We get a couple of calls a month asking about lawn treatments. We don't do them. Never have. For years, my answer was, "Sorry, we don’t do that"—hang up, get back to work. That was a huge mistake. That’s money walking out the door, and it actually costs you twice: Lost trust: The customer remembers you as the guy who couldn't help. Next time they need a regular lawn done, they ring someone else. Lost cash: Someone local does do that work, and they’d happily pay you for that lead. Whether it’s gardens, tree trimming, hedges, rubbish removal, or stump grinding—work you don’t want is worth something to somebody. Here’s how to fix it: 1. Build the list. 📋 You already run into these guys. The mower repair shop, the green waste dump, or the contractor who pulls up while you're working. I got a stump grinder’s card on a job site years ago, and he’s been sending me business (and taking mine) ever since. Short on names? Search Google Business Profiles in your town and pick the ones with solid reviews. 2. Set strict rules ⏱️ Start by swapping leads. One rule: Two strikes. If they don't follow up on a lead you send them, remind them once. Second time? They’re off your list. You only want to send your potential clients to reliable people. 3. Monetize it 💵 Once you get comfortable, stop swapping and start selling. I sell pre-qualified leads for $20 each. The deal is simple: The buyer texts the customer within 10 minutes. Nobody else gets the lead. Selling the leads I can't use accounts for roughly 20% of my annual turnover. 👉 Your task for today: Write down the three types of calls you turn down the most. Go find ONE reliable contractor for each. What’s the most common job request you have to say "no" to? Drop it in the comments below! 👇

Here’s a fun discussion for everyone… Do your customers ever do anything extra to show their appreciation? Maybe they tip, leave a great review, bring you a cold drink on a hot day, hand out Christmas bonuses, recommend you to their neighbors, or simply tell you how much they appreciate your work. Or maybe they don’t—and that’s perfectly fine too! What’s the most memorable thing a customer has ever done to thank you for your service? I’d love to hear some stories!

Years ago, I was mowing a lawn in Ngaruawahia when the customer's dog bit my leg. It was bad enough that I had to pack up my gear and drive myself straight to the hospital for stitches. When I was waiting at the hospital, the owner rang me. He asked why the back lawn was only half mowed. I said it was because his dog bit me and I was at the hospital getting stitches. He went quiet... I knew he was thinking... So.... he said. When are you coming back to mow the rest? 😳 I still have the scar from that day. But more importantly, I’ve had a strict system for dogs ever since. Here is how I handle it now (learned the hard way): 1️⃣ Ask before you ever see the lawn When a new quote request comes in, ask if they have dogs. It takes two seconds, and it means you're never surprised when you walk onto the property. 2️⃣ Look for the signs anyway When you first walk a lawn, keep your eyes peeled for the tell-tale signs: dog poo, bones, or chewed-up toys. Customers forget to mention their dogs way more often than you'd think. 3️⃣ The Gate Rule Old farm rule: If the gate was closed, close it behind you. And be aware of dogs. If it is open, leave it that way. An open gate usually means no dog. 4️⃣ My Secret Weapon: Dog Biscuits 🍖 I always carry a bag of tiny dog biscuits in the van. - For a stand-offish dog: I lay a little trail of biscuits while I'm inspecting the lawn. It keeps them busy and focused on other things. - When I finish the job: I throw a small handful (like feeding chickens). The dog quickly learns that my visits mean good things. (Pro-tip: Use decent quality biscuits since some dogs have allergies, and always let the owner know you're doing it!) 💡 The Bonus Market Once you're comfortable handling dogs, you can actually market yourself as a "dog-friendly" service. Plenty of owners have been turned away by other mowing companies because of their pets. That’s easy money waiting for you. 👇 Alright, let's hear it. Please reply below and share your best dog story from the job.

Hey everyone! Quick question for the group: How many of you are actually tracking the exact time it takes to drive to and service every single property? This is what we do Let's be honest. When you’re busy tossing trimmers into the truck, dealing with traffic, and sweating through a long day, the last thing you want to do is fiddle with a manual stopwatch app. If you’re the kind of person who constantly forgets to log your hours, you are almost certainly leaving serious money on the table. If you aren't tracking your time, you're just guessing your profits. There is a killer tool that completely fixes this; it has a free plan (up to 2 vehicles), and it’s perfect for solo operators or teams who hate manual tracking: MyCarTracks. 🚗 Just Drive—The App Handles the Rest Instead of relying on your memory, MyCarTracks turns your phone into an automated tracking assistant. Using smart motion detection, the second your truck starts moving, the app automatically starts tracking. You don’t have to press "Start." You don't have to press "Stop." It just records your travel and stop times quietly in the background. If you lose reception in a rural neighborhood, it doesn't matter—it works offline and syncs up later. 📊 Download the Week, Calculate Your Jobs At the end of the week, you can log into the dashboard and download your complete history. Because the app logs exact stop locations and durations, you can easily look at your weekly breakdown and work out exactly how much time was spent on each specific lawn. - How long did the windshield time take? * How long was the truck parked at the Smith property versus the Johnson property? All the data is right there, neatly organized for you. 📈 The First Step to Finding Your High- (and Low-) Profit Lawns You can’t optimize what you don't measure. By matching the actual time spent on a job (travel + time on-site) against what you invoiced the customer, you unlock the ultimate business cheat code: knowing your true hourly rate per property.

I was contacted via my marketplace add, the google address was different than the actual? The person wants a one-off, they sent 2 videos of a large unkempt lawn and of a lot of rubbish for removal, want done a s a p has party tonight, looks like a big job that would take at least a day, but not willing to pay much ? How would you handle it ???