[Precision L&L]

When meeting with a client to present a landscape design, what do you do in terms of showing them what the plant and hard scape material is going to look like on the job other than a plot plan. I have Pro Landscape but the digital imaging it is very hard to use on homes that already have existing landscapes. I ask this because for myself it seems that finding pictures of some of the plant material can be somewhat time consuming. I have gone as far as making power point presentations, but I was just wondering if any of you have any tips on using something that is not so time consuming. Thank You!

[Stonehenge]

For hardscapes I bring material samples.

Softscapes I print off a copy of each plant image from a plant software package.

I used to do laptop stuff, but found that everyone hand to huddle around the screen - made for a very awkward presentation.

[agla]

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.

[jwholden]

First off make sure the person you are presenting to is pre-qualified. Don't waste your time trying to sell your wonderful landscape to someone who is going to run down to big orange. I've done that too much in the past.

I put all the stuff in a presentation folder so it doesn't get lost; design, estimate, paver brochure, contract.

I insist at sitting at the kitchen table (The sofa always feels awkward) and love to get the husband and wife sitting next to each other. I hate looking left and right all the time, feels like I'm watching tennis.

I put the plan in front of them and start explaining the big picture, why I designed your home this way and how I addressed your concerns and then get to the specifics, this is Moonbeam Coreopsis it flowers in the summer. Finally, I hit them with the price.

If I am installing pavers the company I buy from has a nice suitcase full of color samples that I use. I bring a few samples of the specific paver.

I have a book full of landscapes I've done and plants I use. My background is Horticulture and my strong point is plants. That is where I am comfortable.

I find I start to lose people's interest about half way through describing the plants. How do you LA's go over a residential plan without explaining every plant? Do you just hit the specimens and let them know the color scheme you are going with? I think this would keep my presentation shorter and keep my clients from getting bored.

[agla]

Where did that assumption come from? I am anything but "typical", so I get a little rattled when I get put in the "you LA's" category.

[jwholden]

Agla,

Not trying to start something.
Pardon my generalization.
I'll stick to your name from now on.

[r schipul]

John,

I'll answer your question, sort of. It all depends on the client. I have degrees in Landscape Arch and Horticulture working within the design/build field. When i meet a client to talk about a plan I get more involved with discussing the overall design rather than the individual plants. The plans I draw only have the woody plants listed. I do it this way for a couple of reason's 1. I don't want the client to get so tied up in each individual plant that they miss the big picture. 2. I personally do not want to take the time to figure out every plant, get the client excited about every plant and then not be able to get that plant 3. I don't need to know the perennials to develop a price since most perennials are close in price. Sometimes I'm able to sell a project without mention of a single plant but instead talk about the possible characteristics of a plant and why it was chosen (a deciduous tree to soften the corner of the house, an evergreen hedge to give you a sense of enclosure). In reality I know that the hedge is going to be boxwood rather than Ilex but I don't need to explain that to the client unless they ask. In the estimate, woody plants are broken down and can be crossed referenced with the plan, perennials are totaled and listed as various perennials). I use a plant software program to print out pictures which they can peruse long after I've left. I mention that the perennials are some of the perennials which we use. If they have colors which they like or a color palette which they would prefer I keep that in mind when I am picking out the perennials. Basically I start each meeting with the design but sometimes it strays to the plants. It all depends on the client. Seeing a new design is a lot to take in so I do not want to complicate things by talking individual plants unless they bring it up. I used to explain every plant in a design and after I was finished speaking people would say "What's this again?, what's this again?, what's this again? I decided to simply the process. With a degree in horticulture you will probably disagree but it's my feeling that design is about creating space and if your designing space a certain speciman or hedge could very easily be swapped out with another as long as growth habit and culture are similar. The majority of my time is spent explaining the thought process on how I got to the final design taking into account the clients goals and wish list. You can try to systemize the presentation by talking about just plants or just design but inevitably the client dictates the meeting. A presentation to a client who gardens will be different from a client who doesn't.

[justgardens]

Ohio Landscapers Assc. puts out two great books: "Landscape Plants For Ohio" and "Perennials For Ohio". I leave copies ($3.00 a piece) after we have gone through and selected plant likes and dislikes. I love using the PowerPoint. I have seperate ones for evergreeens, flowering and perennials. All are loaded and ready to go. Between the PowerPoint, books and after talking with the client I generally know what I'm going to do. The plants may vary slightly and the bed lines move a bit but in my mind I'm ready. As far as hardscapes I give them drive-bys to visit. It is much more effective for them to see it than a picture. I use one sub contractor exclusively for all my hardscaping. He will then meet and go over specifics with samples. I also carry wall and brick brochures. I can usually get the client to pick up on the vision, agree to let me handle the details and a drawing much of the time is for my use only. There are alway exceptions.

[BJR]

This is why I got away from the plant side of landscaping. There is too much effort for little return.

Don't get me wrong, I love plants. I did the Diploma In Horticulture and owned a nursery for 4 1/2 years. Plants are still involved in my leisure time.

But where I live, in domestic situations, the landscapers buy the plants wholesale and only put a very small mark up on them if any at all. Not worth the effort of drawing planting plans and going through the plant varieties with the client.

Even with hard landscaping, I make a few suggestions for materials, but leave the final choice up to the client. I very rarely supply retaining wall blocks or pavers. Again the client supplies them because a lot of the time they can buy them on special cheaper than the trade price I get. And most clients know this.

Commercial is different. You get a planting plan supplied and you get to supply all materials. Every one that quotes commercial knows to put a decent markup on materials.

[justgardens]

My mark up is triple on plants and material. What I know ...Priceless! If I couldn't work with plants I wouldn't do any of this. It is my passion. BJR what do you specialize in? From some of the threads I've read, is it engineering?

[BJR]

I am licensed as a structural landscaper, and I mainly do large Engineered retaining walls.

Here we mark up materials 5 to 25%. Plants in a retail nursery are 100 to 120% on wholesale. Most landscapers that do plantings only put about 0 to 50% markup, above wholesale, on plants, so they get the job.

[justgardens]

You could make a mint up here in N.E Ohio along Lkae Erie where I live. The lake is eroding our shores like crazy. People like you are hard to find.

[BJR]

Same here. That's why I do it. Do the jobs that not many can do and get a better profit.

[site]

Originally posted by BJR
Do the jobs not many can do and get a better profit.

A recipe for success.

[Bill Schwab]

We close jobs by presenting concept style drawings, no plant specifics, with a plant budget, similar to how we do outdoor cabanas, patios, walls etc.

After the hardscape goes forward, I then meety with them to push the plant part of the job. Any time in nurseries is billed ala cart. They can for the most aprt make informed decisions from printed matter on plants, and allow us to use our best judgement to accept or decline plants upon delivery.

That way, our time is compensated for, as it well should be.