How to Get Commercial Landscaping Contracts

Securing a commercial landscaping contract can be a game changer for a landscaping service provider.

These contracts mean steady long-term income, and an opportunity to elevate your reputation.

Breaking into this competitive market is not easy though, but that’s not to say it’s impossible.

Today, we explore some proven strategies other successful landscaping businesses have used to secure commercial lawn care accounts.

So whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your business, come along and learn how to position your business as the top choice for commercial clients.

Understanding Commercial Landscaping Contracts

A commercial landscaping contract refers to a legally binding agreement between a landscaping business and a commercial entity, such as an office complex, retail center, or industrial park.

These contracts typically state that a landscaping contractor is responsible for maintaining and enhancing a commercial property’s outdoor spaces.

They cover services like lawn care, irrigation management, seasonal planting, and even snow removal during the winter.

Unlike residential contracts, which typically involve small-scale projects, commercial contracts are larger in scope, run for longer, and are more complex in their requirements and expectations.

Types of Commercial Landscaping Clients

To successfully secure commercial lawn care contracts, you have to understand your target market, which includes:

Industrial Parks

Typically commercial properties that need landscaping that blends aesthetics with the practical needs of an industrial environment.

Lawn care and maintenance on such a project may feature activities like low-maintenance planting and erosion control in high foot traffic areas.

Municipal Properties

These include properties like public parks, government buildings, and schools. Landscaping projects on these properties follow strict guidelines and must adhere to public safety standards and environmental regulations, but are equally as lucrative.

Office Complexes

Here, clients are usually after a well-maintained, professional look that creates a welcoming environment. Landscaping services here may include; lawn maintenance, tree care, and seasonal planting.

Retail centers

These include properties such as shopping centers and malls. Typically they require landscaping services to increase curb appeal and draw in customers.

They usually require maintenance on green open spaces like the parking lot, entrance landscaping, and decorative plants.

Securing a commercial landscaping contract on any of these properties can be a massive boost to a landscaping business.

This kind of job can serve as a portfolio piece to attract more business, while also providing financial stability.

But how exactly does a contractor go about securing such a contract? Well, there are a few things you can do to set yourself up for success.

Preparing for a Commercial Landscaping Contract

Step 1: Build a Professional Portfolio

Before you bid for any commercial landscaping contracts, first make sure your lawn care business presents a polished and professional image.

The best way to achieve this is through a professional portfolio that showcases your expertise.

Be sure to include high-quality images of past projects, and highlight jobs that demonstrate your ability to handle commercial-grade tasks.

Also, optimize your website so it looks professional, is easy to navigate, and features testimonials to emphasize your reliability.

Step 2: Update Your Licensing and Insurance

This is not just a legal requirement, it also speaks to the legitimacy of your business and shows potential clients that you’re capable of handling the demands of a large project,

Make sure that you have all the licensing and certification for the services you offer including pesticide application and irrigation system installation.

Equally as important is having adequate insurance to protect both your business and your clients in case of any accidents or damages.

Step 3: Prepare Your Staff and Equipment

To handle commercial lawn care contracts, you need the right tools and a capable team.

Assess your current staff and determine whether you need additional members, or to provide updated training to your existing crew.

Similarly, check and ascertain that all your landscaping equipment is up to the task. Remember, commercial landscaping projects often require a higher level of expertise and efficiency, so you want to make sure your team and equipment are ready before the job starts.

With these key steps out of the way, you can move on to the next phase….

Identify and Target Potential Clients

Knowing where to look and how to approach potential customers is key to securing a commercial landscaping contract.

Here are some effective strategies you can employ to identify and connect with clients who are most likely to need your services.

Create a List of New Commercial Client Niches

In addition to the potential clients highlighted above, there are many more commercial properties you can service, you just have to get creative about finding them.

These new commercial lawn care accounts will help grow your business, and potentially even draw in clients from industries and fields you’re yet to consider.

Here’s a quick list to get your creative juices flowing:

• Property management companies
• Warehouse and distribution facilities
• Homeowner associations (HOAs)
• Condo associations
• Manufacturing facilities
• Real estate agencies

Create Buyer Personas for Clients in New Niches

A buyer persona is effectively a “quick guide” to your clients — it gives you a quick overview of their pain points and how best to sell to them.

To create buyer personas for potentially new commercial lawn accounts, try and ask the following questions:

• What is their job role? (E.g., building manager)
• Where do they get their news and information?
• What lawn care challenges are they facing?
• What is their preferred method of communication?

For your buyer personas to be effective, you must base them on real conversations rather than your guesses.

Alternatively, you can get information from these sources:

• Social listening: social media can be a great source of information on supplier concerns and challenges. Conduct reconnaissance on the platforms where your target clients hang out.
• Networking events: Networking with clients in new niches will help you better understand their unique needs and the best way to market to them.
• Conduct surveys: When you land your first few clients in a new market or industry, send out a survey to learn more about how best to serve them and meet their needs.

Remember, the more you know about your prospective clients the better your marketing will be, and the higher your chances of landing high-paying commercial accounts.

Promote Your Commercial Landscaping Business in Target Neighborhoods

Physical marketing is one of the greatest tools in your arsenal. Just think of it like this — every job you do, and every person you meet can be a source of potential business.

Keeping this in mind, you can employ these strategies to get your business in front of as many potential clients as possible:

• Hand out business cards: these are a great way to market your business and quickly share your contact information with potential clients.
• Distribute flyers: You can drop off your flyers around local businesses and make introductions in your area. Be sure to include your company logo, photos of your work, and if possible, a special offer to sweeten the deal.
• Add signs to the lawns you work on: with the permission of your client, you can add your lawn care company sign on lawns you’ve worked with a CTA to encourage prospects to call or get in touch.

Leverage the Power of Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram give you the power to reach millions of people, and best of all, they are free!

Build your social media presence by posting and engaging with your audience to get your business in front of as many people as possible.

Eventually, people will see your business enough to remember you the next time they need lawn care services.

Here are some ideas to get your social media marketing efforts started:

• Share before and after images of your commercial landscaping jobs
• Share videos of happy clients talking about your business
• Include your social media information in your marketing collateral
• Offer discounts for clients that find you through social media
• Create “day-in-the-life” content

Crafting a Winning Proposal

Once you have a potential client in your sights, it’s time to reel them in using an irresistible proposal.

However, crafting a winning bid is a bit of a Goldilocks situation; your bid has to be just right. If it’s too high, you risk losing the job to another contractor, but if your bid is too low, you risk losing money.

Your best bet at securing a commercial lawn care contract is to tailor your proposal to address your client’s needs while presenting a clear and competitive pricing strategy. Here are some tips to help craft a winning bid:

Understand your client’s needs

Different commercial properties have different needs. Learn as much about your potential client as you can and address their specific needs in your proposal.

Demonstrating that you understand the client’s needs creates a sense of trust, and lays the foundation for client satisfaction and successful bidding.

Estimate labor and material costs

Once you understand what your client wants, you can estimate the labor and materials needed to complete the project.

Break down costs into different categories to account for everything and make sure nothing is overlooked.

Account for overhead costs and your profit margin

Overhead costs are the expenses needed to keep your business running and aren’t tied to any specific project.

Consider these costs when deciding your ideal profit margin and strive to strike a balance between competitiveness and profitability.

Consider site-specific challenges

Identify any site-specific challenges and their associated costs. This is essential to creating an accurate bid that your customer understands to avoid price objections.

Account for seasonal variations

Account for seasonal variations that may affect or extend a project’s timelines such as severe weather and extreme temperatures.

Work these variances into your bid as contingency costs and explain the need for these to build trust.

Prepare a professional proposal

Remember to include the cost breakdown, scope of the project, and timelines.

Customize each proposal to address your client’s needs and preferences, and demonstrate your understanding of their vision.

You can even include visual assets to help give the client a clear idea of the end product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Upgrade Your Commercial Landscaping Contracts Game With SunCo

Securing commercial landscaping contracts can be a transformative step for any contractor offering significant opportunities for growth for growth and long-term success.

Today, we’ve covered different ways you can position your commercial landscaping company as a top choice in the commercial lawn care business and how to handle the challenges that come with submitting a landscaping bid.

However, building a successful landscaping business involves a lot more than that.

To find out just how much more, check out our blog at SunCo and join our community of lawn care professionals and enthusiasts.

Whether you’re looking for expert advice or inspiration for your next project, at SunCo, we have everything you need to stay ahead in the industry.