As I prepare for my upcoming Summer Growth Summit, I interviewed the employees of Mariani Landscape — the host of this year’s event.
I asked them what Mariani Landscape does uniquely well.
Jeffrey Scott, Frank Mariani Sr., Frank Mariani Jr. and Shawn Edwards at Jeffrey Scott’s Summer Growth Summit at A+ Lawn and Landscape in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo: Jeffrey Scott)
They gave me many examples.
I was especially intrigued by Mariani’s premium specialty services and the added benefit these services provide in terms of client retention.
It’s not enough to do a great job serving your clients with commoditized landscape services. You have to find opportunities for additional services that go above and beyond your competition. Mariani does this well.
Example 1: Specialized rose care
Mariani responded to its clients’ need for this specialty service — rose care. Frank Mariani recognized this need and saw the opportunity to go big in this service.
He purchased the Rose Acres business and merged the service with his core business as a standard offering.
Mariani now offers a dedicated rose care program — 16 visits per season — fertilization, pest control, pruning, deadheading, etc.
What it means to you: If you are a client of Mariani and love your roses, it will be hard to shop around for a cheaper garden service. Your clients need that same kind of deep connection with your company; make it painful for them to leave you and switch companies, and you will enjoy a client for life.
Example 2: Mariani seasonal color
This is a nearly $10M business on its own, built by offering clients personalized four-season solutions expertly designed and installed by Mariani’s Garden team.
While any landscape company can offer this, most cannot do this well. Or do it on this scale.
What it means to you: Give your clients multiple reasons to make it hard to leave you. And you will make good profit margins doing so.
Example 3: Robotic mowers
Mariani decided to be a pioneer in this technology, which offers clients a great many benefits while being better for the environment. Mariani has more than 300 robotic mowers installed and adds more to the program each week.
What it means to you: Listen intently to your clients’ needs, even when they can’t articulate them. If you can predict what your clients want and need and then find a way to give it to them, you will prosper.
Learn more …
At our Summer Growth Summit at Mariani, you will learn about these specialty services and more. You will learn how to be a bold leader in your division or company.
Your Challenge: Develop “sticky” services that enhance client retention.
To develop sticky services, it is critical that you get out of the day-to-day, and work on the business by working “on” your client relationships.
Spending time with your clients, not selling anything but just getting to know them and their perspective on your services,
provides many benefits.
It makes you a better mentor to your leaders, a better marketer of your company and a better developer of your next new service.
Make things sticky, and your clients will stick around!
About the Author: Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, specializes in growth and profit maximization in the Green Industry. His expertise is rooted in his personal success, growing his own company into a $10 million enterprise. Now, he facilitates the Leader’s Edge peer group for landscape business owners—members achieve a 27 percent profit increase in their first year. To learn more visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.Subscribe to Landscape Management
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