Question

Topic: Taglines/Names

Reinventing A 25 Year Old Landscaping Company

Posted by Anonymous on 4/29/2013 at 1:49 PM ET 250 Points
Hi, All -

My boyfriend is at the tail end of a nasty divorce. Due to financial issues he is in need of closing down his business of over 25 years in lawn maintenance and landscaping and needs to start over.

We need to rebrand his company, and since I am a bit new at branding (I do marketing for him as well as for the medical office I manage), I could use some help. He wants out of the weekly lawn cutting and wants to focus more on designing landscapes with natural wood and plant-based elements, light, water, and stone. Many of his clients are residential.

So before I start designing a website and ordering t-shirts, I joined this site in the hopes of using your input / experience to help make this a success.

Here are some names he and I thought of,and some that I loved from the forums here, but we need a tagline that pops, too. Then come a logo and colors! I would love your feedback.

The Earth Keeper
Metamorphosis Landscape and Garden Design
Greenscapes
Dreamscapes
Textured Terrain
Greenspirations

I want people to see him as the conduit to turning their properties into their escapes (when I redesigned his website last year, I even installed the sound of a water feature on that section for that purpose), as if they were in a spa environment.

We aren't in a location where there is a ton of money so I don't want to project an elitist attitude; I want us to project an image of being accessible, professional, detail-oriented and trustworthy.

Thank you in advance for your help!
Jen
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Moriarty on 4/29/2013 at 2:47 PM Accepted
    Firstly he'll have a ton of great reviews, look through them ALL. Find out what was said about him and especially the WAY he did his business. That is the key to finding new customers. I hope and pray that he can keep some of the customers from the last business, it's hell starting over with nothing. I did it six years ago, and would have survived but for the 2007 crash. I didn't have enough clients. So if old clients want to hang on in there, don't exactly beg, but do welcome them with open arms! (If you're moving to another area, you could always go back to do some high-end /high-paying work that would make the hotel worth paying for - and make them really happy because he's the guy they trust).

    Now understand that branding in your instance is presenting your guy's strengths to the people who need them most. Hence the bit about customer reviews. They are gold dust to a small business like yours.

    Sorry, I've got stuff in the oven, that'll have to do for the minute. What are your thoughts on this? BTW some of your names are really great! "Greenspirations" especially.

  • Posted on 4/29/2013 at 3:00 PM Author
    Don't burn anything!! :)

    Thanks for the response. No, we aren't relocating, we are staying in the same town, so we expect that many of his clients will continue with him as long as they want more than weekly lawn cutting.

    We do have several great testimonials, which are posted on the current website (ultimatelandscaping.net).

    I like Greenspirations as well, and have to thank a post from this site for that one!

    What about something regarding a private oasis as a tagline? And then I guess I use greens, browns and soft blues as colors for the new logo / website?
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 4/29/2013 at 3:04 PM Accepted
    If there isn't a ton of money in your area, then you need to ensure that your name/tagline match your target audience's needs. Many of the names you dreamed up are interesting, but don't convey what specifically you do or for who. That means you'll need your tagline to help specify a clear benefit for what you offer. To start with, consider: RegionName Custom Landscapes (which isn't as "fun" but does convey who he's targeting and what he offers clearly).
  • Posted on 4/29/2013 at 3:07 PM Author
    I agree, Jay. We need to convey that the owner is on site, and that he is licensed and insured (there are a ton of these pop up mom-n-pop shops around here that aren't). In other words, RELIABLE! But How to convey in a tagline, call to action and / or the company name itself that we can transport our clients to a "dream", so to speak in their own backyard and at the same time, do this affordably?
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 4/29/2013 at 3:22 PM Accepted
    Professional Landscaping of Monroe
    Affordable Unique Environment Designs
  • Posted by Moriarty on 4/29/2013 at 3:24 PM Member
    I've got another five minutes - he's a professional. Down to the ground. I was married to one, and I know what they're like. A point of order: he's the expert in this field. Nobody else. That means the clients should treat him like Royalty - "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings" (King Solomon said that and he wasn't wrong). He knows what to do and how to do it. That means somehow - if not on your website, then at least in your initial contacts with (new) clients you lay down the law.

    I did that with our building business, I learned that there were people who wanted us to come around at the drop of a hat. It took me months of talking to structure a response to this problem - I stated to all prospects that we had a standard follow-up after a month to check on "snags". It depended how big the job was, usually a month would sort it out. In the meantime the customer should write down any problems and post them to us and we'd arrange a time to sort them all out.

    The effect was miraculous. Some people just turned around and said "oh, we don't need that" and then asked if we took cash. THAT was a bad client. They wanted to be in control of the situation - yet who's the expert? Them or hubby? IF they could do it themselves, then fine, they're the boss - so get on and do it, don't bother us, okay?

    The good ones simply LOVED being told "we'll look after all the nasty stuff" - you can relax with us. They knew we had ground rules and laid them out carefully.

    Does this give you some pointers?
  • Posted on 4/29/2013 at 3:44 PM Author
    Steve I like the Affordable Unique piece; thank you!

    And yes Moriarty, we need to set ground rules with new clients. Everyone wants something for nothing, don't they?

    "Monroe Professional Landscapes. An Expert. Down to the Ground."
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 4/29/2013 at 4:06 PM Member
    A competitor is named "Monroe Landscaping LLC", which is one reason I suggested "Professional Landscaping of Monroe".

    Also, I don't think "An Expert. Down to the Ground" matches the criteria of your posts and really doesn't effectively communicate much (benefits) to your target audience.

    note: your home page title tag is just your name and city. ALL of your page title tags need to have the keyword phrases your audience will use to find you, e.g. affordable landscaping, custom landscaping and the like. Google has tools to help you select your right keyword phrases.
  • Posted on 4/29/2013 at 4:21 PM Author
    Good point. I checked the LLC listings and it didn't come up. Strange, but I'll take your word for it.
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 4/29/2013 at 5:08 PM Member
    from google maps (aka google local) search ..

    Monroe Landscaping LLC
    308 Schunnemunk St, Monroe, NY 88 ft NW
    (845) 782-4667 ‎
  • Posted on 4/30/2013 at 9:38 AM Author
    Thank you!

    I may go with Monroe (or Orange County) Greenscapes: Affordable, Unique Property Solutions.

    I really appreciate everyone's input; it's been a big help and is giving me a great direction to go forward in.
  • Posted on 4/30/2013 at 9:10 PM Author
    Randall, that is a great idea. he does have a lot of clients who we need to weed out...but not just yet! The business model and strategy software will definitely come in handy.
  • Posted by cookmarketing@gmail. on 5/1/2013 at 9:59 PM Accepted
    Artisan Outdoor Lifestyle by (husbands name-take advantage of established wom)

    After the divorce, who owns the old company's (well accepted/established) name? If available run both names together for around 12 months...
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Taglines/Names)