Why You Should STOP Being the "$99 Guy" in Your Landscaping Business

[@cgfitnessandarboriculture]

I’m in the tree business so a lot of my clients are one-time or maybe they call me back a year or a couple years later, but not the same as a weekly lawn mowing customer, etc. With that being said, I learned the hard way early on about under charging. Even if it’s a 20 min job, it actually isn’t when you factor in travel, communications, administrative, dump fees, payroll, taxes, etc. Those costs eat the money up real quick. In my opinion don’t try to win every job and be okay with losing work if the client doesn’t want to pay your price. Move on to the next client that is willing to pay you for the high quality service you are providing. It is a real kick in the ass to win a job but realize you are basically working for pennies because you bid too low.

[@KeepinYouUp07]

Dealing with new customers & quoting is an art. All my new jobs are from referrals which is an advantage out of the gate. I'm at the take it or leave it stage. No more "helping" people out to the detriment of my checking account.

[@jaw707]

Well said!

[@St.CrimsonTweets]

I've reached the "take it or leave it" stage, recently. I'm in my 3rd year of lawn maintenance and I'm mulling over the idea of not offering the 1 off jobs to anyone not on my mowing schedule. To be honest I'm already very busy as is, and while I know this takes potential income off the table, I want to eliminate the time wasted giving quotes to people who want the cheapest work they can find.

[@KeepinYouUp07]

@@St.CrimsonTweets I've been there done that too. 1 off jobs, I'd hit them with a minimum charge $200-$300. At first it can be hard to do, if you're used to negotiating with people. Now I almost enjoy telling people my price and staying firm. At the same time it's my mission to ensure people get what they pay for. Sounds like you're in the position to do the same.

[@St.CrimsonTweets]

@@KeepinYouUp07 Definitely, I take a lot of pride in the work I do, but I think my unfortunate truth is I'm still green enough to take things personally when I shouldn't. I do feel that reading a fellow service provider reassure me that it's not just me helps my confidence quite a bit. Thank you!!

[@KeepinYouUp07]

@@St.CrimsonTweets Right on bro. Stay grinding & know your worth!

[@thirdeye_pythons6064]

I'm with a business coaching group right now that had 200 employees, 165 work vans, etc. Anyway they figured out that a service company is only 35% efficient. So the 'sold man hour' is based off that. With al the runs to the store/supply house; driving to sites, communicating with customers, you have to assume your only truly working a couple in the customers home a couple hours a day. Love the video, like ALWAYS!!!!

[@jonathanrobimson4543]

I love Keith he was inspirational to my family and I. The more you teach the more you get better within yourself explaining the business side of things. Make sure yall get his book. How To Start A Landscaping Business With No Start Up

[@MattFitch]

Good stuff. In junk removal we’re lucky because we can automate appointments online and just confirm price on-site same day we do the job. We don’t touch the client even once not until we’re in front of them day of pick up. They can review general pricing on the site before we get there and automated emails and texts inform them of what to expect leading up to it. 1. Clients books an appointment online 2. We show up for the on-site estimate and come ready to complete the job if they approve. 90% of the on-site estimates convert to completed jobs same day. Collect payment at the time of service, log it in QuickBooks at the same time and the entire sales process and accounting can be completed within 2-3 points of contact. Stupid simple really. I’ve learned a lot from your content Keith, thanks!

[@Joe-zc1ut]

I watch this guy from time to time, not very often, but when I do, he's the most relatable person ever. always motivates me because of how accurate he depicts me and my situations, yes you Keith, stop getting high off bee stings. Maybe the holy Ghost sent that bee to sting you just so I can watch this vdeo.

[@keith-kalfas]

Amen

[@JJLandscaping]

It is quite AMAZING how smart you are whennit comes to this stuff. I struggle all the time with figuring out how to properly charge. Keep these videos comming

[@emmettbrown3050]

If your only truck breaks down, you get sued, a critical piece of equipment gets stolen, destroyed, or a personal/business emergency comes up; you won’t be able to go to the customer asking for help because they won’t care. Gotta budget for that kind of stuff

[@bb8503]

Man that hilarious I remember that part with Arnold vividly 😂. I think that sting was getting to you 🤣🤣

[@jimkeen2668]

Right right right, just got home soaking wet from sweating my ass off trimming and weeding, your video! lol! Thank you

[@keith-kalfas]

Nice

[@willstonvelo8100]

Thanks Keith I've learnt a ton of stuff from you,some customers drive you mad, I'm always thinking of better ways to either do the job or how to quote a close the deal. It's such a gold feeling to replace the bad customer with a good one when you know your hard work is worth money. All best crush it Will 🌲🌲🌴

[@adamw6464]

You are Awesome Keith.. One of the smartest men in business.. Thank You for giving us a look into what you are thinking and getting people that are in the spirit you are in inspired.

[@austindouglas13]

I have a base. Client learns the base on the initial phone call and it fits their budget or it doesn't. One call close.

[@arisaihaze]

You're at trip!! LOL! Love it!!!

[@AnthonyW314]

Total recall is on HBO max also. Great video.thanks for sharing 👏

[@Sunandmoon195]

Great video. Yep, the right customers stay with you and you get to upsell as you build trust with them. I like your perspective mate. I think getting a deposit from the customer prior to doing the job is a good qualifier

[@Sunandmoon195]

Hey Keith, you are funny as hell. I love watching ya. Youre a good coach! For real. So good that you coach yourself too!

[@thelawncarejourneyman7567]

Love Your Artwork…. I mean whiteboard! No really I think it’s cool man did a great job but we all agree we love your sense of humor!

[@danieltobin4567]

Bahahahaha this is awesome info bud plus totally lmao

[@jaw707]

God Bless You Brother!! May the Holy Spirit guide us ❤️🙏🏼

[@joshharris7193]

Deep stuff bro deep stuff.

[@jeffray2071]

Best video you've ever done! All things you learn out in the real world of business. Thanks

[@ericberku7073]

WHAT UP DO !! you have to write a book brother …..Do it !!! 😂 I was crying laughing about that video you did about time with family and phone is ringing off the hook because can’t go to little Timmy birthday party Piece of sh. Hilarious but true my wife now understands what I go thru thank you for the great content

[@keith-kalfas]

Lol

[@vincentbianco583]

Just teach your foreman more about your actual business and get him into your pricing model so he can quote, close, complete on the spot. Once upon a time I used to do that for my boss and just show up with cash or check for him from little quickie 10-15 min jobs. I’d make sure to focus on my mowing list for the day but I’d try to run as many little extras as possible

[@keith-kalfas]

Were working on that right now haha

[@vincentbianco583]

@@keith-kalfas ya I’m sure that’ll be nice to grab some extra cash especially in those large groupings

[@favian8435]

Maybe you should think of a package that says lawn cut ,bushes trimmed, and new mulch for 250 something that shouldn’t take your crew more then an hour so that way you can do little jobs and still make money like a job that takes one guy easy in and out

[@justinbean4429]

Depending on how many shrubs there are to prune and how many yards of mulch there is to lay, with one guy that's taking more than an hour. You're forgetting about the cleanup of the shrubs which is a pain if you do it right, cleaning up the beds before you mulch takes up time. If you think it only takes an hour your quality must suck. Not yours in general but for what you are saying it should take

[@berndtslawncare4906]

GREAT VIDEO KEITH! REALLY ENJOYING YOUR VIDEOS!

[@grassbackwards8253]

Thanks for the knowledge bomb! Always helpful to hear pointers from people who have actually been there and done that! I appreciate you taking time to make these vids like this!

[@danny8block]

Some business owners needed to hear this

[@rustybridges4302]

The equation you are looking for is this: Find your billable hours. Example 2200 billable hours Find your overhead. Example $310,000 $310,000 divide by 2200 = $140.90 to break even and cover expenses. Now take $140.90 and divide by .7 = $201.29 This is the price you would charge to cover your overhead and make a 30% profit. Watch videos by Jered Williams the plumber for more about this pricing calculator

[@keith-kalfas]

💪

[@aosaos6821]

Great topic texting has changed my bizness for the better stress wise calls r for friends and family and if I actually did something wrong dogs got loose otherwise u have to text kinda cool I don't answer call s unless I sense a lawsuit basically

[@mgtazco]

Love the title so true.

[@thisoldrelic]

I would say that I would consider $99 job but I would do a lot fewer contacts. I wouldn't bother following up. If they don't call me back after getting them the quote it isn't worth it and they are not serious enough.

[@Jadacream98]

In ct with a influx of immigration that can drive down prices, or the easier barrier to entry in the industry, can you still see starting a grounds landscaping option as a lucrative and very profitable path ?

[@KeepinYouUp07]

If you hustle, absolutely! Same problem in Massachusetts but we thrive here. Do meticulous work, treat customers right & invest in good equipment and employees.

[@joel553009]

Focus on what you can control which is your sales process. Everyone everywhere is having that immigration issue but top company’s do care

[@rickstafford5316]

Great info.

[@JasonDunlop247]

The $99 guy ends up living in a trailer park , eating pizza and drinking cheap beer ! The lucky bastard 😄☘️

[@Press1for]

Has the ryboi electric pressure washer, homemade trailer, Chevy Cavalier, pool cleaning equipment from Walmart, hangs out at gas station cruising Craigslist. 10/4....😁

[@Floorguy1985]

Under different circumstances I totally agree but given what we are facing and will be facing it's better to have some income coming in than none. I hate to do it but I am cutting my prices. I need work. The service quality will just drop . I will cut as much cost as possible and do just enough to not get complaints. 6weeks one call off website.

[@brerrabbit4265]

I lose my @$$ on estimates. I refuse to kill a healthy tree unless it is a hazard to people or property so I end up talking people out of it quite a bit. Not a good thing if you are all about the money but I love trees and I have set standards. I now only look at jobs that are within a half hours drive. I can no longer afford to drive an hour and not get the job or refuse to do it but at the same time I hate charging for an estimate. It's a good thing I have other irons in the fire or I would go broke doing tree work.

[@paulgreenleaf600]

Exactly $5k to $12k is that sweet spot for jobs

[@Danielle66666]

LMFAO I love watching your goofy ass explain this stuff. Thanks so much for making it fun. Always love your vids and they have helped me immensely. Im 1 year in business! Woooo

[@louisberndt5489]

Sounds like you've done this before Keith, but what I really want to know ....Is my Keith Kaflas shirt worth anything...or was the shirt guy listening to one of your podcasts when he spelled your name wrong HAHA!.

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

I'm also wondering why you told that story 🤣🤣 _Total Recall_ and _The Running Man._ Action classics. Throw _Cobra_ and _Rambo_ and _Action Jackson_ in there too 🤣

[@keith-kalfas]

Hahaha yes

[@jaw707]

Dang 🐝!!!

[@Cleanest5thgen]

I’ve had my buisness for a few years and have been doing landscaping for 10 years and I still do not know whether or not my prices are high low or average. I just raise it until more people Start saying no like you said. Like what is the actual average price to mow a damn lawn? Why is it a big secret lmao

[@waltercastro2015]

That is actually how you do it. You keep quoting until you get turned down. Then you quote in between mid-high prices until you find sweet spot. Once you start to see you getting accepted. That is the price range every one is charging. Remember no one will tell you how much they are changing because is competition. Even Walmart and Target compete each other the only difference one is lower and disorganized or unavailable while the other is higher, organized and available. In other words one doesn't care customer just money while the other does care customer and do see more profitable. Another secret 😂 is go to new neighbors that slightly distant. Many lawn care business drop them because they had underquoted. Due to fuel being variable. Specially diesel. Take that chance go to those neighbors and quote at least 20-25% more. They could be like my previous guy was charging me $. Just tell them prices are going up due to this inflation. Fuel and maintenance, taxes and living expenses. You may nail it or not. Mostly i have so don't give up. Reason other companies lost because they announced to their customers. Customers decided to quit with them. Customers on search when they realize everyone is charging high to the point they have to make a decision either go back to their lawn care provider or get a new dude. Careful they may want pull additional services under the same lawn cut. Be clear and write off an agreement that way there isn't a pull on you.

[@cesarcarrillo724]

Bro you are really good but atop hiting the board pls

[@AmericaFirst1776_]

Keith have you ever had a employee start working for you asking you how much a job is we are doing and then say they want half!!!??? Lmk

[@keith-kalfas]

No.

[@aosaos6821]

I also bundle jobs together ur not handing me a fifty dollar payment it's just silly I'll let you know wen we get to a thousand of u don't pay ur thrown off route's everything is fine till there like we owe thousand lol yea it's good way to filter out bad customers if u don't have a thousand dollars that's all I need d to know I'll negotiate and move on

[@losttheplot26]

I'll get someone from down the road for 80 bucks

[@colecole3352]

I am $99 hr guy. So my goal is $99hr before experience.

[@FAHRENHEIT-gj4ng]

What if I'm the $99 PSF guy hahahaha?

[@M3MAX]

What in the world did I just listen to? 🤣

[@justinbean4429]

Something you obviously can't comprehend

[@ryansilva1024]

To summarize don’t be the $99 guy unless you want to get stung by bees.

[@horticology9343]

If actually love to hear about your relationship with God and belief InJesus. As a Christian in the industry I find it intriguing lol. Seems like there’s a lot of them, like the green industry podcast.

[@efefernandoeme7406]

This guy worries way tooo much

[@jtglandscapes]

ANYONE WANNA BE A COACH I’m going legit and I’d love to have questions answered on my level… help a dude out lol thanks

[@losttheplot26]

They're all lemmings.

[@losttheplot26]

Stop emailing and texting clients.

[@jtglandscapes]

Ur too much dude lol love it keep telling me things cause I’m just about to go legit in April and I’ve been doing this for a while like u when u started basically same kinda story so I’m taking the leap… been saying that for a while but I’m ready to jump… I can’t afford to do the employee thing yet but I’ll figure it out… I NEED A COACH someone to call and talk to that can understand where I’m at and answer the questions I’ll have about all the legit moves I gotta make and how to do this and that ya know… anyone able to help a new small business guy out please DM me cause I needs me some help lol thanks love ya bro love all u small business guys out there 🌳JTG🌳 THANKS GUYS