Posted:  20 Jun 2016 18:53   Last Edited By: Gern
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2012	Posts:  24 Reputation:  1 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Hello Everyone, I had a quick question--we've been in business close to 15 years, and over the years have done some artificial sales and installations. I've shied away from it a lot in the past couple years, simply because of the close ratio is very low due to costs. A decent 7' silk tree and it's pot can run $300 wholesale with shipping, and that's not even for something really high quality.  I've noticed we lose a ton of artificial quotes based on nothing other than price--when building owner is looking at a couple thousand dollars for a few large silk trees, they just don't see the value--they all say it's just too expensive. My question is do any of you that have been successful in marketing silk installations have any advice on getting past the price barrier with the customer? Thanks much

Posted:  21 Jun 2016 16:02
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
That ship, alas, has sailed...and sunk. Once in a blue moon we get a request for artificials (we just did a proposal...or tried to...for a building atrium renovation project that started out being live foliage and then converted to artificial when the fire inspector said that the planters built in outside each tenant space overhanging the atrium couldn't be serviced from inside the space and that was that), but it's usually one or two trees for windowless conference rooms.  We are able to get these items locally from an importer and they are nowhere near that cost.  But it's a dying thing.

Posted:  22 Jun 2016 16:11
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2012	Posts:  24 Reputation:  1 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Thanks Clem, We get inquiries fairly often, and I've actually marketed that segment of the business in the past, it's just I've found that property managers in particular are price sensitive, and I was hoping someone had some insights in marketing artificials that I'm lacking.

Posted:  24 Jun 2016 15:36
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
"Price sensitive"!!!  Read: "cheap"!

Posted:  24 Jun 2016 15:37
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
Other than going back in time, no, I have no great marketing wisdom for you.  Most of the artificials on the market now are not great quality, and the ones that are (were) are discontinued.  Price reigns supreme!

Posted:  30 Aug 2016 14:01
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2012	Posts:  24 Reputation:  1 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Yes, agreed Clem.  I've found that most commercial customers feel it's just too costly, I'll still do a silk quote here and there, begrudgingly.  I'll make sure ahead of time they have a budget: If they don't give one, then they don't get a quote, and I'm pretty up front about that.

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