have taken a toll on businesses and the healthcare system. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) had identified that employees who use drugs are 2.5 times more likely to miss work for 8 or more days each year than co-workers who do not use drugs, and more than 3.5 times more likely have a […]