During the colder months, lawn care services slow down and, in some regions, stop completely until spring. This slowdown creates a gap in revenue for seasonal businesses. Snow and ice management can generate additional revenue and open your business up to a new line of customers. This blog will help you understand the fundamentals of selling snow and ice management services and getting prepared before the first snowfall.
Identifying Your Winter Service Customers
It is possible for your winter service customers to overlap with your existing customer base, but remember, this is an opportunity to find new business as well. Depending on the equipment you plan to use, your client base can be split into two categories:
- Commercial Properties: Parking lots for retail centers, office buildings, warehouses, Apartment Buildings, and more
- Residential Properties: Driveways, sidewalks, patios, homeowners’ associations, and more in residential areas.
It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to selling new services. Remember, your existing customer base is a great starting point when it comes to selling winter and ice services.
Building Your Winter Services Package
Snow and ice services can be packaged in different ways, similar to how you sell lawn and landscaping services. There are three main winter service groups to consider when building your packages and offering services.
- Snow Removal: Clearing driveways, walkways, parking lots, and access areas of snow.
- Ice Management: Applying rock salt or other de-icing treatments to reduce slippery conditions, especially in high-traffic areas.
- Preventative Services: Pre-treating services ahead of anticipated winter weather to make clean-up easier.
- Full-Service Winter Maintenance: Combining snow removal, prevention, and ice management for one big package.
When presenting packages to clients, giving them tiered options helps them make the best decision for their property while also seeing the full range of services you offer.
Marketing Your Winter Services
Offering winter services alone won’t guarantee you business this season. It is important to understand how marketing your business and winter services will get customers to come to you instead of competitors. Some of the following marketing options below will help you connect with customers and get them interested in what your business is offering.
- Reach out to customers ahead of the winter weather season to let them know of the services you will be offering through emails, invoices, texting, flyers, and more.
- Promote winter services on your social media before the winter weather arrives.
- Highlight the convenience of using one trusted lawncare contractor year-round.
- Use testimonials, before-and-after photos, and customer referrals to establish credibility.
- Encourage customers to sign contracts for winter weather services ahead of winter to guarantee a spot on your busy schedule.
Focus on promoting safety, convenience, and peace of mind to your customers. You’re not just selling snow removal services; you are building relationships with clients.
Choosing the Right Equipment
While the messaging and promotion of your services is important, so is ensuring you have the best equipment for the job. Reliable, professional equipment is essential, especially when services multiple properties.
Not all equipment or products give the same result. Using fertilizer spreaders for ice melt or rock salt can tear up your units before the season ends. Having dedicated equipment for spreading salt and winter treatments ensures you have the perfect fleet to get the job done.
Spyker Spreaders designs the best spreader solutions for your winter spreader services. Common spreaders and equipment for winter weather services include:
- 100Lb. Ice Melt Winter Spreader with Variable Deflector
- Ideal for large driveways, larger lots, and more.
- 120Lb. Commercial Drop Spreader
- Ideal for larger driveways, and smaller lots.
- 25Lb. Bag Spreader with Material Viewing Window
- Ideal for small walkways, tight spaces, and steps.
Spyker winter spreaders are a perfect option for professionals looking for durability and efficiency. Spyker Spreaders offer consistent material distribution and efficient applications season after season. Check out our full line-up of winter spreaders online.
This week, November 9th through November 13th, take advantage of Spyker’s Winter Spreader Sale. Use promo code SPYKERICE26 for 15% off Spyker Winter Spreaders on shop.spyker.com.
Winter services open a door to stronger relationships with existing and new customers year-round. If you want to grow a successful winter services business, remember these three points. Identify potential customers now, not when the first snow fits, create competitive service packages, and invest in reliable equipment like Spyker Spreaders.
Are you ready to take on the winter? Whether you’re treating sidewalks, driveways, or commercial properties, having the right spreader makes all the difference. Explore Spyker’s lineup of professional-grade spreaders and equip your business for the season ahead.
Have a question about Spyker or where to find a Drop-In Sprayer? Call our customer service at (800) 972-6130.
