Smart Selling

In an industry where service and differentiation are of utmost importance, the smart revolution has opened the door for irrigation contractors to position themselves as more than just product pushers.

“It provides contractors with a marketing tool to present themselves as a water management contractor and not just another landscape contractor,” says Steve Springer, Rainmaster’s vice president of business development.

However, selling these systems will take some finesse, as customers outside the Sunbelt may be unfamiliar with the benefits of going “smart.”

• Use Smart Irrigation Month as an entry point for education. Create promotional materials to get customers accustomed to the water-saving products available and to the trend for municipalities to require them on new installs.
• Conduct research to find out if rebates are available for customers in your area. One place to start is Rainmaster’s Web site (http://www.rainmaster.com/water_rebates.htm), which lists some municipalities with rebate programs.
• Prepare a system report card for existing customers and include questions that frame up-sell opportunities for you. Take the approach that your mechanic does in suggesting tire rotation, belt replacements and wiper blades when you visit him for a routine oil change. Think: Does the system turn on when raining? Offer rain sensors. Is there any leakage? Suggest check valves. Correct pressure? Note that pressure regulating spray heads are an option.
• Be prepared to articulate the cost recovery times (for residential and commercial). Ask the manufacturers for benchmarks and, if possible, collect data from your customers once you’ve installed a new smart product at a property. Consider offering discounts in exchange for customers’ “before and after” water bill information. Use these case studies in future sales pitches.