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| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 03:48 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling 
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Hello all. I'm new here and my google search brought me to this site. I'm so thankful since there seems to be a plethora of helpful information on here. I didn't want to thread jack Tina's topic, so I decided to start my own.
Like Tina, I am in the process of starting my own interior plantscaping business. Currently, I am a landscape designer/project manager. I have been in business for myself for 8 years and I've been in the industry for 10. Therefore, I do have a background in entrepreneurship. Like all of you are saying, I do understand that interior plantscaping can be quite a bit different. I live in the northern region of the country. Therefore, I find myself needing extra income in the winters. Last year, I decided to work for a interior company to gain some experience like all of you have mentioned. I learned quite a bit and felt better equipped to expand my current landscaping business into the interior realm. Like Tina, I'm having a difficult time generating leads. I had a friend design a very professional looking flyer. I've been sending out approximately 10-20 per day to local businesses that I"m certain would be in need of my services. I've walked into businesses that I know would benefit from my services. I sent out a mass e-mail to friends and family letting them know about my new business endeavor. I recently joined my local Chamber of Commerce (a couple days ago). I live in a major metropolitan area. Yet, after about a month of really hitting it hard, I haven't had a single lead. Please let me know how I can get my foot in the door. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance for your suggestions. |
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| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 15:15 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom 
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Thunderbolt,
First let me say that I'm very impressed that you obviously have the smarts and the dedication to doing things the right way...that is, you've been doing your due diligence, paying your dues by working in an unfamiliar sector of the industry to gain credibility and knowledge of it, and THEN coming here to ask for guidance. The vast majority of would-be 'scapers don't bother with that first part and come directly here looking for the answers to the exam without having studied for it, as it were. For that, all of us will commend your efforts. Now to the meat and potatoes. In today's business world, old methods don't always provide the desired results. That will sometimes mean investing dollars that are in short supply on what you might consider unproven or risky methods...e-mail marketing, targeted direct-mail marketing, etc. But these are the kinds of things that WILL bring results at some point. Whether you have the resources and the patience to engage in that process, only you will know after you've researched them. The Holy Grail of interiorscape sales is the personal referral. However, without any accounts of your own, how will you develop such referrals? The answer is to mine your contacts and present/former clients in the landscape design world. They may become your interiorscape clients or they may be able to provide leads and referrals to help you get started. And then there are the various industry trade shows and conferences, where there are great programs and seminars given on how to sell interiorscape. Go to one or two, network there, learn all you can and have at it. Best of luck in your new venture. Given time and the right mix of approaches, you will eventually succeed. Clem |
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| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 17:58 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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| Thanks so much Clem, I really appreciate your response. I really want to succeed at this. Unfortunately, I'm impatient and hate waiting for results! I've been nervous about spending money on internet marketing since winter is my down time with a much smaller income. But, I understand everything you've written above. If anything, you've given me encouragement to keep at this. I will keep you posted on any new clients. Thanks again. | |
| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 18:54 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
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I'm not the board moderator (although I was in its former life as part of Interiorscape Magazine's website), but I think it bears repeating here that you can also contact other registered members of the forum via the "My Messages" function at the top of the page. Some topics or answers may require more discretion about who can view the discussion than is possible on the forum at large, so that's a great option to start private discussions with other members.
Clem |
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| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 20:30 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 102 Reputation: 5 User Rank: 3 - Plant 
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Clem is wise to suggest the private forum concept. I googled and yahooed myself recently, just out of curiousity to see what came up. Much to my surprise, some of my postings here came up. Perhaps I was naive, but I had always thought that my postings here were password protected. Obviously, that is not the case. I am now hesitant to give out information that I do not want available to my clients, since they can google me just as easily as anyone else. I really don't think that they need to know what I suggest a mark-ups!
Julie |
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| Posted: 04 Nov 2011 21:27 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
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Julie,
My posts have always come up on searches when I've been looking for info on some topic or other. I think the other forum has secured its threads from view by anyone except registered users, but even that got crashed by some hacker recently, so there's no real security in the virtual universe. I don't mind if my clients see what I post...they are real people who know the ins and outs of the business world, and I doubt they'd be surprised to read anything I say here. Clem |
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| Posted: 07 Nov 2011 03:31 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Yes, I understand what you two are referring to. I guess, as long as I'm using an anonymous name, I should be protected. Like Clem, I don't really have anything to hide either. It would be nice if my first client didn't know they were my first client. Thanks for the heads up. There's always a risk when you post info on the net. It's an amazing tool, but also seems like it can bite you in A if not careful.
Julie and Clem, have you both been in this industry for a while? If so, how long did it take to land your first client? I'm hoping to be in the right place at the right time soon. I have a potential lead that wants itemized pricing per plant before even meeting onsite. This contact is a friend of a friend of a friend (yes, 3 times). I need to find a way to meet with them face to face. This will be my goal for the week. Wish me luck. |
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| Posted: 07 Nov 2011 04:35 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 106 Reputation: 4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
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| dude that's pretty easy of u 2 say when you post as clem..... google it and nothing comes up...... but julie blymire is a whole other storey. | |
| Posted: 07 Nov 2011 05:47 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
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Thunderbolt,
I've been in the industry since I got out of college about thirty-two years ago. The first interiorscape account my present employer landed was a small ad agency office that was literally within five minutes' walking distance of the retail store. The first one I was involved with landing came shortly after I started working for Summit, when a posse of attorneys came in looking for some plants to decorate their new offices nearby. At first they decided to forgo service, until about two weeks after installation when their legal secretaries apparently decided that "horticultural technician" was definitely NOT part of their job description! You can explain to your prospective first client that, without seeing the job site and evaluating the spaces and lighting conditions where the plants are desired, you cannot spec the job, so giving them a list of all your prices would be a waste of time. That may or may not fly, but you're not in the business of publishing your entire inventory and pricing...you're in the business of selling/leasing plants and containers and service. You could give a price range, though (e.g., 10" pot size plants ranging from $45.00 to $125.00 depending on variety and spec, etc.), just to give them a ballpark idea of what their budget will need to be. And Alex, I didn't realize that this incarnation of the 'Scaper Talk forum does not display my last name. You can message me privately if you really need to know, and then you can Google me again and get your results. Clem Clem |
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| Posted: 25 Jan 2012 21:39 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Clem,
Thanks for all the advice you've given me in the past. I'm still having a tough time landing my first client. I've told everyone I know about my new business venture, joined a referral network group, sent out over 1,000 brochures/business letters to my target markets, and offered a % of contract revenue to anyone referring my business. I've also started advertising online. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I get even one person to inquire about my services? Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've spent a lot of money on advertising and I'm not sure how much more I should put into this business venture. How much time should I give this before accepting the fact that it may not be my calling? |
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| Posted: 26 Jan 2012 02:17 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
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Thunderbolt,
Give it more time. We first discussed this venture back in November of 2011, just a couple of months ago, and so your marketing campaign is still very new. You did say you are based in a "major metropolitan area", and that could be part of the problem. There are probably dozens of interiorscapers doing the same thing as you are, and they all have a big head start in terms of time put into the project, so it's not surprising you aren't getting instant results (many of the prospects you've contacted with your mailings have probably already seen the same act a dozen times or more over the past year from other vendors). That means you need to try some more creative efforts to get your first nibbles. Have you tried joining a local chapter of IFMA or BOMA, two of the primary trade groups of the commercial property management industry? That would narrow down the target group to one room! Also, consider spending your marketing budget in a more efficient, effective way by joining Barb Helfman's "Inner Circle": http://www.barbhelfman.com/inner-circle Then let us know how you're doing in about six months. All the best to you. You sound very dedicated, but you just need some expert help to steer you in the right direction. And Barb is the best. Clem |
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| Posted: 28 Jan 2012 11:58 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2012 |
Posts: 28 Reputation: 3 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Thunderbolt,
I once ventured into a business quite unrelated to the 'Green Industry'. The most rewarding marketing exercise I undertook was to plot previous sales according to Zip Codes. It was fun,it neutralized the 'impatience factor' and pointed up interesting trends. Your zip code will probably yield the best return on your investment of time and footwork. We were drilled in the "Feature - Function - Benefit" of a product. Every prospective client wants to know, "What's in it for me?" I remember a brainstorming session that turned up 24 uses for a clothes clip. Define yourself. Make up a statement that you are prepared to emblazon on your vehicle that the competition can only strive to match. My favorite is, "I will resolve every issue, to your satisfaction, within 24 hours". You think it easy? Do some volunteer work. I volunteer to take care of the plants in the local library and while I cannot advertise there, I always refer to it as the showcase of my best work. I make certain that it always is. I have placed and cared for a single plant in the lobby of a small motel for 3 months FREE! They bought into the idea but chose somebody else. I took up my plant and went home. But I will do it again because I know that a single "YEA!!!" can make up for a hundred "NAYS". Finally, my grandfather used to say, "Knowledge defies mathematics. The more you divide it, the more it multiplies." |
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| Posted: 01 Feb 2012 19:29 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Clem & ronalawn,
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it more than you know. I will keep at this and take your recommendations into serious consideration. I've never heard of IFMA or BOMA. I'll definitely look into that. I look forward to exploring the link you attached above Clem, thanks. At this point, I think I'm willing to try anything once (or twice). I understand that building a business takes time and effort and I like the ideas you two have outlined above. I'm not a patient person. Maybe this business venture is good for me in many ways. I will keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck... |
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| Posted: 01 Feb 2012 23:03 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Clem,
I was just wondering if the the link you gave me in your above message is still in operation. I can view the information but when I go to fill out the online application, the application does not appear. I tried emailing her at the address given in the help tab, but it was flagged as undeliverable email. It seems as though Barb Helfman has quit publishing her magazine. Do you know if she has discontinued the business development/coaching organization called the Inner Circle? |
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| Posted: 01 Feb 2012 23:42 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 28 Reputation: 2 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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| Thunderbolt, the average sales cycle in this industry is usually 6 months to a year from the time you first approach someone to when they sign on the dotted line. That doesn't mean you won't get a sale sooner, just what you can expect. If I were you I'd start with the clients I already have, see if any of them need your services or know someone who does. Always a good idea to 'grow where you are planted.' Best of luck to you, Kathy Fediw. | |
| Posted: 02 Feb 2012 01:47 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Nov 2011 |
Posts: 7 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
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Thanks Kathy. I understand that this will take time. It's just hard this time around as my previous business venture practically fell into my lap. Thought I'd have an upper hand since I've been through the whole process of starting a business before. Interiorscaping is a unique industry and something that seems difficult to crack into. I'll keep on keepin' on 
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| Posted: 02 Feb 2012 05:30 | |
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Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011 |
Posts: 798 Reputation: 43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
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Try clicking the link (Barb's name) under Barb's photo on the home page. A form will open up and you can fill in your contact info and comments and try sending that to her. Otherwise, call TOPSiders and ask them to connect you to Barb.
Clem |
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