Retention Marketing That Grows With You: How Landscape Companies Keep Clients Engaged, Renewing, and Buying More
The New Growth Opportunity Is Right in Front of You
In the years after the COVID boom, lawn and landscape companies found themselves on the winning side of a rare shift. Demand surged, phone calls flooded in, and production calendars filled faster than anyone anticipated. For many companies, it was the best year on record.
But today, things look different.
The volume may still be high—but the momentum has shifted. What’s becoming clear is that sustainable growth isn’t just about selling more. It’s about creating longer-lasting relationships with the clients you already have.
At Halstead, our clients tell us this regularly: “We had a huge year, but we’re not sure if those customers will return.” Or, “We completed a beautiful install, but the client’s gone quiet.” These aren’t one-off comments. They’re signs of a broader trend—and a solvable problem.
That’s where retention marketing comes in. It’s not just about keeping a name on file or hoping for a repeat call. It’s about building systems that actively nurture relationships, generate loyalty, drive add-ons, and create raving fans who refer others.
When done right, retention marketing isn’t a department—it’s a mindset, and a profit center.
Why Clients Cancel (and What They're Really Saying)
Most companies assume clients cancel because of cost. But that’s rarely the whole story. What we hear from our clients—those running top-tier landscape and outdoor living businesses—is that cancellations often stem from a lack of connection, not a lack of value.
It might be that a client never heard from the company again after the job was done. Or that they forgot what services were included. Or didn’t realize a contract had expired. Many commercial operators have told us they’ve lost properties not due to poor performance, but because they missed a touchpoint or failed to present the next opportunity in time.
On the residential side, churn tends to show up more in maintenance and recurring treatments than in one-time projects. For example, smaller lawn programs often experience higher turnover compared to full-service accounts simply because they involve less face-to-face interaction and fewer personalized touch-points.
Design/build projects, while typically one-time in nature, often represent the gateway to a longer-term relationship. Yet we’ve seen companies miss that opportunity when they don't follow up to offer seasonal services, referrals, or relevant maintenance add-ons post-project. Even if there's no formal contract to extend, the absence of outreach sends an unintended message: we’re done here.
In all of these situations, the issue isn’t the work itself—it’s what happens after the work is done. And most often, that comes down to the absence of a consistent, proactive communication system.
What Keeps Clients Loyal
Whether you're serving a family in a high-end neighborhood or a HOA managing multiple properties, the reasons people stick with you go beyond service quality.
Clients stay loyal when they feel confident, seen, and appreciated.
That starts with reliability. Showing up when promised, delivering results consistently, and making improvements over time builds trust without the need for fanfare.
Next comes ease. Clients love when things run smoothly—when billing is clear, renewals happen automatically, and they don’t have to track down your team for answers. Simplicity is often what separates companies that retain from those that churn.
Then there’s communication. Homeowners appreciate receiving texts that confirm a visit, along with photos or short updates that show what was done. Commercial property managers often say they value proactive check-ins even more than the services themselves. When your team shows it’s paying attention, your clients feel cared for.
Recognition matters, too. The smallest gestures—a note thanking them for a long partnership, a seasonal reminder, or a simple “just checking in”—can go a long way toward reinforcing loyalty. The same is true for perks and incentives: surprise bonuses for long-time clients or early access to upgrades make clients feel valued, not marketed to.
And finally, loyalty is built on trust. Fast, honest responses. Transparent timelines. No surprises. That’s how you become not just a service provider, but a trusted partner.
The Real Reason Many Landscaping Companies Lose Clients
Ask most companies what their marketing focus is, and the answer is nearly always the same: lead generation.
New business is important, no doubt. But when you put all your energy into attracting new clients while neglecting the ones who already bought from you, you end up spending more to grow less.
We’ve seen it across the industry. Companies build massive top-of-funnel machines, but allow current clients to fade into silence once the job ends. They might have a CRM, but it’s not used for anything beyond sales tracking. They don’t email their client list regularly. They aren’t checking in unless there's a problem.
And when renewal time comes around, they’re surprised to learn the client already hired someone else.
At Halstead, we’ve worked with companies that assumed their relationships were strong—until they saw the numbers. What they thought was a client-for-life was, in reality, a one-and-done.
That’s why our marketing systems include retention marketing as a core component. It’s not a reactive measure—it’s a proactive strategy that secures the revenue you’ve already earned and makes future growth more predictable.
Building a Digital Retention System
A 5-Part Framework for Sustainable Growth
To help companies retain more clients and drive more value from existing relationships, we use a five-part retention framework. Each part is built to work together as part of a larger system—and each one integrates with how your team already works.
CRM and Automation: Turning Memory Into Revenue
In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara writes about the power of remembering the smallest details—like a guest’s favorite table or the wine they ordered last time. These aren’t tricks. They’re signals that someone is paying attention. Side note: We like to reference a lot of guidance from this book in terms of how we treat our H Clients.
In landscaping, the same principle applies. A client who sees that you remembered their preferences—whether it’s a favorite plant, a specific service day, or even the name of their pet—feels a different level of connection.
That’s why we help companies use HubSpot as the foundation of their retention system. HubSpot isn’t just a CRM—it’s a powerful engine for automating reminders, tracking preferences, and helping your team stay connected without relying on memory alone.
With the right setup, you can send personalized renewal notices, upsell based on past services, and even trigger alerts when a client hasn’t responded in a while. For commercial teams, HubSpot supports account managers with reminders about seasonal enhancements, proposal follow-ups, and budget timelines—all customized per client.
As a HubSpot Certified Agency, Halstead builds automation that feels human, not robotic—so your team can focus on delivering value while the system keeps communication flowing.
Email Nurturing: Staying Top-of-Mind Between Visits
We often see companies treat email as a sales tool only—sending a blast when they need to fill a schedule. But when used consistently, email becomes your most powerful tool for staying present in the minds of your clients, even during the off-season.
Instead of blasting out generic promotions, we help companies send targeted, timely content that feels personal. For homeowners, that might be a reminder to prepare for fall clean-up, or a short note checking in on how their lawn is recovering post-install. For pool and hardscape clients, it could be a tip on year-round maintenance or an offer for seasonal sealing services.
On the commercial side, email campaigns can be used to support account managers. Messages can prompt enhancement conversations (“Have you considered color rotation this fall?”), confirm service completion, or share insights for annual budget planning.
It’s not about pushing. It’s about being present. So when clients think landscaping, they think of you first.
Organic and Paid Media: Visibility That Builds Trust
Many companies think of ads as a tool for lead generation alone. But ads—especially retargeting campaigns—are an excellent way to reinforce retention.
We help clients run Google and Facebook ads that target past clients with personalized offers and reminders. For instance, a “Welcome Back” campaign ahead of spring can drive renewals before competitors even show up. A retargeting ad that promotes pool maintenance or snow prep can re-engage clients right when they’re making seasonal decisions.
And it’s not just paid media. Organic content plays a critical role too. Blog posts that offer timely advice, social media galleries showing recent work, and client spotlights all help maintain top-of-mind awareness.
When your clients see you consistently providing value—whether through tips, updates, or gratitude—they’re more likely to stay loyal. And they’re far more likely to refer others.
Website and SEO: More Than a Sales Tool
Your website shouldn't only be designed for first-time visitors. It should feel like a trusted resource for your existing clients, too.
We build websites that engage both new and returning visitors. That might include a loyalty section for seasonal service updates, a chatbot that helps clients manage their service plan, or blogs that explain how to care for new sod or prep hardscapes for winter. Even if those aren’t your core services, the keywords (for SEO!) as well as the retention aspect, are important.
On the SEO side, we optimize content for terms that matter to existing clients—like “mid-season lawn check-in,” “best mulch for pet-safe yards,” or “how to winterize irrigation.” We also recommend content designed to answer real client questions, so you’re supporting retention and authority at the same time. Enter: FAQs!
For commercial clients, the focus shifts to case studies, maintenance insights, and proposal-friendly language that supports decision-makers over the long term.
Video, Reviews, and Visual Proof: Making Your Value Seen
Sometimes, the best way to retain a client is to show them the value they might forget. That’s where video comes in.
We work with companies to create testimonial videos that highlight long-term relationships, time-lapse videos of project transformations, and short, engaging clips that celebrate team members or showcase seasonal highlights.
These assets aren’t just feel-good content. They build trust. They create emotional connection. And they serve as proof that what you’re offering works.
We also recommend integrating review requests into your process—through automated emails or SMS—so you’re consistently gathering fresh feedback and social proof. Clients who feel heard are clients who are more likely to stay.
What Strong Retention Looks (and Feels) Like
When retention marketing is in place, growth feels different. There’s less pressure on new leads. Upsells happen naturally. Account managers stop chasing down (or chase less) renewals, and instead spend more time adding value.
A healthy retention rate typically falls in the 80–85% range. The best-run companies can push beyond 90%. If you're below 80%, it’s rarely because your team isn’t working hard—it’s because your systems aren’t supporting them. And when those systems do support retention, you’ll see it in your numbers. You’ll also see it in your clients’ responses, your team’s confidence, and your own peace of mind.
Obviously for design/build, these targets are different, but if you don’t have a recurring revenue stream, now is the team to implement one, for many reasons, one being for your legacy planning.
Retention Marketing Isn’t a Tactic. It’s a Growth Strategy.
The companies that grow predictably, profitably, and without chaos aren’t the ones that simply generate the most leads. They’re the ones that build smart marketing systems—including retention.
At Halstead Media, we help lawn, landscape, and outdoor living companies make retention marketing part of their growth engine. From HubSpot automation and strategic email nurturing to content, SEO, and visibility campaigns, we build retention into everything we do—so your growth doesn’t just spike and dip. It stacks.
Because the clients you’ve already earned?
They’re the most valuable asset you have.
