If you're a professional landscape design/build contractor, this is the place for you!
Join our community of landscape design/build contractors, just like you, who are always on the lookout for exciting new ideas, unique business solutions and experienced professional advice--not to just succeed, but thrive in the exciting and challenging world of landscape design/build. You'll be glad you did!
The Write Stuff - How to Speed Up Your Proposal Writing Jody Shilan, Editor I think you'll all agree that writing a proposal is probably one of the least enjoyable tasks in our business. Truth be told, most of us hate it. The real irony here is that we consider writing proposals hard work yet look at running equipment and building things all day as enjoyable. . . . keep reading
More Than Just A Pretty Picture Jody Shilan, Editor If you are like many design/build contractors, you may think of a landscape plan as an unnecessary expense that is often required just to get the sale - and that's all. Well, nothing could be farther from the truth. Its real value is typically misunderstood and completely overlooked. . . . keep reading
Download: Site Visit Proposal Jody Shilan, Editor Sometimes when you go out on an appointment it winds up being a potentially small project or a potentially annoying customer. You probably don't want to "blow off" either situation (OK we know you do) but you certainly want to minimize the amount of time you spend on these appointments . . . keep reading
Online Portfolios -- Show Off Your Best Work - Professionally
Mike Swift Many landscape professionals and firms have web sites. It is very common for these sites to include portfolios of sample work. The portfolios range from a series of photographs of various project sites to organized collections of photographs organized by project or type of work . . . keep reading
Co-opetition--
The value of working with your competition
Jody Shilan, Editor Business 101 has always taught us that your primary goal is to "beat the competition" at any and all costs. With the current state of the economy, the pressure to sell work is greater than ever and having a competitive advantage has never been more critical . . . keep reading
Bag of Tricks -- What you should bring to every new appointment Jody Shilan, Editor Last week's Trade Secret was entitled "Travel Heavy", where we discussed the importance of your crews having all of the tools and materials on their truck that are necessary to properly complete an installation. This week I want to discuss the same idea but explore the concept as it relates to your designers and sales people . . . keep reading
"Travel Heavy" - If you want to be efficient you must do this. Jody Shilan, Editor I first heard the expression "travel heavy" after I took a landscape construction job for the summer. The foreman was explaining to me how he liked to have everything that he needed with him when he would do his installations . . . keep reading
"Nacho Cheese" -- Stop giving your services away for free. Jody Shilan, Editor One of the best ways to lose money in business is to give things away. Gee that's really earth shattering news or as my kids like to say, "Thanks Captain Obvious". So if this a "No Brainer" why am I trying to pawn it off as a trade secret . . . keep reading
Forget About the Righties -What You Really Need is a Left Hand Man Jody Shilan, Editor One of the biggest mistakes I see contractors make once their business begins to grow is to start looking for that perfect "Right Hand Man". The "go to" guy. The guy who is going to be at your command and solve all of your problems. Essentially a clone of yourself. . . . keep reading
Bid is a Four Letter Word Jody Shilan, Editor Throughout my career I have never been one to participate in the bidding process. I know that for many landscape contractors "bidding" is a very successful business model, but clearly less so these days . . . keep reading
Too Much Information (TMI) -- When less is truly more Jody Shilan, Editor In the early stages of my career I used to bring every piece of sales paraphenalia I had to my initial client meetings. Sample drawings, my leather bound portfolio of my installation work with my resume as the first page, and so many brochures and marketing pieces that I often had to take two trips to my car just to bring everything into the client's house . . . keep reading
The Not So Odd Couple -- Landscape Design and Production Jody Shilan, Editor The ultimate goal of any landscape design is to see the "plan" ultimately installed. The role of the designer is to create a vision of the client's goals and desires and develop these "dreams" into a thoughtfully created landscape plan. The role of production is to take that plan and build it . . . keep reading
Extra! Extra! Read All About You!
Rod Dickens | Contributor There's no mystery to getting your company name and projects in a magazine, newspaper, or other publication. The process begins by targeting the right publication, understanding who the reader is, and knowing what the editors want . . . keep reading
Understanding The Difference Between Imaging and 3D Software Len Hordyk, Contributor It appears that there is some confusion out there about the difference between imaging software and 3D software for landscape design. There are significant differences between them and we should start by defining what they are . . . keep reading
Job Costing Basics -- Inaccurate Job Costing Can Be Costing You Plenty Marcus VandeVliet, Contributor We're all acutely aware of the labor shortage facing our industry and also the limitations being placed on the H-2B seasonal guest worker program. This is a real problem for the Green Industry, but one that can be minimized if we approach it from different directions . . . keep reading
About this Site
The Write Stuff - How to Speed Up Your Proposal Writing
Publicity and the Anatomy of a Press Release--Part 1
More Than Just A Pretty Picture
Download: Site Visit Proposal
