difference in quality and style of brands. Te showroom is fully functional, and wired so that he can demonstrate the ef- fect of a given fixture or bulb on various aspects of the design. “Most people don’t know about landscape lighting. Tey


are used to going to a big box store and seeing a set of 12 lights for $125,” he says. “In landscape lighting, that’s not the case. One light can cost $125.” Educating customers about the product and process is


a big part of Lockey’s sales process. He uses the approach on every job but especially on big projects that may total $50,000 to $60,000. He wants clients to know who the company is, what they’re offering and why they are doing what they are. For example, if a client has a palm tree, he explains why


One of the focal points that the client wanted to highlight on the property was a fountain visible from the dining room window. Covering the property alongside the client helped Lockey understand what areas were most import- ant to highlight. When building his design, he focused on those points.


‘Should I light this or not because of budget restrictions?’ So, I put in everything,” he says. Te result was a spectacular design that added curb ap- peal and an increased sense of security. Te design included nearly 200 fixtures, a combination of floodlights, in-ground well lights and up lights. Each one matched to a specific purpose. For example, he chose floodlights for the larger trees to


I’ve always


believed that when you do the right things, it


comes back to you two- fold. I don’t skimp on


things and make sure we do it the right way.


– David Lockey,


Landscape Lighting Specialists


illuminate the width of a large canopy rather than focusing on how high the light reached. For grassy areas, he opted for in-ground well lights so that the lawncare company could mow right over the top. Sinking the fixtures into the ground made them flush with the surface while still achieving the design objective. “Te fixture choice all depends on the objective. In this


case, it was semi-security, but then the client also says, ‘Let’s make the house look like it should,’” he says. “In this case, we didn’t use higher wattage bulbs, which are typically used on security-focused jobs. We didn’t want to overdo what we were trying to accomplish. It turned out to be nicely lit for security, but it is not blasting on when a sensor picks up movement.”


Selling the design


With a vision in mind, Lockey was ready to sell the propos- al. First, he walked the property with the couple a second time and pointed out each part of the design using both the marked-up photos and the real-life features. Ten he brought them to his mobile showroom in the


back of his van. Inside, the open space has been transformed into a pseudo-backyard with a variety of fixtures. Some are mounted to the back doors while others are affixed to shelves finished with a layer of synthetic turf. “To me, details are very important. Te boxes that ev-


erything is sitting on are painted and have artificial grass so people can see how it really looks,” he says. Te return on investment of “a mobile showroom is great because I’m able to give my clients more than one option instead of showing up with a fixture in the back of a car.” Beneath the display he fills drawers with a variety of manufacturers’ fixtures so customers can touch and feel the


32 Irrigation & Lighting Spring 2022


he recommends two units rather than one light. Tis is be- cause a triple palm tree lit with only one light will have a hot spot on one trunk, whereas two lights will illuminate all three trunks and the canopy. “I try to explain everything we are doing and why we do it so that customers understand what they are getting,” he says. “Giving them the chance to feel the difference between different types of lights helps people see exactly what they are buying.” During the conversation in the mobile showroom, he


includes details about the installation process. For example, he tells clients about using copper crimps and grease tubes rather than wire nuts and electrical tape. He explains this is to avoid connection failures. He also highlights manufactur- er warranties and shows the results of using different bulbs. By the time this South Florida couple finished ask- ing questions at the mobile showroom, the deal was done. Lockey sensed the couple “wanted something extra,” so he threw in four indicator lights at the end of the driveway. In hindsight, he says it wasn’t likely necessary to close the deal but made the homeowners feel like they “got something.”


Smooth sailing


Once the contract was signed, the installation was straight- forward and problem-free. Preparation played a big part in avoiding issues from cropping up on the job, he says. Walking the property allowed Lockey to see the existing


Lockey emphasizes client education, especially on high-dollar projects. For some elements like palm trees, he’ll explain why one lighting approach is used over another, so the customer understands what they’re expecting.


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