Borst Landscape & Design is a regular in the winner’s circuit of regional and national landscape design contests. Over the years, the firm has earned many accolades for its high-end residential projects. Here, Mark Borst, president and founder of the Allendale, N.J.-based company, shares tips for making it to best in show.

Picture it. Hire a professional photographer to shoot completed projects, and don’t forget to capture before shots, as well. “We do photos for our projects once each year, and we pick a time when the grass is looking lush and flowers are looking their best,” he says. He maintains a database of clients with award-potential projects so he can reconnect with these families later to coordinate photography.

Think small. “An award can be for a simple, backyard nook – it doesn’t have to be for a three-quarter million project,” Borst says. Don’t discount high-impact pocket gardens and other smaller-scale planting projects that can win awards, too. There are award categories for most price ranges, he says.

Share successes. If you have a winner, let the community know about it. Send a press release to local newspapers and magazines. Write about it in the company e-newsletter or include a one-liner about the win on invoices. “Awards give your company credibility,” Borst says.

This is one of three stories that ran in Lawn & Landscape's Business Builder e-newsletter. To continue reading about Borst Landscape & Design:

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