WRITINGS
4 Simple Ways to Grow Your Landscaping Profits 🌱
by Jason Smircich
#1: Reengage Past Customers
#2: Enable Chat Messaging on GBP (Google Business Profile)
#3: Respond to Missed Calls in <5 Minutes
#4: Create and Share an Appointment Booking Link
Bonus: Send Leads to a Landing Page (Not Your Site)
Congratulations on reaching this page! You're about to uncover four proven ways (plus a bonus) to help you increase profits in your landscaping business.
Some of them you may already be familiar with and use. My expectation is that there are at least one or two tactics that are new to you... Or that you just haven't started using yet.
So, hopefully this can serve as an encouraging reminder to give it a shot. Because you've got nothing to lose.
Of course, there are dozens more ways to improve your bottom line. But the idea here is to give you some ways other business owners have gotten some quick wins.
They cost you nothing to put in place. Just a little time. You don’t need to execute all five to see results either.
Just pick one or two that you’d like to start with and follow the action steps below. You can finish most in 10-15 minutes. So, there’s really no reason not to at least try one and see what happens.
When you do, you should start to see increased activity pretty quickly. Let's dive in...
#1: Reengage Past Customers 🔄
Why?
Many landscaping businesses don’t follow up with their customers on a set schedule. Customers will need landscaping more than once, so why not give them the opportunity to buy from you again?
How?
Send customers you haven’t spoken to in 60 days a text message offering them a special ‘thank you’ discount if they book with you by a specific date. For example, "$100 off when you book lawn & weeding services by this date..."
Another tactic is to offer existing customers the option to pay 3-6 months upfront for a discount.
This will bring you more upfront revenue and make your cash flow more consistent.
How Does It Boost Profits?
• Save money on ads & mailers because you’ll be maximizing revenue from your customer base.
• Save time by offering pay-in-advance service packages so you reduce follow-up with customers.
• Increases LTV (lifetime value) of your customers.
#2: Enable Chat Messaging on Your Google Business Profile 💬
Why?
These days, more customers prefer to contact businesses via chat than by phone. By enabling chat messaging on your Google Business Profile (GBP), you can reach more prospects faster.
This leads to connecting with more customers you wouldn’t have otherwise had a chance to talk to.
How?
If you have a Google Business Profile already set up, you can find the option in your Dashboard under “Turn on Chat.” Keep in mind that you’ll need to respond to any chat messages quickly so you can maximize the benefit.
If you don’t have GBP yet, you can set it up on Google at: https://www.google.com/business
(If you have any questions, email me.)
How Does It Boost Profits?
• Saves you from losing a customer who prefers chat messaging.
• Gives you a competitive advantage over companies not using the feature.
• Google gives priority ranking in organic searches for businesses using chat. So, you'll automatically reach more folks online.
#3: Respond to Missed Calls in <5 Minutes ⏱
Why?
80% of customers don’t leave voicemails because they think no one will get back to them. Also, by the time you do call them back—even if just a few hours later—they’ve already moved on to the next business. Which means a lost customer.
How?
Set up an automated text message reply so that you can respond to any missed calls right away.
The message can be as simple as, "Sorry, I missed you. Your call is very important to me. How can I help you?"
That way, if you’re on the job, it can help stop people from calling another company. Because they’ll know you will get back to them in a certain timeframe.
- For iPhone users, there’s a basic auto-reply feature that can be found under the “Driving Focus" setting. Here's Apple's article on how to set it up: Set up the driving focus.
- For Android users, there isn’t a built-in automatic text feature. So you’ll need to download a 3rd party app (or use our software). Just search the Google Play Store app for “missed all text auto reply” and choose the app you like best.
How Does It Boost Profits?
• Converts more callers who don’t leave voicemails into potential customers.
• Creates a better customer experience, which builds your authority & increases repeat customers.
• Saves you time from manually having to check your voicemail and call people back.
#4: Create & Share an Appointment Booking Link 🗓
Why?
Let’s say you bump into someone who’s interested in your landscaping services. But you don’t have time to talk right then and there.
Texting them a calendar link is an easy way to continue the conversation.
It gets them to commit to a time to talk with you. And you’ll get their contact information when they book so you can follow up with them.
You can also share this link with current customers to prevent them from playing phone tag. It’ll save everyone time, and give them a great experience.
How?
You can use tools like Calendly, which has a free basic plan to create a calendar for appointments.
The calendar will sync up with your personal online calendar, like Google. So only your available time slots will be shown to people.
Share your calendar link via text, on your social media profiles, and on your website.
How Does It Boost Profits?
• Saves you time on scheduling so you can focus more on money-making activities.
• Makes your business look more professional so it stands out from the competition. This allows you to charge higher prices and retain customers for longer.
Bonus: Send Leads to a Landing Page (Not Your Site) 🎯
Why?
If you send leads from an ad or your social media pages directly to your website, very few of them will turn into customers. Because they’ll be aimlessly browsing your site.
Eventually they will get distracted by one of their dozen open browser tabs... And be lost to the world wide web of wonders forever.
So they need to be given one clear action to take next. A landing page (AKA an opt-in page) solves this issue.
A landing page is a basic webpage where visitors can only take one action. For example, filling out their contact info so you can follow up with them.
It’s good practice to give them something in exchange for the action, such as a discount, free estimate or an educational consumer guide (like this one ;)
How?
Create an opt-in page that will function on its own, meaning it will not be linked to any of your website’s pages. It can still use your domain name as the root, but make sure it has a unique URL so you can promote it later.
Include a short form where visitors can enter their name, email address, and phone number.
Make sure to explain exactly what they’re getting in return for giving you their information. For example, a $150 discount, a special report on what to look for when hiring a landscaper, etc.
Along with the opt-in page, you’ll need a simple ‘thank you’ page. This is what visitors will see after they put in their contact details. It will let them know you’ll contact them as soon as possible to talk about their project.
If you don’t have the time or aren’t sure how to create an opt-in and all the mechanics needed, contact me. I’d be glad to help.
How Does It Boost Profits?
• An opt-in page will increase the conversion rate (how many leads turn into customers) of any online ad you’re running. The stats prove it.
• By capturing the leads' contact details you can follow up with them directly later. (Increasing the possibility of turning more visitors into customers.)
• Makes your business look more professional and gives prospects more value. Allowing you to charge more than other companies that are simply competing on price.
So there you have it! A handful of proven tactics to help you make more profits in your landscaping business.
As I'm sure you know, there are many more ways to increase profits (and revenue). These five are some of the simplest to implement for fast results.
Hopefully, you got something from this checklist. And learned at least one new thing you can start testing out today.
These tactics work. They can either be implemented one at a time or all at once to see increased activity even quicker.
Would you like to ramp these up faster and save time by doing it all yourself?
If so, I have an easy-to-use system that brings all 5 of these tactics together into one powerful CRM that’s already built out for you.
If you’d like to see how it works firsthand, let me know and I’ll give you a ‘tour’ online.
Just click the green button below to grab 15 minutes on my calendar.
After seeing the system, if you don’t think it was worth your time I’ll email you a $20 Starbucks gift card. I’m serious.
I don’t want to waste your time and am so confident of what this can do for you that I’m putting my money where my mouth is.
Talk soon,
Jason
The Art of Follow-Up: Building Trust and Rapport with Prospects
by Jason Smircich
Hey Biz Owners & Sales Leaders, do you ever worry that you're not following up on your leads enough?
You put a lot of time and money into ads, social media and emails to get people interested in what you're selling. You've probably built a list of hundreds if not thousands of potential customers, right?
Well, what if you could turn more of those leads into customers? Because odds are if you’re not following up with them for more than a couple of months, there are still people who haven’t bought from anyone -- yes, not even a competitor -- yet.
If you’re top of mind when they are ready to buy, you could win their business. And, there are ways to help you improve your chances.
Since that’s the case, at what point does it make sense to stop following up with leads? And more importantly, how can you build rapport and trust when you do?
From what I've seen, the answer depends on the type of business you have. But one thing is sure: if we stop talking to our prospects, they most likely won't come back to buy from us later.
This doesn't mean we should just keep asking for the sale. We need to show our leads we understand their problems, and are experts at providing the solution. We do this by sending them helpful information and being an advocate for their success.
Educational marketing is powerful and helps create a relationship where we can serve as a Trusted Advisor. Not merely as a salesperson.
What the specific follow-up looks like will vary for your business. But, by trying different approaches and measuring the results, you can find out what works best for your industry and audience.
As we know, there are lots of other businesses vying for new customers. If we stop reaching out to our prospects, they'll go to businesses that do keep in touch and give value in advance.
That’s why what's most important is to make sure to follow up with every lead, every time. For as long as it makes sense, based on your average sales cycle and the valuable content you have to share with them.
So, why not create (or hone) your plan for how to keep in contact with people over time? Then, you could share that plan with your team and use technology to automatically execute it.
This is vital because as your business grows and you continue to get more leads, you'll need a way to effectively manage them all.
For example, I had my CRM system follow up with a lead for a new real estate client four months after they first talked. Since there wasn't a lead follow-up or nurture campaign in place yet, it made sense to check in.
We offered a free home value report and guess what? The person responded. Now, he's talking with my client about possibly listing his property.
If we hadn't followed up, and offered something of value first (rather than just asking, "Hey, are you interested in selling?"), there's a 99% chance we would have never heard from the home owner again. So, nobody knows what situation a potential customer is in until we ask. Coming from the position of a Trusted Advisor.
Not only does having a system in place to manage leads make sure no one "falls through the cracks,” it gives an added benefit, too.
You'll get a better ROI on your marketing dollars because your conversions will go up. So, without increasing your marketing budget, you can see your revenue go up.
It also improves your customers' experience. They appreciate it when you get back to them fast, keep in contact, and are looking out for their best interests. It shows reliability and builds trust and rapport.
This makes your business stand out and builds your reputation and brand. (It helps reduce churn, too, but that's for another day.)
By continuing to give folks value even when they don't buy right away, you'll be top of mind for when they're read to move forward.
So, what are some ways you can elevate your follow-up today? What valuable, educational information can you give your prospects in advance so that they start to believe you're the expert they need for the job?
I'll be sharing more tips and examples on this topic, so stay tuned if you'd like to grow a Trusted Advisor position in your market.1 Column
Load Up on AI and Bring Your Friends: The Future of Business Automation
by Jason Smircich
Back when you couldn’t turn on a radio without hearing “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” there was a quieter revolution taking place in the world of business.
It was email marketing automation and autoresponders.
Both are so commonplace today it’s hard to imagine professional life without them. Picture how it was before…
You have to manually reply to every webform inquiry, every emailed question and request one-by-one. If you want to run a bulk email campaign to hundreds or thousands of customers that's manual too.
It was beyond time consuming and led to tons of missed opportunities. Because you couldn't get back to people fast enough. Not fun.
Then marketing automation came along and an incandescent light bulb (it was the 90’s after all) went off. 💡
You could instantly respond to every email with personalized, behavior-based messaging. You could create targeted marketing campaigns. And send it to hundreds of people at once, raking in sales.
Relationships were nurtured, automatically. Opportunities were seized. No more leads went cold!
This shift, from manual to automation, created massive efficiencies. Businesses who ran with the new tools saw more growth opportunities. Early adopters bolted ahead of the competition.
It took almost two decades, until circa 2010 for at least 80% of US companies to have some type of email automation in place.
We're at a similar pivotal moment right now. The addition of AI to automation for business.
Autoresponders once represented huge operational advantages. We can already see AI is the next frontier for automating vital processes and communications at scale.
Those who resist and cling to manual methods will eventually get left behind.
AI chatbots and assistants can now respond to customer inquiries across all your channels. Whether website chat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, texting, and more. They can instantly qualify leads, answer FAQs, and schedule appointments 24/7.
No more losing warm leads because you weren't available. No more wasted time chasing unqualified prospects. Just a perfect flow of real buyers into your pipeline on autopilot.
AI is now a key competitive advantage for businesses. You can use it in ways to exceed customer expectations, operate more efficiently, and drive more revenue.
Don't make the mistake of being a latecomer like many did with email marketing years ago.
Because the same thing that applies to high-flying stocks and crypto, or blue ocean businesses applies here. The biggest gains go to those who adopt new trends early.
So, let’s aim to be more like those autoresponder pioneers. Then in 20 years, after Nevermind’s 50th anniversary we’ll look back and smile. Because we caught the AI wave early on.