lbtcadmin
11-20-2006, 04:05 PM
How to Sell and Get Commercial Property Manual - Lawn Care & Grounds Maintenance Accounts
Selling to commercial customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers)offers lawn care service and landscape contractors the opportunity to build substantial sales volumes over a short period of time. The commercial, or business-to-business, market has the same need for services as does the residential client, maybe even more so. It is just on a larger scale - much larger. Mowing just as an example, can be for very large acreages and take a crew several hours, an entire day or more.
Contracts can vary from a few thousand dollars upwards to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and unlike homeowners who can sometimes limit the services of a mowing contractor for example, the commercial customer often depends on their service provider to deliver a wide range of landscaping and grounds maintenance work including snow removal and ice control (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) and sometimes pavement sweeping or litter removal on a year-round schedule. Additionally, with high levels of service comes responsibility for maintaining large acreages. Therefore, to satisfy the business markets contractors must have an ample supply of both labor and equipment, along with the expertise to fully understand the ramifications of complex specifications and, of course, successfully bid in a highly competitive pricing environment.
Compared to residential markets that consist mainly of homes, the commercial markets offer a broad range of customer types. And while heavily any contractor can participate in the bid process.
The list below is just the tip of the iceberg in identifying customers to call on. (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) Sit down with your Yellow Pages, flip through them and find hundreds of commercial property categories to call on. And one of the best ways to do this is by telephone because businesses are called on regularly by landscape contractors, and many property managers are receptive to getting several bids for the same work.
Client Types:
Factories
Resort Hotels
Elderly Housing
Ski Resorts
DayCare
Fast Food
Museums
Warehousing
ShoppingMalls
Raceways
Parks
Municipalities
TruckStops
Golf Courses
Airports
Gas Stations
Banks
Schools
Sports Fields
Auto Dealerships
Zoos
Funeral Homes
Night Clubs
Commercial Condos
Hotels
Motels
Restaurants
Theaters
Cemeteries
Office Parks
Water Companies
Electric Utilities
Theme Parks
Railroads
Boating Area
Reservoirs
Hospitals
Shipyards
Highway Departments
Real Estate Managers
Apartments
Strip Malls
Historic Sites
Religious Retreats
Colleges
Churches
Roadside Rests
Military Installations
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.
Because of the size of commercial properties, the scope of the work, availability of labor, and often the need for an extensive inventory of equipment capable of handling the larger jobs, the need to fully understand job costs is crucial to covering costs and making profits. Generally, commercial customers look for the lowest priced job bid, along with the contractor’s ability to perform the work. Profits can be quite thin, so knowing where to draw the line with price is paramount. In other words, the commercial market is no place for anyone who doesn't have expertise is accessing the work bid on.
The number of Labor hours required to do the work equipment, production, work scheduling and satisfying customer needs on a large scale can easily overwhelm a contractor who is unclear on the requirements needed to handle commercial work or does not have the ability to perform to contract specifications. Remember that the "price advantage" rests in the hands of the commercial customer because the work has probably been tested for price repeatedly in the market. Before receiving a price, the customer already knows what to expect - he's "been there" many times with many contractors.
The greatest advantage that commercial work has over residential is that a commercial property offers larger properties to work on. Therefore, crews often spend the entire day at one location, which reduces travel time, makes work scheduling much easier and takes some confusion out of the billing process. However, unlike residential customers, commercial accounts will "test" contract prices quite often, to make sure they are getting the lowest possible price.
The final consideration - or call it "caution" - in entering and promoting commercial work is limiting customer dominance. By that I mean that a contractor is wise to spread around his work among many different commercial accounts such that he is at less risk for losing a substantial amount of sales volume should a contract not be renewed. A good rule of thumb is not to allow any commercial account more than 10 percent of one’s total sales volume.
Other than what has been mentioned above, commercial markets offer many advantages to capturing a rather large amount of business all within a very limited market area and timeframe. And if you're lucky enough to be located in an industrialized area, it's just a matter of knowing your numbers and going out to get your share of the available business. Again, know your numbers. Count and carefully measure each facet of the work, know the hours to complete a job (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) and fully understand all costs involved. Also know that, generally speaking, there is not much room for guesswork in commercial work since profit margins can be quite thin, competition for this type of work can be extreme and pricing the work is a real challenge.
Business solution links ...
Advertising (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Bidding Jobs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) - (http://www.asharpdesign.com/nilsson/discounts_and_deals.htm)
Business Growth (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Business Plan (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Business Planning Workbook) -
Commercial (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Company Policy (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Writing Your Company Policy Manual) -
Contract Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) -
Customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Employees (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm) -
Estimating (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) -
Job Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Job Specs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Writing The Maintenance Speci-fications) -
Labor Time Data (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Maintenance (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Grounds Maintenance Manual) -
Management (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Mowing Profits (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Maximizing Profits In Mowing) -
Pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Pricing Your Services) - Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Sales Letters (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#How To Write Effective Sales Letters) -
Sales Skills (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Snow Removal (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) -
Subcontracting (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm#Subcontracting the Work) -
Training Video (http://nilssonbooks.com/video_tapes.htm) -
Website Services (http://nilssonbooks.com/other_services.htm#Web Design) -
Winter Income (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm)
Copyright 2004 Nilsson Associates
What others say ...
"Nilsson Associates provides an important source of information, a highly respected PLCAA Consultant, and Best Selling author with our membership."
Professional Lawn Care Association of America
"Nilsson has some of the best ideas for the green industry ... their books have comprehensive in-depth coverage, knowledgeable step-by-step approach for business improvement"
PRO Magazine
"Our members have found your books extremely helpful. Thanks for your insight and creativity"
Professional Grounds Management Society
"Nilsson's books are must reads, and have helped our readers tremendously. Thanks for your continued support."
Landscaper Publications
"Your way of explaining the subject shows you know what we need to do to make money in this business, thanks."
H.L., Madison, Wisconsin
"Nilsson's series of books filled a void in our program ... Our students needed more insight into management, costs, profits, and how to successfully operate a business.
University of Tennessee, Horticulture Dept.
Questions call Toll Free 1-866-280-2252 or email nilsson.assoc@snet.net
For other Lawn Care and Landscape Industry Books, Videos and Audios visit www.nilssonbooks.com
http://nilssonbooks.com/guarantee.gif
Selling to commercial customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers)offers lawn care service and landscape contractors the opportunity to build substantial sales volumes over a short period of time. The commercial, or business-to-business, market has the same need for services as does the residential client, maybe even more so. It is just on a larger scale - much larger. Mowing just as an example, can be for very large acreages and take a crew several hours, an entire day or more.
Contracts can vary from a few thousand dollars upwards to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and unlike homeowners who can sometimes limit the services of a mowing contractor for example, the commercial customer often depends on their service provider to deliver a wide range of landscaping and grounds maintenance work including snow removal and ice control (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) and sometimes pavement sweeping or litter removal on a year-round schedule. Additionally, with high levels of service comes responsibility for maintaining large acreages. Therefore, to satisfy the business markets contractors must have an ample supply of both labor and equipment, along with the expertise to fully understand the ramifications of complex specifications and, of course, successfully bid in a highly competitive pricing environment.
Compared to residential markets that consist mainly of homes, the commercial markets offer a broad range of customer types. And while heavily any contractor can participate in the bid process.
The list below is just the tip of the iceberg in identifying customers to call on. (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) Sit down with your Yellow Pages, flip through them and find hundreds of commercial property categories to call on. And one of the best ways to do this is by telephone because businesses are called on regularly by landscape contractors, and many property managers are receptive to getting several bids for the same work.
Client Types:
Factories
Resort Hotels
Elderly Housing
Ski Resorts
DayCare
Fast Food
Museums
Warehousing
ShoppingMalls
Raceways
Parks
Municipalities
TruckStops
Golf Courses
Airports
Gas Stations
Banks
Schools
Sports Fields
Auto Dealerships
Zoos
Funeral Homes
Night Clubs
Commercial Condos
Hotels
Motels
Restaurants
Theaters
Cemeteries
Office Parks
Water Companies
Electric Utilities
Theme Parks
Railroads
Boating Area
Reservoirs
Hospitals
Shipyards
Highway Departments
Real Estate Managers
Apartments
Strip Malls
Historic Sites
Religious Retreats
Colleges
Churches
Roadside Rests
Military Installations
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.
Because of the size of commercial properties, the scope of the work, availability of labor, and often the need for an extensive inventory of equipment capable of handling the larger jobs, the need to fully understand job costs is crucial to covering costs and making profits. Generally, commercial customers look for the lowest priced job bid, along with the contractor’s ability to perform the work. Profits can be quite thin, so knowing where to draw the line with price is paramount. In other words, the commercial market is no place for anyone who doesn't have expertise is accessing the work bid on.
The number of Labor hours required to do the work equipment, production, work scheduling and satisfying customer needs on a large scale can easily overwhelm a contractor who is unclear on the requirements needed to handle commercial work or does not have the ability to perform to contract specifications. Remember that the "price advantage" rests in the hands of the commercial customer because the work has probably been tested for price repeatedly in the market. Before receiving a price, the customer already knows what to expect - he's "been there" many times with many contractors.
The greatest advantage that commercial work has over residential is that a commercial property offers larger properties to work on. Therefore, crews often spend the entire day at one location, which reduces travel time, makes work scheduling much easier and takes some confusion out of the billing process. However, unlike residential customers, commercial accounts will "test" contract prices quite often, to make sure they are getting the lowest possible price.
The final consideration - or call it "caution" - in entering and promoting commercial work is limiting customer dominance. By that I mean that a contractor is wise to spread around his work among many different commercial accounts such that he is at less risk for losing a substantial amount of sales volume should a contract not be renewed. A good rule of thumb is not to allow any commercial account more than 10 percent of one’s total sales volume.
Other than what has been mentioned above, commercial markets offer many advantages to capturing a rather large amount of business all within a very limited market area and timeframe. And if you're lucky enough to be located in an industrialized area, it's just a matter of knowing your numbers and going out to get your share of the available business. Again, know your numbers. Count and carefully measure each facet of the work, know the hours to complete a job (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) and fully understand all costs involved. Also know that, generally speaking, there is not much room for guesswork in commercial work since profit margins can be quite thin, competition for this type of work can be extreme and pricing the work is a real challenge.
Business solution links ...
Advertising (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Bidding Jobs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) - (http://www.asharpdesign.com/nilsson/discounts_and_deals.htm)
Business Growth (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Business Plan (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Business Planning Workbook) -
Commercial (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Company Policy (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Writing Your Company Policy Manual) -
Contract Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) -
Customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Employees (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm) -
Estimating (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) -
Job Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Job Specs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Writing The Maintenance Speci-fications) -
Labor Time Data (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Maintenance (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Grounds Maintenance Manual) -
Management (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Mowing Profits (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Maximizing Profits In Mowing) -
Pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Pricing Your Services) - Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Sales Letters (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#How To Write Effective Sales Letters) -
Sales Skills (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Snow Removal (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) -
Subcontracting (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm#Subcontracting the Work) -
Training Video (http://nilssonbooks.com/video_tapes.htm) -
Website Services (http://nilssonbooks.com/other_services.htm#Web Design) -
Winter Income (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm)
Copyright 2004 Nilsson Associates
What others say ...
"Nilsson Associates provides an important source of information, a highly respected PLCAA Consultant, and Best Selling author with our membership."
Professional Lawn Care Association of America
"Nilsson has some of the best ideas for the green industry ... their books have comprehensive in-depth coverage, knowledgeable step-by-step approach for business improvement"
PRO Magazine
"Our members have found your books extremely helpful. Thanks for your insight and creativity"
Professional Grounds Management Society
"Nilsson's books are must reads, and have helped our readers tremendously. Thanks for your continued support."
Landscaper Publications
"Your way of explaining the subject shows you know what we need to do to make money in this business, thanks."
H.L., Madison, Wisconsin
"Nilsson's series of books filled a void in our program ... Our students needed more insight into management, costs, profits, and how to successfully operate a business.
University of Tennessee, Horticulture Dept.
Questions call Toll Free 1-866-280-2252 or email nilsson.assoc@snet.net
For other Lawn Care and Landscape Industry Books, Videos and Audios visit www.nilssonbooks.com
http://nilssonbooks.com/guarantee.gif