This article is a slight departure from the normal science and stories that I am accustomed to writing about. On a recent trip to Florida, I had the pleasure of meeting with quite a few different companies who had varying points of view on the way a lawn company should be run, the types and frequency of applications that should be offered and what, if any, benefit these programs offered the client. It was an eye opening experience and brought some both paradoxical and paradigm views into play.

In any given area of the USA, there are guidelines to fertility and management that most people follow. These were set in place by the universities and the agronomic institutions to show where maximum nutrient loads could be applied without seeing damage to turf. That’s all well and good, but this does not address what healthy turf really is. When we find out the max loads plants, animals, and even humans can take, that level tends to be pushed to a further limit by the general populace. This typically winds up with less than favorable results.

The reason I am beginning this way is to provide a little background info on where the current mindset is in our industry. So… let’s talk programs. Around the country, you will find varying degrees of frequency of applications. This will be anywhere from 3-12 lawn apps per year depending on latitudinal geographic location. In the beginning of the Professional Lawn Care boom, the standard apps were between 3-4 times per year at 8-12 week intervals. Over time that went to 5, then 6, then 7. Now, we can also find that in many areas of the country where the growing season is as short as 150 days, there are 8 and 9 apps being offered. How is this possible and why? What do these companies know about consumers that would allow them to market and sell this way? It’s actually very simple and I will get to it shortly.

There are still holdouts in the industry that believe in the “roots” or “antiquated” method. 3-6 apps are plenty. But is this really true? The question I am posing today is this; what do you believe offers both the client and the turf the biggest value as a service provider? I met a few companies whose attitude toward more than 6 apps is simply this, “why would you need to be out there more than 6 times if you’re doing a good job?” it’s a fair question, I suppose… but is it a wise question?

If you spend some time on “The Google” and start looking up modern fertility practices, you will find that the idea of spoon-feeding turf and crops is catching on. Logically, this makes sense. As it is, plants are more effective in nutrient translocation when dealt with in small amounts.  It’s kind of a no-brainer really. But how do we convert this into a program that Joe Client will go for? In the end, it comes down to customer results and service per dollar spent. While there may be areas where selling a monthly service is difficult; mark my words, in less than 5 years everyone will be on that program. The industry is shifting this way and it has been clawing up that hill for years. When you intend to change the face of what everyone has been used to for so many years, you are seen as either the enemy or the leader. Most companies would attack the originals who offered 2 or 3 more apps than usual as a company that is inept. Within a couple of seasons though, the attackers are on the gravy train riding the same model that they have berated for the previous years.

The first place businesses owners go (those not on a monthly plan) is to cost. Everything goes up, no one can afford it, and we will be applying more chemicals than ever. The joyous reality is that this is not the case. On a monthly service, you or your techs get to have feet on turf more often. This means that disease and weed pressures are diagnosed sooner and dealt with faster. It means that application rates of fertilizer go down because of frequency. It means stretching out pre-emergent apps in smaller bite size portions and getting longer and better controls. In most cases, a reduction of post emergent weed control will be up to 35%. This adds up. The amount of Bio Green® or Greene County Fertilizer Company products applied for the season does not necessarily rise, in fact, when you run the numbers, it is likely you will see a reduction in total fertilizers applied. If you are on a 5 step program over 8 months and use 5 gallons per acre, an 8 step program in the same market will be at or near 3-4 gallons per acre. When you sum all of this up, you’ll see where profitability comes in.

Now the question becomes, “how do I market this type of program?” This is where things get a little more challenging. You will need to go through your budget to see where the cost/profit balances out and what application rates are needed to service this type of account. The reality is, a monthly service offers more options of service to the client and you essentially become their lawn’s insurance policy. Monthly services do not need to be a “Premier Line Offering,” but they can be. In most cases, you will find that your standard app price points will hold up under a monthly program and that includes offering additional controls as needed through the season. Perfecting the pitch on starting a monthly service is the easier option, converting clients to a monthly is more difficult and can take time.

When attempting to convert a large clientele to a monthly service, time is your ally. There is no rush into a massive change that could potentially cause clients to run for the hills. The most common way would be to add an application per year and give people the option to stay on the current rotation. This is pitched as simply;

• Your lawn will look better
• You will see us more often, which translates to better customer care
• You will have us walking your lawn more, which means we will catch and correct problems sooner.

You will find that the general populace is getting used to this type of service/billing/care. Monthly subscriptions to everything from Gyms to Car Washes are now the norm. People like to have their bills come at the same time of the month, every time. It becomes predictable and budgeting is easy to do. As you grow a program like this, the old holdouts will come around and your new clients will be exceedingly happy.

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