How to write an effective landscaping business plan
A landscaping business plan is a must if you’re thinking about starting your own landscaping company or seeking funds to grow your business. More than just a document, a business plan is a valuable tool all small business owners should rely on to plan a successful company.
Business plans benefit companies of all stages—whether you’re just launching your lawn care business or already have a few years under your belt. In fact, companies that take the time to write a business plan typically grow 30% faster than those that don’t.
Although writing a business plan takes a significant amount of planning and research, the process doesn’t need to be overly complicated. There are seven core sections to include. Learn how to write your landscaping business plan so you can set your company up for success and secure the funding you need from potential investors.
7 core sections of a landscaping business plan
A landscaping business plan allows you to set your company up for success. It helps you figure out if you have a viable business idea, creates a roadmap for launching your business, and organizes your thoughts.
Your landscaping business plan should include the following seven sections:
- Executive summary
- Business description
- Market analysis
- Services or product line
- Operations and management
- Marketing and sales
- Financial factors
Let’s review the specific details you should include in each section of your business plan.
1. Executive summary
An executive summary gives an overall description of your company and kicks off your business plan. It describes who you are, what you do, and why your landscaping company will succeed.
You can keep this section brief and high level, but make sure to include the following:
- Mission statement
- Description of your business
- Leadership team and number of employees
- Services you offer
- Where you’re doing business
- Why you’ll succeed
It’s good practice to write your executive summary after you’ve filled out all other sections of your business plan. This will help you first figure out all the details regarding your business, allowing you to then craft an effective executive summary.
2. Business description
The business description goes more in-depth and covers the finer details of your landscaping business. This is where you explain your competitive advantage, which problems you solve, and why your company will succeed in your market.
Highlight the value you bring to consumers and what sets you apart from your competition. Be clear about what makes you better than competitors and outline your company’s strengths.
Do you have employees who have many years of experience in the landscaping business? Is there an opening in the market that makes you uniquely fit to fill a certain niche?
Also, discuss which customers you plan on serving. Is your target market more focused on residential customers, like homeowners? Or will you go after commercial customers, such as offices and larger business accounts?
3. Market analysis
Before jumping into starting your own landscaping business, you must take a look at the overall industry and your competition. Analyzing the market helps you determine if there’s enough room in your area for another business like yours to be successful.
Take a look at the landscaping industry as a whole. Is consumer spending within the landscaping industry on the rise?
You can estimate market saturation by simply taking a count of how many landscaping businesses are operating in your area. Figure out where these landscaping companies serve and determine if there’s an opportunity for you to enter the market and win over new customers.
Analyze what these competitors are doing well and find areas for improvement. Reading through your competitors’ Yelp reviews is an easy way to figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are from a consumer standpoint.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of other landscaping companies will enable you to optimize your business practices and earn market share when first starting out.
4. Services or product line
The services and product line section of your landscaping business plan tells readers how you expect to make money. Specify the exact lawn care services you’ll provide customers and which niche you’ll serve.
Landscaping companies can offer more than only lawn mowing, but it’s best to choose only a few services you can adequately offer without overextending yourself. Service options may include:
- Installing sod or mulch
- Planting flowers and other plants
- Fertilizing
- Pest control
- Edging
- Weeding
- Landscape design
- Ongoing lawn maintenance
Pick the landscaping services you’re qualified to offer and list them in this section. It’s also helpful if you discuss the frequency of your services. For example, are most customers receiving weekly lawn cutting or will you provide services on a bi-weekly basis?
5. Operations and management
The operations section of your landscaping business plan highlights what type of business structure you’re forming and how your leadership team is organized.
Explain what type of business you’re forming. You can choose between a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. You can find more information by reading through our guide on registering your business.
You’ll then need to provide an organizational chart that introduces the leaders of your company and provides a hierarchy of your team. Detail who holds which responsibilities and the hierarchy of your leadership team. If you’re the only member of your company, you can give a professional overview of yourself.
Talk about each employee and give each person’s years of experience and qualifications. Highlight areas that show why they’re the right fit for the job and how they’ll help your business succeed. You can even include brief resumes of your key employees to strengthen this section.
6. Marketing and sales
The marketing and sales section of your landscaping business plan tells readers how you’ll find and retain customers. There are many different landscaping marketing strategies that can help you find new leads and build lasting relationships with current customers.
A professional-looking website is a significant aspect of your marketing strategy. It will serve as the face of your company online. Most marketing channels will direct potential customers to your website.
You’ll also need to find ways to capture the attention of potential customers and encourage them to visit your website or contact you directly via phone or email. Some effective marketing strategies include:
- Email marketing
- Referral program
- Pay-per-click digital advertising
- Social media marketing
- Claiming your Yelp Business Page
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Content marketing
Choose the appropriate strategies, create a marketing plan, and highlight them in this section. Explain how you expect to find new leads to grow your business and how you plan on building trust, retaining current clients and earning customer loyalty.
Get found for free
Show up for any of the millions of customers on Yelp searching for a business like yours.
7. Financial factors
The finance section of your lawn care business plan offers realistic financial projections for your company. You’ll need to show readers that your business will be financially stable, especially if you’re seeking funding.
Analyzing your financials will help you determine if a landscaping business is worth pursuing. It’s important that you’re realistic with your expectations and have the appropriate funds to launch your business.
List all of the startup costs you expect to encounter. This can include expenditures like a lawnmower, work vehicles, edgers, or trimmers. From there you can determine the pricing of your services.
You can include financial statements like income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements if you’ve already launched your business. This will give tangible evidence for potential investors or lenders to determine if you have a viable business idea they’re willing to put money into.
You can also add a funding request if you’re seeking investment from a third party. Just be sure to include how much capital you’ll need, what you intend on doing with the funds, and how long investors can expect for your company to reach profitability. The time it takes you to reach profitability will depend on startup costs, pricing, and how quickly you can build your customer base.
Build a strong foundation with your business plan
It’s in your best interest to write a business plan before you embark on your entrepreneurial endeavor. It will serve as the foundation of your company and guide your future decisions. A well-thought-out business plan allows you to confidently navigate uncharted waters with a roadmap to follow.
Once you’ve organized your landscaping business plan, you can hit the ground running. After your business starts picking up, claim your Yelp Business Page and begin receiving reviews from happy customers.