Costa Rica

Ever wanted to tour Costa Rica? Peggy Connors, one of the founders of APLD, has run tours for years. Never been there, but I hear it's beautiful. Check out Peggy's web site for more info:

Guided and Custom Trips to Costa Rica

A Program of Connors Landscape Design, Inc.

P.O. Box G, Duxbury, MA 02331

Tel: 781-934-5200 800-230-3826 Fax: 781 934 8134
Email: info@costaricanaturally.com

Website: www.costaricanaturally.com

More Green!

In my last newsletter, I discussed some of the huge opportunities out there for "green" marketing. In my 11/29/07 Blog entry I offered some ideas. It may be those exercises, or maybe it's the fact that this time of year I actually go into stores (not one of my favorite things for sure), but there seem to be a number of stores selling fabric shopping bags to "save the earth." In fact, one of my kids was selling them as a fund raiser.

My local Jewel is selling them too, suggesting, "Buy reusable grocery bags and help your environment every time you shop."

Likewise, Trader Joe's encourages us to "Save The World"!

So...I have done my part. I'm not asking for any thanks, admiration, or undue worship, but I have saved the planet 3 times in the last week!

Can you think of any way to ride this wave to help your business? Please share!

What are you selling?

So what is it that you have that other people are willing to shell out their hard-earned cash for? What is your business? This question is easier for some to answer than others. Are you focused on selling product, or solving people's problems?

I've been making my way through a book called Selling The Invisible by Harry Beckwith. It's an easy read and easy to pick up and put down too, which is why I nibble at it. The topic is sales in a service industry. Anyway, one of the key concepts is simple: Have something people want to buy. Sounds easy. They may not know they want to buy it yet, but it still needs to be something people will buy and something they will be satisfied with once they have it.

Okay, so back to the initial question: So what is it that you have that other people are willing to shell out their hard-earned cash for?

Do you sell landscaping? That would mean trees, shrubs, paving, walls,...inventory items. Or do you sell something else?

Take a look outside our industry.

Burger King: "Have It Your Way." It's not burgers they are selling, it's the convenience of customizing your order without a hassle.
The Care of Trees: "Our business is people and their love of trees." They could say "Come see us for all of your tree care needs," right?
Land's End: "Guaranteed. Period."
Caribou Coffee: "Life is short....Stay awake for it!"
Staples:: "That was easy!"

The above examples play on people’s desire to have something hassle-free that makes them feel good. It’s a wonder people in our industry have not caught on.

Look around and you'll see for yourself. Some do it better than others. I think it all stems from the mind set of the company. Consider the stereotypical landscape truck:

XYZ Landscaping

Trees, Shrubs, Flowers, Pavers, Black Dirt, Design

In other words, "Our business is to sell you stuff for your yard." Notice that design is often listed last, an afterthought.

There is a difference between selling inventory items and providing what people what they really want. Here are some angles that may or may not fit your business. Decide who your client is and solve their problems. Examples:

"For the busy professional..."
"Spaces for the growing family..."
"Extend the enjoyment of your home to the outdoors..."
"Improve you home's value by 15%"
“Enjoy your garden longer with year-round interest!”

You get the idea. Focus on the benefits, the "What's in it for me." People don't need this stuff, but if you can show them how it will improve their lives, they will WANT it.

But it's deeper than that. Lip service isn't enough. If you truly are in it to improve people's lives in some way, then that will show, and the sales will follow. Like Beckwith suggests: Have something people want to buy. If YOU believe these things, believe in your "product," not only is your integrity intact, but you will honestly work to help people achieve what you promised. That makes the little extras and enhancements that come up along the way seem more like "additional benefits" than "add-ons." That's the key.

Please share any other examples, in our industry, or outside, of companies selling benefits vs. product.

My Favorite Plants

Have you ever been asked what your favorite plant is? Last week I was contacted by a writer for the Chicago Tribune who has been doing a series on people's favorite plants. Now the question is, "Do I have a fave?" Normally, no. I like a lot of plants for different reasons. However, since the writer asked and may put my name in the paper, Of course I have a favorite plant!

So, what did I tell her?
Well, I was tempted to provide my favorite fictional plants. That is, they have plant-like names, but they are most certainly not plants! Actually, a few are less than tasteful.

Since this is my forum, I will share them with you.

Impetigo rosacea sounds like a plant. It's not. Definitely not. But if I’d offered it, I wonder if the writer, who may not be particularly horticulturally astute, would have caught it. I just started writing a fictional description of this "plant," but thought better of it and deleted. It got ugly.

I could have also suggested one of my other favorite non-plants: Chlamydia. Again, it sounds like a plant...Not likely this one would have slipped through.

But maybe Ginkgo balboa would have gotten by. I can't really give it a good description. Maybe a picture would help.

Okay, I know the suspense is just too much. What did I choose? I played it safe and went with a ground cover I like. It's called Waldsteinia ternata, or barren strawberry. It's used less commonly in my area than plants like Pachysandra or Euonymus, and grows in a variety of conditions. It doesn't look terrific as it comes out of winter, but, then again, not much does here deep in zone 5. So there you have it. Just be glad I didn't post pictures of all the fictional plants.

Just for grins, check this out for some others: Wiki