Open Association of Landscape Industries
Business Guru Required
I run a landscaping company with a heavy bias towards hard landscaping. I have 7 full time staff, 1 being an admin girl and three part timers. I personally think that we all work very hard (at the moment for me it is 4.30am to 7pm every day of the week) and that the quality of finish of our projects is second to none. However, I am running at a loss and the most common thing I hear from potential clients is that although I was the most professional contractor they met and they were impressed by my ideas, portfolio, client references etc.. that they wouldn’t use as we were the most expensive. Now not making any money and being told you are too expensive are not normal bed fellows as far as I am concerned. I am looking for a business guru with exceptional knowledge of the landscaping industry to help me out here. I am sure I can make it work I just needs someone to help me tweak the relevant bits. I am willing to pay. I guess it would suit someone who has been there, done that and got the proverbial t-shirt. I think I need someone who could say hold up you are over egging the pudding by installing that in that way, or your overheads are far too high, or you leave yourself too exposed by doing that…. Any takers???
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Fenlandphil on -
All businesses are the same and they are all different.
For a locksmithing business to be successful it has to acheive the same goals as a landscaping business, a bank or laundry.
My daughters' boyfriend started an estate agency less than a year ago, it is very profitable, his father an online wine retailer, former advisor to a major media tycoon advised him how to make it work, he himself had not worked as an estate agent or had any experience in that type of business.
Whilst the skills required to carry out the work involved in any particular field are often specialist to that field be it painting, decorating, banking or carpentry, the skills and techniques in running a business are to a large extent common to all.
Phil Voice mentioned Business Link in one of his posts, I too found it a very useful resource and mourn its' passing. I think the point Peter was making was about segmenting the market and targetting the segment of the market that for your own particular business, is likely to appreciate the unique services that you offer. If you are selling Rolls Royces it is no good finding customers that only want to buy Fords and only want to pay Ford prices.
If your business is set up to sell a quality sevice you need to find the customers who are willing and able to pay for the service you are offering. Immovative ways of a marketing that service may be useful. An example of oblique thinking is this, pubs found that they could sell more beer to women once they improved their toilets. So metaphorically the landscaper who comes up with the better toilets may well sell more beer, even if the beer is more expensive in their pub.
Ian @ redbarrow.com said:
Locksmithing is what I would call a binary state business; a lock either works, or it doesn't. A customer doesn't much care what a lock looks like as long as it functions correctly and deters intruders. Not a lot of emotion or aesthetics involved in that game. Probably far too simplistic a view, but there you go!
A professional gardener landscaper differentiates himself from the fly-by-night pack by producing consistent and top quality work underpinned by training and experience; providing additional services, diversifying and building trust. I'd argue there's no need to 'reposition' oneself, because sticking to what you do, and doing it well, should bring its own reward in time by referral and reputation.
As always in a recession price will be a driver for many, and plenty of potential domestic customers postpone work in their garden because, unlike a faulty lock, it's just not a necessity to have fixed immediately. The wheel will turn though, it's just a question of survival until that happens.
Running the business in the most cost-efficient and profitable way possible is, however, another whole bag of nails, and is probably why we could all do with a business guru or two!
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on -
Ian, the problem is that while you wait for your 'rewards' in this hard ecomonic times, businesses' that are struggling could well go out of business, hence the point of Peter's post. Marketing, repositioning and niches markets are key to surviving.
If you strip away most businesses' clothes, most are the same underneath - a vehicle by which we spend our working life, delivering a product or service to a definded customer base, hopefully making sufficient money to survive and fulfil our individual dreams
Finally, taking the analogy further, if I had a faulty lock on my house, Unit or yard, it would be one of the first things I would deal with from a trusted contractor. Having stuff nicked or your personal space intruded is one of the MOST sole destroying things that can happen......It is very very emotional.......
To me, my eyes are never closed to ideas or strategies that help my business.....perhaps something to dwell on...
Ian @ redbarrow.com said:Locksmithing is what I would call a binary state business; a lock either works, or it doesn't. A customer doesn't much care what a lock looks like as long as it functions correctly and deters intruders. Not a lot of emotion or aesthetics involved in that game. Probably far too simplistic a view, but there you go!
A professional gardener landscaper differentiates himself from the fly-by-night pack by producing consistent and top quality work underpinned by training and experience; providing additional services, diversifying and building trust. I'd argue there's no need to 'reposition' oneself, because sticking to what you do, and doing it well, should bring its own reward in time by referral and reputation.
As always in a recession price will be a driver for many, and plenty of potential domestic customers postpone work in their garden because, unlike a faulty lock, it's just not a necessity to have fixed immediately. The wheel will turn though, it's just a question of survival until that happens.
Running the business in the most cost-efficient and profitable way possible is, however, another whole bag of nails, and is probably why we could all do with a business guru or two!
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Ian @ Red Barrow East Sussex on -
On reflection, and after careful research (!), it seems I've gone off on one after totally misunderstanding the marketing term 'repositioning'. I'd mistakenly assumed it meant a shift away from the core product/service, which of course it doesn't, and renders my last post as vacuous nonsense. Apologies, Peter et al!
You're right Gary, about being open-minded to new ideas, and questioning them too. Preferably from a better informed standpoint!
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on -
No need to apologise. That's the upside and downside of forums. It is easy to read something different into a post/response. I do it myself ;-)
My view is that without people like Peter questioning our stance/approach we could all go round slapping ourselves on the back, thinking what a good job we are doing while slowly sinking.....
-
Permalink Reply by peter david robson on -
Ian,
No probs. As Crocodile Dundee would say. "Buy me a pint and we'll call it quits " : )
Kind Regards
Peter
Ian @ redbarrow.com said:On reflection, and after careful research (!), it seems I've gone off on one after totally misunderstanding the marketing term 'repositioning'. I'd mistakenly assumed it meant a shift away from the core product/service, which of course it doesn't, and renders my last post as vacuous nonsense. Apologies, Peter et al!
You're right Gary, about being open-minded to new ideas, and questioning them too. Preferably from a better informed standpoint!
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Ian @ Red Barrow East Sussex on -
I dunno, apologise for your ignorance and it's too much for some, not enough for others. ;)
-
Permalink Reply by Fenlandphil on
-
Forums are in my opinion all about an exchange of views, it is only by havng ones views and opinions challenged that we move on, change and improve. An exchange of views is exactly that just an exchange.
Ian @ redbarrow.com said:On reflection, and after careful research (!), it seems I've gone off on one after totally misunderstanding the marketing term 'repositioning'. I'd mistakenly assumed it meant a shift away from the core product/service, which of course it doesn't, and renders my last post as vacuous nonsense. Apologies, Peter et al!
You're right Gary, about being open-minded to new ideas, and questioning them too. Preferably from a better informed standpoint!
-
Permalink Reply by T & S Plants on
-
Hi,
This week we have signed up with DORMEN.
DORMEN is a Dorset based business mentoring service. For £100 a year we have meeting with our experienced business mentor on a 4-6 weekly basis for the 12 months.
Our "Mentor" is a very experienced in business matters and running their own business, though not in Horticulture, but a pair fresh of eyes on how we operate will help us, we think.
Our first meeting with our new Mentor will not be until mid-July, so I have no real feedback to offer as yet.
However, since DORMEN is offered through Dorset Council it could be worth you contacting your local Council to see if they offer a similar service?
-
Permalink Reply by Charles Langford on -
Thanks for that T & S plants,
I live right on the border of three different local councils so I will see if any of them have any similiar schemes.
Charlie
T & S Plants said:Hi,
This week we have signed up with DORMEN.
DORMEN is a Dorset based business mentoring service. For £100 a year we have meeting with our experienced business mentor on a 4-6 weekly basis for the 12 months.
Our "Mentor" is a very experienced in business matters and running their own business, though not in Horticulture, but a pair fresh of eyes on how we operate will help us, we think.
Our first meeting with our new Mentor will not be until mid-July, so I have no real feedback to offer as yet.
However, since DORMEN is offered through Dorset Council it could be worth you contacting your local Council to see if they offer a similar service?
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd on -
How have you got on with your mentoring?
T & S Plants said:Hi,
This week we have signed up with DORMEN.
DORMEN is a Dorset based business mentoring service. For £100 a year we have meeting with our experienced business mentor on a 4-6 weekly basis for the 12 months.
Our "Mentor" is a very experienced in business matters and running their own business, though not in Horticulture, but a pair fresh of eyes on how we operate will help us, we think.
Our first meeting with our new Mentor will not be until mid-July, so I have no real feedback to offer as yet.
However, since DORMEN is offered through Dorset Council it could be worth you contacting your local Council to see if they offer a similar service?
-
PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Roy Parker on -
your account should be able to help you with most of the business side i have thought
-
Permalink Reply by Charles Langford on
-
Morning Nick,I gave up my search. I have stripped back my business back to the bare bones. Have gone from ten guys to one, got rid of all overheads, sacked off all off my maintenance clients and going to have another crack at it!
Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd said:
How have you got on with your mentoring?
T & S Plants said:Hi,
This week we have signed up with DORMEN.
DORMEN is a Dorset based business mentoring service. For £100 a year we have meeting with our experienced business mentor on a 4-6 weekly basis for the 12 months.
Our "Mentor" is a very experienced in business matters and running their own business, though not in Horticulture, but a pair fresh of eyes on how we operate will help us, we think.
Our first meeting with our new Mentor will not be until mid-July, so I have no real feedback to offer as yet.
However, since DORMEN is offered through Dorset Council it could be worth you contacting your local Council to see if they offer a similar service?
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next ›
© 2013 Landscape Juice ® Limited - Registered in England 08356644
Badges | Report an Issue | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
