Irrigation Systems: Seeing is Believing

Water savings will not sway all residential customers to purchase an irrigation system. Some property owners are more concerned about the aesthetic impact of an irrigation system. That’s when demonstration kits and brochures can help customers visualize how the system works and how it can improve their properties. For instance, multistream rotors are often popular with homeowners because the water streams are visually appealing, says Mike Baron, MP Rotator manager, Walla Walla Sprinkler Co., Glendora, Calif. Some manufacturers will provide free demonstration units and marketing materials, including DVDs, to contractors who purchase their products, Baron says.

Contractors who have Web sites may also want to provide links to the manufacturer’s site where clients can access testimonials and streaming video of the products, Baron suggests.

Tewksbury, Mass.-based East Coast Irrigation provides brochures with each estimate, says Mike DiGiorgio, the company’s operations manager. The company sends approximately 2,000 brochures each year and spends about $5,000 on printing, labor and mailing costs. Included in the brochures are copies of articles published about the company by trade magazines, descriptions of the company’s services and a list of all materials that are used in installation jobs. The materials descriptions are intended to ensure educated customers that the company is installing quality parts, DiGiorgio says.

Contractors can take the materials list a step further and actually explain in the brochure why particular components are best for the job, says Ed Mathieu, a consultant for Baseline, a Boise, Idaho-based irrigation controller manufacturer. Contractors should also consider compiling a portfolio of their work to show homeowners, Mathieu suggests.

Whatever marketing method contractors choose, the bottom line is educating the customer. “One of the biggest mistakes contractors make is they don’t re-educate their customers,” Mathieu says. “If they would educate the customers by saying, ‘This is what we’re doing and why,’ the chances are they would get the job. You need to educate the customer on why the cheaper system may not be the best by doing some hand-holding on the different components, the design criteria, efficiency standards and the overall health of the landscape.”