| Before you start your own lawn care business, | | | | purchase a list of homeowners from your local |
| or any business for that matter, you should | | | | homeowner association, list brokers or |
| do research on your target market first. This | | | | newspaper. Alternatively, visit your library |
| is necessary for three reasons:1. You want | | | | and look up the Standard Rate and Data |
| to identify your target customer group or | | | | Service directory. You will find a list of |
| groups and their needs | | | | publications that rent or sell their lists in |
| | | | that directory.Your list should contain at |
| 2. You want to know where is the best place | | | | least five hundred names and addresses. Aim |
| to operate your business | | | | for one thousand names and addresses if your |
| | | | budget allows. Not every one in the list will |
| 3. You want to know what kind of problems | | | | participate and return your survey form. You |
| you will likely face in the futureAn | | | | will likely get more responses from a larger |
| organized and thorough market research will | | | | list. With the list in hand, you can now |
| be able to help you answer these questions | | | | photocopy your survey form and sent them |
| and more. The most common way to research | | | | out.Another alternative to mailing out the |
| your market is to conduct a survey. So how do | | | | forms is to call up the people on the list. |
| you conduct a market survey?As a new startup | | | | This will take up a considerable amount of |
| with little budget, you probably want to | | | | your time but you may be able to learn |
| consider doing the survey yourself instead of | | | | something that you never consider just by |
| hiring a market research firm. You can design | | | | talking to those homeowners.By the way, you |
| a survey that is one page long and make sure | | | | should have an idea of the average income |
| the questions are properly phrased and | | | | level of each household in your target market |
| unambiguous. The questions you asked should | | | | area. If the average income level is on par |
| allow your respondent to provide more | | | | or below the national average, a lawn care |
| details. Do not use questions that can be | | | | service may be considered a luxury than a |
| answered with a straight "yes" or 'no'.When | | | | necessity. An economic downturn will force |
| designing your questions, you can consider | | | | these households to tighten their |
| approaching the business school in your local | | | | expenditure, which will significantly impact |
| university or polytechnic for help. The | | | | your business. Design a backup plan if you |
| marketing professors or lecturers in the | | | | intend to operate your business in these |
| business school may be looking for new | | | | market areas.An organized and thorough market |
| projects for their student and you can take | | | | research in your target market may cost you |
| advantage of it. Some of them may be willing | | | | some time and money in the beginning but the |
| to draft the questions for you for a nominal | | | | insights you gained from the research will |
| fee.Once you have the questions ready, you | | | | help you build a better business that truly |
| can use your home computer system to print | | | | serve the needs of your customers.Jack |
| out a copy with your company name and logo to | | | | Greenwood is the webmaster of which provide |
| save some cost. Before you head over to the | | | | information on lawn care and easy lawn care |
| nearest photocopying shop for mass | | | | business tips tips. Sign up for your free |
| reproduction, you will need to have a list of | | | | 7-part Green Lawn Care mini course at today. |
| people to mail your survey forms to. You can | | | | |