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• PRO

  Phil Voice January 13, 2009 at 7:31pm

  Hi Lisa
  
  You are not alone with this feeling of despair. I think it is a natural process that we all have to deal with (whatever is said publicly).
  
  My personal view is this. Gardens will never go away but clients will cut their cloth to suit and it will be necessary for all businesses to be vigilant when selling themselves and their services.
  
  Market forces will determine that a small business owner cannot continue to sell themselves at a rate that is significantly higher than their peers in the geographical areas that they operate.
  
  Look to add value for money for your client.
  
  Older customers sometimes look for a little social interaction and enjoy gardening visits because of the chat over a cup of tea.
  
  Make time to stay ten or twenty minutes after your shift (free of charge) for a cup of tea and a chat.
  
  If you plant up a border, add a free maintenance visit as part of the cost so that your client feels that they are getting something for nothing but more importantly the services of someone who cares.
  
  There is no doubt that this year will be tough but there is also no doubt that gardening will still be in demand. The secret for our members is that the demand is for our services.
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk January 13, 2009 at 9:20pm

  Hi Lisa,
  ive been thinking the same thing this week!
  
  im waiting to see what 'happens'.......ready to be organised , buying small things stamps/ diary /& reduced slip on boots !! Im not making any decisions and keeping 'Overheads' low ( as P.Voice suggested).
  
  So 'No' major buying, not serviced my mower yet ! i should have 2 trees to cut week after which is good start and been finishing hedges/etc on an old 'orchard' today (dec job) !! freezing so lost a week last week basically............keep it real. ill only spend once jobs guaranteed . im waiting for existing customer to confirm about a fence for february (already quoted ); really need the job ! Please God :-)
  I also had an enquiry for London estate agents/rentals ---- I hope for the best.....but (what if car blows up)! 'we' need to save for ''Rainy Days''......................oh Paid/Paying all my credit cards off /clean slate........and will cancel B-Card 22.9% No thanks
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk January 13, 2009 at 9:29pm

  oh...........im not advertising !!!! £300 for nothing (phonebook) maybe £65 village church magazine again.
  
  Yell.com : free listings folks - works well .
  
  yes its suprising when chatting that people are 'thinking and might just 'ask you to quote for fence repair/ cut hedge/tree down or lawn edging etc.........even neighbours when you are working ....its hard but just 2-3 mins (and a breath!) can get you a £120 or £650 pound job easy............even existing clients you do small jobs for ............2 ears -1 mouth ?! said the 'Top Salesman'_ ( not me ) :-) smile they LoVe it
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  Kevin Munt January 13, 2009 at 9:54pm

  Hi Lisa,
  
  I don't take any daily papers and try to avoid the news. The Beeb seem to delight in that graphic with the big red arrow plunging into the ground! I just stay positive in the same way you do, it is easy to talk the country into a deep seated recession, by talking things up we will have a positve effect on others. I am not saying we should put our heads in the sand but we should not be afraid of the blinkers now and again. Some times tunnel vision is a good thing if you have you target in view.
  
  Kev
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  Sefton Paine January 14, 2009 at 8:01am

  Hi Lisa
  
  My business was booming..increasing 50% year on year but I have had a major contractor decide that they want to consolidate all their sites in to one that covers the whole of the South East of which I would have found very difficult to manage, and to be honest, I cannot see how these national garden companies can provide that personal service/finishing touch or "going back the following day" to perfect or adjust something. This company provided a lot of Winter work and now that has gone, yes, things are slippery. Phillip has made some good points, and it is an area which I have suffered in over the years - as I have felt overworked most of the time - but maybe a new attitude has to be adopted.
  
  We all know that there is garden maintenance to be done, even at this time of year.
  
  I have a comprehensive/extensive month by month schedule of works which I have extracted from several sources to ensure that no stone is left uncovered.
  
  If anyone reading this, would like a copy sent on a monthly basis, then please let me know and I will mail it to them.
  
  Best Wishes and lets keep our pecker up...
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  Big Dig Groundworks January 16, 2009 at 11:05am

  I am finding it hard at the moment to remain 'positive' due to a severe lack of enquiries. But have found this site has helped to keep me upbeat about the year ahead, as everyone is of the same opinion that people will still want work doing on there gardens/out door spaces when the weather gets better, if you can say that in this country. Lol. Hopefully more people will want work doing outside so they have a space to enjoy all year round, instead of a 2 week holiday, regardless of the weather, and it will last longer than a holiday in the sun.
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  Lisa Valentine January 16, 2009 at 1:37pm

  Hi everyone,
  
  Its good to see that everyone feels the same as I do - relatively positive but still keeping an eye on things. I thank god that I started looking at winter work last July in my customers gardens and recording it all for this winter/spring - we are still working although on reduced hours we are still getting money in.
  
  I've just been to see a new customer and I think your reputation does wonders for you. I've been following what Kevin has been saying and not watching/listening or reading the news and it has actually helped. I agree the news channels are talking things down and should be talking up the fact that supermarkets are taking on 15000 people between them - no mention of any of it.
  
  I agree with what the last writer has said about the holidays it mentions that in a gardening business book I bought. Hopefully this recession will work in our favour who knows?
  
  Thanks for posting your replies on it has actually really helped
  Lisa
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  Ofer El-hashahar January 16, 2009 at 3:26pm

  Dear Lisa,
  
  Always Keep on trying you got nothing to loose,
  Think positive ,We are not like people that loosing their job. we can always keep it small and wait for a better day- It will come.
  No one have perfect life - we all got some days that hard. butas they say in the end of the winter comes...
  spring.
  Wish you all the best- keep smiling
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  Cat Fereday January 18, 2009 at 11:28pm

  Hi Lisa - it's a bummer of a time at the moment, no kidding. I've been standing on the precipice of redundancy from my job now for several months - just waiting for the axe to fall and praying that my husband's gardening business remains healthy. I try to cope by seeing the funny side of things... sometimes that works, sometimes you end up irritating people who aren't looking at the funny side of things! But, I just remember, laughter works more facial muscles, so I can put off the face lift until the market recovers!!