Jake Lane is a growth analyst with Austin, Texas-based LawnStarter.
Editor’s Note: This column was written by Jake Lane, a growth analyst for LawnStarter, an Austin-based tech startup that helps homeowners find and book lawn-care service.
Having a steady stream of jobs is crucial for the success of your business. Acquiring customers is a task that doesn’t come as easily as it used to, thanks to increased competition and web-savvy consumers. According to Search Engine Land, 88 percent of consumers read online reviews to determine the quality of a local business. If you don’t have a decent marketing presence, you’re leaving a lot of potential customers for your competitors.
Prove that your company is the right choice for the job with these five marketing tips:
1) Create a website
Search engines are one of the main ways consumers find products and services. If you don’t have a website set up that displays 
your business and contact information, you’re missing out on a lot of potential jobs. Setting up a website doesn’t require a lot of time or technical knowledge. Strikingly is one of the many different website builders on the market. Once signed up, you can easily build and host gorgeous websites with templates that look good on nearly any internet connected device. After you get all your basic information onto your new site, think about adding customer testimonials and photos of your completed jobs to really impress your visitors.
2) Use social media
Social media is a great outlet for getting in touch with potential customers and letting current customers share your information. A lot of companies make the mistake of not providing the necessary level of customer service that their customers need. Facebook and Yelp are great platforms to sign up for so that potential customers can read customer reviews and see photos of completed jobs.
3) Vehicle and yard signs
Adding your company logo, name and number to your truck and/or trailer is a great way to get exposure when you’re driving around or parked on the street. You drive past hundreds of potential customers every day on the way to each job. Why waste that opportunity by driving around in a blank vehicle? You can choose from stickers, magnets or even vehicle wraps. If you use your truck for both personal and work life, you may want to go the magnet route, as you’ll be able to add or remove it as needed.
4) Blog
Writing content about the lawn-care industry or even things happening in your city can help introduce your business to locals. Your posts don’t have to be daily, but the more you post, the better your results will be. If you can’t think of something to write about, try documenting a job with a step-by-step guide on how you solved a customer’s lawn-care issue or even how you turned an overgrown backyard into a place your customer could enjoy again.
5) Google is Your Friend
Even if you create a website, you’ll want to submit your business to Google My Business. By adding your company information to Google’s directory, you’ll give potential customers easy access to all your information so that they can find and contact you through Google searches. Once submitted, customers will be able to find you through Search, Maps or Google+.