Targeting high end clients.

cody willard

cody willard

Participating member
Location
Tulsa
How do you go about targeting clients with homes in the 500k+range? There are many beautiful property's in my area of Tulsa but I have noticed how so many companys never seem too get a lot of work from them while other companys are booked months in advance charging $2500.00 a day with a two man pruning crew.

I was told that to work consistently for a certain class of people, you must become that class of people.

Is there specific methods of targeting people with income of 100k+ With advertising?
 
Become a one stop shop for all things landscaping and tree related.

Or keep doing quality work and charge what needs to be charged to perform the best quality work as safely as possible for all involved.
 
I'd say there's an opportunity for you to gain additional credentials and easily stand out in your market. Pulling up your zip code in an ISA search shows 27 Certified Arborist certification holders within 100 miles of you. Only five have the TRAQ qualification. Four more hold Utility Arborist credentials. Zero entries for Certified Tree Worker/Climber Specialist, Zero for Municipal Arborist and Zero for Board Certified Master Arborist. Pulling down a few more credentials would make you much more noticeable for people in your area looking for qualified people on the ISA website. That's pretty much where all my work comes from and I have a lot of well-heeled clients.
 
In our lives everyone has a circle of influence. The more people you know and interact with the larger that circle is. The same holds true in business I started off working on smaller properties, and a few well to do. It started out knowing a guy that worked for this lady that knew someone who needed a tree looked at. I know it sounds goofy but that's how it works. I network with landscapers, PHC companies, strictly lawn guys, rotary clubs and of course the fire department. The more people you talk to (assuming you aren't a complete ass, no offense) the more chances you have of getting on these properties.

The other thing is doing good work at a reasonable price. The well to do are no in their financial position because they are dumb with money. Some of my richest clients are the hardest on me when it comes to pricing. You can't just look at the car and say day rate + $$$. You still need to be on point when selling.

Good work sells itself. And I mean high quality arboriculture. They are normally looking for someone to educate them about what needs to be done and why. You do good work their friends see it when they come over the the wine tasting. And it's one question away from you working on their property too, "did you like xyz service?''. Also sweat the details, sawdust piles at a stump are generally not acceptable, any monkey can do that. Make it disappear, make it look good. They don't want to go behind you cleaning up and fixing divots.
(Not saying you aren't doing this all now, just putting what I have found out there).
 
If you can't join their country club or marry one of their daughters, maybe build a mutually beneficial and trusting relationship with the landscapers who service these folks.
 
I have been studying for my BCMA for about 1.5 years and will have the 8 qualifying points to take the test in another 1.5 years. Study one hour a day, I believe there might be others in my area who will gaine this credential, but I'll could be the first in the Tulsa area which could help.
 
BCMA will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. You might be able to get your qualifying points faster than planned by sitting for other credentials. Climber specialist and municipal specialist certifications will each contribute a point. Extra CEU's can convert to points as well.

In addition, look for niches not being plied by your competitors. Cabling/bracing/support systems, and other specialty niches will set you apart from other practitioners in your market.

On top of that, contact local garden clubs, libraries, extensions and ask for opportunities to lecture and give classes. Make sure that notice of any speaking engagement is noted in the local newspapers.
 
Understand their values. They are educated and need to be communicated with. They are studied in the art of communication in most cases. Ask questions that relate to their objectives, concerns and understanding of trees and the landscape. Be on top of the latest issues and utilize the diagnostic labs near you to verify your suspicions.

Become the local subject matter expert, give talks to gardening clubs, environmental groups and yes, organizations like Rotary Club. Every presentation we've done has resulted in quality clients seeking professional work. Connect with other consultants who don't do the tree work themselves and with landscape contractors.

Learn professional selling. It's not estimating, that's what happens after the selling.

Once you're on the property deliver the level of service that leaves them wowed. Clean up is one of the biggest aspects because its the first impression they'll have of your work. Instill the attention to detail in your crew.

I attended an private estate managers assoc. meeting and they said something that stuck with me. Their client's imagined emergency is our real emergency.
 
And manage your online presence. Make sure your website is professional and contains bios for you and your crew. That there is timely information and pictures of you doing things right. Scrutinize any pic that you post for compliance to standards, PPE and such. Use FB and Instagram, Twitter to continuously keep your name and workmanship out in the public eye. Find the local homeowners groups and at the least monitor them. We have a couple here where they share their experiences with contractors and the like. They can be a great source of referrals.
 
If you're going to be onsite during the project, tell them that. If only you will be pruning anything, tell them that.

If a CA will be there, tell them that. If people will be pruning, will it be under the supervision of a CA? Tell them that.

They want their needs/ wants met the first time, and will be happy to know, going into it, that someone qualified (not that CA is a sign of a skilled pruner) will be doing the work.

Casually let people know that you are on the road to BCMA.



I've had people ask me if I'm not going to write some details things down at the bid, if I'm not. That's sometimes when I remember to say that I'll be onsite practically or completely full-time during the work, or that only I will be doing the pruning.
Often, they expect I'm out to sell the work, and will be sending a crew.
 
Drive through the neighborhood with your name on the truck and park there for lunch? Haha kinda weird but maybe it would work.
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
In our lives everyone has a circle of influence. The more people you know and interact with the larger that circle is. The same holds true in business I started off working on smaller properties, and a few well to do. It started out knowing a guy that worked for this lady that knew someone who needed a tree looked at. I know it sounds goofy but that's how it works. I network with landscapers, PHC companies, strictly lawn guys, rotary clubs and of course the fire department. The more people you talk to (assuming you aren't a complete ass, no offense) the more chances you have of getting on these properties.

The other thing is doing good work at a reasonable price. The well to do are no in their financial position because they are dumb with money. Some of my richest clients are the hardest on me when it comes to pricing. You can't just look at the car and say day rate + $$$. You still need to be on point when selling.

Good work sells itself. And I mean high quality arboriculture. They are normally looking for someone to educate them about what needs to be done and why. You do good work their friends see it when they come over the the wine tasting. And it's one question away from you working on their property too, "did you like xyz service?''. Also sweat the details, sawdust piles at a stump are generally not acceptable, any monkey can do that. Make it disappear, make it look good. They don't want to go behind you cleaning up and fixing divots.
(Not saying you aren't doing this all now, just putting what I have found out there).
Click to expand...
This is great advise. To elaborate a little more from my experience, do great work at a fair price/educate well and you will profit by volume.
 
When I encourage the guys on my crew to interact with the clients, I realize that the clients are almost certainly more educated than they are. Rich clients tend to sense when a blue collar dude is trying to weasel his way into their wallets. I had a bullshitter of a ground man and it was painful to hear his matter-of-fact declarations and attempts to string together words he was clearly unaccustomed to using. Sometimes it's better not to try to be like the client. Humbly do kickass work. Some of these rich clients are actually intelligent and in this world of bullshitting contractors who can't get their own shit together these folks will recognize your worth and will delight in passing your name along to their friends.
 
Last edited:
Nish said:
When I encourage the guys on my crew to interact with the clients, I realize that the clients are almost certainly more educated than they are. Rich clients tend to sense when a blue collar dude is trying to weasel his way into their wallets. I had a bullshitter of a ground man and it was painful to hear his matter-of-fact declarations and attempts to string together words he was clearly unaccustomed to using. Sometimes it's better not to try to be like the client. Humbly do kickass work. Some of these rich clients are actually intelligent and in this world of bullshitting contractors who can't get their own shit together these folks will recognize your worth and will delight in passing your name along to their friends.
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. I have seen the trials and tribulations or the work force issues, but it sounds like you hired the wrong dude. Lol.

evo said:
This is great advise. To elaborate a little more from my experience, do great work at a fair price/educate well and you will profit by volume.
Click to expand...

Just be careful with broad spectrum advertising. If you want to work on higher end properties, spending money in advertising services is rally a waste of dollars. Broad spectrum advertising brings the kinds of calls everyone hates, even if they are rich. They know all (actually nothing), they are getting 12 estimates (that are far from comparable), they ask 4 million questions about how the job will be done (one at a time via email) and actually could give two $hit$ about how their trees look when you are done.
Still the best advertising dollars I have ever spent are on nice equipment, good help and time with the right clients. Some are a complete waste of breath, and typically you will know them immediately.
 
cody willard said:
I thought about doing that but with my weekly paper work and books lol
Click to expand...


I've done this.

Go to wherever you want to work, during good traffic times.

When I was slower, and looking for new customers, actively, I even would just find high traffic spots near downtown, for rush hour, when traffic is at a crawl. Clean truck, big signs with simple web address that is high up on the truck, hi vis shirt.
 
So I know you can't put stuff in mail boxes but sometimes you'll get flyers on the door. Does anyone know the rules on advertising with flyers without putting them in the mailbox? Hope this isn't too rookie of a question.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom