With any business, customers or clients are essential. If you have a landscaping business you will need clients just as much as any dentist, cafe or hotel would. The only thing is that due to the nature of your work, you need customers that have a certain amount of money to spend; more than the cost of a dentist visit or a coffee. So where can you find clients that need your services and can afford to pay for them? Here are some tips.
- Develop strategic relationships with suppliers who are likely to deal with the kind of clients you want. People such as tile suppliers, a glass fencing installer, swimming pool builders or even furniture suppliers. To do this, offer them something of value so it’s not just all about you. For instance, you could offer to do the landscaping for their showroom if they pass on your information or brochure to their customers.
- Develop strategic relationships with design and other professionals such as interior designers, architects, bank managers, real estate agents and accountants. You have to give them value in some way to do this. It might be possible to set up a time in which you are available for free phone advice about some of their construction problems, especially if they are DIY handymen. You could offer a low cost or free inspection of their project to identify potential issues. In return, they could give your contact details to their clients with a good word about your work ethics. Have a business card made to facilitate this.
- Organise industry insight nights where you can all get together and give free information about your industry. This is especially good if there are issues that many people are facing. You can organise a presentation to help them, even if you don’t do it yourself, you can get another expert talking about it.
- Sponsor a sporting team, not just with your money, but with your time. In doing so you’ll meet so many people who need what you’ve got and whom you can help in some way. You’ll make friends with them and become a person they know and can trust, so they’ll recommend your services to their friends.
- Similarly, when you get involved in schools or community groups and clubs you’ll also meet many different kinds of people. If you give to them when you see a need, they’ll reciprocate.
- Share your expertise online and off, in forums about your trade or in the local newspaper. Do they need a column on the topic? You can easily share a few tips and hints in your field of expertise. This works for many different kinds of businesses, not just landscape construction.