They aren't just for show, anymore!

Golfscapes

Ted Greiner, owner of TJB-Inc. Landscape Contractor, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for advertising his products and services. His television ads primarily drive traffic to his web site where most of the transactions begin and end.

If you are like a majority of contractors, you are probably thinking to yourself: "Yeah right, where would I get advertising money like that?" The simple answer would be, take out a loan. But wait! Don't take out a loan for advertising dollars. Instead, invest your money, time and effort, into show green. Make it as well crafted, designed, and beautiful as you can. You are building landscape dreams for customers, your own green should be yours, as well!

"My show green is 100% the most important advertising tool I have. I will not install a green for anyone until they come play on mine," said Greiner. "Customers know exactly what they would get, and by spending time on it (show green) it eliminates most all frequently asked questions right up front," he added.

The above example is just one major reason to make sure you properly design and install a picture perfect display green. If that means more money up front, it is strongly advised that you make that initial investment. As you can figure out, your display greens aren't just for show, anymore! Build one, and build it right, and customers will follow. It will most likely pay for itself with your first order from a customer.

Customers want a tournament speed green. Inviting them personally onto your show green helps; you establish exactly what speed that customer wants. The polypropylene fiber and coal slag infill, which Greiner says makes all the difference, gives the turf a natural green color which is very appealing to most buyers. But you can only show off these features if your green is as equally impressive.

Using your show green as a testing area for potential customers has several advantages:

• You involve the customer's senses, sight, sound, and feel of the green.
• Customers know up front the high quality product they will receive.
• Once customers see the surrounding landscape, they will want more, more, more!
• Additional landscape work will generate extra revenue and profit margins for you.