With 10 GIE+EXPO workshops in the lineup, valuable opportunities abound at the 2015 Green Industry & Equipment Expo for lawn and landscape pros interested in improving profitability.
Harvest Group’s Ed Laflamme and Bill Arman have been presenting seminars, workshops and talks at GIE+EXPO for more than 25 years. They’re back again this year to present Simple Proven Ways to Build Enduring and Profitable Customer Relationships.
“We always say, ‘You can’t make money on a customer you don’t have,’ so Ed and I decided to share some very straightforward ways we have learned to keep your customers on board and happy,” Arman says.
He hopes to show attendees how to turn customers into “raving fans.” The duo will also cover identifying the right customer, when to say no, how to get a relationship off to a good start and ways to build a customer profile that gets to the heart of building enduring relationships.
For contractors looking to diversify, sessions not only cover professional knowledge, but also opportunities for diversification. Hardscape North America’s co-location with GIE+EXPO provides the opportunity to learn about expanding into the hardscape market. In addition to two sessions on snow and ice management, the GIE+EXPO workshops will cover a variety of valuable management topics specifically for landscape contractors’ businesses.
Thursday, Oct. 22
8 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast sandwich & coffee provided
Hardscape Workshop A: Paver Installation Essentials
Pat McCrindle, Regional Sales Manager, GST International, Inc.
Considering adding paver installation to your contracting business? This crash course provides a high-level overview of what it takes to install interlocking concrete paving systems according to industry-established guidelines. Participants will leave with a basic understanding of the construction methods, tools and technology required for a successful concrete paver installation business.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
Hardscape Workshop B: Manage, Motivate & Prepare Your Hardscape Team to Crush the Competition
Jerry Gaeta, Green Industry Business Advisor and Coach
In today’s price-driven marketplace, hardscape contractors may find themselves deep in cut-throat competition. The performance and efficiency of your crew is an advantage for securing contracts and profit. Are you preparing them for smooth and profitable projects? Do your design, sales and field crews work together as a team? Are you helping your crew succeed or setting them up for failure? Learn answers that could be critical for the future of your company.
1 – 2:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 1: Lean Landscaping: How to Turn Wasted Hours into Super Profits
Mark Bradley, Landscape Management Network
Mark Bradley’s company, TBG Landscape, has been on the landscaping top-100 lists for several years, but it’s not the company’s size that’s so remarkable. Mark and his lean staff generate double – even triple – the revenue per person as some of their peers on the list. Learn how they estimate, plan and execute jobs and organize equipment using a landscape production system that turns unproductive hours into industry-leading profits.
3 – 4:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 2: Maximizing Your Use of New Media to Attract Clients and Network, A Hands-On Session
Jason Cupp, Kincaide, Ltd
Social media guru Jason Cupp will focus on using social networks, including Facebook and LinkedIn, to find and build relationships. In this hands-on, interactive session he will teach tricks and tips to find your next client and build that all-important online rapport. He will also discuss content marketing and explain why it is the most important thing you should be doing in your business today.
Friday, Oct. 23
8 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast sandwich & coffee provided
NALP Workshop 3: Sustainable Winter Management
Phill Sexton, SIMA
Application of salt in winter maintenance has become an environmental concern in the northern states. Chloride concentration is federally regulated by EPA and causes environmental and infrastructure impacts. Because cleanup is not practical the only solution is to limit its application. Phil Sexton will discuss the impacts of chloride contamination resulting from road salt, how application rates connect to weather and road surface temperatures and how to reduce the application without impacting level of service.
8 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast sandwich & coffee provided
NALP Workshop 4: How Can You Do it?
Richard Arlington, Rich Arlington & Associates, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant
Join Rich Arlington as he engages you to look within yourself on a personal and professional level to realize what is holding you back. He will show you ways to achieve multiple levels of success and how to establish a team to help you reach your goals. His recent book, “Why Not You?” motivates others to accept change and realize their full potential.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
NALP Workshop 5: Estimating and Selling Snow
Mike Mason, CSP, The LawnPro
Mike Mason will share diverse points and techniques for growing sales and managing expectations. Using real-life examples – from “extreme” snow situations to winter “no shows” – he will generate discussion and interactivity among attendees as they share sales practices and techniques.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
NALP Workshop 6: Customers Count! Simple Proven Ways to Build Enduring and Profitable Customer Relationships
Ed Laflamme, LIC and Bill Arman, The Harvest Group
You can’t make money with customers you don’t have! So how do you keep them loyal? Two industry veterans, Ed Laflamme and Bill Arman, will answer that question in a fast-paced, fun seminar. You’ll learn 10 techniques to help understand your customers better; review the Harvest “Action Checklist” – chock full of items to make customer love you; and hear ideas to help raise the bar on customer service in your organization.
1 - 2:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 7: The Most Overlooked Key to 7-Figure Business Success
Bill Silverman, Springboard Business Coaching
Does your 7-figure business have untapped potential you can’t seem to harness? You’re probably overlooking one critical success key – alignment. Misalignments throughout your business can limit your sales and profit and add hours and stress to your week. In this session, you’ll learn the three actions you must take to find and fix alignment problems for more fun and profit!
3 - 4:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 8: Using Job Descriptions to Build a High-Performance Team that Requires Minimal Supervision
James Huston, J.R. Huston Consulting, Inc., National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant
Using examples from his book, “Job Descriptions for Green Industry Professionals,” which contains over 95 job descriptions specifically written for the green industry, James Huston will explain how to write effective job descriptions and how to use them to build a high-performance team that requires minimal supervision.
Registration Details
Registration in advance is required; each of the GIE+EXPO Workshops is $50. Those who register for one of the two Hardscape Workshops listed above will also be admitted free to the technique demos in the HNA Outdoor Arena tent. Those who only want to attend the HNA Demonstrations and tradeshow can upgrade their registration for $25 to include all the following demos. Register for all sessions online at www.gie-expo.com.