If you want to be more productive and more profitable than your competition, you need to put the right plan in place and your employees need to follow the systems and procedures of the business. These systems should clearly communicate how the company gets things done. Proper planning coupled with the right systems and the right people is the only way to ensure you can grow a successful business.

SIMA, the Snow and Ice Management Association, is all set to host the 14th annual Snow & Ice Symposium in Schaumberg, Illinois from June 22-25th. For over a decade, professionals have referred to the symposium as “The Best Show in Snow,” bringing industry professionals together under one roof to discuss all aspects of the work that they do. Join us, the Landscape Management Network, at SIMA. We’ll be speaking about the best principles of business management, snow and ice operations, leadership, and more!

If you want to be more productive and more profitable than your competition, you need to put the right plan in place and you need to implement systems that clearly communicate how the company gets things done. Proper planning coupled with the right systems is the only way to ensure you can grow a successful business without needing to be involved in every bit of planning and execution. Systems are the only way the owner can take the information and expectations out of their heads and effectively pass it on to the employees. Read on to learn how implementing standardized operational systems can help you plan for success.

There are certain people out there who, regardless of how great your incentive program is, are self-motivated. You need to hire these people! Here are the three things to look for in great employees.

For the most part, folks in the green industry seem reluctant to make full use of social media, particularly twitter. Perhaps there’s a feeling that many of their customers are not online and, therefore, their marketing efforts on twitter would not be as beneficial as they might be for say small business owners who are selling an actual product. Fair enough. But our inclination is that most landscape business owners are reluctant to get on twitter simply due to a fear of the unknown. So, in this article, we’re going to look at twitter and see how it can help us with marketing our business and perhaps after you might finally bite the bullet and get online!

Xeriscaping refers to the use of native, drought-resistant plants that require no additional irrigation to survive and thrive. While xeriscaping has long been recognized as a great solution for those living in dessert landscapes, with the growing need to conserve water in all parts of the world, the trend is catching on quickly. Not to mention, there are other benefits to xeriscaping and they come in form of lower water bills, no or little lawn mowing and a garden that can survive the harshest water restrictions.

Mixing family and business – there’s a lot of experts that advice against it, yet there are numerous success stories that emphasize the benefits. Maybe you’ve decided to start a business with your brother and a best bud from college. You’ve heard all the horror stories of mixing business with pleasure, but are determined to be an exception to the rule. Or perhaps you’re already partners with a friend or family member but you skipped having “the talk” when you first got into the business. Whatever the situation, here are some tips for those entering into business – or already in business – with family or friends.

In the latest issue of Ontario Home Builder magazine, an article lists 10 ways to prevent rising gas prices from “burning your profits.” Rising fuel costs is obviously not just an issue that affects home builders; it’s an issue that affects all small business owners, landscape business owners included – most of us rely on a fleet of trucks and equipment to get the job done! According to the author, while we can’t control the rise of fuel costs, we can control the amount of fuel we consume. In pursuit of boosting our bottom line, every little bit helps. Here are some of the author’s tips for cutting fuel costs:

It’s fair to say that Easter time is also the real marking point for typical spring season festivities, in which BBQs, dinning alfresco, outdoor games and gatherings are a regular occurrence. So, with all the outdoor fun ahead, your customers will want their garden and landscape to be in tip-top shape. And, even if your customers aren’t taking part in the Easter hoopla, they’ll certainly want to take advantage of the long weekend to get outside for some much-needed yard work! Whether you’re tending to the landscape and garden this Easter season, or your customers are, here is a list of “must-do” jobs.

New to blogging? Or perhaps you’ve been blogging for some time and are looking to spruce up your blog and boost your readership? Whatever your motivation, you’ve probably heard the business advantages of blogging and are therefore ready to jump on the blogging bandwagon and take full advantage of the free ride. With that in mind, here are some tidbits that will help new (and not so new) bloggers with their ventures in blogging.