| Before you start a lawn care business you have to | | | | 6) Analysis of the local market - Summarise your |
| set out a business plan so that you can map out a | | | | market research. What niche markets within lawn care |
| path to success, set goals and measure your progress | | | | and landscaping will you target? What is your target |
| along the way. If you need funding, or are looking for | | | | demographic? Who are your competitors? How will |
| business partners then a good business plan will also | | | | you distinguish your company in the marketplace? |
| help you convince them to support you. | | | | 7) Marketing Strategy - How will you bring in clients? |
| At the very least a lawn care business plan gives you | | | | Outline your advertising strategy, budget and sales |
| a place to compile and summarize all the research and | | | | strategy. |
| information that you gather about lawn care and the | | | | 8) Management - Outline the management structure of |
| industry in your local area. | | | | the new business. |
| This article sets out ten sections that you should break | | | | 9) Staff - Set out a plan for when employees will be |
| your business plan down into and highlights what each | | | | hired and try to get estimates on how much overall |
| section could include. | | | | staffing costs will be. |
| 1) Executive Summary - A rough outline or introduction | | | | 10) Financial forecasting - Set out a spreadsheet with |
| about your intentions. | | | | anticipated cash flows for the first three years of your |
| 2) Objectives - What do you hope to achieve | | | | lawn business. By estimating monthly revenue and |
| financially, or otherwise in the short, medium and long | | | | costs you can then estimate what kind of profit you |
| term with your business? | | | | could make based on the estimates. You can plug in |
| 3) Ownership - If you have partners or investors you | | | | conservative and optimistic figures to get an idea of |
| should mention how ownership is divided between the | | | | how your profits will look if things don't go as well as |
| respective interests. | | | | planned, or go better than planned. |
| 4) Company mission - The values or ideals that will | | | | Setting out a business plan for your lawn care startup |
| reflect the way you run your business. | | | | is important. Without a solid plan to take you forward |
| 5) Start-up requirements - What do you need to get | | | | to success it is not easy to achieve a high level of |
| started in terms of equipment and investment. | | | | success in the lawn care industry. |