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Grow with Grunder: Sales slump? Two ideas to get new leads

July 28, 2022 -  By Marty Grunder

(Photo: iStock.com/onurdongel)

After two years of strong demand for landscaping services, we’re hearing from some of our peers and consulting clients that sales are starting to slow from the fever pitch we’ve grown used to. Some landscape professionals are saying the phone isn’t ringing quite as frequently as it was just a few months ago.

It’s no surprise. With inflation, gas prices and rising interest rates, sales were bound to cool down eventually. Those of us who’ve been through uncertain economies before know that it’s possible to keep your sales pipeline full even when demand slows, it just takes a focused effort.

Are you experiencing a bit of a slowdown? Or, trying to hit aggressive growth goals but need some help? Here are two ideas you can use to effectively target new clients and quickly get more leads for your landscape business.

1. Do a postcard mailing

We’ve had great success with targeted postcard campaigns at Grunder Landscaping Co. These pieces have worked especially well in our residential and design/build segments. Remember, it’s important to make your offer and unique value proposition very clear. You don’t need to tell your company’s entire story: You just need the prospect to call your office or visit your website to learn more. Mail your postcards to specific neighborhoods, communities and ZIP codes where your ideal clients reside.

2. Try social media ads

If you haven’t already, start by building an organic presence on social media by sharing photos of finished projects, testimonials and company news. Once you have a bit of a following, put some money behind your efforts to improve your reach or advertise specific offers. You can target on Facebook and Instagram based on interests or based on web traffic to your website, and photographs and videos of landscaping work tend to perform well there. LinkedIn has powerful targeting options based on location, job title and more. Don’t think of LinkedIn as a way to just advertise job openings or target commercial accounts. You can use it to target high-end residential work or commercial leads, as well.

And the absolute best way to market? Do great work, be responsive, focus on quality, fix any issues that come up and don’t forget the basics. All the marketing in the world can’t overcome a bad reputation, and we all know how powerful word of mouth is for driving new sales.

Put these ideas to work so you can meet your growth goals and finish the year strong. And if you need additional inspiration, join our team at The Grow Group online for our Virtual Sales Bootcamp 2.0 on Aug. 2-3. We’ll do a deep dive into improving your sales strategy, management and marketing in six live sessions. Plus, recordings are available if you can’t make it live. Learn more and register here.