– Part Two of Three

The Best Sales Opportunity Isn’t the Next Prospect—It’s the Next Visit

Landscape companies spend enormous amounts of time chasing new customers.

  • Marketing campaigns.
  • Google Ads.
  • Referral programs.
  • Networking events.
  • Cold calls.

There’s nothing wrong with any of those.

But here’s the irony…

      …Your biggest sales opportunity may already be sitting on tomorrow morning’s route sheet.

Every maintenance stop is a potential sales call.

Unfortunately, most companies treat it like production instead of opportunity.

Imagine servicing 250 recurring landscape maintenance clients or 2,500 lawn care clients.

  • If each landscape client purchases only $2,000 in additional enhancements over the next year, that’s $500,000 in additional revenue—without adding a single new customer!
  • In lawncare only $200 in additional sales over the next year adds up to $500,000 in additional revenue—without adding a single new customer!

Now imagine what happens if your average enhancement sale grows to $5,000 or with lawncare to $400.

That’s why enhancement planning isn’t a side activity…

…It’s a growth strategy.

Three Businesses. One Opportunity…

  • Landscape companies often focus on beautification
  • Lawn care companies focus on turf health
  • Tree care companies focus on safety and preservation

The best companies combine all three…

  • A lawn customer may also need ornamental tree fertilization.
  • A tree care client may benefit from landscape renovations after removals.
  • A maintenance client may need irrigation improvements, drainage corrections, seasonal color, or outdoor lighting.
  • Your divisions shouldn’t compete.
    • They should feed each other.
  • Cross-selling isn’t about selling more.
    • It’s about solving more problems.

Every Property Is Talking

The question is…

…Are you listening?

Properties tell stories…

  • Bare turf says drainage
  • Thin turf says compaction
  • Surface roots say soil problems
  • Dead branches signal stress
  • Overgrown shrubs hide security issues
  • Standing water predicts future complaints
  • Poor mulch coverage invites weeds

Every symptom points toward a solution.

Your technicians see these conditions every day…

…Clients usually don’t.

That’s your opportunity to educate.

Teach Your Team to Think Like Consultants

Most employees have been trained to complete tasks…

…Very few have been trained to identify opportunities.

Change that...

…Teach every crew member or technician to ask:

  • What looks unhealthy?
  • What looks unsafe?
  • What looks unfinished?
  • What will become a bigger problem?
  • What would make this property look outstanding?

Then document everything with photographs…

…Those photos become conversations

…Those conversations become proposals

…Those proposals become revenue

Build a Twelve-Month Opportunity Calendar

Don’t wait until work becomes slow…

…Schedule enhancement conversations all year

Spring

Landscape improvements, mulch, preemergent, seasonal color, aeration, irrigation inspections.

Summer

Tree health, plant nutrition, insect control, drainage, irrigation upgrades.

Fall

Overseeding, tree planting, core-aeration, shrub rejuvenation, lighting, hardscape improvements.

Winter

Landscape design, master planning, budgeting, large renovations, tree pruning.

Every season creates different opportunities…

…Your clients appreciate companies that stay ahead of them.

Measure What Matters

If enhancement sales aren’t measured, they rarely improve.

Track and Measure:

  • Opportunities identified
  • Opportunities submitted
  • Dollars proposed
  • Dollars sold
  • Average enhancement sale
  • Enhancement revenue by Account Manager
  • Crew-generated leads
  • Cross-division referrals

What gets measured gets repeated.

The Bottom Line

Your next half-million dollars probably isn’t hiding in another city…

…It’s hiding in the clients who already know your name

Stop thinking about maintenance routes…

…Start thinking about opportunity routes

Every property has another chapter waiting to be written…

…Your job is to help clients see it before someone else does

Be Well. Do Good Work. Keep In Touch.

FRED

To Learn More Contact Fred at TrueWinds Consulting

[email protected]     

(619) 665-7854

www.truewinds.com