OPE daily

Selling your value is more important than selling your price.

Every industry has its lowballer. The landscape industry is, however, brimming with them. It is therefore imperative that you help your clients understand the value your company provides even when your price isn’t the lowest.

the Lawnboy and the Landscaper

It isn’t about being the biggest, and everyone has to start somewhere. But it boils down to building a business or cutting your neighbors grass. That is, you are either a business owner or a hobbyist. Every kid with a residential mower purchased at a national store can go around calling themselves a landscaper and charge $20 to mow and blow a yard. It may be a pain to you for a while, but two things are going to occur:

1. He can’t afford to stay in business at that rate. He’ll make a quick buck, but his “company” will fold under.
2. You don’t want a customer that price sensitive. They aren’t interested in the quality of their landscape and they won’t be profitable for you.

Now, before you light up those keyboards telling me how un-necessary commercial mowers are and how great a job you can do at such-and-such a price, understand that it is to the benefit of you and your clients to not be a lowballer. You are building a company. Even if you are the CEO, the Secretary, and the Janitor in one you have to maintain a business owner attitude. This is about professionalism. This belief in your business is where it all starts. Your customers won’t see it if you don’t.

Letting them know

The lowest price does not equal the best deal. Communicate that to your clients. Reassure them that the deal they are receiving is the quality of your service at a fair price. When prospects ask you about your price let them know your background. Give them your qualifications. Tell them what your services are and the overhead it costs to make them available. Then ask them what it is they want from their landscape and how you are going to able to provide that to them.

It is also important that you inform your customers. It isn’t enough to have your crew show up once a week and no one communicates with the owner except mail out an invoice. Inspect the lawns your crews are doing. Contact your clients if not in person then at least by phone. Educate them on the process of caring for their property. If they know the steps involved to achieve a quality poduct, they will have a better understanding of the value of your services.

Dependability speaks volumes

I have heard countless stories from our commercial and residential clients about the issue of dependability. I have witnessed a number of our commercial landscapers receive jobs just by showing up at the customers home when they said they would. I have also heard residential customers contact landscapers for bids and the landscapers never contact the potential customer. It must feel good to be able to turn customers away at will. I don’t yet have that problem.

Sometimes price doesn’t even enter the equation. A number of Powered Agriculture customers have come to us from other shops upset about the service they received elsewhere. Most of the frustration is just a lack of communication on the other businesses part. Contact your customers and get a little clarification. They just want to be a part of the process. Return phone calls, “show up” and just do what you say you’re going to do. You will be surprised by the response.

Perception is reality

For the same reason that you surround yourself with people that you want to be like, you have to look the part to play it. If your were walking down the street in your work clothes and not behind a lawnmower, would my daughters be afraid of you? Be professional in appearance, in communication (written, verbal, or otherwise), and in your service. You communicate with your clients and prospects in a number of ways that don’t involve speaking to them. Your work and your crews should be sending positive information.

Your employees are more important than you

You may not  see or speak to your customers on a weekly basis, but your crews will. Give your employees every oppotunity to sell your company to customers and prospects by training them, getting them certified, and supplying uniforms.

When I was in college, I worked delivery for a bed and mattress company that was only four years old when I was hired on. It became the largest independent retailer on the the west coast by the time I left three years later. One of the biggest leaps in sales occurred immediately after the company started providing us delivery crews with disposeable booties that cover our shoes when we entered the customers’ houses. Simply taking the the time to cover out boots with a little textile bootie to prevent tracking dirt or grass in was a huge PR boost and client recommendations (which were heavily tracked by the company) went through the roof.

My point is your employees will make or break you business based on the effort you put into them. Your employees will represent you and just having the lawn done isn’t enough. Everyone needs to be making the effort to sell the businesses service.

Too sensitive

Earlier I wrote about price sensitive customers. Lowballers, unfortunately, perpetuate the commoditization of the landscape industry. That is, when an industry cosntatly bombards customers with products and service providers the overload of information frustrates people and they end up choosing solely on price. This then tempts landscapers to be a little more price-competitive. Don’t do it. In fact, I have seen successful businesses raise their prices rather than entrench themselves in a price-war and they came out on top.

The bottom line is that you have a business to run and it must be profitable while staying beneficial to you customers. Teach them the value of doing business with you and they will reward you with their business for years to come.