As winter turns to spring, the snow, ice, and cold turn to green grass, sunshine, and warm weather. If you’re in the Lawn and Landscape industry or Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) dealer, you know this is the time to get your brand out and to take advantage of the “make or break” seasonality of your business.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a larger than average demand for groundskeepers as more two-income families exist and they have less time to mow lawns. Specifically, homeowners who use these services spend approximately $8,150 annually.
When it comes to Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), nearly half lawnmowers, lawn tractors, trimmers, leaf blowers and more are sold at big box stores like The Home Depot and Lowe’s, yet 51% continue to be sold at the tens of thousands of local independent servicing dealers. These local businesses are more than just stores – they’re hubs of knowledge and a personalized approach as well as provide tune-up and repair services that the big box stores don’t.
Over the past five years, the OPE industry revenue rose at 1.9% to $13.2 billion, including an anticipated increase of 1.8% in 2024 alone.
The average homeowner spends $200 per year on OPE in all retail channels, and even more ($218) at independent dealers.
Nursery and garden stores (big box and local) have experienced flourishing revenue growth, selling trees, shrubs, plants, seeds, bulbs and sod to households. Rising disposable income and increased private spending on home improvements have helped. Individuals aged 35 and younger have expressed increased interest and demand for small plants, like succulents, to enhance the aesthetic of their living spaces. Strong interest in gardening has led industry-wide revenue to increase 1.8% over the past five years, and is expected to reach $48.7 billion in 2023.
So, how do you reach homeowners in need for services, lawn care equipment and plants and seeds during a highly competitive and limited growing season?
While SEM is vital, and the cost of a click grows with the grass during the spring, having adequate budget is key to the bottom of the funnel. However, let’s not forget the top!
Display and or Meta can strike the perfect full-funnel approach to making sure you’re top of mind for consumers as they evaluate their outdoor plans this spring. For neighborhood servicing OPE dealers and nurseries and garden centers, paid social media leverages the local community aspect of these platforms. Following your potential customer online this spring is a sure fire way to increase leads and sales!The digital media pros at Brkthru know how to plant seeds and harvest sales among outdoor-minded homeowners for lawn and landscape companies, OPE dealers and nurseries and garden centers. Reach out to start a conversation info@brkthru.com now as the growing season gets underway.