Landscapers can use lead generation services, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, or a referral program to find new clients
Landscaping advertising comes with its own unique set of challenges. It's tough to figure out how to distinguish yourself from the competition, and where you should spend your advertising money. Customers often assume that all landscaping companies are the same, but each has unique value, whether superior artistic vision or better equipment than the competitors.
But how do you get your message out to new customers? This guide will help you figure out how to make the most of your landscaping company’s advertising dollars.
As a landscaping company, it’s great to experiment with advertising channels to find out what’s right for you. This will help you to identify where your customers spend their time—and how you can reach future leads.
Here are some advertising channels to consider as a landscaper.
Experience level: BeginnerGeneral cost: $ to $$
Lead generation companies can be helpful for busy landscapers because they do the hard work for you (while you’re out doing hard work of your own!). Basically, a company finds leads who are looking for services like yours in your area, and then sends you their information.
Yes, you will pay for this service, but considering that the typical cost of a landscaping job ranges from $1,400 to $5,600 (and sometimes $10,000+), it can be a smart investment.
Start off with a small budget and see how successful you are at converting leads before spending more. Angi offers a similar service where you can have qualified leads sent directly to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get tools to help you organize and manage leads, as well as accept payment without any fees.
Experience level: Intermediate to advancedGeneral cost: $$
The rise of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising creates a tremendous opportunity for landscaping companies. Instead of relying on word of mouth, referrals, or neighborhood signage to target new customers, landscaping businesses can target people in specific regions. Through this method, homeowners searching for landscaping services in your area will see your ad.
Here’s an example of what a PPC ad might look like:
Arlington Landscaping - Get a Free QuoteWe do full-service landscaping and lawn maintenance in Arlington - call us today!
You can try handling PPC ads on your own—many people do and have been successful. You will need to read up on best practices and it can get a little technical but it depends on your comfort level with a learning curve. If you need help, you can hire a company or expert freelancer to handle your PPC campaigns.
Experience level: Beginner General cost: $
As a landscaper, you’re operating within the same neighborhoods as other contractors. As a result, you should form relationships with other businesses and start a referral network. By teaming up with suppliers and other contractors, you can share leads and create a new pipeline of new customers. This could be a plumber or roofer—or both. Recommend each other’s businesses when possible to help get new leads.
Also, create a referral program in which you reward customers for leads. This could be $25 to a local restaurant or $50 off their next lawn care purchase. It’s a great way to get new leads, and it doesn't cost you much to set up such a program.
Use email marketing to let your customers know you’ve created a referral program. Here’s an example of an email you might send to current clients:
Subject: 25% off your next landscaping service!
Body: We’re launching a special discount program for our loyal customers! As we seek to expand our services, we’re offering a one-time discount of 25% off your next landscaping service if you can refer us to someone who you think would love our services — they'll get 25% off, too!
Be sure to state your terms at the bottom of the email so customers understand that the discount is contingent on the lead purchasing a landscaping service or package of X amount of dollars.
The landscaping business is highly seasonal, which creates challenges. During peak season, marketing efforts are a lot more effective. But your customer base is not in the market for lawn care services when all the trees are bare. As a result, landscapers have to be creative when the temperature drops.
Advertise specialized services during the winter, such as:
Pruning
Cleanup of fallen leaves or snow
Care of indoor plants
Preparation of their landscape for a booming spring
Basically, think of any service your team could provide that may be slightly outside the realm of what you normally do and would be useful to potential clients during the winter months. Use social media and digital marketing to stay connected to your customers, so when the spring returns, they’ll have you in mind.
Once you start advertising your landscaping business, you must act quickly to convert leads into customers. Try to respond to leads as quickly as possible to ensure you get their business before a competitor.
Here are a few tips to make sure you're prepared:
Ensure you have enough staff to monitor incoming leads and contact them.
Review your website to see if it’s optimized to encourage leads to contact you.
Install a chatbot on your website so you can make direct contact with site visitors.
Whether it’s PPC ads or a referral program, advertising your lawn care company is essential. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a variety of tactics to find what works for you.
Homeowners are looking for landscaping services in your area. Sign up for Angi Ads today to get these leads sent directly to your inbox. Send a quote, book new jobs, and accept payment—all in the app.
