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Business Strategies
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Business Strategies
"Success cannot just be measured in terms of smiling, satisfied customers but also in the cold, hard realities of facts, figures and finances" - Unknown
Whoever said, "Business is Business", never worked for a landscape design/build company. Not only do we have the traditional business requirements of every other industry such as taxes, insurance, payroll, controlling overhead and maximizing profits, we are also over-regulated and constantly scrutinized as an industry. On top of this we are always managing weather, equipment problems, language barriers and client expectations. It's amazing that we still enjoy our work! As a member of FromDesign2Build.com, you will learn:
- How to finally take your company to the "next level"
- How to work "on" your business instead of "in" it
- What office and field employees to hire and when
- How to develop business plans for 1, 3 and 5 years
- What to charge for your work and why you're not charging enough
- About successful retirement planning exit strategies
- What "benchmarking" is and why it is vital for a profitable business
The knowledge and skills required to create a beautiful landscape are much different from those needed to manage and grow a successful landscape design/build business. Learn what other landscape contractors are doing successfully and how they overcome problems both large and small.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Outsource Your Drawings--Why You Need a Virtual CAD Assistant
Kyle Burgamy, Contributor
Before you hire a full time landscape designer, why not consider "outsourcing" your drawings to a freelance CAD operator? To remain competitive and profitable, a landscape designer or contractor must constantly seek to improve efficiencies with their services . . . keep reading
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