Landscaping Business Plan Template
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Landscaping businesses run the gamut from one-person lawn care services to huge companies with dozens of locations. As long as people and businesses have lawns, there will always be work, yet many landscapers fail in the first year, often due to haphazard and unsustainable growth. A written business plan can help you avoid this trap by delineating a clear road map for organized growth. In addition, if you plan to seek outside funding, your business plan is essential to convincing investors or lenders to take a chance on your company.
Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 2,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their landscaping companies. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a landscaping business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.
Download our Landscaping Business Plan Template here >
What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan provides a snapshot of your landscaping business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.
Why You Need a Business Plan
If you’re looking to start a landscaping business or grow your existing landscaping business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your landscaping business in order to improve your chances of success. Your landscaping business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.
Source of Funding for Landscaping Businesses
With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a landscaping company are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.
The second most common form of funding for a landscaping company is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.
How to Write a Business Plan for a Landscaping Company
Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:
Executive Summary
Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.
The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of landscaping company you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a landscaping business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of landscaping companies.
Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the landscaping industry. Discuss the type of landscaping company you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.
Company Analysis
In your company analysis, you will detail the type of landscaping company you are operating.
For example, you might operate one of the following types:
- Commercial : this type of landscaping company provides services to commercial facilities, municipal buildings, and campuses. This type of business provides lawn maintenance, as well as tree and shrub services and exterior landscaping installation.
- Residential : this type of landscaping company typically focuses on lawn maintenance for households and multifamily properties.
- Landscape design : this type of landscaping company includes the construction of embankments, terraces and retaining walls used in landscape structures, in addition to walkways, decks, fences, ponds and similar structures.
- Arborist services : Arborists undertake the cultivation and management of individual trees or trees within a small area, as opposed to similar professionals in the forestry industries. Arborist services also include tree felling and surgery.
In addition to explaining the type of landscaping company you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.
Include answers to question such as:
- When and why did you start the business?
- What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
- Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.
Industry Analysis
In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the landscaping company.
While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.
First, researching the landscaping industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.
Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards residential outdoor kitchens, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for employing plenty of skilled labor.
The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.
The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your landscaping business plan:
- How big is the landscaping industry (in dollars)?
- Is the market declining or increasing?
- Who are the key competitors in the market?
- Who are the key suppliers in the market?
- What trends are affecting the industry?
- What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
- What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your landscaping company. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.
Customer Analysis
The customer analysis section of your landscaping business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.
The following are examples of customer segments: families, baby boomers, businesses, etc.
As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of landscaping company you operate. Clearly baby boomers would want different pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than businesses.
Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most landscaping companies primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.
Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.
Finish Your Landscaping Business Plan in 1 Day!
Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your landscaping business plan?
With Growthink’s Ultimate Landscaping Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!
Click here to finish your landscaping business plan today.
Competitive Analysis
Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.
Direct competitors are other landscaping businesses.
Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to choose from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes DIY platforms such as TaskRabbit, or doing the landscaping themselves. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone uses a landscaping business for lawn maintenance.
With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other landscaping businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be landscaping businesses located very close to your location.
For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:
- What types of customers do they serve?
- What products/services do they offer?
- What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
- What are they good at?
- What are their weaknesses?
With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.
The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:
- Will you provide superior landscaping services?
- Will you provide landscaping services that your competitors don’t offer?
- Will you make it easier or faster for customers to schedule your services?
- Will you provide better customer service?
- Will you offer better pricing?
Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.
Marketing Plan
Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a landscaping business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:
Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of landscaping business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to mowing and trimming lawns, will you offer services such as insect and weed control?
Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.
Place : Place refers to the location of your landscaping business. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your landscaping business located near a garden supply store, or greenhouse, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers.
Promotions : the final part of your landscaping business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:
- Advertising in local papers and magazines
- Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
- Pay per click advertising
- Local radio advertising
- Banner ads at local venues
Operations Plan
While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.
Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your landscaping business such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the equipment maintained, etc.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 100th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch in a new city.
Management Team
To demonstrate your landscaping business’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.
Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the landscaping business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.
If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in landscaping businesses and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.
Financial Plan
Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.
Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.
In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 100 customers per week or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.
Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your landscaping business (purchasing equipment, etc.), that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.
Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a homeowner approached you with a $50,000 hardscaping contract, that would cost you $25,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $25,000 now for supplies, equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the client didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180 day period, you could run out of money.
In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a landscaping business:
- Cost of equipment like mowers, trailers, weed trimmers, clippers, etc.
- Cost of maintaining an adequate amount of supplies (i.e. bug and weed killer, etc.)
- Payroll or salaries paid to staff
- Business insurance
- Taxes and permits
- Legal expenses
Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.
Landscaping Business Plan Summary
Putting together a business plan for your landscaping business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the landscaping business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful landscaping business.
Download Our Landscaping Business Plan PDF
You can download our landscaping business plan PDF here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.
OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You
Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.
Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.
Landscaping Business Plan FAQs
What is the easiest way to complete my landscaping business plan.
Growthink's Ultimate Landscaping Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Landscaping Business Plan.
Where Can I Download a Landscaping Business Plan PDF?
You can download our landscaping business plan PDF template here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.
Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates
How to write an effective landscaping business plan
Key takeaways
- An organized business plan paves the way to launch a successful landscaping company
- Landscaping business plans are just as important for new companies as they are for established companies seeking investors
- There are seven core sections of a landscaping business plan that can help you succeed and reach profitability
A landscaping business plan is a must if you’re thinking about starting your own landscaping company or seeking funds to grow your business. More than just a document, a business plan is a valuable tool all small business owners should rely on to plan a successful company.
Business plans benefit companies of all stages—whether you’re just launching your lawn care business or already have a few years under your belt. In fact, companies that take the time to write a business plan typically grow 30% faster than those that don’t .
Although writing a business plan takes a significant amount of planning and research, the process doesn’t need to be overly complicated. There are seven core sections to include. Learn how to write your landscaping business plan so you can set your company up for success and secure the funding you need from potential investors.
7 core sections of a landscaping business plan
A landscaping business plan allows you to set your company up for success. It helps you figure out if you have a viable business idea, creates a roadmap for launching your business, and organizes your thoughts.
Your landscaping business plan should include the following seven sections:
- Executive summary
- Business description
- Market analysis
- Services or product line
- Operations and management
- Marketing and sales
- Financial factors
Let’s review the specific details you should include in each section of your business plan.
1. Executive summary
An executive summary gives an overall description of your company and kicks off your business plan . It describes who you are, what you do, and why your landscaping company will succeed.
You can keep this section brief and high level, but make sure to include the following:
- Mission statement
- Description of your business
- Leadership team and number of employees
- Services you offer
- Where you’re doing business
- Why you’ll succeed
It’s good practice to write your executive summary after you’ve filled out all other sections of your business plan . This will help you first figure out all the details regarding your business, allowing you to then craft an effective executive summary .
2. Business description
The business description goes more in-depth and covers the finer details of your landscaping business . This is where you explain your competitive advantage, which problems you solve, and why your company will succeed in your market.
Highlight the value you bring to consumers and what sets you apart from your competition. Be clear about what makes you better than competitors and outline your company’s strengths.
Do you have employees who have many years of experience in the landscaping business ? Is there an opening in the market that makes you uniquely fit to fill a certain niche?
Also, discuss which customers you plan on serving. Is your target market more focused on residential customers, like homeowners ? Or will you go after commercial customers, such as offices and larger business accounts?
3. Market analysis
Before jumping into starting your own landscaping business , you must take a look at the overall industry and your competition . Analyzing the market helps you determine if there’s enough room in your area for another business like yours to be successful.
Take a look at the landscaping industry as a whole. Is consumer spending within the landscaping industry on the rise?
You can estimate market saturation by simply taking a count of how many landscaping businesses are operating in your area. Figure out where these landscaping companies serve and determine if there’s an opportunity for you to enter the market and win over new customers.
Analyze what these competitors are doing well and find areas for improvement. Reading through your competitors’ Yelp reviews is an easy way to figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are from a consumer standpoint.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of other landscaping companies will enable you to optimize your business practices and earn market share when first starting out.
4. Services or product line
The services and product line section of your landscaping business plan tells readers how you expect to make money. Specify the exact lawn care services you’ll provide customers and which niche you’ll serve.
Landscaping companies can offer more than only lawn mowing, but it’s best to choose only a few services you can adequately offer without overextending yourself. Service options may include:
- I nstalling sod or mulch
- Planting flowers and other plants
- Fertilizing
- Pest control
- Landscape design
- Ongoing lawn maintenance
Pick the landscaping services you’re qualified to offer and list them in this section. It’s also helpful if you discuss the frequency of your services. For example, are most customers receiving weekly lawn cutting or will you provide services on a bi-weekly basis?
5. Operations and management
The operations section of your landscaping business plan highlights what type of business structure you’re forming and how your leadership team is organized.
Explain what type of business you’re forming. You can choose between a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. You can find more information by reading through our guide on registering your business .
You’ll then need to provide an organizational chart that introduces the leaders of your company and provides a hierarchy of your team. Detail who holds which responsibilities and the hierarchy of your leadership team. If you’re the only member of your company, you can give a professional overview of yourself.
Talk about each employee and give each person’s years of experience and qualifications. Highlight areas that show why they’re the right fit for the job and how they’ll help your business succeed. You can even include brief resumes of your key employees to strengthen this section.
6. Marketing and sales
The marketing and sales section of your landscaping business plan tells readers how you’ll find and retain customers. There are many different landscaping marketing strategies that can help you find new leads and build lasting relationships with current customers.
A professional-looking website is a significant aspect of your marketing strategy . It will serve as the face of your company online. Most marketing channels will direct potential customers to your website.
You’ll also need to find ways to capture the attention of potential customers and encourage them to visit your website or contact you directly via phone or email. Some effective marketing strategies include:
- Email marketing
- Referral program
- Pay-per-click digital advertising
- Social media marketing
- Claiming your Yelp Business Page
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Content marketing
Choose the appropriate strategies, create a marketing plan , and highlight them in this section. Explain how you expect to find new leads to grow your business and how you plan on building trust , retaining current clients and earning customer loyalty .
Get a free Yelp page
Promote your business to local customers.
7. Financial factors
The finance section of your lawn care business plan offers realistic financial projections for your company. You’ll need to show readers that your business will be financially stable, especially if you’re seeking funding .
Analyzing your financials will help you determine if a landscaping business is worth pursuing. It’s important that you’re realistic with your expectations and have the appropriate funds to launch your business.
List all of the startup costs you expect to encounter. This can include expenditures like a lawnmower , work vehicles, edgers , or trimmers . From there you can determine the pricing of your services.
You can include financial statements like income statements, balance sheets , and cash flow statements if you’ve already launched your business. This will give tangible evidence for potential investors or lenders to determine if you have a viable business idea they’re willing to put money into.
You can also add a funding request if you’re seeking investment from a third party. Just be sure to include how much capital you’ll need, what you intend on doing with the funds, and how long investors can expect for your company to reach profitability . The time it takes you to reach profitability will depend on startup costs, pricing, and how quickly you can build your customer base.
Build a strong foundation with your business plan
It’s in your best interest to write a business plan before you embark on your entrepreneurial endeavor. It will serve as the foundation of your company and guide your future decisions. A well-thought-out business plan allows you to confidently navigate uncharted waters with a roadmap to follow.
Once you’ve organized your landscaping business plan , you can hit the ground running. After your business starts picking up, claim your Yelp Business Page and begin receiving reviews from happy customers.
The information above is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice and may not be suitable for your circumstances. Unless stated otherwise, references to third-party links, services, or products do not constitute endorsement by Yelp.
Related stories
How to start a landscaping business from the ground up
This six-step guide offers detailed instructions on how to start a landscaping business so you can succeed in this thriving industry.
The ultimate guide to starting a small business
This 9-step guide will help you learn what it takes to start your own small business and smoothly transition into entrepreneurship.
How to start a lawn care business in 9 steps
Knowing how to start a lawn care business takes patience and planning. Use these nine steps to get you started.
Landscaping Business Plans
Did you know each of these plans was created in LivePlan? Learn More
Construction Irrigation Business Plan
Hass Irrigation Systems is a subcontractor providing home and yard irrigation systems for residentail new home construction.
Lawn Landscaping Business Plan
Greens Manicure Service is a start-up company providing residential lawn-care services.
Wholesale Landscape Products Business Plan
Glen Mar Forest Products will use forest wood by-products to manufacture and wholesale a color enhanced mulch/landscape ground cover.
Landscape Design and Maintenance Business Plan
Emerald Outdoor Design is a full-service landscape design and implementation firm with the goal to bring beauty to your home that adds to serenity in your life.
If you're ready to take your landscaping knowledge and turn it into a business, you need a plan. Before you start writing a business plan for your business, though, take a look at a few sample business plans for nurseries, landscaping, and lawn and garden businesses.
If you’re looking to develop a more modern business plan, we recommend you try LivePlan . It contains the same templates and information you see here, but with additional guidance to help you develop the perfect plan.
The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan
Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.
No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.
Plan, fund, and grow.
Easily write a business plan, secure funding, and gain insights.
Achieve your business funding goals with a proven plan format.
Landscaping Company Business Plan Template
Landscaping business plan.
You’ve come to the right place to create your landscaping business plan.
We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their landscaping companies.
Landscaping Business Plan Example
Below is a sample landscaping business plan and template to help you create each section of your landscaping business plan.
Executive Summary
Business overview.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service is a startup landscaping business located in Dallas, Texas. The company is founded by John Martinez, an experienced entrepreneur who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a landscaping business during the past five years while working as the manager at Lake Landscaping & Lawn Care. Now that John has experienced managing a landscaping business, he is ready to start his own company, Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service. John is confident that his landscaping skills, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable landscaping company of his own. John is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of residential landscaping – sales and marketing, scheduling, customer service, financial management, and landscaper training and support.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will provide a variety of professional landscaping and lawn care services for residential customers in Dallas, Texas. Beautiful Gardens will be the go-to landscaping business in Dallas for high quality landscaping services of all kinds. The company will be the ultimate choice for prompt, reliable, and courteous customer service that goes above and beyond the competitors.
Product Offering
The following are the services that Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will provide:
- Lawn Care and Chemical Application
- Landscape Maintenance
- Landscape Design
- Landscape Construction
- Trimming and Pruning
- Trees and Ornamental Planting and Care
- Perimeter Pest Control
- Vegetation Management
- Gardening and Plant Care Consulting Services
Customer Focus
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will target homeowners in Dallas. The company will also target owners of multi-family residential buildings such as apartment complexes and condominiums. No matter the customer, Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will deliver the best communication, service, and high quality landscaping.
Management Team
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be owned and operated by John Martinez. John is a graduate of Texas University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He has over five years of experience working as a manager for another local landscaping business. John will be the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He will steer the vision of the business and provide direction for the other managers and executives of the company.
John has recruited a landscaping expert, Lisa Smith, to be the company’s Chief Operating Officer and help oversee the business operations. Lisa will handle the day-to-day operations, including training the landscape personnel, providing consultation services, and overseeing the landscape design process. Lisa is a graduate of California University with a degree in Landscaping Design.
John and Lisa have recruited an experienced marketing director, Robert Johnson, to become a member of the Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service management team. Robert is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Master’s degree in Sales and Marketing. John and Lisa rely on Robert’s expertise to execute the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.
Success Factors
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:
- Skilled team of landscaping experts who will oversee the process and conduct inspections regularly to ensure all landscapers are adhering to stringent quality standards.
- Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service makes it easy for customers to obtain its services. The company uses a proprietary software application to engage with customers and ensure transparency throughout the process. Customers can use the app to schedule service, pay their bill, monitor the work being done, leave feedback, and receive customer support. For customers who prefer to communicate in person or over the phone, the company maintains an office space with a customer support representative available during regular business hours every day of the week.
- The company offers competitive pricing and discounts for regular customers.
Financial Highlights
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service is seeking $350,000 in debt financing to launch its landscaping business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the office space and purchasing landscaping equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Office space build-out: $120,000
- Landscaping equipment, supplies, and materials: $80,000
- Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $130,000
- Marketing costs: $10,000
- Working capital: $10,000
Company Overview
Who is beautiful gardens landscaping service.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service is a newly established landscaping company in Dallas, Texas. Beautiful Gardens will be the go-to landscaping business in Dallas for high quality landscaping services performed by expertly trained professionals. The company will be the ultimate choice for prompt, reliable, and courteous customer service that goes above and beyond its competitors. Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be able to provide a wide variety of landscaping and lawn care services for homeowners who value high quality, reliable service and easy-to-use communication systems.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be able to guarantee the quality of its services thanks to the latest and most innovative landscaping project management technology and stringent quality control standards. The company’s team of highly qualified professionals are experienced in landscaping, lawn care, and gardening, thus will be able to provide exceptional results for a wide variety of services from routine maintenance to new landscape design and build-out. Beautiful Gardens also provides consulting services in the areas of landscaping, gardening, and lawn care.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service History
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service is owned and operated by John Martinez, an experienced entrepreneur who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a landscaping business during the past five years while working as the manager at Lake Landscaping & Lawn Care. Now that John has experienced managing a landscaping business, he is ready to start his own company, Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service. John is confident that his landscaping skills, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable landscaping company of his own. John is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of residential landscaping – sales and marketing, scheduling, customer service, financial management, and landscaper training and support.
Since incorporation, Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service has achieved the following milestones:
- Registered Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service, LLC to transact business in the state of Texas.
- Has signed a lease to rent the office space.
- Reached out to numerous contacts to include previous employees, landscapers, friends, family, and professional networks to inform them of the new business.
- Began recruiting a staff of accountants, landscapers, and sales personnel to work at Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service Services
Industry analysis.
The United States Landscaping Services industry is valued at $128.8B and is expected to increase by 2.3% this year. There are more than 600,000 businesses and over 1M people working in the industry nationwide. The states of Florida, California, and New York have the most landscaping businesses of all the states, while Texans spend the most on landscaping services of all states.
Households with higher than average levels of disposable incomes (over $100,000 per year) spend the most on landscaping services for their homes. While these households reduce their spending on non-essential items during times of economic downturns, they are still more consistently spending on landscaping during these times versus lower income households. The number of households in the U.S. in this higher income bracket is expected to increase this year, resulting in growth opportunities for operators in the landscaping industry. Additionally, there is a rising demand for residential landscaping services from millenials and Gen Z consumers as more of them are participating in gardening activities.
The industry faces several challenges including shortage of quality labor, numerous price-based competitors, economic downturns, and high insurance costs. Industry operators can overcome these challenges and find success by researching their competitors, providing quality service by capable personnel, implementing a targeted marketing campaign, and charging fair prices for customers and employees.
Customer Analysis
Demographic profile of target market.
The precise demographics for Dallas, Texas are:
{Bridget will provide}
Customer Segmentation
Beautiful Gardens will primarily target the following customer profiles:
- Homeowners with annual household incomes of $100,000 or more
- Owners of multi-family residential properties such as apartment complexes and condominiums
- Millennials and Gen Z homeowners who need help starting their own gardens
Competitive Analysis
Direct and indirect competitors.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.
Leif’s Lovely Landscaping Service
Leif’s Lovely Landscaping Service has been operating in the Dallas area for over ten years and has gained a loyal customer base for its excellent service and low prices. Leif’s provides residential homeowners with general landscaping and lawn care services. The company is a small operation and the founder does most of the landscaping work himself. Customers come to Leif’s for reliable, friendly service and the lowest prices in Dallas. The company offers lawn care and chemical application, mulching, tree trimming, and debris cleanup services.
Lake Landscaping & Lawn Care
Founded in 1990 by Henry Lake, Lake Landscaping & Lawn Care is a well-known landscaping and lawn care business that serves all of Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding areas. The company offers a wide variety of landscaping services for residential homeowners. Services include regular lawn care, trimming, and maintenance, design, construction, and maintenance of landscaping features, and pool service. Lake Landscaping & Lawn Care is owned and operated by Henry Lake, an experienced contractor who designed some of the most prominent outdoor spaces in the area before starting his own business over 30 years ago.
Pete’s Perfect Landscaping
Pete’s Perfect Landscaping is a new Dallas-Texas based company providing landscaping services to customers throughout the city. The company was founded by Peter Smith, an experienced gardener who has been working in the landscaping industry for over 20 years before deciding to start his own landscaping company. Pete’s Perfect Landscaping provides a variety of landscaping services including pruning, trimming, planting, mulching, debris removal, and lawn maintenance.
Competitive Advantage
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be able to offer the following advantages over its competition:
- Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service uses a proprietary software application to engage with customers and ensure transparency throughout the process. Customers can use the app to schedule service, pay their bill, monitor the work being done, leave feedback, and receive customer support.
Marketing Plan
Brand & value proposition.
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:
- Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service makes it easy for customers to obtain its services. The company uses a proprietary software application to engage with customers and ensure transparency throughout the process. Customers can use the app to schedule service, pay their bill, monitor the work being done, leave feedback, and receive customer support.
- For customers who prefer to communicate in person or over the phone, the company maintains an office space with a customer support representative available during regular business hours every day of the week.
Promotions Strategy
The promotions strategy for Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service is as follows:
Social Media Marketing
The company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Beautiful Gardens maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and fun content to get customers excited about the company’s landscaping services.
Professional Associations and Networking
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will become a member of professional associations such as the Landscaping Association, American Gardening Society, and the Texas Lawn Care Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s vendor and client network.
Print Advertising
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The company will also invest in ads to display in industry publications and local newspapers.
Website/SEO Marketing
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Beautiful Gardens is able to provide. The website will also list information on the company’s events and testimonials from satisfied clients.
The marketing director will manage Beautiful Gardens’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Beautiful Gardens” or “landscaping business near me”, Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be listed at the top of the search results.
The pricing of Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will be moderate, but higher than low-end competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the Company’s services.
Operations Plan
The following will be the operations plan for Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service.
Operation Functions:
- John Martinez will be the CEO of the company. He will oversee the management team and lead the direction of the business. John has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
- Lisa Smith – Chief Operating Officer who will manage the design and build process, train landscapers, and oversee the activities of the staff.
- Sam Garcia – Bookkeeper who will provide all accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
- Robert Johnson – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and outreach.
- Joe Williams – Quality Control Manager who will oversee all inspections of the landscapers to ensure stringent compliance with quality standards are met.
Milestones:
Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.
11/1/2022 – Finalize lease on office space.
11/15/2022 – Finalize employment contracts for the Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service management team.
12/1/2022 – Begin build-out of the office and purchase equipment.
12/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan.
1/15/2023 – Finalize contracts for initial landscaping product suppliers and employment contracts for landscapers.
2/15/2023 – Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service officially opens its office up to customers and starts taking appointments.
Financial Plan
Key revenue & costs.
The revenue drivers for Beautiful Gardens Landscaping Service are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the company’s services. When it comes to pricing, the business will monitor operational costs, average prices charged by competitors, and local market demand to ensure its prices will generate a healthy profit margin.
The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a landscaping business. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, landscaping equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.
Funding Requirements and Use of Funds
Key assumptions.
The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.
- Average number of appointments per month: 600
- Average fees per month: $15,000
- Overhead costs per year: $400,000
Financial Projections
Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, landscaping company business plan faqs, what is a landscaping company business plan.
A landscaping company business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your landscaping company business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.
You can easily complete your landscaping company business plan using our Landscaping Company Business Plan Template here .
What are the Main Types of Landscaping Companies?
There are a number of different kinds of landscaping companies , some examples include: Commercial, Residential, and Arborists.
How Do You Get Funding for Your Landscaping Company Business Plan?
Landscaping companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.
What are the Steps To Start a Landscaping Company Business?
Starting a landscaping company business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.
1. Develop A Landscaping Company Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed landscaping company business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.
2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your landscaping company business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your landscaping company business is in compliance with local laws.
3. Register Your Landscaping Company Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your landscaping company business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your landscaping company business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
7. Acquire Necessary Landscaping Company Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your landscaping company business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.
8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your landscaping company business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.
Learn more about how to start a successful landscaping company business:
- How to Start a Landscaping Company Business
© 2023 PlanBuildr.com
Business Planning
Financial forecasting, see how upmetrics works →, strategic planning, entrepreneurs & small business, accelerators & incubators, business consultants & advisors, educators & business schools, students & scholars.
- Sample Plans
Business Plan Course
Strategic canvas templates, e-books, guides & more.
- WHY UPMETRICS?
Customers Success Stories
- Sample Business Plans
Landscaping Business Plan
Are you thinking of starting a landscaping business We have prepared a solid landscaping business plan sample that guides you on every stage of your business plan writing
Beautiful and well-maintained lawns are a treat to look at. But with today’s hectic lifestyle few people have the time and energy required to maintain one.
And with more income at their disposal, people like to outsource this task to professionals who can manage their gardens well and design them in a way that enhances their house’s beauty.
With artistic lawns cropping up at every corner of our cities, the demand for landscaping architects is at its peak. Be it offices, residential spaces, or public areas, every space needs an aesthetically pleasing lawn.
But not everyone has the amount of creativity and precision that goes into maintaining beautiful gardens. And if you have it, then a landscaping business might be the right choice for you.
All you need is a little bit of groundwork and a proper landscaping business plan.
Industry Overview
According to recent statistics, the landscaping industry employs over 1 million people and has grown 4.9 percent since 2020 .
So, if you are a creative individual who can think out of the box, a landscaping business can help you reach your maximum potential. The best part about the landscaping business is that it takes minimum entry conditions and minimal costs to set up.
Now you may wonder, why do so many landscaping businesses owned by highly creative individuals fail? The reason is as simple as it gets; The lack of a proper business plan.
Although creativity is essential to help you stand out, a landscaping business plan is of utmost importance for the sustenance of your business.
Here we’ll share a few tips to make your setup process smoother.
Things to Consider Before Writing a Landscaping Business Plan
Decide what services you want to offer.
Landscaping comes with a lot of sub-niches and additional services. Deciding what you can and should offer as per the needs and requirements of your target audience is essential.
Get the required permits
Although the landscaping business does not have strict entry conditions, there are a few licenses and permits that you should have before getting started .
The easiest way of doing this is by checking out all the permits required by your state and area and making a checklist for keeping track of what you have got and what not.
Develop a pricing strategy
As you have a service that is mostly based on skill and equipment cost you’ll have to give your pricing strategy a serious thought before getting started.
Know your target audience
How can a landscaping business plan help you.
A business plan can become a constant guide in your business journey. It’ll aid you while sailing through the roadblocks, prevent you from having chaotic finances, help you in knowing the market and your competitors better, and save you from the trap of having a static business model that becomes irrelevant as the industry changes.
Apart from that, in the landscape business, it would help you in developing your unique style and technique that sets you apart from your peers.
How to Write a Landscaping Business Plan?
As we have discussed the benefits of a business plan , it brings us to our next question.
How do you write one? Moreover, how do you know if you have written a good one?
Don’t worry! There are several quick and cost-effective solutions to your problem.
If you find writing a business plan intimidating, there are several options like business consultants, premade templates, and online business plan software which can help you create a complete and evolving business plan anywhere and at any time.
We have created this sample Greenlawn – Landscaping Business Plan for you to get a good idea of what a perfect landscaping business plan should look like and what details you need to include in your stunning business plan.
Landscaping Business Plan Outline
This is the standard landscaping business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.
- Mission Statement
- Vision Statement
- 3 Year profit forecast
- Products and Services
- Startup cost
- Market Trends
- Target Market
- Market share
- Sales Strategy
- Marketing strategies
- Personnel Plan
- Average Salary of Employees
- Important Assumptions
- Brake-even Analysis
- Profit Yearly
- Gross Margin Yearly
- Projected Cash Flow
- Projected Balance Sheet
- Business Ratios
Now Let’s Understand How You Should Complete Each Section.
1. Executive Summary
The executive summary is one of the most crucial sections of your business plan, as it is the first and the foremost document in it and serves as a pitch to your prospective investors. Hence, this section should sum up your business idea and function with utmost precision.
It should also consist of a mission statement and clearly state your vision for the business. For a landscaping business, it would consist of your growth model, your source of labor and raw material, as well as how your style of design sets you apart from the others.
2. Description of your niche
Next up you’ll need to define the niche your business functions in. As landscaping consists of several areas like,
- Commercial landscaping
- Residential landscaping
- Art-based designs( for public and tourist spaces)
It is necessary to define what kind of services you’ll offer and who would be your primary client base. So, how can you select a niche? We’ll discuss that in the competitive and market analysis section.
3. Competitive and Market Analysis
Before you enter any market, it is the wisest thing to carry out an analysis of the current market situation and the recent trends in the industry. Also, it is a good practice to know what your competitors are doing, because if you are aware of what’s going on, deciding what you should do and what gaps you can fill through your services becomes easier. Hence, this helps you in identifying what your niche would be.
For example, if there is a dearth of good landscape architects for office spaces in your area, you can accordingly modify your skills and marketing strategy to serve the purpose of capturing that market.
4. Website Strategy
In today’s fast-paced environment, most people prefer getting their work done online. Hence, having a website is necessary for your business to be discovered. Thus, including a website strategy in your plan is essential. Also, as a creative business, your website needs to lean on a more artistic side and represent what your style stands for.
5. Management Summary
In this section, you are supposed to include important information about people responsible for a company’s management, the tasks they have been delegated, their roles and responsibilities, etc. As a landscaping business has a large scale of functioning, you need to include this section in your plan.
6. Financial Plan
Writing a financial plan is a necessary step towards creating a well-rounded business plan. A financial plan helps your business in becoming cost-effective and profitable. It also helps you pre-plan and stay afloat at times of recession and instability in the market. Hence, this section is necessary for the sustenance of your business.
Landscaping Business Plan Summary
In conclusion, a business plan can turn to conduct your landscaping business a hassle-free activity. Moreover, a well-planned business with clearly defined goals and dynamic strategies has a higher chance of succeeding than the one which doesn’t have either of these things.
Besides the above things, in the landscaping business, it is also important to have a thorough knowledge of advanced technology and newly improved techniques to improve the efficiency of your business’s day-to-day activities.
After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample landscaping business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your landscaping business plan pdf or doc file. It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.
So, are you ready to reach far and wide in the landscape market with your well-written business plan?
Business Planning Resources
We have plenty of free business planning resources available to help you with your planning. You can download our resources to learn all about business planning.
FREE TEMPLATES
Not found what you are looking for? Explore our 200+ sample business plans to find match for your business.
DISCLAIMER: The business plans, templates, and articles contained on upmetrics.co are not to be considered as legal advice. All content is for informational purposes, and upmetrics makes no claim as to accuracy, legality or suitability. The site owner shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions or for damages of any kind.
Plan your business in the shortest time possible
No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee
Ready to Kickstart Your Business Planning?
– Don’t Miss It
Please fill out the form below and we'll contact you shortly.
We care about your privacy. See our privacy policy
Download Your Template Now
We care about your privacy. See our Privacy Policy
How To Create A Landscaping Business Plan
For those who love hard work, spending time outside, and being your own boss, starting a landscaping business may be a great fit.
But where do you start?
This guide will show you how to write a landscaping business plan, and address other important factors to consider when starting a landscaping business.
Plan for success
Having a business plan is important for several reasons. It serves as your guide for everything you need to run a profitable landscaping business .
Business plans help you avoid costly mistakes by forcing you to go over all the tough aspects of starting a business, not just the fun ones.
Three big reasons why landscaping businesses fail
A landscaping business isn’t guaranteed success. In fact, 20% of small businesses fail within their first year.
Here are some of the reasons why landscaping businesses don’t make it.
1. Too much overhead or underestimating jobs
Operational inefficiencies can bog down business. This could be too much overhead, such as buying a lot of equipment, but not having enough jobs to keep it in use.
Bad estimates also are frequent issues for landscapers. Underpricing a job could win you work, but you also want to make enough money to stay in business. On the other hand, overpricing a job could result in lost work. It’s a fine line to straddle.
Pro tip: Looking at past job hours and expenses using a landscaping time tracker can help you prepare better estimates.
Schedule and track landscaping jobs
Automated GPS time and location tracking
2. Not enough customers
The failure to get repeat customers leads many businesses to sputter out. Consistent jobs pay the bills and are a reliable source of income.
Without it, owners spend too much of their time working to find new customers. This is a lot more expensive than keeping the current ones happy.
3. Cash flow
Cash flow problems plague businesses that are growing fast. If you need more equipment to get more jobs done, you’ll need more cash to make that happen and still be able to pay your team.
Those are the most common problems that landscaping business owners run into.
Now let’s see how to write a great plan so you can avoid these pitfalls.
Writing your landscaping business plan: Step-by-step
A business plan is made up of a common set of sections that can vary in length. The more you add, the better suited you’ll be for the ups and downs that come with running a company.
The following sections are the most important, and could be considered the minimum to include in your landscaping business plan.
1. Executive Summary
This is the first thing someone will read in your business plan. It describes what you want to do and why you will be successful in doing it.
Keep this simple but powerful. If you are looking for money from a bank or other investors, this summary will set the stage for them to trust in your plan.
2. Company Description
This includes your mission statement, history, and an overview of team members.
This mission statement is an easy-to-read message that lets people know why your business exists.
For example “To grow and maintain naturally healthy lawns and gardens,” may be a mission statement for a landscaping company. Overall, keep it simple.
In your company history, describe how long you’ve been around, what services you offer, and what reputation you already have as a landscaper.
The last part of this section is an overview of team members. You’ll want to explain who will be part of the company, why they are skilled, and how they will contribute to the success of the business.
3. Market and Competitor Analysis
This is your chance to establish the status of the landscaping market in your area, and determine where you can stand out.
If there are already 30 tree removal companies in your area, you may not want to focus on that specific service.
On the other hand, you may find that many of those companies have bad reviews, and there is a need for higher quality work to be done.
This is all part of your analysis of the market, so you can find out where there is the greatest need and set up your services to meet that need.
Also consider how services are being priced so you don’t stand out for charging too much. See if your area has a need for more high-end work like gardening, or if there are more potential customers out there that just need lawn services.
Your objective here is to find out where you best can position your company to be successful.
If you’re looking for an easy way to research and document the competition, you can build a simple competitor analysis project board using Hubstaff Tasks simple project management tool .
Manage landscaping projects better
Assign tasks, add due dates, comments, and more
4. Services and Product
This section details the services you’re going to offer and details about them. Here’s what you’ll want to:
- Explain your services in detail
- Explain your pricing model
- Talk about which type of customer will use these services
- Describe how much time it takes to complete services
- Describe what makes your offering unique
5. Marketing Strategy
When you “open the doors” to your new landscaping business, customers won’t be able to find you if they’ve never heard of you. A marketing plan will put you in a position to get noticed.
Talk about the brand you are creating. Think about why it will be special. Describe what it will look like, display any logos or designs, and show the slogans or phrases you’ll use as a brand.
Your marketing plan should include, at minimum, how you plan to use social media, customer referrals, online ratings, in-person events like lawn and garden shows, and direct mail .
6. Financial Plan
The way you spend and manage money is one of the most important aspects of survival and growth as a business. Your financial plan needs to consider the following:
- Startup costs, or the amount of money you need to operate. You’ll need equipment like shovels and lawnmowers, but you also need cash for gasoline, car payments, or fertilizers.
- Employee wages should be broken down by position and skill level. This will keep you on budget when you start hiring.
- Funding sources are the places where you’re going to get the money needed to start. This could be personal savings, friends and family, bank loans, credit cards, or investors.
- Sales projections should be drafted to predict how much money you will spend and earn for at least the first three years of operation. This is an educated guess based upon all the other research you’ve done to build this plan. This should be an honest look at the earning potential of your company.
Drafting your business plan
Creating a landscaping business plan is a vital part of starting a landscaping business. Those who prepare and plan will stand a better chance of profiting and growing their operation for many years to come.
It can feel tedious going through each of the steps of this plan. Keep in mind the reasons why you wanted to start this business as you build your plan.
Subscribe to the Hubstaff blog for more posts like this
Power up your workday
Reach your goals faster with time tracking and work management.
Productivity vs. Efficiency: What’s the Difference?
Productivity and efficiency are terms we often use interchangeably when speaking about performance. But when you look at productiv...
Trello vs. Asana: Which Project Management Software Can Boost Your Workflows?
Trello vs. Asana: both are outstanding project management tools, but some differences set them apart. With so many software option...
12 Easy Ways to Send Money to India
India and other countries have a large pool of talented virtual assistants who can help your business succeed while charging a rea...
Implementing and Normalizing No-Meeting Days for More Successful Teams
Are you considering a no-meetings day at your company? It’s a good idea. As you’re reading this, there’s probably a meeting...
All articles
How to Automate Your Field Service Business
73% of workers perform more than 50 repetitive tasks every week. But they don’t need to. Thanks to technology, a lot of these tasks can be automated. This is just as true for fie...
![How to Estimate Construction Project Costs [Free Template]](https://blog.hubstaff.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Construction_Project_Estimator@2x-780x390.png "business plan for landscape design company")
Landscaping Business Plan : What It Is and How To Write It [No Experience Needed]
Lay the groundwork for your landscaping business with a solid business plan that covers the essentials for smooth and seamless operations and expectations.
We’re pretty sure Ben Franklin wasn’t a landscaper, but his advice still rings true across the trades businesses of today: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
All businesses can benefit from having a plan in place outlining how things should run and landscaping is no different.
In fact, local and small businesses can massively benefit from a bit of forward thinking and the landscaping industry isn’t getting any less crowded, with market size growing 2.5% each year in the U.S.
Writing a landscaping company business plan often sounds about as exciting as watching grass grow. But 21.5% of small businesses fail before they make it through a single year, so putting in the effort with a little upfront strategy could save you disappointment and financial losses later.
Keep in mind, business plans have other benefits, aside from possibly helping you avoid catastrophic failure. The right business plan can also:
- streamline how you choose to run things
- set expectations
- create consistency
And all of these advantages can lead to sales, success, and steady growth.
So let’s take a look at what a plan includes, what to consider, and how you can put one together with limited hassle.
What is a landscaping business plan?
A business plan is a document that outlines the core goals, objectives, and operating structure of your company.
It usually details the problem that your business addresses and how you expect to provide a solution to customers. In doing so, a proper business plan also takes into account the resources, funds, and cash flow expectations to make sure your landscaping company can run smoothly…and make money.
A landscaping company business plan is one that focuses on, you guessed it, the specific needs and structure of a landscaping business.
We’ll get into detail later with what to include, but a solid plan usually covers:
- Branding a company name and mission
- Defining ideal customers and tasks
- Outlining a specific local service area
- Naming exact services and inclusions
- Detailed market analysis
- Listing equipment and related expenses
- Summarizing financial needs to be profitable
- Proposing marketing tactics to generate sales
What are the leading causes of landscape business failure?
With small business and entrepreneurship, there is always a bit of risk that something could go wrong.
While you can’t prevent every unexpected issue, having a solid business plan can vastly limit several leading causes of business demise. Here are 3 leading causes of business failure your own landscaping business plan can mitigate against.
#1 – Operational inefficiencies
You might not think money can go missing, but you’d be surprised. Without a plan for how to monitor, follow up, and manage payments, invoicing, and accounting, good luck not losing track of the figures.
A business plan can detail everything you want or need to know without losing income for finished jobs. And with 48% of customers late paying their bills , you are going to want a system in place to recover as much of that as possible.
#2 – Lagging sales
Many local landscapers think all they have to do is set up shop and the sales will pour in. Even if there is a need in your area for premium lawn care, if you don’t have a marketing plan, you probably won’t have sales.
Your business will fail if new business doesn’t come in at a rate faster than what you’re spending. For new businesses paying up front for equipment and transportation, a strong plan can help you hit the ground running.
#3 – Inaccurate pricing
If you price a lawn mowing service at $50 to undercut your competition, you’ll certainly attract customers. But if it costs you $80 when you add up time, payroll, equipment usage, and gas for your truck and mower, you officially LOST money on the job.
A business plan can help you accurately understand the cost of operating your business. This helps you price competitively without leaving yourself in the red.
How to write a landscaping business plan
The goal of your business plan is to make it applicable to your needs and actionable so you can follow through on it.
No need to overcomplicate things.
As with any larger undertaking, you can tackle it if you break it down to smaller steps. Every business and plan will be different depending on specific goals, services, location, size, and more. But all business plans share several elements that cover the essentials for effective operations.
Executive summary
This is the introduction to your business with a summary of the plan. It might work best to write this part last, so you have an idea of the sections and content to cover.
Executive summaries are useful when you have to present your idea to other business partners, lenders, or investors. If you need a loan to get started, the bank might ask you for a copy of your business plan. If you don’t need funding, you can still write the summary and refer to it yourself when you need to confirm you’re still on track.
Company description
Now the fun part!
Name your business, throw down a catchy slogan if the mood strikes, and describe exactly what the goal of your landscape company is.
You should be sharing why you’re starting the business in the first place:
- Are you filling a need for landscaping services in an underserved area?
- Will you only use sustainable and eco friendly products to help battle climate change?
- Are you going for luxury hardscapes and planning to stand out with a flair for design?
Detail it all in this section of your landscaping business plan.
Be sure to name your targets (residential vs. commercial) and how you expect to service them. When do you plan to start? How many clients do you expect to have? What is your timeline for success?
These are the types of questions you’ll need to ask yourself (don’t worry, we’ll show you how to answer these in later sections).
Competitive analysis
Now that you know what you want to offer and to whom, you have to find out who ELSE is doing this in your area.
You can start by searching for key terms and similar services in your area to get the lay of the land. A more robust option is to conduct a SWOT analysis , consisting of:
- Opportunities
This approach will walk you through a series of questions to ask and reflect on, answering with stats, measures, and actions.
Do your research and be thorough. You can learn a lot from checking out how the competition is spreading the word about their services through specific marketing tactics. List your competitors and key details including:
You will use this information to decide if you should compete for customers in a certain location or service. It’s also extremely helpful when you start pricing your own offerings, keeping you from pricing yourself out of work.
Landscaping services provided
Landscaping may seem straightforward, but the number of specialties and offerings can be overwhelming.
Aside from the pillars of general maintenance, lawn care, and gardening services, what else will you offer your customers? Keep in mind what your competition is (or isn’t doing) when you make your list.
This information can be used later on your website (see next section) to make it clear to customers exactly what they can call you for help with. You will also use this to outline financials. For every single service you want to offer, write out the following (you’ll need it later):
- Description of the service
- Steps to complete the project
- Resources required
- Equipment to be used
- Typical costs for materials
- Estimated time spent
Marketing Plan
You know who you want as customers and what you want to offer them. Now you need a plan for how to share the news at a local level. Start by describing each goal such as you get new customers, keep current customers, or find ways to get repeat business.
Every landscape marketing tactic you go on to describe should be a way to achieve one of these goals. Marketing plans need to include the method of advertising, information needed, costs required, and benefits at a minimum.
We put together an Ultimate Guide to Local Marketing which can be a great resource for creating the marketing portion of your landscaping business plan. In summary, you can consider including these essential local marketing approaches.
Landscaping website
Even if you only have a few pages for Home, About, Services, and Contact, having a website can work wonders.
Customers expect businesses to have a website, and Google makes it easier for people to find you if you have a site to link back to.
Don’t have a landscaping website ? You can use self-service website building platforms like Pedestal to create a site in less than an hour.
Google My Business Listing (GMB)
When people want to know about a company, they take to the internet.
Google My Business is a FREE way to get your company listed on the world’s most popular and well-known search engine.
You can create or claim a listing and update it with your business details. When people search for your company or those providing similar services in their area, they will be more likely to find your information.
Of course, there are ways to optimize these listings and get the most out of the citation. (Did we mention it’s FREE?) Bookmark our Google My Business Listings Guide and follow along when you’re ready to get started.
Advertising
Landscape advertising can come in many forms, from paid local web ads to event sponsorships.
Promoting your business at a local level can help create brand awareness and direct people back to your contact info for easy access. Some of the most popular include:
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads : Show info and links to your website in Google search results
- Promoted social media posts : Pay to target users in your area with special content
- Local publications : Check newspapers for ad placements in print and online
- Direct mailings : Send your own print piece or advertise in a MoneyMailer
Social media
Connecting with your local community can be a great way to build trust and a larger customer base.
Consider creating profiles on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to start and make sure you add current, accurate information so people can find and interact with you. You can share project stories, highlight team members, and even include special offers. Just be sure to monitor the accounts and respond to any questions or reviews.
Financial Plan
This is where all of your hard work in the previous sections adds up.
You’ll be able to use your company’s financial info to confirm how much you should charge for services, how to scale, and if or when you can afford to expand or take on employees. Common inclusions for a financial plan are:
With the right planning (and maybe a few adjustments to your plans), you can ensure a strong start with an eye toward positive earnings.
TRADIE DIGITAL TIP : Consider hiring an accountant to chime in and collect the most important figures if you’re looking to save time and effort.
- First Name *
- Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
- Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
For example, give a brief overview of the landscaping industry. Discuss the type of landscaping company you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give
7 core sections of a landscaping business plan · 1. Executive summary · 2. Business description · 3. Market analysis · 4. Services or product line · 5. Operations
The services include: landscaping and design, lawn care and maintenance, snow plowing and removal, and tree maintenance and removal. The success of the company
To create a service-based company whose primary goal is to exceed customer's expectations. The utilization of Greens Manicure Service in at least 20 different
Explore our library of Landscaping Business Plan Templates and find ... Emerald Outdoor Design is a full-service landscape design and implementation firm
Lawn Care and Chemical Application; Landscape Maintenance; Landscape Design; Landscape Construction; Irrigation; Trimming and Pruning; Trees and Ornamental
It should also consist of a mission statement and clearly state your vision for the business. For a landscaping business, it would consist of your growth model
Please remember that this sample business plan uses a fictional company and scenario. ... Carpentry: Deck, patio and fence design, maintenance
Writing your landscaping business plan: Step-by-step · 1. Executive Summary · 2. Company Description · 3. Market and Competitor Analysis · 4.
Branding a company name and mission · Defining ideal customers and tasks · Outlining a specific local service area · Naming exact services and