It can be frustrating when you meet with lead after lead, but hardly any of them pan out into actual sales. It can be tempting to just blame it on wishy-washy consumers who aren’t ready to commit to a serious investment. However, that enables you to avoid looking at your side of the interactions and examining ways to improve.
Kenneth Deemer, co-founder of FRWRD Consulting and Local Roots Landscaping, says landscape professionals often struggle with effective sales conversations because their expertise focuses primarily on the technical aspects of landscaping rather than on sales and customer communication skills.
“Transitioning from discussing technical details to engaging in sales dialogues requires different competencies, including the ability to listen empathetically, ask insightful questions, and articulate service value effectively,” Deemer says.
Some of the common mistakes during sales conversations include failing to qualify the client early on, talking more than listening and not establishing a mutual level of commitment.
“These errors can lead to misunderstandings and missed sales opportunities,” Deemer says. “Additionally, not setting clear next steps can leave the conversation without a defined direction, hindering progress in the sales process.”
Discussing Budget
Part of qualifying clients requires you to discuss their budget early on. Failing to find out their price range can result in wasted time and effort in crafting a project they cannot afford.
“It ensures the conversation focuses on feasible project scopes and builds trust by showing respect for the client’s financial considerations,” Deemer says.
You might be skittish to broach this topic out of fear the client will think you only care about the bottom line. Deemer suggests talking about the budget openly and framing it around investment and value.
“Justifying pricing through past success stories and explaining how specific services meet the client’s needs helps in easing budget-related concerns and emphasizes the long-term benefits,” he says.
Building Rapport
One of the commonly cited rules of business is ‘people do business with people they like, know and trust.’ This is why it’s so important to build rapport with potential clients early on in your initial sales meeting.
If a client doesn’t like, know or trust you, it doesn’t matter what sort of deals you can offer them. Nine times out of 10, they will find another landscape company that they do feel good about.
“Quick rapport building involves demonstrating genuine interest in the client’s needs, actively listening, and empathizing with their situation,” Deemer says. “Personalizing the conversation and using the client’s language can help establish a connection early in the dialogue.”
He notes that while you may like to take a structured approach to all your sales meetings, being flexible is crucial. Adapting to the client’s feedback and cues will help you determine whether you should be all business and straight-to-the-point or more conversation and relationship-focused. Sticking to a script can make it hard to develop a genuine connection.
“Adapting the conversation style to match the client’s expectations is key to maintaining engagement and advancing the sales process,” Deemer says.
When meeting with married couples, Deemer says it’s important to engage both individuals and ensure both of their views are considered.
“Balancing the input and addressing both sets of concerns can help in reaching a consensus that satisfies both parties,” Deemer says.
Overcoming Objections
Another stumbling block in sales conversations is dealing with customer objections.
“Effectively handling objections involves understanding the objection thoroughly, empathizing with the client, and addressing the concern by demonstrating how your services can solve their specific issue,” Deemer says.
A method to avoid objections more frequently is to fully understand what the client wants by deep listening and asking open-ended questions to encourage detailed responses. Rather than jumping to conclusions when you first hear the client’s request and assuming what they want or need, ask layered questions to get to the heart of their motivations.
Summarize and confirm their responses to ensure clarity and alignment. This will allow you to tailor the service more effectively.
Standing Out from the Crowd
One point you want to make sure you drive home in your sales conversations is how you are different from the competitors in your area. Consider your ‘elevator pitch,’ so to speak. If you had to convince someone why you’re better than other landscape companies, what would you tell them?
Some of the differentiators could be your unique service offerings, past success stories with similar properties or highlighting how you create tailored solutions to meet clients’ specific needs versus a generic offering.
“Demonstrating an understanding of and solution for the client’s unique challenges can significantly impact their decision,” Deemer says.
Often, truly listening, empathizing and making the client feel like you care about their overall enjoyment of the space can help distinguish your landscape business.
“Professionals should focus on building trust and credibility, understanding the client’s needs thoroughly before pitching services, and adopting a consultative approach,” Deemer says. “This helps position them as advisors rather than just vendors. Encouraging an open dialogue and agreeing on clear next steps are also crucial for successful sales calls.”
