One of the questions I’ve been asked the most in my 35 years of running a landscaping company is “Marty, just what do you do in the winter?” Those outside our industry seem to think I head south for three months of sun and fun (ha!), while many inside our industry want to know how I make the most of my offseason and what they should do to maximize theirs.
I can’t pretend to have all the answers, but I can tell you what’s worked for us at Grunder Landscaping (GLC). As the temperature dips, our pace slows, but we still go at a good clip — I think of it as the difference between speeding and going just below the limit, where you’re still focused on your destination but have time enough to look out the window as the scenery passes by. In winter, we still work in our business, but we also make a more concerted effort to work on it.
We never take our eyes off sales. We use this time of year to secure contract renewals and to meet with clients and subcontractors about projects for next year. Weather allowing, it can also be a good time for tree pruning, major cleanups and hardscape restorations.
Looking beyond our current client list, we assess what we should do to find new prospects. How did we land our best clients this past year, and are there new approaches we should try in 2020? Should we, for example, do more with social media or is that not time well spent given the type of client we’re looking for? Whom should we be networking with now that we have an extra hour here or there to meet for lunch or grab coffee? I guarantee you there are folks in your community who can help you grow your business if you take the time to cultivate relationships with them.
We set our budgets for next year. Simply put, your budget is your sales and spending plan for the year. When implemented correctly, it establishes goals, controls costs, drives your team to action and ultimately creates opportunity. Pull together your data from 2019 and then map out where you want to go in 2020. How much in sales do you expect to do compared to last year? How much in gross profit? Net profit? What investments — in trucks, equipment, products and people — do you need to make? Be ambitious but realistic, too. It’s great to want to double your sales, but not if you can’t deliver to your clients and make a profit.
We get more organized. Those of you who have toured my company know my team and I pride ourselves on running a clean ship, with a place for everything and everything in its place. This enables us to roll out and end our days efficiently, to exceed what we promised our clients in less time and to run our office professionally and proficiently. But, staying organized takes constant vigilance, and there’s always room for improvement.
Take a look around your shop and office to see what you can do now to enable your team to work more efficiently next season. What can you automate? We’ve made a real push at GLC to go paperless, and it’s amazing the time and money you can save in doing this — to say nothing of how much neater it makes your workplace.
We attend Grow! I know I’m biased — I do lead this conference after all — but the smartest companies know training is a valuable investment. At Grow! 2020 we’ll get a rare behind-the-scenes look at Loving, one of the fastest-growing and most innovative landscaping companies in the U.S. Join us, and use your winter to set yourself up for success next year.
