Staying social

About half of the clients that hire Mullin Landscape Associates find the firm online. Chase Mullin, president of the Harahan, La.-based firm, knows this because marketing is carefully tracked. “We have always put a strong focus on marketing and advertising, and we pay attention to how the marketing dollars are working for us,” he says.

Not all marketing cost money. The social media design site Houzz is a big draw for clients, and a convenient tool that allows clients to access professional photos of Mullin Landscape’s best work.
Mullin explains that his company was working on the landscape of a new home build project. The architect requested that Mullin create an album on Houzz and tag the client. “It’s an easy way for someone to see a lot of pictures and the work we are capable of and proud of,” he says.

Mullin is active on Facebook and Instagram, posting weekly to keep material fresh. “We have a professional photographer who shoots our higher-end projects, and we hired a professional web developer,” he says of dedicating resources to creating an attractive, relevant online presence.

Some online efforts have flopped such as a Groupon-type promotion Mullin Landscape ran a while back. “It didn’t bring in the clients we were looking for,” Mullin says, relating that the firm never competes as the lowest priced solution.

What Mullin does invest in is search engine optimization, which is why he brought on a web developer to manage the new site. “Organically, we are at the top of Google searches,” he says.

But online isn’t everything when it comes to promoting the business. Mullin advertises in some design magazines “for branding purposes” and focuses on maintaining a professional appearance: clean, logoed trucks, neat uniforms; an overall professional image. “We do professional work and we value our clients, and we present ourselves that way,” Mullin says, adding that the half of business that doesn’t come from an online search or social media exposure comes by word of mouth.

“If we are good enough for their neighbors, we’re good enough for them,” Mullin says.