Attracting the right kind of customer

When I start back to work next week it will be as a sole trader rather than an employer. I will be doing one week of regular maintenance alternated with one week of one off or infequent jobs. As my earning potential is limited by the hours I can work and the regular round is fully booked I need to make sure the one off jobs I attract will pay as well as possible. I have really good kit and 15 years of experience in garden maintenance and am extremely reliable so I'm confident that I am worth it!

I'm in the process of updating my website to reflect the change in my services and so would like any advice you can give me for attracting the right jobs (preferably half to one day one off jobs) and customers who are willing to pay a good rate for a quality result and good customer service. Also any clever hints for not attracting time wasters or people who want bargain basement hack and slash gardening!

I'm thinking of adding a facts page to my website and also introducing terms and conditions for the first time to protect myself from last minute cancelations or locked gates as I can't afford the lost income and have less flexibilty now I'm solo.

Thanks for your help.

Replies

PRO

Richard Gadsby January 5, 2018 at 4:43pm

Can’t really help much as I try and avoid one offs!
More of a question really! Why did you choose to get rid of so much that you now need to find work again? Or was it too spread out for you to do on your own now?
Good luck though:)
- PRO
  
  Green Girl Garden Care > Richard Gadsby January 5, 2018 at 6:20pm
  
  I can't and don't want to do all regular maintenence so dropped lots of regular. I find doing all regular maintenance very boring after 10 years of doing so I switched to mostly one offs when I had employees as they did the regular. Also if I have all regular maintenence when I'm on my own I can never have a holiday without someone missing a visit.
  - PRO
    
    Richard Gadsby > Green Girl Garden Care January 5, 2018 at 9:34pm
    
    Good on you for choosing what you want most then.
    Personally I’m too lazy and like having my regular round, I still take time off though and miss visits generally people don’t expect you not to have a holiday.
    - PRO
      
      Green Girl Garden Care > Richard Gadsby January 5, 2018 at 9:46pm
      
      In my experience my customers were not happy to have their grass left for 4 weeks and neither would my mower be. Also have quite a lot of contracts that state fortnightly visits so can't miss them. I also find one off jobs can bring in more money.
      - PRO
        
        Richard Gadsby > Green Girl Garden Care January 5, 2018 at 11:02pm
        
        I’m with you there I’ll onpy take a week off in summer (I take 2 weeks in kids holidays in summer but not at the same time. And I make sure everyone’s is cut before I go. It’s difficult to organise though.
        My problem is I dislike quoting for work these days so I keep to the regular stuff if I can:)