OPE daily

Utilizing any strategy requires the right leadership implementing the right systems. 

I wanted to expound a little on my last post, Marketing that pays dividends, because I received a few emails from landscapers that were looking for a little more detail on practices, systems, or just plain implementation of programs to achieve sustainable growth. This post highlights the dialogue I had with these professionals which resulted in them answering their own questions!

A man with a plan

Most entrepreneurs have an idea or multiple ideas of what they would like their companies to look like in terms of growth, success, and image. Few, however, have planned out the actions to get the company there. I am still amazed at how few “full-fledged” businesses continue to operate without a business plan, let alone sales/marketing plans, service plans or any other goal oriented plans. The old-time axiom remains, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Whether you are a one-man shop or own a fleet of landscape crews, an action plan is a valuable tool to help you understand your goal(s) and navigate your company’s direction to growth. The plan should include information pertaining to revenue goals for each segment of your company. It should also include new revenue streams as well as ways to improve current streams. The plan should take into account potential roadblocks or pitfalls and ways to overcome them. Finally, it should explain how to handle the new revenue streams once you attain your goals. The increased growth will carry with it increased responsibility so you’ll want to be prepared to handle it.

It is critical to get the planning down on paper (not stone, because the plan must be changeable) and refer to it often. Growth is a process and proper planning and mapping is the link between visioning and achieving.

Taking care of business

Before moving on to new revenue streams, it is important to solidify the business and customers that got you here in the first place. I cannot stress enough how important it is to focus on your current customers. These are the folks that already know and trust you as their landscaper. It won’t do you any good to gain new business while losing old ones.

In fact, it is cheaper and easier to sell added services to your current clients than it is to search for new ones. Do you have any contracts that haven’t gone year-round? Maybe there is tree or hedge work that a customer could be sold on. Irrigation systems that need to be installed or serviced is a rapidly growing segment. Do you have any customers who could use your services for this, but don’t know that you are capable? Sometimes all it takes is just letting them know that you can perform other duties. Communicate to your clients about what you see and how you can help them improve their property. Help them create plans so that they can begin to budget larger projects. The point is to keep what you have and add to it.

Positive growth is a mind-set

It starts with you. I can already hear the one-man landscape contractors breezing through the planning stage and mind-set stages thinking they don’t have to communicate this to anyone. Sole proprietors and corporations alike exhibit their priorities in the actions of their leaders. In the former case it is owner demonstrating to his customers and in the latter it is the supervisors and managers demonstrating to front-line workers that growth and value added services are things to continually strive for. It is a way of thinking and operating and not just a one-time action.

Your clients and employees will pickup on this important message and begin to reflect it themselves. They will search out new opportunites for you, if you let them. Empower your customers and employees by not micromanaging their abilities to help you. Stay out of their way. If they see you pursuing new revenue streams then they will do the same.

Grow your employees and not just your bottom line

Part of sustained growth, a big part in fact, is developing systems by which your employees can grow as well. Developing benchmarks and performance measurements for individuals against their expected duties will allow management to reward people for exceeding their customers expectations and not just yours.

This portion of action planning is extremely important to combat the seasonality of the Landscape and OPE industries. Creating systems to select, hire, train, and promote individuals will lead to increased productivity and sales and at the same time lower turnover/layoff costs and reduce customer attrition.

If you can’t be #1 or #2 don’t do it

When looking for new revenue streams or market segments, it is important for you to compete where you have an advantage. With this plan you are nurturing a culture of values that are unique to your company. Find the customers and value added services that will benefit from your expertise. If you aren’t or don’t expect to be the #1 or #2 company in a particular market segment, then don’t go after it. Something about that particular market doesn’t fit well with your knowledge and skill sets and you will take away from your company more than you gain if you attempt such feats.

On the other hand, knowing which areas your operation excells in will help your employees find the cutomers that value your unique blend of service. This will cultivate new clients that you will already have an advantage with over your competition.

Easier said then done I know. But, having the right people exercising the right systems based on your planning your company will be able to overcome some of the growing pains that will setback others. I understand that it won’t be an easy task, but you didn’t get to where you are now with ease either so I know you have the sinew and intestinal fortitude to achieve sustained growth in a competitive market.