For any Sydney landscape architect reading this, when the word “tools” get mentioned your first thought is doubtless of those tools which you use for the construction and maintenance of the landscaping designs you are responsible for. However, when it comes to running your landscaping business, we doubt a lawnmower, cement mixer or power drill will be what you need.
As important as those tools are, the sorts of tools we are referring to are the ones that allow landscaping business owners to more effectively, run, market, and manage their business. Here are seven such tools and services we believe will enhance any landscaping business plus specific examples of each type.
Project Management – Examples: Asana, Trello, Podio
No matter how big or how small any landscaping project is, it will be better run, and more likely to achieve all its objectives if it is managed using project management software. With this, everything you need to organise work, such as checklists, role allocation, deadlines, and relative contact details, for example, can all be accessed on a single platform.
Email Management – Examples: Convertkit, Aweber, Get Response
Email is a highly effective marketing tool. Regularly emailing prospects and existing clients with news, promotions, and interesting content keep you in their mind and might just be the reason they refer you or request further work. Email software helps keep all your contacts secure and also helps with email deliverability.
Document Creation – Examples: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Open Office
Every landscaping business needs to create documents, including quotations, requests for planning permits, and payment requests. Having professionally created documents puts your business in a better light, and most importantly, can be more effective in securing desired outcomes.
Cloud Storage – Examples: Mega, Dropbox, Google Drive
Files stored on your computer is all good and well, but what if you need to access a file when out at a job site? The solution is cloud storage which allows you, and your team to access documents from anywhere. Cloud storage is convenient, secure, and affordable with paid plans starting at less than $10 per month.
Website Hosting – Examples: Bluehost, Siteground, In Motion
It is often said that a website is only as good as its hosting and what that means is your website will be judged poorly if the hosting is unreliable and slow. It is akin to building an awesome house on dodgy land which is likely to sink. Reliable hosting is worth the investment as it gives your website the correct foundations, and it can also impact your rankings positively on Google.
Customer Relationship Management Software – Examples: Zoho, Hubspot, Zapier
Keeping a good relationship with all your clients, whether they be past ones, current ones such as those with maintenance palm, or prospective clients is critical for a business. The best way to achieve that goal is using a robust customer relationship management tool, which amongst other tasks will hold contact details, highlight reminders to related specific customers, enhance sales conversions and boost referrals.
Outsourcing – Examples: Upwork, Fiverr, 99 Designs
Whilst you might use sub-contractors for aspects of your landscaping construction work, the sort of outsourcing we are talking about here is for tasks that you need doing, but cannot justify employing someone to do them. Work you can outsource includes marketing, accounting, customer relations, web design, and even sales, and all for much less than it would cost to employ full-time staff.