7 Landscaping Marketing Mistakes You Should Fix ASAP
You’ve got the crew, the equipment, and the skills… but the leads? Inconsistent. One month the phone won’t stop ringing, the next it’s dead quiet.
If you’ve ever wondered why business slows down even when the work is solid, chances are your marketing is where things are slipping.
The good news? Most landscaping businesses make the same avoidable mistakes—and once you fix them, things start to click.
Importance of Fixing These Marketing Mistakes as a Landscaping Business
Fixing these mistakes isn’t about being perfect—it’s about running a business that’s more consistent, more profitable, and less stressful. Here’s why it matters...
You Get More Steady Leads... Not Just Seasonal Spikes
Most landscaping businesses feel the ups and downs. Fixing your marketing creates a steady flow of leads year-round... not just during peak season. That means less scrambling during slow months.
You Attract Clients Who Pay What You're Worth
When your marketing is clear and professional, you stop attracting price shoppers. You start booking clients who care about quality... and are willing to pay for it.
You Stop Wasting Time and Money
Bad marketing drains resources. Fixing it means no more guessing with ads, chasing weak leads, or relying on luck. You work smarter... and grow faster.
What Are the Most Common Marketing Mistakes That Landscaping Businesses Make?
Relying too heavily on referrals, not optimizing for conversions, and neglecting reputation are some of the biggest mistakes landscaping business owners make.
Failing to address these can lead to slower growth—or worse, lost revenue and missed opportunities.
1. Banking Too Much on Referrals
Referrals help, no question... but they don’t build a reliable pipeline.
One customer might recommend you for a full backyard remodel, while another might forget to mention your name at all. There’s no way to predict when those jobs will land—or if they will at all.
For landscaping businesses, that unpredictability means crews might be buried in sod installs one week and completely idle the next. And that kind of inconsistency? It holds back growth.
How to Fix This Mistake
Referrals should support your lead flow, not be your lead flow.
If the plan is to grow beyond word of mouth, you need something more structured... like solid local visibility, targeted online marketing, and a website that actually converts.
As pointed out in this guide on referral and reputation pitfalls, bad-fit leads can multiply if you’re not intentional with how referrals and reviews are managed. You can also try tools like SurgePoint Referrals to turn your best clients into a reliable source of new, high-quality leads.
2. Treating Your Website Like a Static Brochure
Too many landscaping sites look like digital flyers—logo up top, phone number, maybe a few lawn photos... and that’s it.
But homeowners don’t want to guess. They want to know what you do, how you do it, and if you’re the right fit. If the site is outdated, slow, or hard to use—they’re gone before they even think about calling.
How to Fix This Mistake
The website should walk people through the services you offer—like hardscaping, turf installs, irrigation setup—and make it easy to request a quote or consultation.
It should build trust with real photos, testimonials, and answers to common questions.
And don’t overlook review content. This article on reputation marketing shows how strategic testimonials can improve not just trust—but conversions too.
3. Only Promoting Your Business When It’s Busy
Landscapers often hit the pause button on marketing once the schedule fills up. But that slowdown always comes... and by then, it’s too late to start reaching out.
Homeowners and property managers don’t hire the day they start searching. They look around, compare companies, and plan jobs ahead of time—sometimes weeks in advance.
If you're not promoting during those key windows—spring cleanups, summer builds, fall maintenance—you're missing out on warm leads who are ready to book.
How to Fix This Mistake
- Stay consistent—market year-round, even when booked.
- Schedule seasonal content ahead of time (spring cleanup, fall prep, etc.).
- Keep running small awareness ads to stay visible in the off-season.
And while you're at it, track what messaging actually performs. The SurgePoint Insights tool can show you which channels, messages, and offers drive action over time.
4. Spending on Ads Without Knowing What’s Working
Running Facebook or Google ads without tracking is like laying pavers without a level... it might look fine, but the gaps will show up later.
Landscaping businesses spend on “boosted” posts or vague service ads—but if there’s no way to see how many calls came in or which job came from where... that’s just guessing.
How to Fix This Mistake
- Set up call tracking and lead tracking forms.
- Use UTMs or platform-specific tools (like Facebook Pixel or Google Analytics).
- Only keep ads that lead to actual booked jobs—cut the rest.
5. Forgetting to Collect Leads From Your Website
Most homeowners don’t land on a landscaping site ready to call.
They’re still thinking... Do I want sod or turf? Should I redo the patio now or wait till summer? If there’s no easy way for them to leave their info while they’re in research mode—they bounce, and you never know they were there.
No contact form. No quote request. No way to follow up. That’s work lost... and you don’t even see it happening.
How to Fix This Mistake
A simple form that says “Tell us what you need done” or “Get a free landscaping estimate” could be the difference between another booked job and a missed lead. Especially when your crew’s ready and the phones are quiet.
For landscaping businesses unsure how to optimize lead flow, check out this guide to encouraging feedback and action—because every site visit is a missed opportunity if it doesn’t lead anywhere.
6. Attracting Clients Who Just Want the Cheapest Option
Landscaping isn’t one-size-fits-all... but when marketing is too vague, that’s exactly how it looks. “We do lawns, patios, fences, sprinklers...”—sure, but so does everyone else.
Without a clear message, most folks will assume the difference comes down to price. And that’s how you end up mowing lawns for people who don’t value the work, nitpick every invoice, and treat it like a race to the bottom.
How to Fix This Mistake
- Be clear about your value proposition (what makes your work better).
- Highlight it on your website, ads, and social posts.
- Use real project photos and reviews to back up your claims.
And if you’ve already had to deal with bad-fit clients or unfair complaints, this article on how to handle bad reviews can help you reposition your business image the right way.
7. Not Actively Asking for Reviews or Recommendations
A beautifully installed paver driveway or a perfectly leveled backyard lawn should come with a glowing review... but most of the time, clients don’t think to leave one unless they’re asked.
And in landscaping, visual proof and word-of-mouth carry serious weight. People want to see the before-and-after. They want to hear that you showed up on time, respected the property, and didn’t leave a mess behind.
If those satisfied clients aren’t encouraged to speak up, your online reputation starts looking quiet—even if the work is top-tier.
How to Fix This Mistake
- Implement a Review Request System: Use tools like SurgePoint's Reviews platform to automate review requests via email or text after each completed project.
- Simplify the Review Process: Provide direct links to your Google or Yelp review pages in your communications to make it easy for clients to leave feedback.
- You can also check out this guide on How to Encourage Customers to Write Reviews
- Personalize Your Requests: Tailor your messages to each client, expressing appreciation for their business and inviting their feedback.
- Monitor and Respond to Reviews: Regularly check review platforms and respond to all reviews, showing that you value client feedback and are committed to service excellence.
- Consider reading this article on How to Respond to Negative Reviews
- Leverage Positive Reviews in Marketing: Showcase glowing testimonials on your website and social media to build trust with potential clients.
By actively seeking and managing reviews, you not only enhance your online reputation but also create a feedback loop that can lead to continuous improvement and increased client satisfaction.
Conclusion
Running a landscaping business comes with enough challenges—marketing shouldn’t be one of them.
If you're ready to go further, here are a few helpful resources and tools worth checking out:
- Learn how to protect and grow your online reputation with our full Landscaping Reputation Management guide.
- Dive deeper into other small business insights on the SurgePoint Blog, or explore marketing mistakes in other industries for added perspective.
- If you’re looking for tools to automate the hard stuff, take a look at SurgePoint Reviews, Referrals, Insights, and Repeat. These were built to help businesses like yours grow smarter—not harder.
And if you ever have questions or need help getting started, feel free to reach out to our team at info@thesurgepoint.com or visit thesurgepoint.com anytime.
Whatever you decide to tackle next—good luck. We’re rooting for you.
