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If you have a photo album with a good representation of your work and a plan that you are confident about, you won't need too many props.
People do not need a complete documentary of their landscapes. Your album (portfolio), your description, your plan (whether it is a work of art or a simple sketch), and how they perceive you can out sell a well packaged pile of salesman marketing kits any day. That "stuff" only works when everything else is not working.
When you sit down with a client and demonstrate that you completely understand what you are doing, that you are addressing their program (uses, style,...), and that you have confidence and competence to the point where you can function without over illustrating every detail, you will be in control.
Work on your portfolio. Dump the "before" pictures in your "before and after" collection. The befores sour the overall look of it. If you have a lot of pictures, be sure to show only the very best. Too many pictures of the same place erodes confidence. A good short portfolio is better than a long one with repeats, dirt pictures (befores), and tacky jobs (we've all done them).
Think of a jeweller with a small black velvet bag with six shiny diamonds spilling out of it. Now think of a jeweller, the same bag with the same diamonds, but with several objects that were dug up by a dude that cruises school yards with a metal detector. Think of a third jeweller that has a pile of marketing litterature to make the sale. Which one will you buy your significant other's diamond ring from?
With all the image editing software that are out there, the HGTV shows with the sample board toting interior designers turned landscape professional, and all the landscape photo encyclopedias, we all might wonder if we are losing our edge. The truth is that substance wins every time. You just have to make sure that the substance shines through.
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