The winter months can be the toughest time for lawn care businesses. But just because grass stops growing doesn’t mean you have to stop making money. With some planning and creativity, you can keep revenue flowing during the off-season. Here are some great options to help make money with your lawn care business in the winter.
Offer Snow Removal Services
Providing snow plowing and shoveling services is one of the most obvious but profitable winter offerings. Inventory your equipment – invest in plow attachments for trucks/tractors and high-quality snow blowers. Identify your service area and promote heavily to both residential and commercial clients before the snow starts falling. Offer tiered pricing packages for plowing parking lots and driveways on an on-call or contracted basis. Hire temporary workers as subcontractors if needed to cover many clients.
Provide Fall and Winter Yard Cleanups
As trees lose their leaves in autumn, homeowners will need help clearing away the fallen debris. Marketfall leaf, brush, and yard debris cleanups to current and new clients. Offer both one-time cleanups and regularly scheduled services through the fall. Dispose of the debris yourself or bundle branches for clients who want firewood. This transitions nicely into spring cleanup pre-mowing season.
Deliver Firewood
If you have the capabilities to hand-split firewood, this makes an excellent winter service. A cord of wood split, stacked, and delivered can bring in over $200 in many areas. Market your firewood early in the fall months before winter stocks run low. Consider selling kindling bundles and fire starters alongside your regular logs.
Hang Holiday Lights and Decor
Offering to install and take down outdoor holiday lighting and decorations on homes and businesses gives you revenue in late fall and early winter. Market these servicesbefore Halloween. Provide options like roof lighting, wreaths on doors or fences, and full lighting displays. Use neat and uniform lighting designs that really wow.
Provide Tree and Shrub Pruning
Dormant tree and shrub pruning is best done in winter. Pruning when plants are dormant allows them to direct full energy into healing come spring. Market pruning services to manage growth, improve structure, and remove dead wood. Educate clients on proper technique and timing.
Service Generators
Be prepared to service, repair, or replace generators and automatic standby systems in preparation for winter storms. Offer preventative maintenance and inspection packages in early fall. Be available for emergency generator services when winter weather knocks out power. Keep spare generator parts on hand.
Attend Industry Trade Shows
Consider reserving booth space and attending any regional or national trade shows and conventions for the landscaping industry that occur in the winter months. Introduce your services to new audiences and network with existing industry peers to make valuable connections.
Offer Pressure Washing
While pressure washing is popular in summer, properly marketing this service for fall and winter cleaning can attract clients. Remove built up grime from siding, decks, driveways and patios. Use correct pressure settings for weathered or delicate surfaces. Bundle with exterior holiday decorating.
Provide Junk Removal
With people stuck indoors more during winter, it’s a great time to market junk removal and haul away services. Remove unwanted furniture, appliances, remodeling debris that clutter up homes and garages. Pitch as convenient holiday clean up and decluttering help. Offer flexible hourly rates or flat fees per truckload.
With creative thinking and diverse offerings, a lawn care business can prosper year-round, even during the winter off-season. By carefully planning and marketing the services described, you can keep your schedule filled and revenue steady. With hard work and dedication to customer service, your business can be a true 12-month operation.