Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
Replies
I'm aware of my post from a couple of years ago (http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/forum/topics/christmas-gifts-t...) Just looking for fresh ideas.
All of our customers get a Christmas card. When I first started out 38 years ago a building contracts manager advised me to keep clear of gifts at Christmas, just give them top quality work and reliability, that's all they ask. A small gift will make absolutely no difference whether you keep a contract or not. Besides, isn't it the customer who gives the gift for services rendered?
The problem I see you have Daniel, is that it will be difficult not to now!
Hi there just started doing it this year we bought garden calendars from the card factory sounds cheap but get 2 for a pound but they are good quality customers have been pleased.
waste of good money, for little or no gain.a few customer might like it but most wont think anything of it.
Maybe a card to be polite as I know it's possible to become quite friendly with clients, but client is the word.
Just my thoughts though do whatever works for you!
I do Christmas cards for all and the regular good customers get homemade Christmas chocolate brownie. It just finishes off the year with a glow after all Christmas is about giving, it's just a Thankyou and look forward to working with you in 2015! Yes it takes a bit of time and money but am thank full at the end of the year that am doing something i love, money in the bank, growing business and happy healthy family, no harm in a good customer relationship!
Hi Bob i agree for what we pay for the calendars i think its worth it as you say its the customers who keep us going although i must admit they don't all get one !!!
Yeah - it isn't for gain of keeping clients or securing work, so I agree it could look like a waste of money. But both myself and my business partner agree that we really sell ourselves as much, if not more than, our work (which stands up on its own merit) We really do 'get on' well with all of our clients - if we don't like them, we don't keep them. As such the gifts thing is just to reinforce this and too put us in the Christmas spirit.
It's never anything crazy expensive, perhaps £5 per client, which really isn't that much money over our client base - perhaps 30 of them will get gifts. £150 really isn't THAT much money on the scale of the year really. If it reminds 1 client to use us again then that money is made back really.
Christmas is the season to give :)
I can never get my head around the fact that I spend thousands with suppliers, but im the one expected to walk into their yard at Christmas with crates of beer! something definitely wrong there!
Colin Hunt said:
Yep once you start you can't stop... I usually give out vista print poster calenders (with magnets on the back), however this year I'm going to cut it back to a Christmas card from the hospice...