Do you have a passion for gardening and want to turn it into your career? Gardening can be an enjoyable hobby for some, while others find it a tedious chore. If set up correctly, your gardening business can be a great success. If you’re eager to start your own gardening business, there are a few things you should know. Read our guide to find out the steps you will need to take to start a gardening business.
Table of Contents
1. Create a Business Plan
While this isn’t the most exciting part, you should never underestimate the value of a solid business plan. A business plan is crucial when starting your business. It sets out your target market, goals, objectives, marketing strategies and where you see your business going.
In your business plan, you should outline your profit projections to see how viable your business will be. You should also anticipate any set backs or issues you might encounter in your first year of operation and how you plan to tackle these. You can customise our Business Plan for free.
2. Choose Your Business Structure
As with any business, you will need to decide on a business structure. There are four business structures you can choose to operate under:
- Sole Trader
- Partnership
- Company or
- Trust
Ultimately, the structure you choose will have tax and legal implications. If you’re unsure on which structure to use, check out our quiz ‘What Business Structure Is Right For You?‘.
Next, you will need an Australian Business Number (ABN). You can register for an ABN here.
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3. Get Insured
Insurance is key to any business. This is particularly important for a gardening business as you will be using machinery such as mowers and leaf blowers. You will need to start with Public Liability insurance, which protects you against claims arising from injury or damage suffered by members of the public.
If you choose to hire employees, you may also need Worker’s Compensation Insurance. This covers you and your employees if they suffer a workplace injury or illness.
4. Source Your Equipment
As a gardening business, you will need to source your own equipment. Some equipment you should consider purchasing may include:
- Tools including mower, leaf blower, rake, wheel barrow, weed eater, potting mix etc
- Ute/trailer
- Uniforms
- Potting mix
- Office equipment such as a computer, phone and filing systems
5. Market Your Business
As with any business, you need to acquire customers. A central way of doing this is through the implementation of a strategic marketing plan. You may decide to put an advertisement in your local newspaper or do a letterbox drop around the neighbourhood introducing your business.
Moreover, to maximise your online visibility and website traffic, we would recommend investing in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Word of mouth can be highly effective in obtaining new clients. If you do a good job, clients are likely to recommend you to their friends and family. You can try encourage word of mouth by offering a discount to existing clients for successful referrals.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, starting a business is an exciting experience. If done correctly, starting your own gardening business can be a profitable endeavour. If you need assistance with the set up of your business, we recommend consulting a Business Lawyer.
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