Selling Design/Build Services

Success in all aspects of the lawn and landscape industry involves the ability to communicate with people, but few areas of work rival the communication demands of residential design/build projects.

Every potential client has a hidden dream they want to capture in their yard, and it’s up to the individual or team of professionals to draw it out, set it to an agreeable budget, and execute the plan with complete precision. That process needs to begin with establishing trust, beginning with the initial meeting.

Some successful residential design/build firms provided a some tips on qualifying clients and handling the initial meetings in ways that put contractors in a position to close the sale.

CONTENDER OR PRETENDER? One of the most important aspects of successfully moving through the design/build process is selecting the potential customer. Setting appointments with prospects that are unwilling or unable to afford the kind of services your company provides is an enormous waste of time.The process of qualifying the potential customer starts from the first phone call. Jud Griggs, senior landscape architect, Lied’s Nursery & Landscape, Sussex, Wis., noted that the first impression made on the prospect is critical.

"It is of primary importance to have a receptionist with a pleasant voice and a helpful manner," stressed Griggs. "Using a series of key questions, the receptionist should be very well versed in directing the first time caller to the division (or person) that will best help them with their landscape needs."

Once a prospect is set in the proper direction, Greg Pyles, residential division manager, The Pagura Group, Dublin, Ohio, said that it’s a challenge to identify the customers that best match his company’s services and capabilities. "We tend to want to jump on every call," Pyles confessed. "But, we can usually tell by the tone of someone’s voice whether a caller is just price shopping or wants some advice on plants."

But what about prospects that fall into the gray area? This takes a bit more probing to determine what the prospect is looking for in landscape services, how serious the customer is about hiring a full-service landscape contractor.

"We’ll give people a quick overview of the company," said Pyles. "We tell them about the type of work we do and impress upon them the depth of service we provide. We’ll also let them know we have a $2,000 minimum for any job we do."

If people are looking for a free design or a plant replacement, Pyles recommends a garden center or a smaller landscape firm that is better equipped to handle the work. "We really have the best interests of the client in mind," Pyles said.

Robert Pyeatt, owner of Adsit Landscape and Design Firm, Memphis, Tenn., tells people up front that he charges a consultation fee for a first visit, and that developing a plan generally runs from $150 to $500. The $45 consultation fee is waived if the prospect has Adsit go ahead and develop the plan.

Steve Pattie, president, The Pattie Group, Chesterland, Ohio, is highly selective in what type of client he wants his company to serv-ice. To determine whether the prospect is a good fit, the individual is given a complete rundown of all the services and fees that will be involved in the process including hourly rates for designers and minimum plan fees.

"We provide a lot of specific information, and that weeds out the prospects that had no idea what kinds of services our company provides," stressed Pattie.

FACE TO FACE. The initial meeting is arguably the most critical step, because so many tangible and intangible factors come into play. Proper dress, a positive attitude, good listening skills, and preparation are all important.

Griggs advocates using the drive time to the prospect’s house to get psyched up for the meeting. First, he recommends, try to shake off any previously negative experiences from the day and arrive with a clean mental slate. Clients can sense a lack of confidence.

Then, review the questions you want to ask in your mind, and think about what will set you and the company apart from potential competition in the customer’s mind.

Once in the meeting, the focus should stay on the client and their needs. "Avoid phrases such as, ‘If this was my house, I would...,’" said Griggs. "Never talk in terms of what’s important to you. Listen twice as much as you talk."

"When I come out to see a potential client, they’re talking and I’m listening," concurred Pyles. "I try to pick up non-verbal cues on things they like or don’t like."

To avoid potential misunderstandings, Pattie insists that married couples meet with him or his staff together. "More often than not, you’ll get two different points of view on the landscape, and that first meeting is the time to get those issues resolved," he explained.

During the discussion, contractors have found that keeping a set of questions handy is a good way to make sure that all the information is covered and gathered. (The questions from Pattie’s form, which the sales person fills out as he or she talks to the potential client, are at the end of this article). Pyles will leave a questionnaire with the client after the first meeting for them to complete and fax or mail back.

Once all the information is gathered, Griggs noted that it’s a good idea to summarize your perception of what was discussed and have the potential client confirm that it is accurate. Griggs will then tell the prospects what the timetable of events will be in the coming weeks. If the next step will be a landscape plan, then a contract to draw up the plans should be presented. "Be sure you can meet their schedule - always under-promise and over-deliver," he cautioned.

Pattie will discuss the client’s budget to get an idea of whether their expectations are realistic for what they are willing to spend. In addition, the idea of completing the project in phases rather than in one chunk can be discussed, which spreads a larger total cost over a longer period of time. "We commonly have projects that extend from three to five years in a series of phases," noted Pattie.

Follow the preliminary steps properly, and many times the plan presentation and follow-up is a formality to the sale. It all comes down to giving the client what he or she wants.