Survive Until Spring: Four Winter Business Ideas for Landscape Pros
Kubota, and especially Kubota dealers, work closely with independent landscapers, and we often hear of innovative ideas to keep business thriving during the slower, winter months. For landscape professionals, the winter months bring an inevitable slow down. There’s a wealth of opportunity for landscape pros in the winter, if they are willing to learn some new skills or add a few side services to their arsenal.
“One of the biggest benefits for offering winter services is the continued client relationship building opportunities it provides,” explains Tom Vachal, turf senior product manager at Kubota Tractor Corporation. “If you are their go-to for winter services, you are automatically top of their list when summer rolls around. It’s always easier to grow within your current client base.”
Here are some ideas for building your landscape business to keep you busy and profitable this winter:
1. Snow Removal – Snow removal and plowing are common practices for landscapers in the winter, especially in the northeastern regions of the United States. Snow removal requires special equipment to get started, but usually that just means adding a few attachments such as a snow blower and blade to your fleet, which will attach on to various pieces of equipment you likely already own. If you live in a snowy region, have the base equipment then often it’s a one-time investment of a few attachments to keep you running all winter long. Snow management can be a worthwhile pursuit.
2. Holiday Decorating – Having the ability to offer light installation, or decorative lawn concepts during the holidays can be a great way to build business in the winter. It requires some basic knowledge of wiring and ladder safety – as well as storage space to keep supplies year-round – but once those concepts are understood, a winter wonderland of possibilities are available, and best of all, your summer customers have one more reason to give you a call in December.
3. Planting and Installation – As fall ends and winter approaches, think about what services may make sense for your client’s property. Fall can be a great time for planting trees or installing drainage, working on irrigation, or other large-scale landscape projects.
4. Mulching and Leaf Removal – As leaves fall, they rot and affect the growth of grass during the fall and winter months. Removing leaves is something simple landscape professionals can offer as a service aimed at continuing to care for their client’s lawn. Winter mulching is also essential for delicate landscape features that require adequate warmth in their roots to survive the winter. Offering your clients a winter maintenance plan specific to these conditions is a great value and investment for any property manager concerned with the health of their landscape.