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Gerry Faehrmann - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
Gerry Faehrmann is the CEO of Lawn Green, a specialist weed and feed Lawn Care company, based in Sydney, Australia.
Lawn Green "...turns tired old grass into Lush Green Lawn..." - using its Waterless Weed and Feed Lawn Care program.
Gerry Faehrmann has over 20 years of contractor business experience complemented with a Master of Business Administration degree (from Macquarie Graduate School Of Management, Ryde, Sydney, Australia).
Gerry Faehrmann also contributes Free Business and Marketing Tips, Support ... [More]
[View Gerry Faehrmann's Extended Author Bio]
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Gerry Faehrmann Email Alerts
- Lawn Care & Gardening - Fourth Biggest Marketing Mistake Made by Contractors - Bad Advertising
[Business:Advertising] The fourth biggest marketing mistake made by contractors is they have really Bad and ineffective advertising. Apart from the advertising being ineffective, contractors are equally guilty of not tracking and measuring results from their advertising. Now a good example of what I am saying is in the Yellow Pages.
- Lawn Care & Gardening - Sixth Biggest Mistake Made by Contractors - No Priority Made For Marketing
[Business:Marketing] The Sixth (6th) Biggest Marketing Mistake made by Contractors is their Failure to make Marketing the Number 1 Priority. Let's face it, if you don't spend time and effort on marketing to your existing customers, somebody else will. Another point to consider is, if you stop all promotional and advertising activities, your business will eventually die.
- Lawn Care & Gardening - Fifth Biggest Mistake Made by Contractors - Not Speaking With Customers
[Business:Customer-Service] Once you have started a relationship with your customers (and even prospects) then it makes sense to continue nurturing "the relationship and good will" so they will be happy to refer new leads and customers to your business. Most contractors are busy trying to get new customers, which is more expensive and time consuming than servicing past or present customers.
- Lawn Care & Gardening - Third Biggest Marketing Mistake Made by Contractors - Difficult to Deal With
[Business:Small-Business] The third (3rd) biggest mistake made by contractors is they make it very difficult for customers and prospects to do business with them. This difficulty is what many marketers would generally describe as "bad customer service" - and it is in this lousy interaction with people that contractors need to lift their game. What contractors need to remember is that when a prospect or customer picks up the phone to call you, they are as hot as can be to do business with - so don't be putting obstacles in their way when they are ready to spend some money!
- Lawn Care & Gardening - Second Biggest Marketing Mistake Made by Contractors - No Referral System
[Business:Marketing] The Second (2nd) Biggest Marketing Mistake Made By Contractors is they fail to implement an organized or formal system of cultivating leads by referrals. Like any other marketing system, this needs to be in place to automatically ensure a constant pipe line of leads. Referrals are essentially leads that are generated by any advocate of Your Business. Advocates of your business could include.
- Lawn Care & Gardening - First Biggest Marketing Mistake Made by Contractors is They Don't Have a USP
[Business:Sales] The First (1st) Biggest Marketing Mistake Made by Contractors is they don't have a USP (that is, a Unique Selling Proposition - which is the same as a Unique Perceived Benefit). A Unique Selling Proposition is an important concept in the world of Marketing as it takes into account the sad fact that there are (normally) many similarities amongst competing firms in any one industry.
- Lawn Mowing, Lawn Care and Gardening Business - 6 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Made by Contractors
[Business:Small-Business] As we enter the second year of recession around the world, more and more people are becoming retrenched from their previously secure jobs. As the rate of unemployment rises, so too will the numbers of people wanting to try their hand In the world of Lawn Mowing and Gardening. The contractors who have been in the industry for a few years may start to feel some nervousness with the increase in numbers of contractors looking for work in lawn mowing, gardening, landscaping and so on.
- Lawn Care - How to Decide Which Turf Or Sod Supplier to Buy Your Turf From
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Deciding Which Turf (or sod) Supplier To Buy Your Turf From is not as simple as it seems. In the last ten to fifteen years there have been advances made in the quality, colour, shade tolerance and resilience of different warm season grasses. Just to re-cap, Warm Season lawns include the following grasses: Kikuyu - comprising stolons and rhizomes Couch (or Bermuda grass as referred to in North America) -comprising stolons and rhizomes Zoysia -comprising stolons and rhizomes Buffalo (or otherwise known as St Augustine) - stolons ONLY Queensland Blue Couch - stolons ONLY In very simple terms, stolons are above ground runners and rhizomes are underground runners of the turf grasses.
- How to Survive the 2009 Recession in the Lawn Care, Lawn Mowing and Gardening Industries
[Business:Small-Business] In Sydney (Australia), there is a Gardening Expert called Graham Ross who hosts his own "Garden Clinic" program on one of the local Radio stations. Graham Ross is also a well regarded TV personality, where he features on a weekly national Home & Lifestyle television program. In a recent radio interview, Graham was asked his thoughts regarding the impact of the Global Economic Crisis and Recession on the Gardening Industry in Australia. I believe his response was positive as he said that for the last one (1) hundred years in Australia with every recession there has been a corresponding spike or increase in the gardening and related industry. One can only deduce that Australians are not taking the big overseas holidays, but rather are spending some of their money (that is, a fraction of their notional Travel Expenditure) on home related expenses like home improvements and gardening improvements. So what is the state and health of the industry - that is, the world of lawn mowing, lawn care, landscaping, gardening and related contractor fields? Experiences and conversations with fellow contractors in the industry lead me to think that we should be able to ride out the current crisis.
- Lawn Care - How to Look After Your Lawn in Autumn
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] How To Look After Your Lawn In Autumn with all the Autumn leaves falling to the ground. Here in beautiful Sydney, Australia we are quickly heading towards Winter, and a feature of Autumn (or Fall as it is referred to by our North American friends) is the mounting collection of Fallen leaves from Deciduous trees. Deciduous trees are the bane of gardeners in Australia as they drop their tree leaves onto the gardener's beautiful lawns.
- Lawn Care - How to Decide What is the Best Turf You Should Install For Your Landscaped Areas
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Lawn Care - How to Decide What is the Best Turf You Should Install For Your Landscaped Areas? For most new and enthusiastic (and sometimes inexperienced) gardeners, what tends to let them down in their efforts to create a beautiful landscaped garden is their choice of Lawn Turf. The Lawn is like the artwork canvas that is framed by the Garden and Landscaped Areas. Your lawn and turfed areas absorb sound, produce oxygen, attract and trap dust particles, prevent soil erosion and reduces pollution; and not to mention that the beautiful lush green lawn does wonders for the value of your home. This is all very well, if and only if, you have selected the correct turf grass for your home. In new gardens and landscaped areas, all plants and trees are quite small and generally the Lawn Areas receive as much sunlight as needed to perform well. However, what generally happens over a few years is all the plants grow into larger specimens. With the passing of time, these plants tend to create a lot of shade over the Lawn Areas. Persistent shade (or lack of sunlight) can become a real issue for the Lawn's long term viability.
- Lawn Care - What You Should Expect From Your Weed and Feed Lawn Care Contractor
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] When you are considering a Lawn Care contractor to do some work for you, there are some questions you need to ask? Lawn Care (that is, the rejuvenation of lawn turf using herbicides to help control and eliminate post-emergent lawn weeds; and using fertilisers to aid lawn recovery and help thicken up the lawn) is a highly skilled and knowledge based service. Some things you need to keep in mind when contracting the services of a Lawn Care operator: Is the contractor qualified to carry out Lawn Care? Does the Lawn Care contractor have the relevant skills accreditation (license)? Does the contractor have adequate knowledge about the broad range of both cool-season turf grasses and warm season turf grasses? Does the contractor have adequate experience and knowledge in the safe handling, use & application and storage of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers? Did you know that for a fraction of the cost of replacing your turf, you can nurture your old lawn back to Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) standards? That's right, and it can be achieved in the matter of weeks depending on the time of year. A good contractor will be able to eliminate the weeds from the following turf situations:
- Lawn Care - Common Lawn Problems (And Simple Solutions) Faced by Home Owners - Part 4
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] We have spoken about the frustration suffered by many home owners who just cannot get it right with their lawn. Further to the other "Common Problem" articles we have written about is another lawn situation where home owners can have potential problems. A problem faced by home owners is where the turf or lawn grows on a shallow soil base. This situation may well be where a lawn sits on top of a building (or garage) roof, or on a substantial rock structure or bedrock.
- Lawn Care - Common Lawn Problems and Simple Solutions Faced by Home Owners - Part 3
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Some homeowners become frustrated with the poorly performing lawn, and to make matters worse they use a Rake to collect and pick up the fallen leaves. So the lawn has become weaker with the accumulation of tree leaves, and then the already weakened lawn is torn apart by the raking.
- Lawn Care - Common Lawn Problems (and Simple Solutions) Faced by Home Owners - Part 1
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] There are many frustrated home owners who just cannot get it right with their lawn. This frustration stems from some of the following lawn situations: dying or dead lawn areas under or adjacent to pine trees, conifers and river she oaks; dying or dead lawn areas under melaleuca trees and shrubs, jacaranda trees and so on; weakened lawn areas as a result of raking leaves instead of mowing the affected areas with a Lawnmower (with Catcher!) - this is very important; water availability; shade from trees and shade from fallen leaves. Today we will address the issue of under performing lawn areas under or adjacent to pine trees, conifer trees and river she oaks. Some lawns we come across are surrounded by rows of pine trees, conifer trees and / or river she oaks. The leaves (or more precisely, the needles) of these trees are full of acid. Over time as the pine tree needles fall to the ground and accumulate, the soil pH changes to a more acidic pH.
- Lawn Care - Common Lawn Problems (and Simple Solutions) Faced by Home Owners - Part 2
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] There are many frustrated home owners who just cannot get it right with their lawn. This frustration stems from some of the following lawn situations.
- Lawn Care - Choosing the Right Turf Grass and Other Alternatives For Shady Areas
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] In the course of our business of Lawn Care, we see plenty of landscape situations where there is way too much shade for the prevailing (and usually, under - performing) lawn grass. Usually what has happened is that the original garden design took into account a fairly sunny aspect, however, over time this sunny aspect has become more shady with the growth of plants, trees and garden hedges. The growth of these plants may have occurred for a number of reasons including the owner's desire for more privacy. Home owners then need to understand that if they wish to retain the existing shady outlook, then the lawn areas may need to be replaced with a turf more suited to and tolerant of shady situations. Alternately, the homeowner may consider changes to the current landscape design including: decorative paving to the areas affected by shade, extending and increasing the garden beds to areas affected by shade - it is important to plant low growing shrubs or ground cover plants in the shade affected areas, and to plant shrubs that will tolerate shade (obviously). Any changes to landscape design may require the services of a landscape designer (or nursery plant supplier).
- Lawn Care - Selecting the Right Turf Grass For Your Lawn Areas
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Selecting the correct Turf Grass for landscaped areas around your home can be a challenge. The main factor that needs to be considered when choosing the turf or lawn type for your garden areas is Sunlight.
- Lawn Care - Lawn Damage by Disease, Insects, Drought, Heat, and Stress
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Every summer in Sydney, Australia we can look forward to our fair share of hot weather with wet and dry periods depending on local prevailing conditions. It goes without saying that all Australian lawns and turf grasses (warm season grasses including couch, kikuyu, buffalo, zoysia and so on) will suffer from diseases (fungal attacks), insect damage and heat stress depending on the prevailing Summer conditions.
- Lawn Care - How to Fix Lawn Damage by Lawn Feeding Insects Like Curl Grub, Bill Bug, Army Worm
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Have you noticed that lots of lawns (particularly in Sydney, Australia where I live) are suffering serious lawn damage as a result of Lawn Foraging Insects? Some people think that maybe it's just a bit of heat stress and try to fix the problem with extra watering. However, the best thing to do is to attack the problem head on with an insecticide that targets Lawn Feeding Insects. These insects include: Couch Fly, Couch Grass Mite, Curl Grub and Black Beetle attacking Couch Turf grasses Curl Grub, Black Beetle, Bill Bug and so on that attack all range of turf grasses including couch, kikuyu, buffalo, zoysia The benefits of using the Granular Insecticide as opposed to the Liquid ones are as follows: safer for customers because its granular & only has to be watered in afterwards to activate the insecticide safer for us because it's a granular product gives you control over insects for longer periods its really effective because it is not photo degradable (that is, it does not break down in sunlight - whereas the liquid insecticides lose their potency due to breaking down in sunlight
- Lawn Care - Your Lawn Is Infested With Weeds And Army Worm! Who Can Help?
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] We have had people asking us (in desperate tones), "Can you save my lawn?". Did you know that for a fraction of the cost of replacing turf, you can nurture your old lawn back to SCG / Wembley Stadium and Yankee Stadium standards? That's right, and it can be achieved in the matter of weeks depending on the time of year. OK, so you want to rejuvenate your lawn back to its former glory! You have 2 options: Option One is to try it yourself and get no where fast, or Option Two is to get yourself a good Lawn Care company in to do the job. Mind you, the trick is to work out who is a good Lawn Care operator, and who is not! Basically, a good Lawn Care company can achieve results that you would not think possible as professional turf managers have access to a range of professional turf and lawncare products that are not available to the DIY home owner. The reason why these professional Lawn Care products are not available to the homeowner is that they are not registered for home owner use.
- Lawn Care - Granular Versus Liquid Applications, What's Better For The Environment
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Don't you hate spray-drifting lawn chemicals? If you are concerned about the possibility of liquid herbicides and liquid insecticides blowing around the place when your Lawn Care contractor is supposed to be looking after your lawn, then you should read on!
- Lawn Care - Should I Aerate, Top Dress And Scarify My Lawn? - From The Lawn Expert
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] A common question asked by many is, "Should I aerate, scarify and topdress my lawn?" 1. Only topdress your lawn to remove the lumps and bumps in the lawn. The best for this is river sand, which can be purchased in bagged quantities from your local nursery. River sand remains soft (unlike regular topsoil) throughout the hot summer months allowing the turf to easily take hold. Also bear in mind to topdress with river sand lightly so as not to totally cover your lawn turf.
- Lawn Care - Why Your Lawns And Turf Grasses Tend To Lose Their Rich Green Colour In The Winter
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Warm season lawns and turf grasses lose their colour when the winter sun drops lower in the sky (especially in countries of latitudes 20 degrees or more). With less sunlight energy your grass produces less chlorophyl, hence there is less photosynthesising going on, and so your lawn grows less quickly (compared to the summer rate of growth) and consequently loses its colour.
- Lawn Care - Independent Advice On Which Turf Grass You Should Select For Your Lawn
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Just What Is The Right Or Correct Turf Grass For My Lawn? Are You Worried You Might Pick The Wrong Turf Grass For Your Lawn? Worry No More! There are Lawn Care companies that offer a Lawn Consultation Service to homeowners, landscapers, gardeners and business owners wanting advice on what is the correct Turf Grass for their Lawn Area.
- Lawn Care - So What Sort Of Lawn Should I Have For My Yard? - From The Lawn Expert
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] What is the best turf grass for you? What turf grass should you select for your own lawn: kikuyu, couch or buffalo? Quite often people ask me what really is the best turf for their yard. Invariably, the type of turf grass present in someone's yard may have been the appropriate turf grass when the property was initially landscaped. However, with the passage of time all garden plants and trees grow to quite large plants and trees.
- Lawn Care - 5 Quick Tips For A Great Looking Lawn - From The Lawn Expert
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Here are 5 quick tips to help turn your tired old grass in to lush green lawn! 1. Regular fertilising and weed control of lawn areas. 2. To make it harder for lawn weeds to spread and proliferate, it is desirable to mow the lawn at a height of around 30mm (generally for most turf grasses including kikuyu, couch and buffalo - and for durban at a height of around 50mm). The turf grass will grow dense and thick, making it harder for weed seeds to germinate. Best results will occur with frequent mowing, thereby encouraging good lateral growth.
- Lawn Care - How To Save Your Lawn Against Army Worm, Sod Web Worm And Other Lawn Pests
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Can You Hear The Drum Beats Of The Army Worms? They are on their way to a lawn near you, or maybe even feasting on your lawn. So, what do you do when they arrive? The first sign of armyworms is the apparent damage they do to your lawn. In effect they eat the leaf of your lawn to the stem - that is, these army worms, and for that matter, sod web worms (another lawn foraging caterpillar), feed on the lawn and the damage caused is similar to a badly cut lawn. Overall, it would appear your lawn has been badly scalped. The trick in reviving your lawn is to act quickly. Two (2) critical steps need to be implemented, that is, to arrest the offending army worms with a safe and effective control and then to quickly fertilise the damaged areas. All the above needs to be done as soon as possible as the army worms wreak their havoc in the early Autumn period as the days become a little cooler. By acting quickly with the fertiliser, we hope to have some remaining warm weather to allow the turf to recover to its prior glory.
- Lawn Care - OK, So We Need To Feed The Lawn! Then What Is The Best Lawn Fertiliser?
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] OK, so we need to feed the lawn! Then, what is the best lawn fertiliser to use? We know that in order to get our "perfect lawn" we need to (as part of the lawn's care program) feed the lawn on a regular basis. There has been controversy about the different Lawn Care approaches adopted by different service providers. Broadly there are two (2) main Lawn Care approaches.
- Lawn Care Secrets Revealed - Why Bother With A Lawn Feeding Program Anyway?
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Did you know that your lawn in its natural and wild state would be around a metre high and really untidy? It is unnatural for the lawn plant (whether it be couch/Bermuda grass, kikuyu, fescue or durban turf grass) to be cut or mowed! Also, did you know that your lawn is placed under a tremendous amount of stress just by mowing it?
- Lawn Care Secrets Revealed - How You Can Have A Beautiful Lush Green Lawn Without Watering
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] El nino weather patterns have seen many countries, states, provinces and municipal areas introduce regulatory measures to ensure long term conservation of water. However, with the introduction of water restrictions, falling dam levels and an increased awareness of water shortages, people still have not been educated clearly about effective water use, particularly in the care of their lawns. Generally, lawn and turf grasses have different water needs than garden plants.
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