BUSINESS TO BUSINESS I


n a regular mentoring session, one of my landscaping and lawn maintenance clients shared their frustration with me. Tey were consistently getting the objec- tion from prospects that the price their company was charging was more than competitors’ bidding on the


same projects. As a result, they were losing these jobs to the competition. My client runs a company that prides it- self in doing the job right and not cutting corners. When the job is completed, it looks great. Teir clients rave about the results to their friends and neighbors. But when it comes to potential clients who are not familiar with the quality of the team’s work, they balk at his higher pricing.


UNLEARNING LOW PRICING Many green industry and landscape lighting businesses think that the lowest price approach is the only way to market their services and products. With the right mind- set and strategy this approach is not true. As every good sales trainer teaches, the best time to eliminate the “your price is too high objection” is before it comes up. Tere are several strategies you can use to position your company so that most of the time you will be the contractor of choice. As the great sales trainer Tom Hopkins says, our cus-


tomers are always judging us on three key factors: the best service, quality and price. When our customers and cli- ents compare our company to our competitors, and every- thing appears to be the same, then they will always default to the lowest price. However, you and I both know that there is no compa-


ny in your industry that can provide the best service, the best quality and do it at the lowest price. Tink about major purchases you have made in your


personal life or through your business. When you try to get the lowest price, the other key factors, service and quality, are subpar, and you usually end up regretting having made the purchase. Our customers are no differ- ent. Te important thing to remember is you must build into your sales process the advantage of buying from your company because it provides the best service and the best quality and does it all at a fair price. So how do you communicate to your prospective cli- ents how your company can provide the best quality and the best service all at a fair price? It starts with making sure everybody in your company believes that motto. To get your leadership team and employees on board


so they can embrace this approach remember the maxim, “People don’t argue with their own data.” In other words, give your team members the opportunity to help build your strategy.


A TEAM APPROACH It is vital that you include your team in building a pro- cess of creating a culture that delivers the best quality and the best service, because without their support it will ul- timately fail. Here is the recommended process that I use with all my green industry clients. First, hold a meeting with your entire company. At the top of your whiteboard or flipchart page, brainstorm all


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The important thing to remember is YOU MUST BUILD INTO YOUR SALES PROCESS THE ADVANTAGE OF BUYING FROM YOUR COMPANY because it provides the best service and the best quality and does it all at a fair price.


the possible ways you now provide, or could provide, the best service to your clients and customers. On another whiteboard or flipchart page, brainstorm all the possible ways you now provide, or could provide, the best quality products or workmanship. Te next step is to prioritize the top service ideas that


your company can provide to your clients. Discuss what your competitors are and are not doing and how your company does it or can begin to do it better. Put together a strategy with a timeline to implement these top ser- vice ideas. Decide who will be responsible for making the ideas come to fruition. Schedule follow-up meetings to monitor the progress of your best service strategies. Tird, prioritize the top-quality product and work- manship ideas that your company can provide to your clients. Discuss what your competitors are doing and how your company does it or can begin to do it better. Put to- gether a strategy with a timeline to implement these top product and workmanship ideas. Decide who will be re- sponsible for making the ideas come to fruition. Schedule follow-up meetings to monitor the progress of your best quality and workmanship strategies. With that as a premise, put together a chart compar-


ing your company to all of your competitors with service features your company offers, quality products your com- pany offers and workmanship features. In the left column list all the services, quality products


and workmanship features you wish to draw a comparison between your company and your competitors. Once you have your comparison chart built, make sure


you and your sales team use it in all of your presentations with prospective clients, post it on your website and have brochures printed up that you can leave behind after a sales presentation.


Remember the value of printed materials is that they


have shelf life. In other words, they are tangible physical evidence of what differentiates your company from your competitors. Tese are unlike a document that is emailed and can go to spam, or worse yet, never be opened. Keep in mind that initially this may seem like a lot


of work, but in the long run this is the kind of strategic thinking and action that will separate your company from the rest of your competitors. It will allow you to build a base of satisfied clients that will result in a more profit- able and successful green industry or landscape lighting company.


Email me for an outline of how to implement this


process and, as always, feel free to contact me with your questions.


Tom Borg is a business consultant who works at the intersection of leadership, communication and culture. As a thought leader, he works with his green industry clients and their leadership teams to help them connect, communicate and work together better without all the drama. To ask him a question please call 734.404.5909, email him at tom@tomborg.com or visit his website at tomborgconsulting.com.


June 2023 Irrigation & Lighting 29


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