There is more than one way to make a first impression.

With economy in a state of flux, I am advising all of the landscape professionals to re-energize their customer service focus, and ensure they are not taking clients or prospects for granted.

In the past, you could write your proposal on a napkin and get the client to say yes.

It’s now time to assess and upgrade your approach to the selling, branding, and first impressions.

(This was inspired by a Coastal Source report, which I share below, on how to sell lighting and audio to the luxury buyer. Interestingly, these tips apply to all services and sectors)

Checklist: 10 Ways To Make Better Impressions And Separate Yourself From The Competition

1. Update your website and branding, with current people, new blog posts, and inspiring photos. Use the “story brand” concept to ensure its client focused. If your site is 2-3 years old, then it may also be outdated regarding the newest technology (chat features, auto pay, etc.).
2. Enforce your uniform branding and the look (including hats your people wear). Instill pride in your company look; and make sure it is not too old fashioned!
3. Answer the phones by people who are trained to be polished, pleasant and customer focused. Try to answer with a live voice, even if you outsource it, and set up appointments timely to qualify the prospect.
4. Keep trucks clean, neat-looking, branded and in good repair. If I peeked into your trucks cabs and back, would they look tidy?
5. Show up to appointments on time, by aiming to be at least 5 minutes early. This means schedule enough time between appointments, which means qualify them carefully first.
6. Use confirmations and try to follow up emails/texts in order to keep your prospects informed during the waiting period. Silence is very frustrating.
7. Update the look of your presentations and your contracts: Do they look professional and represent the dream or the service you are selling?
8. Clean and update your facility for clients to visit. Ask a team of detailed employees to critique your place from top to bottom.
9. Engage your clients in your ‘first impressions’. Take prospects on tours of your current sites, and let them talk to raving fan clients.
10. Sell the contract in person, and to a pre-qualified prospect. Emailing is lazy, and it can lose the better prospect who wants a relationship. Your closing ratio by job size tells the story.

The idea behind first-impression branding is to create an aspirational environment. It reminds everyone that you are a class-act.
The idea behind first-impression branding is to create an aspirational environment. It reminds everyone that you are a class-act. Share on X

• This tells me about the employees, who they are as a team, how to behave and why to be proud.
• Your prospects, and what to expect by the best companies.
• It does remind clients they made the right choice!

Your Challenge: During The Go-Go Economy, Make Sure Every Person And Position On Your Team Is Making The Right First Impression

You are the orchestra leader – and its your job to orchestrate so everyone is singing the same tune.
You are the orchestra leader - and its your job to orchestrate so everyone is singing the same tune. Share on X

To learn more about selling actual lighting and audio, you can download this Coastal Source report here.

Regards, Jeffrey Scott!