value proposition

By Andrew Duncan From the Spring 2019 Issue One of the most common complaints I hear from business owners in the landscape field is that labor rates as a whole are too low. In our business you are always going to be competing with companies underpricing their work, whether that is someone who mows lawns on the side for extra income or a new business who doesn’t fully understand their numbers. As an industry we aren’t very good at creating value, and it is a tough battle when you are trying to bill double to triple what the kid down the street will charge. However, there are companies out there that are consistently getting new customers while still charging profitable rates. What is their secret? Selling. You may think, “Well I’m already selling every time I go meet a potential customer.” Take a hard look at your sales process: are you really selling value, or are you just listening to the customer and giving them a price? The majority of businesses are going to a quote, trying to jot down everything the customer wants, and formulating a price for the required services. This process is not only robotic and impersonal, but also decreases your value as a company. Have you ever gone to the doctor and said, “Hey doc, I have some chest pains,” and had the doctor only reply with, “Okay, that will be $500.”? I certainly wouldn’t trust a doctor who just threw a number at my problem ...