School of Management: Enjoy a Holiday

Holiday lighting services are increasingly popular among landscape contractors, but many companies still question why they should offer them. Here are eight reasons, according to one contractor.

Bob West

Published February 20, 2003

Fla
Holiday lighting has become a popular add-on service for a handful of reasons.

More than 20 years in the landscape industry gave Terry Kurth plenty of opportunities to learn about lawn care. As a result, he built one of the most successful Barefoot Grass franchises in the country. He also branched out into the irrigation industry and has demonstrated the ability to grow that service profitably as well.

Now, Kurth, director of development for Weed Man, has holiday decorating in his sights, and just a few years of performing this service have quickly shown him the benefits of holiday lighting, as he told attendees at the 2003 Lawn & Landscape School of Management.

  • Keep employees year round – “This is about more than just the money you make,” Kurth explained. “Now you’re generating revenue that helps you cover winter labor costs you would otherwise eat.”
  • Offset fixed overhead costs
  • Better utilization of assets – “Think about the money you have tied up in ladders, trucks and other equipment that you could use for holiday lighting as well,” Kurth pointed out.
  • Cross-selling to current customers – “Selling is a lot easier once we have a relationship with the customer,” Kurth observed. “That makes it easier to upsell and to cross-sell compared to getting a new customer. Keep in mind the valuable asset you have in terms of the goodwill you have with your current clients.”
  • Expand your customer base
  • Instant gratification for your employees – “Landscape installation can take five years to grow in and look great,” Kurth noted. “The same is true with lawn care, but holiday lighting is done with the flip of a switch and you’re ready to go.”
  • Enhance your brand – “Holiday lighting is an image thing,” he asserted. “This makes your company look real classy if you do it right.”
  • Good cash flow – “I don’t know about you, but I like that,” he related.

    • The author is Editor/Publisher for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at bwest@lawnandlandscape.com.

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