Whether you’re the new guy in town or you have noticed business is slowing down, it can be quite difficult to land jobs when bidding at market value. While it’s tempting (and a common tactic) to under bid the competition, falling into the discount category can potentially hurt your business in the long run and prevent you from getting larger jobs. However, by building a strong, positive reputation in your market, your business can grow without reducing your value or profit margins.
Without a strong portfolio of past jobs, it can be hard to build your reputation. Here are a few approaches to growing your business and reputation with satisfied customers.
Stay current with products and technology
There are new products coming out every year that can help you set yourself apart from your competition. Taking time to learn new products could improve bottom lines. By knowing a variety of products in the industry, you can include more diverse offerings in your bids to increase your value as a landscaper.
Adding products like smart irrigation controllers to your installs or retrofitting existing systems could bring in higher profit margins, while giving you an edge when bidding against a more established company that's installing a traditional irrigation controller.
The Hunter Pro-HC is a smart controller with the Hydrawise web-based software. It can be connected to Wi-Fi, giving you access anywhere in the world. This function allows you remote access to make adjustments from your smartphone or desktop computer. It’s a huge time saver during the busy months, while also saving your client on costly site visits. By using its built-in milliamp sensor or installing a flow meter, you are able to set up alerts sent directly to your phone, notifying you if there is a wiring problem or possible broken pipe. This allows you to have a game plan before ever stepping on site.
Save customers’ water and money
Conserving water can be a game changer to some homeowners. Learning the newest and best uses of water techniques can increase your profits and business. Incorporating products such as MP Rotator into your design will help with a job’s layout, while using less water to cover the same area as traditional nozzles. For example, MP Rotator has an application rate of .4 inches, allowing for better water absorption into the soil and less wasteful runoff and pollution.
You will not only save water (which is our most precious resource), but you will also save your customers money on their water bills.
Create landscapes that create referrals 
Having full and healthy landscape installations create happy customers who could turn into the best marketing campaign. Ask your customers to refer you when neighbors ask about their landscapes. You can build your business with new customers from referrals and by word of mouth, especially if the landscape is visible to the public.
Consider using products like Holganix, which can create show-stopping plant life, from turf to flowers, while being relatively inexpensive. Holganix is a 100 percent organic compost tea that amends the soil and acts as a probiotic. It’s packed with more than 800 species of active, diverse beneficial microorganisms, eight sources of microbe food, five sources of nutrient enhancing technology and micronutrients.
Adding Holganix can help your flowers and sod grow deeper, more web-like root systems that help build more resilient plants. The plants are able to better withstand disease and weather-related stresses, creating a more natural ecosystem that utilizes less synthetic inputs.
Using new technology and the right products can lead to higher profits and the start of becoming a reputable company. Then that profit can be reinvested back into your work to help build your reputation.
These are just a few techniques and products available to help you grow and establish yourself, but it’s important to always be looking to change and stay ahead of your market.
What are some other approaches you’ve used to grow your business and reputation? Post them to the comments below.
