Landscapers’ Main Sales Problem

Possibly, the biggest obstacle facing landscape companies today is standing out from the competition. And the competition grows each season as more people get into the landscaping trade (estimates show over 600,000 landscaping companies exist). 

That makes it crucial to showcase what makes your company different and better than the rest. Furthermore, your top goal should be making your company the only provider potential clients will even consider!

A simple way to achieve that goal is by assuring potential clients their property will be a cut above other properties because your company creates truly unique landscapes. Get clients excited about having a property that gets compliments from neighbors, unlike cookie-cutter designs that use generic plant choices and monotonous themes. 

The key? Do what most landscaping providers fail to do.

Take your time when talking with people interested in installation services so you can convey exactly what makes your work unique.

*Pro Tip: Include testimonials with each proposal to gain trust. Don’t assume prospects will see your company’s 5-star online reviews. For example…

You’ll gain another advantage when you have a reliable partner helping you come up with remarkable design ideas and providing the highest quality plant materials. 

MNI Direct has highly experienced plant specialists to multiply your knowledge and creativity by offering guidance on eye-catching landscape elements.

Think beyond the visual aspect too.

Our team knows the importance of functionality. 

Today’s property owners are looking for beauty blended with benefits such as:

• Shade

• Pollinator attraction

• Improving air quality

• Erosion control

• Options that reduce turf

• Repelling pests and harmful wildlife

When you combine amazing aesthetics with functionality you’re setting your designs one more step above the competition. This excites prospects and wins you more projects — and higher value ones.

Benefits for Contractors

Again, you won’t lose sleep over your competition if you simply make time to really listen to potential clients. During the busy season, most landscape companies fail to return estimate requests in a timely fashion, much less spend extra time finding out the exact wants and needs of property owners. 

Take advantage by listening closely so you pick up on owners’ unique needs. 

An example is when they can’t put into words how they want their property to stand out. 

That’s when you can suggest beautifully unique plant options they’ve never considered or didn’t know were available. Tell them about plants with special textures, ideal bloom timing, or what’s best for seasonal themes. 

Most people only focus on plant colors, so help them get their imagination outside the box.

That includes showing them how much money they can save by investing in native, drought-resistant plants. Be ready to assure them that native doesn’t mean boring (a common misconception). 

Have visual marketing materials to show them examples of native and sustainable options that blow them away.

Highlighting the long-term value of your designs that extend the life of their plants, shrubs, and trees can often justify expanding the project at a higher cost — which is the goal. 

With the widest range of plant options in the Southeast, MNI Direct enables you to offer these types of customized solutions.

How about outside-the-box ideas you may not have considered yourself?

4 Profitable Types of Landscape Projects to Promote

Privacy Screenings: This landscaping element is in high-demand with homeowners seeking privacy solutions that are attractive and useful. They reduce noise, block wind, and provide vertical shade. Offer your clients diverse options like ornamental grasses, easy-to-manage hedges, fast-growing trees, or structures that incorporate greenery (green walls and climbing vines).

Outdoor Living Spaces: It can be easy to overlook how much time property owners want to spend outside versus only admiring their landscape as they pull into the garage. Help focus their vision into a complete landscape transformation by stressing how many hours they’ll spend outdoors with their family over the next ten years, especially with versatile spaces that adapt to changing seasons. 

Seasonal Color Changes: A great way to create consistent revenue in slower seasons is by offering seasonal color changes that clients may not know are possible. Not even the frigid months of January and February should be without vibrant color. Honestly, those months need brightening up more than any others!

Sustainable Landscapes: “Sustainable” is not just a talking point. More property owners are realizing the importance of saving natural resources. And why not? Landscape designs that save water and reduce maintenance needs also save owners money, time, and the headaches of replacing dead plants.

Utilizing More Plants to Sell Larger Landscape Projects

The more visual impact you can deliver, the larger the landscape project you can propose. Below, you’ll find ways to use a wider variety of plant materials to achieve this.

• Include vertical accents as eye-catching focal points 

• Use color repetition to create a noticeable theme throughout the design

• Group plants in masses to present a powerful visual

• Staggered plantings using varied textures and colors can create depth you won’t see in cookie-cutter landscapes

• Consider large anchor plants that draw attention to specific areas

High-impact plants as the focal point of a design make those points impossible to overlook. Take special note of the scale, contrast, and balance of these focal points, though. You want plants that grab attention while not overwhelming a space.

Also, distinctive plant features like form, color evolutions, or fruits prevent focal points from fading into the surroundings.

The bottom line? Your clients likely don’t know how many plants they have to choose from. Sadly, they’re limited by what they see on other properties. It’s your mission to expand their horizons, which will often guarantee you can expand the size of their projects.

MNI Direct Helps You Land Larger Landscape Projects

There’s no time like the present to buck the trend of small landscape projects. A high percentage of people you consult are just a nudge or two away from doubling or tripling the size of the work they originally had in mind. 

Winning large projects hinges on you making time to share your landscape expertise with potential clients. Please don’t go it alone. Expand your expertise by partnering with MNI Direct. We give you access to an enormous array of unique, high-impact plants that pave the way for remarkable landscape designs. 

We’re happy to offer expert consultations, tailored plant recommendations, and sustainability advice to maximize your clients’ investment in their landscape projects. 

Sign up for an exclusive MNI Direct Account, only available to landscape professionals, to gain access to the highest-quality and largest variety of plant materials.

*Pro Tip: Get serious about a referral program that rewards clients (friends, family, and neighbors too) for referring other property owners to your company.