Solutions
One of my jobs is to provide great landscape maintenance service to private clients but it’s not about me. I bring solutions for people’s problems; and I eliminate nagging pain points. This was nicely illustrated by a new client I picked up two days ago.
The owners live in a nice, newly built home but they have some issues to take care of. One, the black mulch they bought from a big box store is settling and now the black fabric underneath is showing. Assuming the same product is still available, this is an easy fix, but I do have to figure out roughly how many bags we’ll need.
The second problem is lack of edging. Without proper bed edges their mulch spills over onto the lawn. Again, this is an easy fix: I just need time and my edging shovel. Let’s hope the owners don’t bust their ankles after I put nice deep edges in.
And three, the gardens require spring clean up. For example, there is a weeping maple tree visible from the front walkway with leafiness still visible; and the grasses will require attention: I will run my fingers through them to dislodge the dead foliage.
Four, the lawns will need lime and aeration. The front lawns are in good shape but the back is more beat up because it’s used by kids and dogs. One weak area will get scarified and over seeded.
As soon as it warms up and the grass starts to grow, I will fertilize the lawns.
Win with Google
This owner found me through Google! I asked because it’s important; sometimes I’m referred to new clients, too. Mike Jiggens reports that 93% of all website traffic is directed through Google (Turf & Rec, Jan/Feb 2024, pp.8-10). So I make sure people can find me online.
Getting Google reviews is trickier!
Pain point example
Now, I have another long term client and he’s experiencing a pain point: three cedars in his back hedge are dead. Since this hedge separates his private patio from a high school grass field he wants to keep his privacy.
And again, the solution is easy. I will remove the dead cedars and I will install new ones. Then I will top-dress all three with new soil after watering them in.
Keeping these cedars alive through the summer won’t be as easy as planting them.
Project quotes
Both projects mentioned above will be done through accepted quotes, not by the hour. This is the only way your side hustle can make money. So, give your clients a good quote and complete the work well; and quickly! I get paid the same amount if it takes me two or ten hours. I fully intend to move on to other work after I complete these two projects. That’s how you survive in today’s British Columbia which is one of the most expensive provinces in Canada.
Call me if you need help this spring.
