The answer is text — now, what is the question? That’s what I’m hearing when it comes to younger contractors these days. And pond builders who are a bit older? It’s all about email. I’ll admit it. I’m guilty of this at times as well. But there is no one-stop solution for communication, unfortunately. >> …
Communicating Effectively and Small Business Marketing Tools for 2022 Read More »
By Erin Porter, Hardscape Materials Inc. In the early days of COVID-19 and before life changed dramatically, I was treated to a trip to North Carolina for a seminar on water quality and fish health, which included a visit to a koi farm and dedicated retail pond store. It was a great trip and very …
One of the most effective ways to reach large numbers of people is via video, whether live or recorded. Can you imagine a world without it now, especially during the global pandemic? Thanks to video, I have been able to carry on talking with clients and inspiring thousands and thousands of people with content that I originally …
The water feature industry is relatively young when compared to most of the established trades within construction, so it’s not uncommon to see seminars at sales conferences that focus on the bidding of a project, selling a project and closing on a deal. No question, the initial pond project consultation should instill confidence in the …
17 Steps to Empower Your Customer’s Pond Design Choices Read More »
>> This is a sidebar article to the article, “Tips for Avoiding Online & Phone-Order Scams.” ONLINE: 1. The billing address is different from the shipping address. Most fraudulent orders request a different shipping address, so this type of order deserves a little closer look. 2. The phone number is invalid or does not match …
As a veteran of creating successful, award-winning displays for more than 20 years, I get asked a lot of questions. How do we come up with our inspirational scenes? Where do our crazy ideas come from? What is the real value of home shows in the water garden industry? There certainly isn’t an exact science …
When YouTube sensation Logan Paul mentioned in one of his video blogs, or vlogs, that he wanted a koi pond, my smartphone instantly blew up! I knew a little about who Logan Paul was. What I didn’t know was how many of my friends followed him! Within 48 hours of his vlog hitting YouTube, I …
Over the past 20 years, a lot has changed in our pond-building business. Some of those changes have made a fairly large impact on our business. One of these is how consumers pay for their pond installations. When we started our pond business in the mid ‘90s, I would meet a water feature customer at their site, design the …
Offering Financing to Pond and Water Feature Customers Read More »
Many of us who own a regular (or pond) business have dreamed of selling it one day and living the dream of retirement. Most of us have very little idea how to make this dream come true. Usually this only happens with a well thought-out plan. Yes, you need a real plan that will work …
Building an Exit Strategy for Selling Your Pond Business Read More »
As the co-owner of a busy water features company, I know how hard it is to keep track of potential work while keeping in touch with current customers. As recently as last winter, my husband would come home from working in the field and ask me who had called that day, and I would have …
Perks of Customer Relationship Management Software Read More »