Just Drop In
I happened to visit one of my bank’s branch offices last week and I was shocked and saddened.  Their live plants looked like, well, like garbage.  Yellow leaves, brown tips, leaning, overgrown, or sparse foliage.  The only plant that looked halfway decent was the Sam’s Club artificial ficus tree in the corner.

Spotting the branch manager I asked her, “What happened?”  She agreed the plants looked terrible but corporate had mandated 2 years ago, that all 100-branch offices terminate their plant service contracts.  From then ‘til now, Suzy the part time teller who “just loves plants” has been watering them.  This particular manager also agreed that something needed to be done so when I offered to get her a company to quote live with service as well as artificial, she quickly agreed confiding that she was leaning toward the artificial route.

 I made a few notes, went back to my office and worked up a proposal for $950.00 worth of artificials.  I fully expect the Bank Manger to approve it.   One down – ninety-nine more branches to go.  Now, what if you made it your business to pursue local branch banks that have discontinued service and quote both live and silk?  If you sold one of those every couple of weeks you’d be sure to add to your revenue.  Use a double plus mark-up plus installation fee as a rule of thumb to make it worth your while and don’t forget to suggest a twice yearly "Cleaning and Reshaping" Maintenance Program.

And, by the way, a lot of bank branch offices have a partition or two separating bank officers from waiting areas or teller lines.  A TOPsider filled with vining live or silk enhances privacy, demarcates an area, acts as visual signage, and keeps valuable floor space open.  It’s the right planter in the right place.  And when you order from TOPsiders, you can order just one if that’s all you need.  No required minimum!

Go Get "Em
So the next time you are driving by that former client’s office, stick your head in the door and see what’s up.  Bet you get a few of those oldies but goodies back.

Plants Everywhere – Unite!
Many’s the dog owner who has tied a kerchief around their pets neck or pulled a sweater over their head.  Did they do this to catch a sneeze or warm a body or did they add these accessories as a bit of visual personality? Methinks it’s the latter.

 And, if we can accessorize our pet animals, what about our pet plants?  Wouldn’t your faithful ficus like a tassel or two or wouldn’t your sixteen-foot palm feel more like a King with its very own crown?  Plants everywhere – it’s time to unite!  It’s time to demand that which has become a birthright to other pets – a bauble, a bangle, a bead.

 Sounds silly?  Maybe a little but lets take the idea a bit further.  We dress our plants with moss top dressing; we place them in decorative containers.  Sometimes we wind itty-bitty white lights through a tree’s canopy or around a palm’s trunk.  What else could we do?  Well top dressings could be green moss instead of Spanish grey.  And the new Poly Pebbles that simulate Mexican Beach Pebbles could be placed on top.  And, just as a beautiful woman wears a diamond and ruby necklace, colorful bromeliads can be used as underplantings.  These are the ways we add bling-bling to interior plants.

 Now, you are the salespeople out there, the designers, the creative ones.  How else can you accessorize plants?  How ‘bout a metal palm “collar” shaped like a crown fastened just under the fronds?  Wouldn’t that be eye-catching?  Think of it in a brass finish or in an oxidized, rusted metallic bronze finish.  What about bamboo poles staged with live greenery in a planter bed?  What about …water features?  Once you start, its hard to stop but, most of all, whether your ideas are feasible or not, cost effective or not, letting your imagination soar is an empowering exercise.  One of these days it just won’t be an exercise but Great Idea #17.

It Could Happen
In fact, a great number of products we use in the industry were created by interiorscapers themselves.  Watering Machines, Plant Paws, SilkBrite, Leaftek, TOPsiders, even Kaddies were all invented, manufactured, and marketed by Scapers who saw a need.  What’s the next need? No telling but there is sure to be one.  It’s all about Creativity and…..Baubles, Bangles, and Beads.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Boy, have you noticed all the bedding ads on TV and in print?  Dial-a-number, NASA invented  memory foam, feather, air, pillow top, and gels.  A million different materials are out there, old and new, and that’s just  for the mattress. 

Sheet sets are also feeling the hype as the thread counts soar to over a thousand per inch.  Seems we aging “baby boomers” don’t sleep very well and the bedding industry has finally caught on.  So have the upper end hotels like Westin, Sheraton, Sofitel, Crowne Plaza and a host of other “hosts”; as they strenuously advertise their fabulous beds and bedding.

A Good Night’s Sleep
At a recent stay at a Sheraton I was surprised to see their signature bed displayed smack dab in the center of their lobby with signs extolling its wonders.  And at a Four Season Hotel I noticed that a room right next to the Registration desk had its door open so you could walk in and purchase sheets, pillows, towels, and robes just like those in the guest rooms. 

So, what does all of this have to do with Interiorscaping?  Well, its obvious that the hospitality industry has finally realized that while wake up calls, mini bar, and in room safes were nice, the real amenities travelers want are the ultra comfortable bed, the great hot shower, remote TV, in room hair dryer, and accessible thermostat.  Give me these things and I can rule the world.  But mostly what happened was that hotels realized they were in the “Comfortable Nights Sleep” business and “the bed” became the major player.

 What Business Are We Really In?
Now, take that thinking and apply it to interiorplantscaping.  What business are we really in?  Are we plant waterers?  Or, are we providing a beautiful visual accessory?  Are we providing an element that calms surroundings and promotes productivity?  Are we the subliminal backdrop; the “white noise” visually that allows thinkers to think and doers to do?  Or, are we agents that can facilitate Green Building compliance or are we the high end image makers?  Just maybe, we’re lots of different things to our clients and, as such, we need to be aware of their various reasons to use us.  We are a wealth of Benefits with a Capital "B".

 And, if you the ‘scaper salesperson call on prospective clients and out there just selling plants, planters and maintenance and not the benefits or only the price and not the opportunity for beautifully chosen and well placed green accessories that compliment the space, then to my mind, you’ve missed the boat.  It is time to rethink your Sales pitch. 

Make a list of all the reasons companies want Plants in their spaces, then come up with Selling Points to specifically target these reasons.  To help you, I suggest you check out Plants at Work at www.plantsatwork.org and order the CD.  Lots of great info – lots of bullets for sales ammunition.  Also, get ready for Calscape in Vegas, Sept. 26-29, 2007.  This year’s program highlights the Green Building Movement as well as new trends in Interiorscaping.  For more info log on to pia@piagrows.org.   I promise, you will go home with another 12 reasons why people want and need plants. 

And, if you agree with me that the future , our future is tied up with the Green Building Trend, then your attendance Calscape ’07 in Vegas, Sept.26-29 is critical.  The Seminar is all about how to link up with the Green Movement and there will be a wealth of ideas. Hope to see you there.

 Now go out there and get’em Tiger!

With a Little Bit of Luck
Anyone who’s ever spent time at a casino “people watching” can’t help but notice the plethora of “lucky charms” carried about.  It might be a rabbit’s foot on a key chain, a stuffed bear sitting a top a slot machine.  It might be a lucky sweatshirt sporting playing card motifs or hidden away it might be a lucky pair of socks.  Gamers are well known for their high level of superstition.  Some slot players even have their own favorite machines or hit the buttons in a fixed, ritualistic pattern.

 It’s Everywhere
Now gamblers are not the only people who perform superstitious ritualistic behaviors.  It happens in sports all the time.  The high school team wins two games in a row and the players decide that their winning streak is the result of their “lucky underwear” and vow not to wash their jock straps ‘til they lose a game.  In the Disney film, Dumbo, the elephant couldn’t fly unless he held his magic feather.  In both cases, there was no reality to back up these superstitious beliefs but there was, in both cases, a belief and beliefs can be very, very strong.

 Interiorscapers Luck
I had a large client once and would call upon this august, important person once a month.  After some time I began to believe that our visits went particularly well if I parked at a certain downtown lot in a certain row of cars.  It became nerve-racking, as I’d rush to secure the favored spot.  Often, I’d drive down early just to reach this special location.  Was it really a lucky spot? I believed so and I wasn’t going to mess with the good karma.  Plus, since I believed things would go well, they usually did.

We’re All Human 
The moral of the story?  I bet that you as a sales person has a “lucky” something or the other.  Don’t be embarrassed about it – it just makes you human.  However odd and irrelevant these superstitious behaviors are, they rarely do any harm.  Wear that lucky suit or pair of shoes and tap into that deep well of confidence building.  Heck, you can slay dragons.

It’s All About Confidence
We’ve all heard about the Psychology experiments that told subjects they possess acertain power and, almost as if self hypnotized the subjects went on to do super human deeds.  A little Confidence goes a long way.  Another Confidence story is about the Coach/Consultant that used the tactics of the Sports World to get his clients to achieve far more that they had expected.  How did he do this?  Well, when they were going on an important meeting he would have them call him right before they went in.  He would then proceed to yell at them, loudly, and even louder, tell them that they were viscious, maneating Tigers, capable of anything.  That like Tigers, they ruled.  That there had never been anyone as good as them, ever.  Hanging up after listening to 10 minutes of rousing confidence building wiped out any lingering doubts .  Confident and energized the guy would go to the meeting and achieve his objective.  That, folks, is why they have cheerleaders.

Whatever Works!
Maybe what we all need is a ‘Scaper Buddy.  A fellow scaper, non competitor whom we’ve met at a meeting and formed a bond.  You call them and they call you.  They give you a pep talk and vice versa.  Remember, whatever works!

Now pick up that stuffed panda and stick it in your briefcase and go out there and get‘em Tiger.

Do you know why?
Congratulations, you made the Sale!  But do you know why the client chose you?  Was it because you were the lowest price?  Was it because he liked your design?  Your references?  Your reputation?  Was it because you give a great presentation?  If you just say Thank you and leave without asking why you’ll miss a great opportunity to fine-tune your selling style.  Now, when you’ve closed the sale, is the time to determine the REAL reason why.  Your prospect has become a customer and as such you can talk with him in a different, more trusted way.  Now you can ask questions.

Ask for Feedback
“Mr. Client, we’re so pleased you chose Something Different as your interior plantscaper.  Before we talk about the schedule, can I get some feedback from you?   What made you choose us?

Write it Down
Once you get an answer make sure you write it down.  “I went with you ‘cause you were the – lowest, had the best reputation, you explained it well,” and so on.  This is good stuff and by knowing what went right , you can start to fine tune your future presentations.

Remember
Remember this information when dealing with that client again.  If they hired you because you’re the biggest, make your conversations include how you’re growing.  If they bought because they like you, stay in touch more.  They have given you clues as to what they liked about you.  Mark it in their files so you can reinforce it in the future.

In other words, reinforce the reasons they chose you.  The client just gave you the key to his total satisfaction. Use it often and you’ll unlock more add-ons, referrals, and keep his business longer.

Now go out there and get ‘em Tiger