EVERYONE HAS A STORY. YOUR COMPANY’S STORY AND HOW YOU decide to communicate it can help attract loyal customers and new employees. Especially in the lawn and landscape industry, where there is a lot of competition, your story can help differentiate you from others in your market.
You might think you have a story that isn’t unique, but each company starts with a dream and hope for what success will look like.
“It’s hard work to build a business, and you can’t succeed without a unique motivation to persevere,” says Scott Cov- elli, content director for EPIC Creative, a full-service advertising agency. “That motivation is a key part of your story, and your customers can relate to that! And when in doubt, tell your own personal story. You’re the only one who can truly sell you!”
Covelli suggests starting by asking questions like ‘Why are you in this industry?’ and ‘What gets you up in the morning?’ Finding the foundation of your passion for your work will drive your story. For example, Weller Brothers Land- scaping, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, got started when Cole and Brent Weller started mowing lawns as teens and just never stopped. “That story of two young brothers
with a pickup and a mower has evolved into a much larger one that includes ded- icated employees whose families have grown alongside the business, customers who have become great friends, a sec- ond location, growing pains, successes, and a whole lot of fun,” says Jaden Miller, marketing manager for Weller Brothers. “Our company ‘purpose’ encompasses much of this developing story — creating outdoor spaces for life’s best moments.”
In the case of Yellowstone Landscape, headquartered in Bunnell, Florida, they never had a traditional founders’ story, but their goal has been to be a collection of the best and most innovative compa- nies in the industry. “We learned many years ago that cus- tomers didn’t really care that much about our story or our growth,” says Joseph Barnes, marketing director for Yellow- stone Landscape. “They care about the role that we play in their story. They want to hear about how we can make them more successful. How we can solve their problems and help them achieve their goals. So, today, when a prospective client asks me to tell them about how Yellowstone came to be, I generally re- spond by telling them a story about how we helped a client solve a problem like the one they have, instead.” Covelli agrees that your customer needs to connect with your story. “The whole point of your story as a brand is to show your customers that you understand them,” Covelli says. “In a sense, it’s more important to be a part of a customer’s story, not have them be a part of yours. If you can relate to them, you’re already winning.”
WHAT MAKES A COMPANY STORY? Seven Oaks Landscapes-Hardscapes, Inc., based in Glade Hill, Virginia, has been in business for over 30 years, but they just recently decided to focus on
their story around five years ago. “We realized was that when I worked shoulder to shoulder with our people for a period of time, they always got the sto- ry,” says David Bower, president of Seven Oaks. “But then, when I wasn’t around, they can’t get the same story from a manager as they did from the founder. I figured out real soon that we were not communicating what our story is, what our vision is, our mission, and the values that we’re going to live by. We realized we hadn’t developed it.”
Bower says to develop their company
story, they had to look at where they had come from and where they wanted to go. He says their company story is captured in their vision, mission and values. He says they want to make memorable experiences and exceed everyone’s expectations.
Miller says they brought their entire company of just 100 people together
National Association of Landscape Professionals 23
Photos: (Above) Seven Oaks Landscapes-Hardscapes, Inc. (Left) Weller Brothers Landscaping
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