Lawn care: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering lawn care

Recurring lawn care is a steady route business built on consistent visits, clean cuts and clear communication. Your job is to set a mowing height and schedule that suits the grass and the season, then handle the edges and clippings the same way on every visit.

What customers ask

  • How often do you come out, and do you change the schedule when the grass grows fast in spring?
  • Do you bag the clippings or leave them, and does that change with the grass or the weather?
  • What mowing height will you cut my lawn at?
  • Are you edging along the driveway and walks, or only the open turf?
  • What happens if you miss a visit or it rains?
  • Do you apply fertilizer or weed control, and who does it?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask about grass type, sun exposure, slope and any problem areas, then say which mowing height you will use and why.
  • Walk the yard with the customer before quoting so you can point out bare patches, low spots and sprinkler heads you will avoid.
  • Put the visit frequency, the mowing height, the edging included and the clipping method in the written quote.
  • Show your mower setup and a clean edge line in the photos on your profile, with blades sharpened and decks cleaned.
  • Send a short note after the first visit listing what was cut, what was edged and any issue you saw, such as a damaged sprinkler head or disease.
  • If the customer wants fertilizer or weed control, name the product and the season it goes on before you quote, and confirm who on your crew is licensed to apply it where your area requires it.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of visits that show clean edges along walks and beds
  • Your service area, the days you run routes and the seasons you cover
  • The grass types and lawn sizes you service, so customers can see you handle their kind of yard
  • The mowing heights and clipping methods you use, listed by grass type

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a seasonal check-in before fall to talk about aeration, overseeding or leaf work, and let the customer decide
  • Send a reminder before a fertilizer application with the date and any prep the customer should do, such as keeping pets off the lawn
  • Mention a sprinkler check if you notice a dry zone or a broken head during a visit, and leave the choice with the homeowner

Licenses and permits

Mowing and edging are commonly not licensed work; applying fertilizer or weed control for pay may need a pesticide or applicator license and a business registration in many areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you offer those treatments.

Questions

Do I need a license to mow lawns?

Mowing alone is commonly not licensed. Check with your state or local licensing agency about business registration, and check separately about any treatment products you plan to apply for pay.

How do I keep customers on a recurring plan?

Show up on the day you promised, keep the edges and clippings consistent, and tell the customer what you did on each visit. Ask near the end of the season whether they want the same schedule next year.

Should I give customers a mowing height chart?

A written mowing height for each grass type helps customers see what you are doing and why. Explain any change you make by season so the customer does not think you cut the lawn too short.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

More lawn, landscaping and trees guides for pros

Start here

About this guide

Get lawn care requests

Customers pick you by name. Signup is free, and you pay only for leads you accept.

Join as a pro
Sign up free