If I had to ask that question to a hundred different landscapers, I'd probably get a hundred different answers. You may get answers all over the place, ranging from a technical answer to a good elevator speech.

But in my opinion, they still may miss the mark when it comes to describing what business we're in.

You see, it's been my experience now for more than a decade being in this industry, that what we really offer may in fact be entirely different than what most ever realize. Let me explain.

When someone asks what's the number one thing my company offers, you would probably guess our services like, spring clean ups, lawn maintenance, core aeration, or mulch installation.

You may even say we do snow removal, fertilization, and the list goes on and on.

But if I can make a suggestion, a different way to look at your business and what you really offer, I would probably be able to provide an entirely different answer.

It’s Not What You Offer, It’s What Your Customer Receives

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Let's imagine for a minute you're working with your crew and helping train a new hire on his first day on the job.

Usually they have the excitement to get on out there, grab some equipment that they've already been debriefed on, and tackle the next job on the calendar.

But what happens when the rookie new hire we just put into our team doesn't seem to tackle the tasks that we want him to, the way we were hoping? Instead of trimming the way we encouraged and told him to, he does it a different way.

What if we receive a phone call later in the day from a less then happy client who let's us know, to our surprise, that trash was littered all over the backyard of her property? Something which we knew nothing about or expected, because earlier that morning we told the new hire exactly not to do something like that.

We scratch our head, perplexed at the actions that transpire during the day.

• Is the new hire just not cut out for our company?

• Does he not have the ambition to tac

  ...

I see it all too often in business when hanging around new business owners, and even the seasoned vets.

People making little mistakes that can be costly, and hindering, versus helping their businesses grow. It all comes down to 3 words: better phone etiquette.

I wanted to share a few quick tips, although not an inclusive list, to help you get better on the phone, and to have better phone etiquette.

Here are my 3 biggest tips I can share: some from personal experience, and others from observing others in the industry. Let me give you my top 3 biggest sins when it comes to using the phone for your business.

Not answering the phone with a proper greeting

Most folks I've observed, answer the phone in an almost drunken like fashion, with a ruffled "hello", versus an upbeat, "Hello, this is Brian!" declaration, or something like, "Thank you for calling Brian's Lawn Maintenance, how can I help you?"

Unfortunately, most people don't understand that when you're a business owner, you nee

What does success look like to you?

Success. We all want it, in one form or another. That's what starting your own enterprise is all about. What looks like success to me may very well be different than what success means to you.

That's a given.

But I will tell you this: in my observation, as different as we all are, every business owner has a set of indistinguishable traits that allow them to thrive and succeed.

Make no mistake about it, being in business for yourself is a challenge. It will require you to act in a different manner, think in a different fashion, and acquire traits and skills that will lead you to your desired results.

Here are 6 indistinguishable traits for a successful Lawntrepreneur:

Confidence

Whether you're inspiring the troops to tackle the day, or presenting to a customer that you have the competency to get the job done, execute everything you do with confidence. Remember, there's a reason they describe markets with the word “confidence”. If you have it,