New business

Over time things change, people change and business certainly changes.


I have noticed that in these current chastened, economic times and during the period of the recent recession business behaviour has certainly begun to change. 


People began to recognise, value and respect relationships much more. Gone is the brashness and ugly attitudes of the 1990s and the self-satisfied smugness of the first decade of this century and I for one, am delighted. But why might this the case? 


Perhaps it is a case of safety in numbers or perhaps it is the realisation that when times are hard, you need people around you, people you can trust. 

Call me old fashioned, but I have always tried to conduct business with a view to the long-term, even sometimes at the expense of short-term profit. I have always had the view that if you consistently try to run your business in a fair, honest and decent way then one should see the benefits over time. Anyone can screw someone over, sell them something they don't need or encourage them to over-stock but it takes courage and confidence to say "No, don't buy that, it's not what you need."


At Landscapeplus, we have always stuck to the same mantra: 

Best Trade Prices, Professional Product, Direct To You. 

It is the basis of the relationship with our customers. We constantly work, on their behalf, to provide them with the right product, at the right price, when they need it ie. we always try to do our best for our customers, so that they can do their best for their customers.

We are also finding that the relationships that we have developed over the years with our suppliers are bearing fruit and are mutually supportive. So much so that now, when everyone knows the value of a pound and is watching every penny, we can (with the support of our suppliers) offer fantastic deals to our customers. A good example of this is that we are currently running a special promotion of Firestone PondGard pond liner until the end of October. In addition to that we will also be hosting a series of FREE one-day Workshops around the country, for our customers to come and learn the skills of pond liner installation.  


In a difficult economy, it is all about looking after your customers and offering real value for money and to my mind, these opportunities would not occur without the trust and certainty of knowing and valuing not only your customers but your suppliers too.

Landscape Contractors get "hands-on" with Landscapeplus

We're going the extra mile for our customers again this year by hosting a series of workshops for landscape contractors to learn the skills of pond construction.

To be held at a number of convenient locations around the country, each one-day event, supported by Firestone PondGard, will teach a small group of landscape professionals the techniques required for constructing formal and informal ponds, pools and rills.

In addition to this, for a limited period of six weeks, we are going to be providing an extraordinary discount offer on Firestone PondGard liners purchased from Landscapeplus - but more on that another day.

You'll recall that earlier in the year, we successfully hosted three Landscapers' Open Days around the country which gave Landscapers, Garden Designers, Landscape Architects, Electricians and Specifiers an opportunity to meet the manufacturers and look in detail at their products.

Following on from that, we have now teamed up with our suppliers of Firestone PondGard, to host a series of FREE-to-attend, one-day workshops on pond construction.

The Landscapeplus/Firestone workshops will dispel the myths around the construction of water features and instead, demonstrate the modern methods of pond construction. So if you currently prefer to install rendered concrete ponds, pre-formed  or on-site fibre glass pools or if you use Butyl liner then these workshops might just be for you.

Come along and learn how to fit Firestone PondGard liners and see how to integrate pumps, fountains, lights and filtration so that you can provide a complete solution for your customers.

Places are limited at each venue and booking is essential to secure a spot. To guarantee a place at a Landscapeplus/Firestone workshop, email your contact details to Paul Willavoys (paul@landscapeplus.com) and he will email you a booking form.

Busy, busy, busy at Chelsea Flower Show

As usual, we had a very busy time during build up for the Chelsea Flower Show this year helping out with product, wherever we could.
Paul (who's becoming a bit of a "face" in the industry) was in and out of the show almost daily dropping off all sorts of products and supplies to the  show garden builders.

There was even a rumour that he was handing out ice-creams on one day!
The designers and landscapers were able to phone their orders through on one day and have it delivered the next.

That made it easy for them to order the products they needed without the hassle of going out and driving around London to get them. 

We organised and delivered the products and they did what they do best - building spectacular gardens. 

So, if you're building a garden at Chelsea Flower Show, or anywhere else for that matter, then get in touch with us and we'll make sure that you get what you need for a successful garden.

We're here to help you build the best gardens, why not try us?

It's all happening at Landscapeplus

Brand new for 2011/12 is our all new and  improved Landscapeplus catalogue.

Still strictly Trade Only, the catalogue is full colour, contains 192 pages with 2,500 products together with clear illustrations and photos to make your selections simpler. Plus, we have now spiral bound it to make it even easier for you to use. 


As you know, Landscapeplus has always worked hard to help each of it's customers develop their businesses, grow their profits and provide more for their customers. 


Essential to the landscape professional, the Landscapeplus catalogue is stuffed full of halogen trade lighting, Hunza landscape lighting, Collingwood LED, Techmar and Luxform plug-&-play lighting, professional quality string and tree lights, Graf rainwater harvesting, Aco Drains, tap timers from Claber, irrigation control panels from Hunter, Antelco micro-irrigation, MP rotator pop-up sprinklers, standpipe kits, hoses, trolleys & hose reels, hose nozzles & guns, Oase fountain, waterfall and watercourse kits, pond pumps, pond filtration, Otterbine lake oxygenators, pond liner, Wisebox and Light Symphony remote controls, armoured cabling, transformers, tools, landscape fabric, lawn edging, gabions, Gripple wire tensioners, outdoor heaters, garden audio and so much more.


If you would like a Landscapeplus catalogue, email help@landscapeplus.com

Best Trade Prices : Professional Product : Direct To You

"Bang" go the Landscapers' Open Days

Our three recent Landscaper's Open Days proved to be a huge success.

We had invited our manufacturers and suppliers to come along and demonstrate their product to the Landscapeplus customers; a mixture of Garden Designers, Landscape Contractors, Electricians, Specialist Contractors, Specifiers and Developers.

The Landscapeplus customers came to see irrigation, low voltage lighting, LED lighting, pond liner, pumps & filtration, festive lighting, rainwater harvesting and so much more.

Three events in three days; Loseley Park near Guildford, Capel Manor near Enfield and the Royal Showground in Stoneleigh, it was hard work for everyone concerned but well worth it.

The feedback from the manufacturers and suppliers has been excellent, with them commenting upon how good it is to exhibit at a show where EVERY attendee is a trade professional that either fits or specifies the product - no brochure collectors and time wasters.

Feedback from the attendees has been equally good with all of them appreciating the opportunity to get "hands on" with the product and really get to understand the various systems, how those systems can benefit their clients and how they can use them to develop their business and grow their products.

Looking forward to doing it all again next year.

The 1-2-3 of business in 2011

These days it's all about 1-2-3...
We all know that we are working in a tough economy. The companies that survive (and perhaps thrive) will be those that are most able to adapt to their customers' needs and to really provide what their customers' want. When economic times were easier, companies got in the habit of just drifting from one customer to the next without really giving much thought to what services they were providing, how well they were providing those services and whether that is what the customer really wants.
The economic downturn has, without doubt, forced a lot of companies out of business and those that remain, if they haven't already, will be taking a long hard look at what they do and how they do it. These days we cannot rely on an endless supply of new customers so, we have to really value the customers that we have, ensure they get exactly what they want and provide exceptional service for a reasonable cost. How do we do that?
Firstly, if you are a landscape professional ie a Garden Designer, a Landscaper, an Electrical Contractor, and Irrigation Contractor, a Lighting Designer or a Specifier then get along to one of our Open Days next week. Choose one of the three, convenient locations around the country,  meet the Landscapeplus team, get your hands on the product and talk with the manufacturers. 
See for yourself how you can grow your business and your profits whilst providing more for each of your customers. Don't forget the 1-2-3 for 2011...


1)   Look after all your customers, give them what they want and make them happy.
2)   By doing that, you will earn more from each of them and spend less time and money chasing new work.
3)   You happy customer will then refer you to their friends and maybe provide you with a testimonial to use - Happy days.

Don't forget our Open Days are small, focused and intimate events for you to speak one-on-one with the manufacturers and see the product. Allow yourself 2 or 3 hours, pick up some lunch and wander around at your leisure - it could well be the best investment of your time this year.

Click the link, sign up and see for yourself

http://www.landscapeplus.com/open-day-2011.aspx

Get 2011 off to a flying start...

Spring will soon be upon us and after the success of the first Landscapeplus Landscapers' Open Day we are going the extra mile for all our customers in 2011 by holding four, yes FOUR, Landscapers' Open Days in a single week.

So, if you are a Landscaper, a Garden Designer, a Landscape Architect or an electrician then getting along to one of these events might be essential for you and your business.

In partnership with Landscapeplus, the industries leading suppliers and manufacturers including Oase, Hunza, Hunter, Antelco, Light Symphony, Ubbink, Nelson, Collingwood, Firestone, Claber, Graf, Otterbine, Aco, Marley, Packexe, Rite-Edge, Bulldog, Gripple and Techmar come together to demonstrate pond pumps, pond liner, filtration, irrigation controllers, sprinklers, rainwater harvesting systems, garden lighting, LED lighting and everything else you need to make a garden a success. 

The Landscapeplus Landscapers' Open Days are strictly trade only events for Landscape Professionals to spend some time meeting the manufacturers, to look at their products & perhaps do a little informal networking.

Held before the season starts, there are four convenient locations around the country to choose from:

• 28th February - Loseley Park, Godalming, Surrey (just south of Guildford)
• 1st March - Capel Manor College, Enfield, Middlesex (just off the M25, north of London)
• 2nd March - The Royal Showground, Stoneleigh (north of Warwick)
• 3rd March - Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire (between Stoke & Chester)

Why not take a little time to:

• come and meet the Landscapeplus team
• let us introduce you to the manufacturers
• see how all the systems go together
• get your hands on the products & see what's new for 2011
• see how to offer more to each of your customers
• and take the chance to ask all those little question

Landscapeplus Open Days are relaxed and informal events and we want everyone to feel at ease so; drop by, pick up a bit of lunch and wander around at your leisure.

Watch out though, places are limited at each venue so book now to secure your spot. 

Don't miss out - your competitors certainly won't.

To guarantee your place at a Landscapeplus's Landscapers' Open Day, click the link http://www.landscapeplus.com/open-day-2011.aspx and fill in the registration form.