Focus On The Target: Marketing Strategies That Work

Ask almost any lawn and landscape contractor what the most important source of new business is for his or her company, and almost invariably the response that comes back will be along the lines of “referrals” or “word of mouth.”

Nothing can generate more satisfaction than getting business from a new client that was told by one of your customers, “Call them. They do excellent work and their people are great.” And, perhaps nothing else can ensure a more successful closure rate.

Getting to that place in the sun where customers demand your service or give you the first chance to draw up a proposal on a job doesn’t come easy. Doing high quality work is the foundation of creating referrals, but it isn’t the only element. Relationship building, donating time and materials to worthy charities important to present and potential clients and involvement in the community at large are all part of getting the word out about your company and complementing your marketing plan.

Also important in selling your company in this fashion is focusing on what will bring the company exposure to the right clientele. If high-end residential customers are the goal, then exposure to the groups and interests of those people should be the tack to take. If a certain level of commercial customer is desired, then a common link such as a networking organization could be the key to reaching these potential clients. Finally, being seen as a company with significant knowledge about the technical aspects of the industry can go a long way with local media in search of an expert opinion.

Good companies can be successful with marginal marketing, but many of the companies that are profit leaders in their markets are also the most recognizable, not only for what they do but for their visibility as experts and good corporate citizens.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY. Tom Tolkacz, vice president of Swingle Tree & Lawn Care, Denver, Colo., said the company decided to can its already small advertising budget and focus its efforts on marketing. “Advertising is more of a dollars and cents, systemic approach to selling,” explained Tolkacz. “You send out so many direct mail pieces and see how that corresponds to the number of responses and sales made. Marketing is more about relationship building.”

Tolkacz noted that Swingle’s advertising budget had only amounted to about 1 percent of revenues, and included a mix of direct mail, radio and print advertising. “Most contractors we talked to are at around 2 to 5 percent, but we never really got into advertising that substantially.”

Swingle is not big on discount offers, either. “Most times, when you get a customer on a discount, they will leave you to get the discount offered by another company unless you’ve made a dramatic impression on them,” he asserted.

As a company in business for 50 years, Swingle has the advantage of local name recognition, but it constantly works to keep itself in front of the residential customers they serve, and perhaps more importantly, those they want to serve. Swingle prides itself on expert tree care, but has found a special niche in caring for one of the area’s most prevalent trees – the blue spruce.

“Everyone has one or has planted one in their yard, and they really enjoy them,” said Tolkacz. “But over time, the trees tend to be encroaching. If you apply a maintenance program early, however, you can contain them and they still look good.”

To help sell the service, Swingle keeps a number of before and after shots of pruned trees to give the potential client confidence that their tree will still look good after the work is done. They also keep comprehensive records of the blue spruces in town that they care for, and many times give potential customers the names of customers in the same neighborhood or on the street that have blue spruces in Swingle’s care.

Community service is also important to the company’s marketing mix. For one of the philanthropic organizations in the Denver area, Swingle will plant, transplant or perform tree care services at no cost. The benefits of doing this include ensuring regular contact with the director of the organization, who in turn is tied socially to many of the most affluent homeowners in the area, and exposure to members and supporters of the organization.

“We do two things with these projects,” said Tolkacz. “First, we send a zero-balance statement that lists the actual value of the service to the organization. Then, we request that the organization provide a small mention of us in their newsletter. We’ve gotten everything from a mention in a listing of suppliers to a full-blown feature of the company.”

One of the challenges of doing charity work is the ongoing solicitations from organizations that need help, which takes tactfulness and good follow-up.

Tolkacz said that Swingle President David Dickson keeps careful track of who he says yes and no to, and who he promises to help the following year. “You need to know who you promised to help – if you respect them, they will respect you,” Tolkacz noted.

GETTING AN “IN.” Steve Pattie, president of The Pattie Group, a design and construction firm based in Chesterland, Ohio, services a largely high-end residential clientele. His strategy is to gain visibility where his potential customers are active socially.

Pattie does some limited advertising, but each venue is carefully chosen to ensure that the exposure is targeted to the right audience. One of his most effective decisions was to purchase a full-page color advertisement in the Cleveland Orchestra’s concert program.

Another worthwhile venue in the Cleveland Botanical Garden, where he and his people regularly speak and volunteer, as well as provide landscape services for special events.

“When they call, we are usually able to help them with whatever they need,” said Pattie. “It’s a good relationship, and we’re able to keep our name out in front of the types of people we want to sell to.”

Pattie also mentioned that the local media can be an important tool for furthering his company’s image as highly professional. He makes it a point to return calls from anyone from television stations, newspapers or magazines as fast as possible and provide any any information they require. He has also taken the process a step further by bringing in a part-time writer to develop articles on different aspects of landscapes. Then, he offers these articles to different media for publication.

“Right now, this person is writing one article each month for us on topics suitable for local magazines and newspapers,” noted Pattie. Within two years, he hopes to be in a position to hire a full-time parketing person to take on the company’s marketing plan.

Pattie’s goal for the next three to five years is to gain a foothold in the commercial landscape market. Just like the residential projects he works on, he wants to stay clear of bid-oriented work. He has targeted five architects that he wants to work with, and has a goal of creating a working relationship with three of them.

One of the main strategies to achieve this goal has been to have staff join the local chapters of architects’ associations to meet and talk with personnel at these target firms.

SPREADING THE NEWS. One popular method of marketing that, while not free, has grown significantly in popularity is the newsletter. Many companies relate information about services, pest and insect outlooks, employee accomplishments and even humorous stories in newsletters to inform, entertain and influence their customers.

Some companies even target their newsletter content based on what type of company receives the information. For example, Mark Arrimour, secretary and vice president of Pennink Arrimour, a landscape contractor in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., sends out five- to six-page newsletters with special inserets for golf course maintenance and Florida-based clients because of their unique needs and concerns.

In Erie, Pa., John Allin, president of Allin Companies, uses his newsletter to communicate specifics of the contract to his multifamily accounts. For example, his maintenance contract with a homeowners’ association may not include shoveling snow off sidewalks or weed control in annual beds.

“It has eliminated a lot of compaints and confusion over what services we do and don’t provide,” explained Allin.“It also presents a sales opportunity for us. When people realize that their association’s contract does not include these services, many times they will call to have us perform those services under a separate agreement.” He added that it’s been a good revenue generator for the company.