Landscaping Contractor Marketing Tips and Secrets

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Landscaping Website Builder: Top 10 Reasons Why VRDigs is the Perfect Solution for Your Business

support@vrdigs.com (Brandon Sierra) — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 22:47:35 GMT

Get to Know Your Customers Habits: Landscaping Website Users Infographic

Infographic Source: Forbes “Top Website Statistics For 2023”

Before choosing the right landscaping website builder for your company, it's important to understand the needs and online behaviors of your landscaping customers.

The infographic shown in the above image is a great place to start and demonstrates the importance of having a great website.

But where do you go from there?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the top 10 reasons why VRDigs Landscaping Website Builder is the game-changing solution you've been waiting for.

So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let us walk you through the incredible features and benefits.

Or if you prefer, just watch the overview video below...

VRDigs Website Builder Features

Read on about any of these features listed below and learn more about how landscapers can use this powerful tool to create the perfect site for their business:

Tailored Design for Landscaping Professionals
User-Friendly Interface and Powerful Tools
Stunning, Mobile-Responsive Templates
Built-In Image Library and Editing Tools
Top-Notch Performance and Speed
Local Search Optimization Tools
Seamless Integrations for Business Automation
Centralized Customer Communication Hub
Robust Security Measures
Landscaping Project Management with ArcSite Integration

Tailored Design for Landscaping Professionals

No more one-size-fits-all website builders! VRDigs is designed specifically with landscapers in mind, offering industry-focused features and templates that cater to your unique needs.

Our platform understands the challenges you face and offers tailored solutions that make creating a stunning website a breeze.

User-Friendly Interface and Powerful Tools

Creating a website should be a joy, not a headache. That's why we've made sure our interface is intuitive and easy to use, with powerful tools that simplify the website creation process.

VRDigs' drag-and-drop editor allows you to customize every aspect of your site without needing any coding skills.

Stunning, Mobile-Responsive Templates

With VRDigs, your website will look amazing on any device. Our templates are not only visually appealing but also fully responsive, meaning they automatically adapt to different screen sizes.

Choose from our selection of professionally designed themes and make a lasting impression on your visitors.

Built-In Image Library and Editing Tools

A picture is worth a thousand words, and with VRDigs, you have access to a vast library of high-quality stock images to enhance your website.

Plus, our built-in image editor allows you to modify and personalize your visuals, so you can create a truly unique and eye-catching websit e .

Top-Notch Performance and Speed

Nobody likes a slow website. That's why VRDigs' platform is built for speed and optimized for performance, ensuring a smooth browsing experience for your visitors.

With lightning-fast loading times and AMP upgrade options, your website will rank higher on search engines and keep your customers happy .

Local Search Optimization Tools

Local customers are the lifeblood of your landscaping business. That's why VRDigs includes built-in SEO tools like easy SCHEMA and local business listing management to help you rank higher in local searches.

Our no-code plug-ins and educational resources will ensure you attract a steady stream of leads from people in your area.

Seamless Integrations for Business Automation

VRDigs is more than just a website builder; it's a complete business solution.

Our platform integrates with various tools, including payment processing, customer management, social media, and marketing, to help you streamline your operations and focus on delivering exceptional landscaping services.

Centralized Customer Communication Hub

With VRDigs, your website becomes the heart of customer communication.

Our templates come with built-in contact forms, phone numbers, email addresses, and social media links, making it easy for clients to reach you.

Our easy-tap icons also ensure that contacting you is a breeze on mobile devices.

Robust Security Measures

Protecting your customers' information and your website is of utmost importance.

VRDigs offers turn-key SSL certificate solutions, ensuring that your site is secure without any setup or renewal hassles.

Our form-to-email setup also safeguards client information when they submit inquiries.

Landscaping Project Management with ArcSite Integration

Say goodbye to project management headaches with VRDigs' ArcSite integration.

Capture on-site measurements, create 2D CAD sketches, generate estimates, process payments, and more, all within one platform.

This integrated solution simplifies information management and streamlines your entire operation.

Popular Alternative Website Builders for Landscapers: Pros and Cons

There are many different website builders available, but not all of them are created equal.

The website builders listed below are all great options too, but each has their own positives and negatives to consider.

Wix
Squarespace
Shopify
GoDaddy
3.5

Wix

Wix is a popular website builder that offers a wide range of features and templates.

It is easy to use and can be used to create a variety of websites, including personal, business, and ecommerce sites.

Pros: Easy to use, wide range of features and templates, affordable.

Cons: Can be limited in terms of customization, customer support can be slow.

Squarespace

Squarespace is another popular website builder that offers a high-quality user experience. It is known for its sleek designs and easy-to-use interface.

Squarespace is a good option for businesses and individuals who want a professional-looking website.

Pros: High-quality user experience, sleek designs, easy to use.

Cons: Can be expensive, limited in terms of customization.

Shopify

Shopify is a popular ecommerce platform that allows businesses to create an online store and website.

It offers a wide range of features, including a powerful admin dashboard, a variety of payment options, and integrations with popular marketing platforms - but may not be the best choice unless you were looking for a way to sell your landscaping "services" as standard priced products.

Pros: Powerful admin dashboard, variety of payment options, integrations with popular marketing platforms.

Cons: Skip this option unless you are planning on productizing your services. Can be expensive, not as easy to use as other website builders

GoDaddy

GoDaddy is a popular domain registrar and web hosting provider that also offers a website builder.

GoDaddy's website builder is easy to use and offers a variety of features, including a drag-and-drop editor, a wide range of templates, and integrations with social media platforms.

Pros: Easy to use, wide range of features and templates, affordable.

Cons: Customer support can be slow, not as many features as other website builders.

WordPress

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that can be used to create a variety of websites.

It is open-source, which means that it is free to use and modify (just pay for hosting).

WordPress offers a wide range of features, including a drag-and-drop editor, a variety of templates, and integrations with popular marketing and social media platforms.

Pros: Free to use, open-source, wide range of features and templates, easy to customize.

Cons: Can be difficult to learn, requires some technical knowledge.

In Conclusion

Ultimately, the best website builder for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. BUT...

If you are looking for a user-friendly option with a wide range of features and you're ready to elevate your landscaping business, VRDigs Landscaping Website Builder is the all-in-one platform you need.

Our powerful tools, industry-focused features, and user-friendly interface will help you create a stunning website that drives sales and improves your overall efficiency.

Try VRDigs today and experience the difference for yourself!

How Much Does it Cost to Get Started in Landscaping?

support@vrdigs.com (Brandon Sierra) — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 22:19:22 GMT

One of the frustrations landscape start-ups have is that they start out by spending more money than they earn. Fresh landscape professionals complain they need to buy something new to accomplish new projects. But this may just be your inner excuse maker preventing you from taking the next step in your business.

If you don’t want to encounter such frustrations, take the time to truly explore both the necessity and cost of what you intend on buying. Read this article to learn more about things to consider and how much it may really cost you to get started in landscaping.

Since Landscaping tools vary in price from a few dollars at the pawnshop to large pieces of equipment that can cost tens of thousands, it's good to know what you’ll need to spend in order to progress your business to the next level and continue a natural growth built on available profits.

While this article is by no means meant to be a complete guide to starting a landscaping business, or will it cover every type of expense you could incur, hopefully it will give you some idea of the types of costs associated with getting started and allow you to put some ballpark numbers together on a Google Sheet or input into some other accounting program.

Landscaping Business Entity Setup Costs

Costs associated with establishing your legal business entity are the first thing you need to consider. This includes legal fees, accounting fees, and registration to your respective local government.

Outlining your future expenses through a detailed business plan may fall into this category, too. This is especially true if you plan to pursue funding of some type in the form of a business loan or investment capital. Growth projection costs will depend on your business structure and include variables like equipment needed, staffing considerations, and more.

Costs that can add up to your setup expenses are registration fees such as those associated with incorporating an LLC in most states. These costs can vary widely and If you have investors who own a financial interest in the company, you’ll want to ensure that during the initial phases of the relationship you draft an agreement that covers the proper distribution of income and loss. Of course, there are always additional things you can spend money on like professionally written contract language, but anything of this nature will surely add to your legal fees.

Landscaping Business Licensing and Insurance Costs

Related to legal expenses, but in a slightly different category are licensing and insurance expenses. Are there landscapers that have started and grown successful businesses without considering these costs initially? Almost certainly those stories are out there. The thing is that these costs really serve one main purpose - limiting your risk.

General Liability Insurance Costs for Landscapers

General liability and other related business insurances aim to protect you in the event that someone makes a legal or financial claim against your business. This could be a customer who wants to sue you because you accidentally dug up a water main and flooded their property, or if you crashed through the glass window of a storefront while backing up your trailer. If these situations we’ve described strike fear into you, just imagine trying to figure out how to fix them on your own.

Insurance provides additional funds to help solve problems like these in the event you have to face them unexpectedly. They can help you cover legal fees if you have to go through litigation or serve as a payment if you are found at fault for something. While the price for this type of basic coverage usually costs landscapers between $400-$800/year ($33-$66/month) with 68% of landscape pros paying in this range, there are many factors including the size of your company that will be evaluated when calculating a quote for your policy.

Professional Landscaper Licensing Costs

These expenses are entirely dependent on where you live and where your company performs landscaping work. The requirements for licensing vary widely depending on the state you live in, so you will have to take the extra steps to figure out these laws and associated costs for operating a landscaping business in your locality.

Some states do not require any licensing for landscaping professionals. While others have stricter mandates that can even require prerequisites that you may not yet have in place such as experience or certifiable education. Other states do not require landscapers to be licensed while performing “ordinary” maintenance like grass mowing but do require a license if the business entity will be applying pesticides.

So your costs for these types of things can range from literally zero, all the way up to a significant number depending on your state and your unique business and personal situation. You can use an online landscaping licensure guide to get an idea of what to expect, but it is your responsibility to be sure you are doing whatever is required by law for the area in which you will be operating.

Commonly Used Landscaping Equipment Costs

Most newly crowned landscaping professionals will start out with some type of free equipment that they already own, was handed down from someone they know, or obtained 2nd hand relatively cheaply from sources like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or even a local pawn shop in their area. This is especially true with hand tools like rakes, shovels, and saws. Truth be told - these old-fashioned but reliable tools are all that you truly “need” to start.

Talking realistically through, most homeowners would be surprised if you showed up at their property to cut their grass using a hand-push manual mower. So for the sake of being helpful for a modern-day landscaping company, let’s mostly talk about some of the basic pieces of power equipment you’ll want to own, maintain, and eventually consider upgrading or investing in as you build momentum in your business.

Below are some of the pieces of equipment you’ll want to have in order to run an effective landscaping maintenance business along with the approximate price ranges you may be able to purchase them for:

Gas Powered Push mower: $50 - $500
Manual Gardening tools (trowels, shovels. shears, rakes, etc.): $50 - $200
Backpack or Handheld Gas Leaf Blower: $700 - $700
Manual or Motorized Sprayer ( for pesticides, fertilizers, etc.): $20 - $2000
Plate Compactor: $300 - $2500
Trimmer: $40 - $500
Edger: $80 - $500

You will also need a mode of transportation, typically a truck with a trailer, to carry all of your equipment. If you don’t own a vehicle like this yet a trailer can cost anywhere between $1,500 to $5,000. And a reliable full-sized pick-up truck will usually run you anywhere between $5,000 to $50,000.

If this is the first time you have looked at these types of numbers on paper, It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the mounting costs when starting your landscaping business.

This is the reason so many rookies opt to get started by purchasing equipment like a trimmer, leaf blower, and lawnmower to perform basic services for their first handful of clients - then continue to buy the rest as they grow and develop consistent cash flow. You'll most likely need to reinvest your earnings in the first year of your business so you can have the cash to buy new equipment, so mentally preparing yourself (and your budget) for this can help keep your expectations realistic about how much you can afford to pay yourself.

It’s critically important to remember that each landscaper will have different services they specialize in. Also, each regional location will have different climates, native plants, soil types, and more to consider. Therefore, each landscaping professional will have unique needs and require slightly different tools/equipment than others.

Make sure you are buying the specific tools you need, and not what someone else has told you they use. While there will certainly be similarities, the tool requirements from one landscaper to another (even in the same region) may not be exactly the same. Identifying the perfect tool combination can take time, so be prepared to adjust as you learn.

Professional Landscaping Advertising Costs

You will not have any success in your landscaping business if you don't have any customers. If you are starting from zero and don’t have the stomach to knock on doors or hand out business cards , you may want to consider an upfront investment in advertising your landscaping services .

Even if you are planning on using Google PPC to generate landscaping leads, you must know your advertising targets (keywords + locations) you plan to do business with otherwise you can quickly blow your ads budget without generating many paying jobs to show in return.

Once you use a tool like SEMRush or a proven research method like an SEO audit from a qualified agency like VRDigs to help identify your target keywords - it will boil down to using creative marketing strategies and effective copywriting to attract visitors and convert them into paying customers.

While there are endless advertising platforms that you can spend money on and we won’t cover them all here; If you have a clean background with no criminal record, and have a least 1 positive Google Review for your business, you may qualify to use Google Local Service Ads for Landscaping . This powerful new option is really unmatched in terms of its effectiveness, but it does entail a multi-step Google verification process to begin. Contact VRDigs if you feel like this might be a useful path for you to take, but need guidance or more information in order to get started.

Smaller, one-off type advertising options like a space in your local print publication may also be something to consider if you can afford it. The key to advertising, especially when you can’t accurately measure your ROI, is to not try to gamble your ad spend thinking you will just make it back by winning jobs. Be tactful with your ad budget and try to earn new work organically through referrals as much as possible in the beginning.

Landscaping Website Costs

You can spend a lot of money on a landscaping website, but you may not need to - especially in the beginning. Check out our recent article exploring Landscaping website costs to learn about the wide range of options you have available depending on your budget. If you’re going to be doing any PPC advertising, or digital marketing of any kind you really need to have at least a simple 1-page landscaping website at the bare minimum. This is so that 1) you have a link to send search traffic to, and 2) You have a way to convert visitors using a form or at least have your contact information clearly visible.

VRDigs also offers a totally cost-free option to help solve this problem as well. By signing up to create a free profile page on our landscaping business directory, you will have access to a dedicated page for your landscaping business. Of course, you can build a Facebook page for your business (which we highly recommend regardless), but having a dedicated URL will allow you to run ad campaigns on pay-tp-play platforms like Google Search PPC.

Financial Tips for Starting Your Landscaping Business

To help you jump-start your landscaping business financially, below are a few more things to consider.

Alternative Funding Source

You have a few options available if you don’t have the money to buy the necessary equipment or implement an advertising campaign. You could take out a loan from financial institutions, get funding from outside investors, or bring in a partner.

Finding enough funds to cover regular operating expenses is essential in starting your landscaping business on the right foot. So, analyze your current financial situation before you kick things off and embark on your professional landscaping journey.

Look For a Specific Location

It should be pretty obvious. But ensure that you choose the perfect location for your landscaping business. This may be your local vicinity close to where you live, or it may be a few towns over where you will find the type of clients you are looking to serve. Certainly do some research on your own about this and give it some thought but generally speaking, an obvious thing to consider would be somewhere where there are a high number of houses with gardens or lawns. A downtown metro area will have work too, but suburbs will generally be more accessible, less competitive, and present more landscaping options than a concrete jungle.

Also, keep in mind the financial status of the residences in your chosen location. It can be hard to make a profit in areas of low-income earners. But, if you find a highbrow place with plenty of retirees as an example, you just might get lucky and could get back what you have invested in no time.

Know Your Labor Rates and Charge What You Are Worth

This is one of the most common mistakes newcomers to the landscaping industry make. DO NOT make the mistake of undervaluing yourself or your business, even if you have never been a professional landscaper in the past.

As we have outlined above, there are fixed costs associated with owning and operating a landscaping business. You must account for these costs and your living expenses if you are going to be depending on this business to survive and maintain your sanity.

Knowing what to charge your clients can be a tricky subject and there are a lot of great resources out there to help you figure out what to charge for the type of service you are providing. In a nutshell, what you charge should not be what you want to make. But the cost to cover the materials, tools, and manpower - plus a portion to grow your business.

So every time you start a project, figure out what it will cost first before you charge your client and stick to your guns. Don’t let the fear of failure or pushy clients devalue your work. Let those customers walk and you won’t be stuck in a landscaping labor wheel of misery. Instead, you will be on the path to achieving your landscaping business dreams, all in due time.

Conclusion

As you’ve read, initial expenses for the landscaping business will vary. You could start with $5000 or less if you are a one-man operation. Based on our industry knowledge and experience dealing with all types of landscaping companies and hearing their origin stories - most landscaping companies will need a good chunk of investment to start and avoid commonly experienced start-up pains, with average landscaping start-up costing between $15,000 to $20,000.

It’s not easy to start a new business, especially if you are new to the profession. So if you know anyone who is considering a landscaping business and has no idea about the costs involved, share this article to help as a starting point.

References:

https://www.insureon.com/landscaping-business-insurance/cost

https://www.nextinsurance.com/blog/landscaper-licensing-requirements/

Why Landscapers Need a Good Website

support@vrdigs.com (Brandon Sierra) — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:20:53 GMT

A website is one of the most powerful tools to help reel in customers and attract others to your services, no matter the business.

If you have a startup landscaping company, winning new jobs from cold introductions can be difficult, and you might get drowned out by the bigger, more reputable, better-known companies.

If you're confident in your abilities as a professional landscaper and the quality of service you provide - in time your reputation will grow and generate referral business. However, you'll need more than just skills and quality service to get to the next level.

A website can give you the edge to attract more customers in the field of landscaping and give you instant credibility for potential customers interacting with your business for the first time. With that said, here are some more reasons why landscapers need a good landscaper website.

Landscaping Leads

Your landscaping company needs sales to stay in business. That is just a fact. Another indisputable fact is that you need leads to generate sales. These can come in the form of referrals, or through inbound traffic from your website.

Competition between landscapers is fierce. In an industry worth over $120 billion, the market is filled with more than 60,000 landscape companies in the US alone. And it's grown at an average of 5.3% per year between 2017 and 2022. Having a competitive edge in the form of a landscaping website is more important than ever.

Most Website Visits Come From Mobile Devices

Since the pandemic started, the amount of people using mobile devices for extended periods of time has increased dramatically. In order to take advantage of the extra screen time and increase the chances that people see your business, you must have a mobile-friendly website.

More so than desktops or laptops, mobile devices and interactive elements like “click-to-call” allow website visitors to quickly convert into interested prospects. The bottom line is that missing out on these key opportunities can cost your business money.

Boost Inbound Search Traffic by Educating Your Clients

In order for people to visit your website, first they will need to find it. To increase the likelihood that they do, you'll need your website to rank higher in the SERPs or search engine results page. You can achieve this with good SEO practices and patience. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a process that makes improvements to your website that go according to search engine algorithms

As mentioned above, Landscaping SEO can help your website attract more clients. You can increase your website's rank with Google or any search engine by providing original, reliable content. You can come up with ideas for generating this content by thinking about important topics related to your industry, such as local lawn care tips, native plants you regularly install, how to get rid of common local pests, and so much more.

With original content , you'll be able to persuade your readers that you are a knowledgeable professional. With this perception of you, they will likely want to know more about your services and how you may be able to help them. Your readers will also be more likely to share your website with others because of the valuable content on your website.

Local Landscaping Price Listing

While some contractors shy away from giving prices up front as a way to engage with would-be customers; sometimes this approach can be counter-productive. If you spend all day haggling with unqualified clients, your chances of actually landing a paying qualified customer diminishes.

Having pricing information available on your website (or at least listing price ranges) can help prequalify your customers and ensure their expectations align with the level of service you want to be known for. While you may get fewer calls, the ones that see your pricing and still want to work with you won’t have sticker shock once you give them your official estimate.

If you present yourself as just another landscaper, with no pricing available, customers will feel empowered to ask for lower prices because they won’t yet value your services. By providing “typical cost” pricing on your website you can demonstrate that you are a professional that knows what it costs to get the job done right and won’t try to rip them off.

Social Proof and Personalization

Google reviews and other review sites allow customers to tell the world about their experience using you as their landscaper. This is why reviews remain one of the most powerful forms of social proof available to showcase on your website. Seeing positive comments from other customers greatly increases the chance that a new customer will do business with you. Showcasing high-scoring reviews on your website is an excellent way to generate more sales.

Apart from the helpful content on your website discussed earlier, you can also include more detailed, personal information about yourself or your company. Things like your background in the industry, the humble beginnings of your company, or the origins of your company name are all great topics you can use to tell your story to visiting audiences and add a personal touch to an otherwise anonymous landscaping company. The more people feel like they know and trust you, the more likely they are to do business with you.

A Website Helps Define Your Niche

Every landscaping service or company has its specialties. Spelling out these specialty services on your website will allow you to separate yourself from other landscaping companies. This is true in both the eyes of the website visitor and for the Google web crawlers that will be analyzing your website content and generating search results with relevant recommendations. With that said, here are some services or niches to consider highlighting:

Commercial Landscaping
Residential Landscaping
Lighting
Tree Felling
Hedge Trimming
Gardening
Lawn Maintenance and Care
Landscape Design

Open All the Time

A lot of brick-and-mortar businesses maintain standard baking hours during the middle of the day. Although closing times and rest are essential, the potential to cater to more clients is lost for these types of business locations once the lights are turned off.

Since a website doesn't close or follow the 9-5 cycle, having a great site live and conducting automated processes 24hrs a day means you'll be able to cater to queries that may lead to more work - even while you sleep.

Common questions such as:

"What are the services you offer?"

"How much for this service?"

can easily be answered using automated replies through messenger chats using bots.

A well-developed, informative website with easy-to-use contact forms will be the gift that keeps on giving year after year.

High-Quality Images of Your Work

Aside from content and contact numbers on your website, you can also post pictures of your past jobs that you are particularly proud of. With these types of portfolio photos and videos, you'll show how effectively you are able to provide landscaping and lawn services.

Some lucky landscape service providers even have awards they have won from local competitions or other events. These types of certificates or badges can make great visual compliments to standard landscaping pictures.

If you use an online web editor tool like Adobe express or Canva, you can even pretty easily place an overlay graphic on top of your original images to ensure they aren’t posted online somewhere else. When potential clients see your work and accolades, they'll be more comfortable hiring your company for their needs.

Information Exchanges and Payment Transactions

Aside from making it easy to contact you, your website can also make it easier for your clients to do business with you. Advanced websites with custom-developed portals, or those integrated with CRMs like Thryv can make common operations like approval of estimates and payment of invoices easy to handle.

Having online options like this available to customers means that if they want to pay upfront, you have a secure payment method option to offer. No need to go to a physical office to process payments or sign documents these days with everything being done virtually.

With just a few clicks and an exchange of messages, your client just has to sit back and wait for your team to arrive at their property. A well-refined and easy-to-use payment process will give customers increased confidence in your company, very often resulting in repeat business or new business from referrals later.

Hiring and Developing Your Crew

When it comes to landscape labor recruitment, there is simply no substitute available today for a good website page dedicated to available jobs at your company. Your workers are what drive your company’s success and without the bodies available to get the work done, you just won’t be able to continue the expansion of your business. Having a career or jobs page detailing your expectations for new hires and providing a form for candidates to fill out will greatly increase your chances of stealing away local landscaping talent from your competitors.

Another lesser-known way you can use your website to strengthen your workforce is through the use of online training and educational resources. Building an internal company wiki or operational checklists can reduce accidents and mishaps on the job that could otherwise delay work being done.

You can also more easily retain top performers by drawing out a career path for them to advance, learn new skills, and eventually make more money for themselves. Showing your employees that they have a future with your company will boost morale and productivity. Neglecting your workers and taking them for granted is one of the fastest ways to lose workers and find yourself scrambling to find help.

Key Takeaways

No matter what business you're in, today’s digital economy has only been accelerated by recent events and it's best to take advantage of a website's benefits. In a competitive industry such as landscaping, you should follow the proven steps that successful companies have used to separate yourself from the rest of the pack.

Having a website that's easy to navigate and find useful information on can do wonders for your business. If you need more convincing, just refer to thousands of failed landscaping businesses out there that have decided it wasn’t necessary or worth the investment.

If you are curious about how much a landscaping website costs and the different pricing options available, contact VRDigs and schedule a no-obligation consultation with industry pros that exclusively specialize in landscaping websites.

References:

Zippia. "20 Budding Landscaping Industry Statistics [2022]: Landscaping Industry Trends, Market, And Projections" Zippia.com. Nov. 15, 2022, https://www.zippia.com/advice/landscaping-industry-statistics/

Professional Landscaping 101: What Tools Should Landscapers Have?

support@vrdigs.com (Brandon Sierra) — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 03:07:50 GMT

Like any other trade, having the proper tools you need to do the job effectively can make all the difference while growing a successful landscaping business. Without the proper tools, the quality you can deliver to your customers will suffer and you won’t be efficient out in the field. While this is now means meant to be an exhaustive list or in-depth explanation of each tool; this guide is meant to introduce new landscapers to everything you should be thinking about while just getting started booking your first jobs.

Imagine using a pair of scissors to cut a patch of grass. Or how about using a spoon to dig a hole? There's also a saying that goes on like: "You're only as good as the tools you use." In landscaping that saying holds true. Of course, there will be instances when you will have to make do with what you have - especially in the beginning. But as you grow and you’re able to afford to reinvest your profits, money well spent is on tools that will help you take on bigger jobs, get them done faster, and make more money with less time and effort.

With the right professional landscape tools , you'll be able to produce great results that your clients will want more of. This will ideally result in repeat business and referrals - snowballing your growth even further. So if you're considering venturing into the landscaping industry, or just getting started building out your tool inventory, here are some of the must-have tools every landscaper should be carrying.

A Professional Landscaper Needs a Truck

Showing up to your client’s property in a 2-door sedan with rakes and shovels sticking out of the side windows and a mower falling out of your trunk is not the first impression you want to make. This unprofessional appearance is a red flag that will immediately start your customer relationship off on the wrong foot. Adding to that, it is very unlikely that you will win any interest from neighbors who will also see this as off-putting spectacle.

Full-size 4x4 Pickup

When you're talking about perfect landscaping vehicles to be used for transporting tools, equipment, and crew members - it’s hard to beat a full-size 4x4 truck. A truck is what most people associate with professional landscaping and for good reason. While the 4-wheel drive is absolutely necessary, the extra traction may help in certain off-road situations such as backing up to unload at a hard-to-reach spot on-site.

The truck bed is easily accessible and long enough for most hand tools to be quickly loaded and unloaded while traveling from job to job. You can also transport small landscape material loads like mulch, sod, and fill dirt in the bed of a truck. Let’s see you do that in your mom's Honda Civic! If you're doing any debris removal or tree work, a truck can also help haul away yard waste, which can be secured with ropes, netting, or tarps.

The other benefit of a full-size truck as compared to a smaller vehicle is the increased towing capacity for towing a trailer. If you end up expanding your lawn maintenance portfolio, you will likely eventually want to buy a zero-turn mower to speed up cut time at each property. This is going to require a trailer and hence, a truck powerful enough to tow it safely.

Diesel Truck

You may also consider an upgrade to something with even more horsepower like a heavy-duty diesel depending on what you plan on towing, estimated travel distance, and terrain. This really comes down to budget and availability as in most instances, that extra power will come with a bigger price tag and added fuel costs.

Box Truck

Box trucks may be a great option for you as well and have the added benefit of keeping your equipment dry during unexpected rain. They also negate the need for a cargo trailer as they can lock and keep your expensive tools safe from any opportunistic thieves.

Must-Have Landscaping Hand Tools

As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of hand tools out here, but we'll do our best to list some of the most essential and commonly used items. Depending on your location and the type of work you do, this list could be different. As you figure out your regional, and seasonal demands, and the nuances of each of your properties/projects, you will likely develop your own techniques and routines including your own list of what job types need which tools. Here’s the list with a very brief description of each:

Flexible Steel Rake

This quintessential tool helps you corral leaves, excess plant material, grass clippings, and anything else small you need to “comb” off of the ground without damaging turf.

Hard Steel Rake

This tool is often used to separate rocks, sticks, or other larger, harder materials from soil or grass. It can also be a great tool for leveling out gravel or fill dirt.

Square Point Shovel

These tools are mainly used for moving loose material, breaking up clumps of soil, and transporting dirt. These shovels are great for scooping up material off of a flat surface.

Edging Shovel

If you do a lot of lawn maintenance, this tool is great for setting edges and defining clean lines in your landscaping.

Spade Shovel

Spades are best used to dig compact dirt. The pointed edge helps penetrate thick material. This tool is a must-have when doing plant installs and most other landscaping work.

Wide Scoop Shovel

The shovels are often made of hard plastic or aluminum and feature a wide mouth that allows for materials to be swept or raked into the collection surface, making for an easy lift into a larger container.

Shears

Heavy-duty scissors-like blades that are used to cut small branches. Shears also make it easier when shaping or trimming hedges and bushes.

Loppers

Similar to shears, loppers have longer handles, so you'll be able to cut thicker branches cleanly.

Soil Tamper

These tools are used to pack materials such as soil, gravel, sand, etc. They can also help with leveling uneven ground.

Lawn Aerator

Aerators do the opposite of tampers; they break up hard clumps of soil and other materials making it easy to manipulate material when planting or gardening.

Tarp or Barrel

These "do it all" tools can be used while either collecting/moving/delivering materials to a job site, or removing materials from a job site.

Wheel Barrel

One of the first great inventions of mankind still has a million uses for landscapers today. Transporting plants and materials over uneven surfaces is much easier with a strong landscaper and a good-quality wheel barrel.

Gas-Powered or Electric Landscaping Power Tools

While we will save the debate about electric versus gas for another day, but many modern landscapers will usually have some combination of gas AND electric power tools. These high-powered pieces of equipment are for heavier, more demanding tasks or repetitive tasks such as cutting grass, tree branches, job site cleaning, etc. Here are some examples of these types of tools:

Lawn Mower

Used to cut grass. Differing run times, blade sizes, turning radius, and attachments for cleaning up clippings can all factor into choosing the right mower for you.

String Trimmer

These tools are great for cutting weeds and grass from the edges of lawns and won't damage most hard surfaces like concrete.

Leaf Blower

This tool is primarily used to move fallen leaves off of lawns or plant beds, or clear grass clippings off of concrete or paved surfaces.

Chainsaw

These powerful cutting tools are commonly used to fell downed trees and cut troublesome tree limbs.

Essential Landscape Marketing and Business Tools

While some of the tools listed previously may seem obvious, especially to a seasoned landscaping worker just venturing out on their own - the next group of tools may not be so obvious. The following list of items are things a landscaping business owner needs to have in place. These are the bare minimum business and marketing tools you will need to communicate with your customers and plan your landscaping operations.

A Friendly and Professional Demeanor

Professional landscaping is built on relationships. If you are unpleasant or unreliable to deal with, you won’t be in business for long. There are too many DIY options and competitors out there for anyone to deal with unprofessional or rude service. Take care of your customers, be honest, and communicate well or you will quickly be replaced.

Business Cards

Most of your early business transactions will likely be done with a handshake. It’s at this moment you want to have a business card to pass along to your new or prospective customer that contains your contact information at a minimum. Don’t worry too much about a fancy logo or list of every service you can provide. These early customers will remember you by your name, face, and how you engaged with them. You can upgrade to fancy stuff later, but for now, just focus on making sure the information on the card is easy to read and accurate.

Cell Phone

This might seem like a no-brainer, but what we want to focus on is maintaining a consistent cell phone number. Even more important than a 5G device that can 3D scan and teleport information to the metaverse, a reliable cell phone number that doesn’t keep changing over time is so important for your customers and your evolving marketing efforts.

Nowadays, you really should also have a phone with a decent camera. Sharing your pictures online is going to be a critical component of building your reputation and winning more jobs. You don’t have to break the bank for all the bells and whistles, but you also want to make sure you can showcase your work with good high-quality images if you can afford it.

Business Email Address

Just as important as keeping a reliable phone number is setting up a business email address. The email you made for your dating profile, or the one you customized for fantasy football probably isn’t the best to share with clients for several reasons. You can easily make a simple, professional email that is unique and will be easy for customers to remember. Think of something like FirstnameCitynameLandscaping@gmail.com if you can’t come up with something better than that. Again just be sure that it will be consistent, something that makes sense, and something that is ideally easy to remember.

This will likely be how much of your landscaping business is done at the beginning. Sharing documents, accepting payments, etc - most of these types of things can be done through email so make sure you get this one right and that you are putting forth the professional appearance you want people to see when deciding whether they should do business with you.

Website or Business Profile

Another less-obvious tool you should have as a landscaper is a website . With a website, you'll be able to attract more clients, raise your reputation, and have a platform to conduct business through. Of course, this expense may be out of reach if you are just starting out on your own, but today there are many simple and affordable website options out there.

At the very least, you must establish a social media profile or business directory listing that lists your contact information and some basic details about your business. These free alternatives can replace a website at the beginning, but you will eventually want to transition to an actual website to enhance your professional presentation as you grow your business.

Digital Calendar

There are lots of free options for online calendars as well. Many options like Google, will also integrate directly with your email address making it easy to transfer information from email conversations into your operations schedule. Use your calendar to input important information about your customers, projects, and of course dates/times/locations.

Most online calendars make it easy to share information with others using their email address so this is an easy, free way to ensure that any crew members you add to your team will also be able to see project details and even add additional information.

Conclusion

Landscaping is a very rewarding industry to be in. Aside from big returns, you get to see your work's beauty. However, you need the proper tools to start delivering great quality work. Although this list is incomplete, the tools mentioned above are some must-haves for those wanting to get into the landscaping industry and want to give themselves the best chance at succeeding right out of the gates.

How Much Does A Landscaping Website Cost?

support@vrdigs.com (Brandon Sierra) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 23:13:56 GMT

If you’ve been researching web development and design costs, you’d probably be surprised at what you see. Prices can vary, with some companies promising a whole website for a couple of dollars and others asking for a monthly subscription. So, to clear out the confusion, this article will tell you what a landscaping website costs and what’s included in your investments.

What Should a Landscape Website Cost?

The price of a high-quality landscaping website can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000, depending on the number of pages, features, and design work that go into it. The reason for such a wide range in pricing can often be attributed to variables like custom images, SEO work, and more. It’s kind of like asking a landscaper how much it costs for a mow and spring cleaning. While some factors will be the same or similar regardless of the project, there are many unknowns that must be discovered before giving an accurate cost estimate.

When deciding how much to spend on your landscaping website, it's important to consider not just the upfront cost, but the ongoing costs associated with hosting, management, and regular maintenance needed to keep a website active.

The long-term value of having a well-designed site can pay for itself many times over by bringing in new customers and helping you increase sales. At VRDigs, our landscaping website prices start with an initial investment of around $1000!

What Goes into a High-Quality Landscaping Website?

Before you pay a company to make your landscaping website, you need to know what you are investing in, why some companies will charge you more, and whether or not you are getting the full package.

Custom vs. Template Websites

One of the main drivers of website costs is if it’s fully custom or a template website. If you use Wix, Squarespace, or a hiring company that uses such services, your website will not truly be a custom website (built from the ground up).

That’s not to say template websites are not worth it. A template website may be the best option if you are still starting or have a small company. But it will come with limitations on most well-known website builders.

If you want a unique website with custom HTML/CSS coding and features, you need to hire a company that builds a custom solution. But it will cost you more. There is also more risk of something breaking while your site is being built.

Using a website template can be compared to buying a working car from a dealership and then adding your own upgrades. Compare this to starting from scratch and ordering each individual auto part of the frame, engine, and all components - you can probably imagine how building something this way could easily cause something to unexpectedly go wrong once the car is finally ready and out on the road.

Our landscaping website platform provides the best of both worlds. Our Landscaping website themes are optimized from research and evaluation of what design aspects a well-performing website should have. Once selected, these sites can be fully customized using our powerful website editor that allows custom CSS and HTML modifications. These upgrades can not only tweak the design of your website, but they can also give a significant advantage in local SEO using techniques like semantic HTML and other on-page SEO tricks.

Responsive Design

Any website you build should work optimally no matter what device accesses it. These days, you will find plenty of website visitors on the go and using their mobile devices like smartphones or tablets - instead of using traditional desktop machines or laptops.

When the internet started and the first landscaping websites were built, the primary strategy was only building websites for desktop computers and there was really only one design layout through which visitors could view your site. That has shifted to also include mobile, tablet, and dynamic (adaptable) versions because the modern user is on the move often viewing sites through their smart device.

Today, it is critical to ensure that people can view your website on any device. If you are still not quite sure what we are referring to - think of a time when you visited a website from your phone that was not mobile-friendly. You probably experienced tiny letters, weird layouts, and links too small to actually click. Obviously, this is not what you want your potential customers to experience when arriving at your site and considering if they should hire you as their landscape contractor.

SSL Secured Website

You can never be too careful with cyber security these days. Especially with the abundance of hackers and cybercriminals seeking to find weak link opportunities to insert malicious code.

Your users also prefer secured websites. These are websites with HTTPS instead of HTTP, with the “S” standing for secure. Most modern-day browsers like Google Chrome will give a prominent error message when visiting a website that is not secured. This can immediately break the trust of a prospective customer who will associate doing business with you as potentially dangerous. Again, this is not what you want for your landscaping clients.

You’ll also hurt your ranking in local search results if you don’t have a secured website. Google pretty much demands that websites have SSL installed and those that do not have any chance of ranking on the first page - even if the rest of the website content is perfectly matched to what someone is searching for.

On-Page SEO Optimization

There is plenty of data embedded into the back end of a website that users may never even notice or see. But all of this information is essential to ensure your website will load properly, look good, and perform well. When it comes to SEO, this “hidden” information is what Google’s web crawlers primarily use to figure out what your website is about when performing their updated algorithm scans.

Some examples of this info are the metadata (the title you see in websites and browsers) and the meta description (the content under the titles of search results). It can take time and effort to create a strategy that utilizes these features, causing your website to show in search results and getting users to click. If you are interested in learning more about what on-page SEO elements a landscaping website should have, you can start by downloading our SEO Checklist . This comprehensive list can also be shared with any website developer or SEO professional to ensure you are giving your website the best chance to succeed in search.

Your website also needs to have a solid foundation of technical coding running on the background of your web pages to ensure everything is operating optimally.

Lead Generation Optimization

When your website is finally live, you don’t want it to be just a virtual brochure. You want visitors to have their qualifying questions answered, interact with your content, and finally, convert into landscaping leads.

How many websites have you visited where you have to hunt around to find business contact information? This may seem obvious, but because of the rise in DIY and easy-launch websites, this type of critical information can be neglected or sometimes just left out altogether.

This is why it is crucial to understand what information your customers will be looking for and what their user experience will be when navigating your site - all while evaluating you as their landscaper. A good site will lead them in the right direction they want to take while also funneling them into a conversion (contact form) through which they leave their own contact information and details about the types of services they need help with.

Connect to Google Analytics and Search Console

Once the time, money, and effort are spent building the perfect landscaping website, it would be best to track everything with analytics and other similar tools. These tools will show what your visitors do when they visit your site and answer questions like:

Where did they come from?
How long do they stay on your website?
Which web pages perform the best?

This information is essential in knowing the performance of your website so you can create strategies to further increase traffic and potential customers.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now understand how much a landscaping website costs, where that money goes, and why investing in your website can pay dividends for your landscaping or lawn care business over the long term.

Choosing a landscaping marketing agency that can work with your budget and get you desired results you are looking for can be an ultra-important aspect of getting you to the next stage of growth. Visit our landscaping website pricing page for additional information on the available options we offer.

If you know anyone wondering how much a landscaping website costs, share this article with them. You also contact VRDigs support at any time with questions about our website pricing, products, or services.

VRDigs - Landscape Design and Landscaping Websites

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 16:46:11 GMT

By Utilizing Powerful New Design Technology VRDigs is Reshaping the Landscaping Industry

Learning about the Landscape Design and Landscaping business on the Internet can be a frustrating experience if you don’t know where to go or who to trust. With our Landscape Design and Landscaping Website services , you can rest assured that your online presence will be professional, consistent with your local marketing materials, and help you stand out from your competition. We’ll give you everything you need to succeed with an effective, highly visible website – to white-label landscape design services, all starting at entry-level prices new landscape contractors can afford.

Improving Communication Between Landscape Contractors and Property Owners

Most homeowners realize that a well designed landscape adds value to their home. In fact, research from The National Gardening Association shows that a professionally designed landscapes can add as much as 20% to your home’s resale value! But homeowners often don’t realize how easy it is to make a great first impression on potential buyers.

We wanted to make it easy for homeowners to submit their design ideas and receive beautifully 3D renderings of what their outdoor space could look like. Then, homeowners can bring these design ideas to an experienced Landscape Contractor who will be able to better understand what they want.

Empowering Landscape Contractors

Our team of experienced landscape designers can help you create a beautiful outdoor living space for you or your business. If you’re in need of landscaping website services, we also offer world-class web design specifically tailored to attract and retain satisfied customers.

Looking for a Landscape Design services provider or landscaping website services provider? If so, look no further than VRDigs . We offer excellent customer service combined with impressive landscape design knowledge to help you create beautiful outdoor living spaces.

Improving everything from website SEO, to project operations including managing estimates, invoices and processing payments - out powerful website and software packages will take your business to the next level.

How We can Help You?

VRDigs is a landscape design services provider that specializes in a set of unique landscape-centered services. When you choose us for your landscape design needs, you benefit from both industry experience and high-end technology, which is dedicated to delivering high-quality website development solutions.

We believe that your landscaping company needs to be more than just a service provider; it also needs to be an extension of your brand. That’s why we do more than design landscaping solutions for our clients; we create beautiful, user-friendly, and easy-to-maintain landscaping websites for contractors while extending that same quality to your customers.

In addition, we also provide a full range of traditional print-marketing services for landscape contractors including logo design and business cards . Still not sure what's the best solution for you and your team? Contact us to set-up a free, no obligation landscaping business evaluation and find out where you stack-up compared to your competitors.

Conclusion

If you're interested in learning more, or have unanswered questions about just how we are able to provide these services - contact us today or schedule a business analysis to see what services are best suited for a company at your stage of growth.