A lawncare business plan can be used as an operational document or a capital raising tool, depending on where you're at with your lawncare company and what you need to accomplish. If you just want to get some ideas down on paper and do some research about the market need for lawn services, the cost of equipment and labor, and so forth, then you will want a business plan as a working document to get your business on track. If you want to get capital from a bank through an SBA loan (or from an angel investor), these topics are even more relevant. Most funding sources want to see a detailed analysis of the market opportunity and an intelligent, assumptions-supported financial forecast showing what revenues – and what profits – your business can achieve. Be sure to answer:
• What would your personnel plan be, or will you operate the company alone?
• Do you know what your capital needs are, and how you will allocate that money?
• How many homes are there within driving distance?
• What is the average household income of the residents you'll target?
• What are the main competitors in this market space?
A lawncare business plan should also investigate the marketing approaches that will work best for you. Flyers are probably the most common type of advertising in this industry, but for some other lawn care companies, the Internet, referral and promotional marketing, and even direct selling have increased accounts. Figure out how much you want to put towards this purpose, and then build a pro forma expense model around it. You will ultimately want to show a revenue forecast, break-even analysis, profit and loss statement, cash flow, and a balance sheet for each year of a (minimum) 3-year model. The business planning experts at MasterPlans can write this business plan for you. Call us today at 877-453-2011.
