Landscape Lighting as A Supplemental Service
Starting a new business venture can be both exciting and intimidating. A venture such as opening a new company or expanding the services currently offered by your company involves detailed planning and precise execution to be successful. The uncertainty of your skillset in the field and whether or not it will pay off for your business are certainly notable concerns but, with the proper knowledge and tools, your business can accomplish anything in today’s market.
With the home improvement industry growing, more and more professional home improvement services are being offered. Outdoor services in particular such as custom patio builders, pool builders, lighting designers, and landscapers have become increasingly popular. With more competition in the industry, contractors have begun to specialize in their services to stand out amongst other service providers. One simple way many businesses in this field are increasing revenue is by adding low-voltage outdoor lighting as a supplementary service. For businesses already specializing in outdoor lighting, they have refined their processes and adapted to newer technologies to meet the growing demands. Installing outdoor lighting can be a highly successful service on its own or an excellent way to expand your current business.
Let’s review a few simple steps on how you can build a successful landscape lighting plan for your business:
Inventory
Inventory wise, you can either stock a number of products to have readily available or order products individually for clients based on custom designs. There really is no right or wrong answer to how you manage your inventory; the best method would depend on the nature of your projects, what products you offer, and your budget of course. Just as important as maintaining your inventory of products is how you relay what you offer to your clients. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to hand a homeowner a lighting catalog full of hundreds of different fixtures and expect them to know enough to place an order. The customer should always be involved but, you should not rely on them for all major decisions; be the expert and guide the client through the entire process.
Design
Most designs are traditionally done in-person with contractors sketching out layouts with detailed schematics. With modern technology, certain computer programs are also available for sketching and designing a client’s property (programs like Adobe, AutoCAD, or specific landscape design software).
Overall, it’s much easier to sell a lighting system when you show a client rather than just tell them. In addition to visually laying out the plan, demos sell product and they are quick and easy to perform. You don’t have to demonstrate an entire job; just focus on a key area. In fact, many contractors report higher sales rates when they offer demos for potential clients.
Services
How exactly you charge for your services is at your discretion but, there are certainly different methods and different factors that influence costs. Generally, contractors charge per fixture and per the total of the supplies used and then add on the labor. Some contractors offer only preassembled kits at a flat rate, while others may incorporate a base cost in with their main project (i.e. offering a set of lights standard with each firepit or outdoor kitchen you build). In addition to the upfront costs, many contractors charge for additional services such as making adjustments or expanding. Some factors that will influence standard pricing are usually related to labor and include: working around landscaping, unusually long wire runs, and even the soil type (difficult trenching requires more labor). Overall, landscape lighting is easy to install, can offer high-profit margins, and there is ongoing revenue through maintenance.
Customer Care
Many contractors get tunnel vision and spend too much of their energy constantly battling and fighting for new clients. While you should always be looking for new business, don’t forget to look back too. If you’re like most contractors, you have years of satisfied customers who have never had lighting or have an older system. With the many advancements in LED, the time is perfect to update or upgrade their existing lighting system. As previously stated, guide your clients through the entire process; this includes staying diligent and proactive long after a project has been paid for and ‘completed’.
