Most of my life I have been dealing with homeowners, helping them solve problems with their yards and/or making them happy by improving the looks of them. All normal human beings have some problems in their lives and need somebody to help solve them. Some problems are emotional and some physical. Likewise all normal human beings want to feel better whether their problems be emotional or physical. No matter what business you own or whoever you work for, you are in the business to solve problems for your employer or your customers. As a result you make them happier.
You may be asking me why I am writing this, and sometimes I ask the same question. Well, this is where commercial advertising comes in. Whatever business you are in, it is your responsibility not only to advertise your name, but how you can help your clients solve a problems & make them feel better. Let’s take a lesson from the TV commercials.
TV commercials are aimed at different demographics. They are like politicians that convince the public that they have problems greater than what they actually are. Whether it be advertising new cars or taking pills, they are aimed at solving a problem or making you feel happier. I am not saying that we should unscrupulously sway our potential clients or customers, but rather, we should have the knowledge to help them in a trusting way. Gaining customer trust is very important, but we must be very knowledgeable in what we can do and confident in our ability to serve them well. A plumber can’t gain the homeowner’s trust when he, the plumber, tightens a pipe the wrong way. So, how can we grow in the skills necessary to serve our customers well. The answer is that we must “grow”.
When a plant stops growing for the lack of water and needed nutrients, it usually dies. It is the same with us, no matter what endeavor we are in.
This article is for everyone and especially for folks in the Green Industry. To continue to grow in our work of solving customer problems and making them happier, we should endeavor to educate ourselves by joining landscape/nursery organizations which help us keep updated with new developments in our industry. In addition, Green Industry professionals might want to consider enrolling in Landscape and Horticulture classes at Midlands Technical College to study the field in more in depth. Enroll today and you’ll be glad you did. Let’s all grow together.
