LM StaffAug 14, 2023
Maria Semple’s offered an unforeseen suggestion last night for how to dramatically increase your prospect list: Get a library card. In doing so, the principal…
Jody ShilanNov 3, 2023
Q: I worked with a consultant who told me the best way to improve my design/build sales was to go out on more sales calls. What…
LM StaffFeb 6, 2014
Last night on Landscape Live!, Barry Draycott of Tech Terra Environmental discussed the recent history of the treatment of tree, shrub and lawns for pests…
Marisa PalmieriNov 3, 2023
Last night on Landscape Live! Tom Canete, owner of Canete Snow Management in Wayne, N.J., shared a wealth of knowledge about how snow and ice…
I have a process for everything I do, and you should too. I have standard operating procedures (SOPs) or best management practices (BMPs) for screening…
Marisa PalmieriAug 1, 2018
FD2B Talk Radio, a weekly Green Industry internet radio program, changed its name to Landscape Live!. The news was announced in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO,…
LM StaffNov 3, 2023
In the September issue, "Profiting from Design" columnist Jody Shilan shared tips for improving closing rates on jobs without full-fledged design plans. His answer? The…
Question: We’re a smaller landscape design/build company. Most of our projects are between $2,500 and $5,000 and rarely get over $10,000, so selling design fees…
Jody ShilanAug 15, 2013
A landscape company's sales process needs to be organized like a recipe from a cook book, said Danny Wood, a consultant and Sandler Training expert.…
Jody ShilanJul 18, 2013
It’s rare that somebody puts a spin on a topic that I thought I knew quite well. But that’s exactly what Tom Shay of Profits…
Q. When creating job descriptions, what's the best way to separate the roles of design and production? —Mark Muzio, The Landscape Design Group, Waltham, Mass.…
Question: How much money should companies require as an initial deposit? I’ve heard various theories on this and wonder what your experience is with deposits.—Benjamin…
Question: We work in a very competitive market and quite often our clients want to negotiate the price when we present the proposal. We don’t…
I was at your workshop last week at the Green Expo in Atlantic City, N.J. (It was great, by the way). Can you explain what…
Jody ShilanNov 9, 2023
Q: Can you explain the concept of using a retainer agreement instead of a design fee to get a commitment from the client toward both…
Jody ShilanMay 26, 2015
The holiday season is a wonderful time for all of us to remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have, while thinking about how…
We’re all familiar with business-to-business networking (B2B) as well as business-to-consumer networking (B2C). Well there’s a category of networking that you’ve likely been involved with…
Q. We spend too much time on concepts and revisions before we go to contract and get a deposit. How can we reduce our design…
Jody ShilanJun 11, 2015
Q: This might be a silly question, but is there anything that you can do to stop your client from taking your design, making copies…
Question: How do you get homeowners to tell you what they want to spend on a project without being pushy ? — Amanda Bell,…
Jody ShilanAug 14, 2023
Q We provide our clients with landscape master plans and charge a design fee for our drawings. Our problem is that a lot of times…
Q. Many companies offer “free drawings” to get installation work. We’ve always charged for our landscape plans, but often lose work because of this. What…
