14 Steps for Starting a Tree Service Company

If you’re passionate about working outdoors and in the green service industry, you may be interested in starting a tree service company. This opportunity works great in most communities and can be very profitable if you offer good, reliable service.

In this article, we discuss steps for starting a tree service company. This includes getting your business registered and licensed, attaining equipment, and starting to market your services.

How do I Start a Tree Service Company?

Choose a business name. Before you start filling out any paperwork, you’re going to have to decide what to be called. Choose something easy to spell and memorable-you don’t want to be dictating “D as in dog, E as in Eric, S as in Sam,” and so on every time someone writes you a check for tree care services or sends you an email.
File your business with your state and federal governments. This provides you the business license, incorporation status, and tax identification numbers you need to do business-and to do so with less personal risk to yourself.
Get licensed. When you start a tree service company, you may be required by your state to have certain licensing, such as a contractor’s license.
Get insured. Starting a tree care company comes with physical risks for you, your employees, and your client’s property. Insurance will help protect you in the case of an accident.
Define your services. What types of services will your company offer? Will you operate heavy machinery for large tree care jobs or do only small tree care projects that don’t require extensive equipment?
Do a competitive analysis. Getting to know other tree care companies in your area is an important step in starting a tree service company. This research should give you information about how to stand apart from your competition as well as market pricing information.
Set your prices. Put together a rough service and price list. You can change this later but having it as a starting point will give you a good idea of pricing when you’re ready to bid your first project.
Order your equipment. The best rule of thumb is to rent until the cost of rental doesn’t make sense anymore. Most equipment is expensive, especially for a tree service company that is just starting. While you’re starting to drive revenue and determining the best way to make a tree service company work in your area, renting equipment instead of purchasing outright can mitigate excessive costs. This is usually a good holdover until you have enough revenue and need to justify a full purchase.
Choose a logo. Online freelance platforms such as Fiverr are often a good place to have a few options put together.
Design & order business cards. You’ll want to include these business cards in your estimates and proposals, to give to existing clients for referrals, when you network or knock on doors. You’ll also want business cards for when you interact with potential vendors.
Set up a website. After you are branded, you’ll want to set up a website. Make sure this is optimized for keywords that potential clients may be searching for, such as “tree care services {city}.” Make sure to have a clear call to action (such as “request a quote”) and easy-to-find contact information.
Claim your Google Business listing. Local businesses benefit from having a local presence online. Google Business is the listing service that pulls up maps results for business searches in your area.
Choose a CRM.

For any service-based business, you’ll need a contact relationship management (CRM) system for keeping track of leads, clients, and job orders. There are lots of systems out there-however, not all are built to handle the intricacies of a tree care business. Be sure to take an online tour of the product before buying to be sure it is the right choice for you.
Market your services! Once your new tree care company is set up, you’re ready to market your services and start bringing in clients. Good places to start are social media ads, lawn signs (if they’re allowed in your area), requesting referrals from family and friends, and visiting businesses in the area.