Second Nature Lawn Care, Nashville, Tenn., has relied on a unique method of acquiring its customers – they buy them.
Since its inception in 1993, the company has purchased many of its customers from other lawn care companies as a way to grow the business. Their reasoning, Owner Steve White feels, is sound. “If I look at the dollars I spent to acquire customers, I’m better off buying them,” he says. “For instance, if you factor in cancellations and such, a lawn care customer will average $400 for the year, and we’re going to have to spend $200 or more in advertising just to get the sale and that doesn’t include what we pay the sales person and the cost of the truck. Therefore, buying customers dollar for dollar is immediate and it can then bring recurring revenue. The first year, obviously, is a wash, but the year after that is when you make a profit. Then retention becomes the core focus.”