I guess I'm officially a 'Landscape Designer' now!

17 years ago

I graduated with a Landscape Architecture degree back in 1994. I worked in City Planning because it was a stable job, with benefits, that I could count on to pay the bills. I enjoyed that work but it just isn't quite the same level of passion as all things landscape for me.

I've been a Stay-at-Home Mom since my twins were born in 2000 but starting in March, I'll be working part-time for a Landscape Design firm. I am SOOO excited. My plantsmanship is excellent but construction experience is lacking so I'm excited to 'get an education' in how things ACTUALLY go together instead of just construction theory and paper designing.

Any tips for an old 'new' person? I'll mostly do design plans and site consults for now. Do any of the more experienced professionals here have any suggestions that will help in these situations? How do you approach an initial on-site consult? Do you have them fill out a questionaire beforehand or provide any pre-consult 'homework' for them? Does anyone provide a 'maintenance manual' for customers to improve the long term care of the design? Please share with me the 'things I wish I would have known when I started'. Thanks!

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Comments (6)

laag
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Its kind of like a first blind date each time you meet a new client.

This is the advice I give myself:

1. Relax and don't put pressure on yourself to perform and be yourself(sound like a date?).

2. Get the client on neutral turf, which is outside, as soon as possible (kind of like going out to a restaurant rather than dinner at her house ... I'm a little uneasy with using the word "client" in this analogy).

3. Have them explain their visions, listen closely, and ask questions when you have them, but don't go too far out of your way to think up questions. Do be active in the discussion. The clients will reveal so much about what they like, don't like, what they do, what they want to do, who else comes around,... Get answers to the questions that pop into your mind. If your subconscience wants an answer to something, it is most likely for a good reason. (this will keep you from talking the wrong politics or religion).

4. Let them know that you want to take in their thoughts first, if they seem to be waiting for you to tell them what to do. (its all about you, baby.)

5. When they have finished explaining their vision you will know so much more about them and their site before getting ahead of yourself. (now you can dance to the same music)

6. Now it is time to explain how you might realize their goals being careful to directly address specifics as they relate to what they told you (either directly or indirectly). This is the critical moment in selling design services. It is when they find out how much you understand them and how comfortable they feel about your interpretation of their vision. You can turn their whole vision upside down and totally reform it as long as you do it because you understand them, the site, and your craft and as long as you are able to make them understand that you do. (you're soul mates now and will follow each other to the ends of the earth)

7. Now sit down with them and show them the portfolio (kind of like showing your stock portfolio and pay stubs). Since you now know a lot about them, you can point out things that you know will be of interest to them as they thumb through the portfolio. This is the reassuring phase where you combine your company's track record and your undertanding of them and their project. (this brings us to the end of the evening - we don't know how it is going to end, but we gave it our best effort to find our 29 points of compatibility)

My philosophy that keeps me confident and and stress free:

Remember this. You represent a certain balance of values that is defined by the company you work for. The four major ways that they manifest themselses is vision, craftsmanship, volume, and price.

Some companies will perform with a higher or lower level of design and layout (vision). They will each have a certain level of craftsmanship. Some will provide a greater or lesser amount of trees, shrubs, hardscape, and/or other physical elements for the same money. Each company places a value on their work such that the same job description has a different price tag on it. The company you represent is at a certain fixed balance of these four things. Wherever that is does not matter in as much as there are clients that match that balance.

Each client has their own weighted set of these values as well. You simply can not sell a job to someone whose balance of values do not match up to those that you represent no matter how well you do your job. So do not get rattled when you don't sell a job to someone who is more interested in paying less money for a lesser quality tha someone else is offering, or more interested in the plan that is not as good but has 20 more shrubs in it for the same money, or something else that is beyond your control.

Stay confident and focus on what you know and don't worry about what you don't know. Your clients know you have construction people that can put it together. What they want from you is someone who understands them, can organize their site, and apply the aesthetic qualities thay want.

Finally, don't have a hangup about "giving away" ideas. All that you can convey verbally are concepts that might be pretty cool, but they are really of little value in that form. What is of great value to a client is someone who has these ideas rather than the ideas themselves. If you guard your vision, you hide your value. You don't sell plans, you sell your ability to process the client, his goals, and the site. The more they know of that ability, the more you are valued. If you babble some good concepts and don't get the work, you have lost nothing. If you do not babble those concepts, you lost an opportunity.
bindersbee
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow Laag! There is some really wonderful advice there! Particularly with not worrying about 'giving away' ideas. That thought had crossed my mind but what you've said makes so much sense. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
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Shirley Bovshow
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Bindersbee,
Welcome to the world of "Eden-Making!" These are a few things that have helped me build a good working relationship with my clients.

1. Familiarize the client with your design work before the first meeting so that it feels like less of a "cold call." Do you or your company have a website or portfolio they can see pre-meeting?

2. Have your client put together a wish list or "design idea file" along with a budget goal so that you can discuss realistic expectations when you meet. I have never had trouble with this request, by the way.

3.Make relationship a priority. Show your clients you care about them by returning all phone calls, emails, in a timely manner. Learn the names of the family members and pets. You are in their home.

4. Provide a maintenance manual for their landscape, meet with their gardeners to familiarize them with the new gardens and make "well baby visits" each month for the first few months. Afterwards, keep in touch through emails or calls and call them on project completion anniversaries.

5.Over-deliver. Everything. Your services, your commitment, your care.

So much more, so little time. Enjoy.

Shirley

Here is a link that might be useful: Shirley's Website
bindersbee
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Shirley- thanks for the response. I checked out your website. My new job starts this weekend at the local Spring Home and Garden Show (the one you're in town as the special guest speaker). Hopefully I'll get a chance to listen in on one of your lectures and say hello!
PRO
Shirley Bovshow
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
How exciting! Will you please come over to me and introduce yourself! Congratulations again on your new career.I would love to stop by and meet you as well. Will you be at a display garden or at a booth? Let me know which one and I will drop by.

By the way, how is the weather these days there? Do I need a heavy duty coat for the daytime? Are you guys still wearing winter clothes like boots, etc? I don't know what to pack. It is 82 here in Los Angeles. (i'm not bragging)
Shirley

Here is a link that might be useful: Shirley's Website
bindersbee
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Shirley- the weather will be great here this weekend. It was sunny but too cold to get outside last weekend. This weekend will be sunny with mid-to-high 50's so you won't need a heavy coat. Since it will be the first good-weather weekend, a lot of people will realize they need to do something with their yard so we're expecting great attendance at the show. It's usually around 15,000 but the economy here is one of the best in the country right now and contruction is through the roof which means more disposable income to spend on things like landscaping so I expect that will help drive up attendance.

I'll be in the Solscapes booth. I'd love to meet you! My name is Cynthia. I'm so excited! I can't wait to hear what you have to say. How fun to travel around and share the joy of gardening! I am particulary impressed that you can do it as a Mother of 4. It makes me (Mom of 3) feel more like I can do this without shortchanging my family. That was my biggest concern in working again.

I guess I'm officially a 'Landscape Designer' now!

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laag

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I guess I'm officially a 'Landscape Designer' now!

Comments (6)

laag

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