How to Grow a Landscaping Business in 13 Steps

1. Plan for growth

If you want your landscaping business to grow, you need a workable plan to get there.

That doesn’t mean you have to write a super complex business plan, but it does mean setting clear goals and thinking ahead. Start by identifying what “growth” means to you: 

• Do you want to add more clients to your recurring roster?
• Could your business benefit from larger one-time contracts on new projects? 
• Are you ready to hire and send out a second crew of lawn care professionals? 

After you’ve thought through these questions, brainstorm a list of small, actionable steps you’ll need to make your goals a reality.

Use a simple spreadsheet to map out your ideas, list the resources you’ll need (people, equipment, and training), and sketch out a rough timeline. Thoughtful planning also includes thinking about any factors that could slow you down (like staffing shortages or equipment repairs) and having backup ideas ready. 

The goal? Growing intentionally and sustainably to make sure your business can bloom with less stress.

2. Expand your online presence

Having a strong online presence is a must for growth, and it starts with two key pieces of the puzzle—a professional landscaping website and your social media accounts.

Your business website should have a user-friendly design that loads fast and is easy for visitors to find what they need. If it’s slow to load or difficult to inquire about services, visitors won’t stick around long. They’ll turn to your competitors.

You’ll also want to include:

• Your business information, contact details, and service area.
• A complete list of the services you offer, and a detailed description of each.
• A portfolio section that showcases your best work with before-and-after images.
• Reviews or testimonials from satisfied customers.
• An online booking system so prospects and clients can easily select and book the services they need, like planting shrubs or installing a pond.

Your social media accounts will help you stay in front of current clients and get discovered by new ones. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great for showing off your work, sharing tips, and posting seasonal promos.

Primero TX Landscaping uses their Facebook page to share images of completed jobs.

3. Create efficient schedules and maximize productivity 

Scheduling efficient routes for your team reduces travel time between jobs and saves on fuel costs. This allows you to fit more jobs into your day, provide faster service to clients, and improve your overall efficiency. All of these factors add up to serious growth potential.

When you use Jobber’s route optimization software, you can visualize your visits for the day and automatically generate the fastest, most fuel-efficient route.

4. Send professional quotes, faster

Responding quickly to a quote request shows potential clients that you’re reliable and gives you an edge over competitors who take longer to respond. 

Use a landscaping proposal template or quoting platform like Jobber. With quoting software, you can quickly generate professional, detailed quotes that include itemized lists of services and materials, such as the cost of paver blocks and the labor required for installation.

5. Offer the highest quality services

High-quality services lead to happy customers who are more likely to recommend your landscaping business to their friends and family. Ensure that every project—whether it’s building a patio, installing a fountain, or maintaining a lawn—exceeds your quality standards. 

Here are a few steps you can take to go the extra mile:

• Deliver standout landscaping services. Stay on top of new landscaping industry trends, use premium materials, and train your team to create fresh, expert designs.
  
• Make customer service effortless. Use Jobber for automated client communication whenever you want to keep clients in the know. This might include sending an “On my way” text update, or a response to a customer question or complaint.
  
• Simplify the client experience. Use a platform like Jobber’s Client Hub to let customers request work, approve new quotes, and pay invoices online. The more easy and accessible each step is, the more likely it is that a client will book new work or send payment promptly.

When you commit to these small actions, you’ll out-deliver the competition. 

Being professional and courteous helps build strong relationships with clients, and it can even turn first-time customers into loyal customers for life.

READ MORE: Landscaping services list: What to offer your customers

6. Retain existing clients

How solid is your customer base? It’s usually easier and more cost-effective to retain the clients you already have than it is to acquire new ones.

To keep your clients coming back, you’ll need to provide exceptional service, maintain regular communication, and offer loyalty programs or discounts for repeat business. 

For example, your business could offer a loyalty program where clients get a discount after their third lawn maintenance service. You could also send seasonal reminders for services like leaf removal in the fall and grass fertilization in the spring.

This approach not only keeps existing clients coming back, but also encourages them to book additional services with a provider they know and trust.

READ MORE: Bid landscaping jobs the right way to win more work

7. Build your reputation with online reviews

Online reviews are a digital marketing strategy that can help build your reputation as a trusted landscaper and encourage potential clients to book your services. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other review platforms.

You can ask for reviews in person or over the phone when the job is done, thanking them for their business. Or, set up an automatic review collection with Jobber Reviews.

When you make an invoice in Jobber, you can choose whether to send the customer a review request.

8. Network with people in your community

Join local business groups and community associations like the Chamber of Commerce. You can also participate in community events to build relationships with potential clients.

Networking helps you build a strong local presence and generate referrals. Being active in the community can get your brand into the public eye and improve credibility.

Here are a few other ways you can connect with your local community:

• Donate to or volunteer at fundraisers or holiday events
• Sponsor a local youth sports team
• Attend trade shows and talk to other businesses about your services
• Look for partners in other labor industries, like roofing and construction, that can refer leads to you and vice versa

One lawn care business owner Reddit user recommends screen printing your logo or business name on shirts that will be visible as people go about their day:

“Believe it or not, you should print nice t-shirts with your name and phone number on them. I get a ton of people walking up to me in restaurants or stores, and they want landscaping work done and want to ask about my business.”

9. Offer seasonal promotions

To get more business during slow seasons, offer special promotions or seasonal discounts. Even a small incentive can encourage customers to book services they might not have considered otherwise. This strategy helps fill your schedule and keeps your revenue flowing year-round.

Discounts on spring clean-ups, fall leaf removal, or winter snow removal can boost business during those seasons. Make sure that you advertise that the offer is exclusive—either for a limited time or just for a certain number of clients.

Promotions can also attract new customers and encourage existing clients to choose your services more frequently. Offering a 15% discount on spring clean-up services, for example, and announcing it on social media could lead to more bookings.

10. Train and upskill your employees

Ongoing training keeps your team updated on the latest landscaping trends, techniques, and safety protocols. Education not only helps employees improve the quality of their work, but also creates a safer working environment.

Provide regular training for your team to ensure they’re knowledgeable and prepared on the job. You could set up a monthly training session, covering topics like new planting techniques, proper equipment usage, and safety protocols.

As a result, you’ll hopefully see fewer project accidents, an increase in quality, and higher customer satisfaction.

11. Diversify your service offerings

Offering a range of landscaping services—rather than specializing in just one or two—promotes a steady income stream throughout the year. By meeting more of your clients’ needs, you can boost your revenue and keep your team busy.

One way to diversify is by adding winter services like snow removal, holiday light installation, or even pest control. For example, if you’re based in the Northeast, offering snow removal can help you generate revenue during the colder months when landscaping work typically slows down. 

You can also offer:

• Leaf removal in the fall
• Snow clearing in the winter
• Garden prep or tilling in the spring
• Mulching and flower bed maintenance in the summer

The trick to selling seasonal services is timing. Promote them a few weeks before your clients will need them—whether that’s through a quick email, a social media post, or a friendly mention during a regular visit.

You can also bundle seasonal services together and offer a small discount for booking in advance. Making things easier for your clients—and giving them fewer tasks to manage—is a simple way to earn loyalty and grow your business.

Expanding your services not only strengthens your business—it builds deeper relationships with clients who come to rely on you for more than just basic lawn care.

READ MORE: How to start a snow removal business

12. Invest in top-quality equipment

Invest in the best tools and equipment (such as mowers, trimmers, and leaf blowers) to increase efficiency and the amount of work you can do. In the long run, quality equipment reduces the likelihood of breakdowns and repairs, which can disrupt your schedule and be more costly.

With a better set of gear, your team can:

• Enjoy using quality equipment
• Work more efficiently with fewer issues
• Complete more jobs faster
• Deliver better results to clients

13. Monitor your finances

Regularly review your financial statements and use accounting software to track revenue, expenses, and profits.

Keeping a close eye on your financial health helps you make informed decisions about where to cut unnecessary expenses and where to invest more to improve profit margins.

Here are a few key aspects to pay attention to:

• Revenue trends: Monitor your revenue trends over time. If your revenue isn’t growing but your expenses are, it may indicate a need to adjust your service pricing or expand your service offerings to increase income.
• Operational efficiency: Analyze the cost of labor, materials, and overhead against the revenue generated from each project. Understanding your operations’ efficiency helps identify areas where you can streamline workflows, reduce waste, and improve profitability.
• Accounts receivable: Monitor your accounts receivable and the average time it takes for clients to pay. Implementing stricter payment terms can improve cash flow.
• Growth investments: Track investments in growth initiatives like marketing campaigns and new equipment. Assessing the return on investment (ROI) helps you determine which strategies are most effective in driving growth.

READ MORE: 9 Landscaping business tips to improve operations

14. Expand your service area

Once you’ve got a solid workflow and happy customers, it might be time to expand into nearby neighborhoods or towns. 

Start small by choosing an area close to your current base so you don’t stretch your team too thin. Before diving in, do a quick market check: Are there a lot of homes or businesses that could use your services? Does a local competitor already have a big presence?

After you’ve expanded, be sure to update your website, Google Business Profile, and any local listings to include that location. Run a few targeted ads or leave flyers at local hardware stores and community boards. 

If you already have a happy customer in the area, ask them to spread the word or offer an incentive for a few referrals.