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• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd May 1, 2010 at 2:02pm

  Yes, turnover has increased ten-fold since I started 9 years ago. I started with a £50 car and borrowed tools, now have 2 large transits and looking to purchase a third. I also employ 3 people.
  
  Business has been good despite the recession (in which I hired extra staff and the business grew), rates have increased and profits have been maximised despite supplier increases.
  
  The secret to success....providing a high quality service/work/product at a price people are happy to pay.
  
  
  -Nick
• 

  Lawncare-4u.co.uk May 1, 2010 at 4:06pm

  yes - i really need to keep my costs down , but find it hard if being ready, reliable, efficient etc.
  
  '''retained profit'' seems to be never ending............. more jobs = more tools etc ?! cant win.
  
  ROWLY HILL said:

  a) Yes - but this is not the figure I concentrate on it's the bottom line. As a one man band TO is about maxed out so it's costs, pricing and profit I concentrate on.
  b) Yes - new clients all on new rates and yes so far this year this is the busiest I've been. I'm selective about what I take on to maximise income. I don't need any crappy jobs and turn them down.
  c) Yes - new van, new tipping trailer, replaced HS85 with 81R, Etesia Pro51, will replace muck truck, will chop in Stiga Pro 55, new strimmer. No same work just more of it and bigger clients ( well their gardens are bigger)
  
  d) No I don't currently advertise at all
  e) No staff and no intention of getting any
  f) Yes - Increased prices more work and controlling costs carefully.
  
  That's 7 years after starting with two customers a poxy push 16 inch mower and not much else...there is hope for anyone starting out!
• 

  1st Garden Maintenance June 17, 2013 at 7:35am

  Our turnover and profit has increased substantially over the past few years. This is due to:

  1. spending at least 10% of our turnover on advertising,
     getting our advertising design right,
     implementing a referral system,
     and getting rid of customers that don't pay a rate that makes us a reasonable profit.
     We like to see the profit margin on every job at over 50%.
• 

  Bridget Zorn June 17, 2013 at 9:24pm

  Well, 18 months ago Fiat seicento and little trailer :). Now upgraded to a Renault Kangoo and a cordless mower. Charging more, fully booked and thinking about buying a leaf blower for the autumn. Whoopee!
• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd June 17, 2013 at 10:01pm

  
  well done if you can achieve a 50% profit margin. Perhaps you can share some enlightenment (in the hub) how you manage to achieve this?
  You are obviously doing very well
  
  Nick.
  
  Adrian Noble said:

  Our turnover and profit has increased substantially over the past few years. This is due to:

  1. spending at least 10% of our turnover on advertising,
     getting our advertising design right,
     implementing a referral system,
     and getting rid of customers that don't pay a rate that makes us a reasonable profit.
     We like to see the profit margin on every job at over 50%.
• 

  Geoff Norfolk June 17, 2013 at 11:02pm

  I can't help wondering if you reduced your "profit margin" on every job to a more realistic and perhaps fairer figure, you wouldn't have to spend 10% of your turnover on advertising!!
  
  Adrian Noble said:

  Our turnover and profit has increased substantially over the past few years. This is due to:

  1. spending at least 10% of our turnover on advertising,
     getting our advertising design right,
     implementing a referral system,
     and getting rid of customers that don't pay a rate that makes us a reasonable profit.
     We like to see the profit margin on every job at over 50%.
• 

  Daryl Bentley @ Greenspace June 17, 2013 at 11:52pm

  Yep, it's going quite well. Started with a Ford Mondeo and what seems to be the obligatory B&Q tool kit that lasted about twelve months, gained a 'free' clapped out LDV van and upgraded all the tools to Stihl in year two, all of which were stolen in year three...anyway, everything is upgraded, one member of staff, turnover up year on year, looking to go to the next stage next year. Where 7 years old.
• 

  1st Garden Maintenance June 18, 2013 at 9:32pm

  
  
  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd said:

  
  well done if you can achieve a 50% profit margin. Perhaps you can share some enlightenment (in the hub) how you manage to achieve this?
  You are obviously doing very well
  
  Nick.
  
  Adrian Noble said:

  Our turnover and profit has increased substantially over the past few years. This is due to:

  1. spending at least 10% of our turnover on advertising,
     getting our advertising design right,
     implementing a referral system,
     and getting rid of customers that don't pay a rate that makes us a reasonable profit.
     We like to see the profit margin on every job at over 50%.
• 

  1st Garden Maintenance June 19, 2013 at 11:52am

  These are know facts:-
  Spending 5% of your turnover will probably keep your business standing still, taking into consideration that you have natural wastage due to people moving and dying etc.
  Spending 10% of you turnover on advertising will keep your business growing slowly.
  Spending 20% of your turnover on advertising will accelerate the growth of your business quickly, possible too quick.
  Do you advertise all year round or just at certain times of the year.
  Do you do blanket advertising or do you target certain areas for demographic reasons.
  Do you know how much profit you make on every job that you do, and an average gross profit for that customer over the year.
• 

  1st Garden Maintenance June 19, 2013 at 2:53pm

  Hi Nick.
  For years and years we were in a similar position to most other Garden / Landscape maintenance people, earning a enough to get buy, an not much more.
  Then I started doing a BA(hons) degree in Business & Management with the OU, and that open my eyes as to what we were not doing right.
  But rather than doing a degree there are plenty of good books you can buy on Amazon which will give you all the knowledge you need. They are "Business Development", "Double your Business" and "The Referral Engine". Read those three books and I am sure you will double or treble your profit margin within in a year.