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Wisdom of the sages
22 Jul, 2009 By: Daniel G. Jacobs LM Direct!It’s not the easiest time to be in publishing. We make our money through advertising — and in a down economy, fewer people are buying ads.
It’s not the easiest time to be a member of the Green Industry. You make money selling services that, in some cases, use discretionary dollars — and lately, many customers have been choosing to put that money elsewhere.
To combat our publishing challenges, we argue that now is the perfect time to invest in marketing your product. This is your chance to gain market share. And when the market turns around, you’ll be looked at as an industry leader. It’s a tough sell.
Combating the challenges in your industry requires an equally difficult sell. When you’re struggling to meet your budget and figure out ways keep your employees, it’s a hard argument to make that you should be spending money on programs and consultants. But that’s exactly what you should be doing.
Landscape Management serves as the media partner for the Wilson-Oyler Success Series. You’ve seen the ads on our Web site (www.landscapemanagement.net) and in our e-newsletters. Bruce Wilson, a monthly LM columnist, and his partner Tom Oyler, with the support of equipment manufacturer Husqvarna, have put together a traveling consultancy for landscapers. The program focuses on developing world-class account managers and enhancing the total customer experience.
Yes, it costs money and time that could be spent elsewhere on your business. But learning how to better run and manage your operation is no less important. In fact, it’s far more important than investing in a new piece of equipment.
There are a number of excellent programs and organizations that offer help to Green Industry business owners. LM’s Consulting Clubs (which includes Wilson, Oyler and a brain trust of industry experts) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) are just a couple of ways to tap into the existing font of knowledge.
I’ve yet to come across a contractor who’s told me such an investment was a waste of time or money. Whether it was the cost to attend an event hosted by PLANET or the time, energy and expense invested in a peer group or industry consultant, the universal refrain has been “I wish I’d done it sooner.”
There may be a perception that only the larger companies have the resources to invest in consultants or programs. I think it’s just the opposite. It’s because those executives made the investment — the sacrifice of time and money — that they became larger, more successful organizations. No, it’s not a guarantee of success; nor is it the only path.
About the only thing we can guarantee is that the path to success will be a little less bumpy if you take advantage of the collective wisdom from our industry sages.
Wilson-Oyler Success Series seminar dates:
- Providence, RI, Aug. 11
- Baltimore, Aug. 12
- Columbus, OH, Aug. 25
- St. Louis, Aug. 26
- Chicago, Sept. 3
- San Francisco, Sept. 22
- Orlando, FL, Sept. 29
- Atlanta, Sept. 30
To find out more information or to register for a seminar near you, visit www.wilson-oyler.com.
Please send any technical comments or questions to our webmaster.