Top 5 Residential and Commercial Lead Generation Services for Lawn Care, Landscaping, and Tree Care Companies

Lead generation for local service companies is very different from going to Google Advertising and putting money towards a series of keywords. Depending on your focus, there are a variety of lead generation strategies and digital ad and directory sites available.

For Lawn, tree, and landscape companies that service residential customers. 

Most homeowners take pride in their property’s exterior appearance, but they often need help to keep their lawns/landscape looking lush and their trees healthy. If you want to grow your company’s portfolio of residential clients, Arborgold recommends the following lead-generation services:

1.   Google Ads

Formerly known as Google AdWords, is an advertising system that Google developed to help businesses reach online target audiences and generate leads through its search engine platform and partner sites. When a potential customer searches for certain keywords related to lawn care, landscaping, or tree care, your company’s clickable ads could appear in Google’s search results, driving consumers to visit your website or contact you via phone or email. It’s free to sign up for a Google AdWords account, and you only pay when your customers take action to click on your ad. Google provides reports and insights to track your ad’s performance and costs. If you have never set up a Google Ad campaign before, YouTube has helpful tutorials that you might want to watch. Learn more about Google Ads.

2.   Google Local Services Ads

Google Local Services Ads are another way to generate valid leads in the area where your business operates. Google displays your ads above both the organic search results and the paid-per-click (PPC) ones, targeting users located in your geographic area. These ads are pay-per-lead, so your budget is calculated based on the number of people who ultimately click through your ad to contact you. The big difference between Google Local Services and Google AdWords is that you won’t pay anything until the consumer contacts you. However, you may want to consider a blend of both ad platforms because they can support each other in your marketing efforts.

3.  Angi

Angi is an internet services company formed by the merger of Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor. Top-rated, certified professionals are offering home services in dozens of categories, including lawn care, landscaping, and tree care. Potential customers who are searching for services like yours on Angi will provide specific information about their project as part of the search process. This enables you to make a more informed response when you reach out to the customer with a quote or questions. There is no cost to create a company profile on Angi, but there are fees for enhanced advertising features. If you’re looking to generate more leads from local clients, it’s easy to get started on Angi.

4.   Yelp

Yelp publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses of all types. It is one of the top 50 most-visited sites in the U.S. Consumers generally view Yelp as a trusted source of information and user-generated reviews, so it can be conducive for lead generation. There is no fee to create and manage a business page on Yelp; however, there is a charge for enhanced business page features. Your company can purchase a paid listing on Yelp or benefit from an unpaid, organic listing if you use words and phrases in your web content that improve your ranking on search engines. Five-star reviews on Yelp help, too, so encourage your satisfied customers to give you a high-five on Yelp! Register your business on Yelp.

5.     Facebook 

Facebook offers several platforms where businesses can elevate their profile with potential customers, such as:

•   Facebook Marketplace is for users to find, purchase and sell items. You can advertise your company on Marketplace to reach more prospects, even if your business doesn’t post directly on Marketplace.

•  Facebook Community Groups are designed for like-minded individuals to engage, connect and share with one another. Since many homeowners are passionate about their lawns and trees, you might want to set up a Facebook Community Group for your business. It’s a great way to position your company as a knowledgeable team of professionals, strengthen relationships with customers, and increase your organic reach so potential customers will ask to join your group. For optimum engagement, keep your conversations in the group friendly and informative, not pushy or salesy.
•   Facebook Paid Ads are messages/information created by your company and posted on Facebook to help reach potential customers who might be interested in your products and services. You can select the length of time to run your paid ad campaign, and you have control over the images, text, and audience for the ad campaign. Here’s how Facebook ads work and how Facebook charges for ads.

6.    Direct Mail

If you think Direct Mail is somewhat old-school in today’s digital age, think again! Direct Mail can be highly effective at introducing your company to potential customers, especially within a geographical area. Some examples include a creative postcard mailing, a flyer with a coupon offering a special rate for a first-time project, or an insert in a Valpak distribution.  All of these can be affordable ways to reach homeowners or businesses in a targeted geographic area. Pricing varies depending on the quantity and quality of your mailing, so do some research to make smart decisions about the type of direct mail to use. Just remember that when your mailing gets into the hands of a customer who needs your services, it could be the start of a beautiful – and profitable –relationship. 

Marketing tactics for Lawn, tree, and landscape companies that service commercial or government customers. 

Successful businesses often establish long-term contractual relationships with lawn care, landscaping, and tree care companies in order to maintain an attractive entrance and well-manicured grounds all year long. Arborgold’s go-to list of lead generation services to build your portfolio of commercial clients includes:

1.   LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a popular platform that businesses use for professional networking and positioning their firms as knowledgeable experts in their industry category. For example, if you create blog posts on your website, you can repurpose that content as a post on LinkedIn. When you are connected to an individual by accepting their invitation to connect, you can send them a direct message through LinkedIn.  Also, LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to develop stronger connections. You can find groups to join by searching at the top of your home page, and you can create a new group that’s focused on a specific topic or industry. You can even advertise on LinkedIn with a variety of options.

2.    The System for Award

Management (SAM)  If your company would like to do business with the federal government, you must register with SAM so you’ll be authorized to bid on federal contracts or be eligible to serve as a subcontractor on a project. SAM will give you access to federal business opportunities if that’s something your business wants to pursue. Learn more and sign up for SAM.

3.  Referral Partners 

Never underestimate the value of Referral Partners for new business leads. Train yourself and your team on the importance of developing strong, long-lasting relationships with home inspectors, insurance companies, homeowners associations (HOAs), and property management companies, just to name a few of the partnerships that can benefit your company’s bottom-line when referrals become customers. Remember: Referring is a two-way street, so return the favor and refer business leads to your partners when you can do so.

4.  Cold-Calling Campaign

A strategic Cold-Call Campaign can be very effective if it’s done well. While it may seem daunting at first, start simply by making a list of the top 10 companies that you would like to do business with and reach out by phone or LinkedIn to connect with the person who coordinates the care of the grounds.

Start by introducing yourself and use the conversation as a learning experience, not necessarily as a sales call. Your goal is to take the first step to establish a relationship and put your company on your target’s radar. Gradually expand your outreach to more companies as your time permits. This type of campaign takes some time and research, but it can yield profitable results.

5.    Association Memberships

Association Memberships create opportunities for networking and building connections that could lead to new business. Your city/town/county probably has a Chamber of Commerce or an economic development group, or a business leaders association that you could contact for information about becoming a member.

Also, Business Network International (BNI) is a business networking organization with members and chapters in over 76 countries. Visit the website to see if there’s a chapter near you.

About Arborgold Software

For over 25 years, Arborgold’s all-in-one business software has helped tree, lawn, and landscape companies manage leads and customers, bid jobs, schedule work, track inventory, run supply chain, manage projects, and invoice customers from your computer or mobile device. Learn how our customers are building a better business by automating lead generation with email marketing and third-party integrations, optimizing schedules, and connecting the office with the field real-time, resulting in increased profits and a reduction in costs.

Find out if Arborgold is right for you by taking a tour or booking a discovery call with one of our product experts.