How to Respond to "We're Going to Get Some More Bids"

It never feels good when you’ve spent time educating a potential new client and they say: “We’re going to get some additional bids”. How do you respond?

Ask if you’ve missed something. “Is there an area that I missed or need that you feel you might be served better by someone else?”

Remind on the “total cost”, not just the bid price. “Comparison shopping is smart, but be sure you are comparing all aspects: the quality of the equipment, the experience of the installer, the responsiveness to requests, etc. Often what you save in installed cost you lose in a less efficient installation and a less responsive contractor.”

Ask if you can check back. “I’d be interested to hear how we stack up. Can I call you in a couple of days to hear what you learn?” This response helps you in three ways: 1) it shows you still want the job, 2) it allows you to modify your proposal based on what you learn, and 3) you get insights into what your competitors are offering.

Remember, seeking other prices is completely legitimate. How you respond can help set you up to win the sale - even at a higher price!

Demos Help You Sell More Landscape Lighting

Demo installations are a quick and effective way to turn existing clients into lighting buyers.

Ask a client if you can light up a small area of their landscape, and then watch the sales magic happen. Here are a few tips to make your demos more effective:

Set up demo lighting when you're already on-site.  It takes just a few minutes to position fixtures to demonstrate lighting effects.

Focus on an area the homeowner sees every evening. Rather than trying to light the entire yard, demonstrate the effects of lighting in a concentrated area that is highly visible.

Leave the demo lighting in place for several days. Give some time for the homeowner to enjoy the effect. A good rule of thumb is to leave the lighting in for approximately a week. The transformer photocell will switch the lights on each night at dusk. 

Follow up for feedback. Call the homeowner to get their feedback on what they like and don't like. They'll often provide you with ideas on how to tailor your final proposal to win the project.

New from WAC: Surface-Mounted Step/Wall Lights

Surface-mounted step lights make installation fast and easy. There's no hole to cut and no junction box to place in the wall structure.

Available in the 5-inch and 9-inch wide models, these 12-Volt LED Step and Wall Lights install easily and can be surface mounted with just a couple of screws, saving time and labour costs. These fixtures come in four powder coated finishes-- die cast brass on bronze, or black, bronze or white on die cast aluminum. Available in 2700 or 3000 Kelvin temperature, with an 85 CRI. and an extensive rated life of 70,000 hours. IP 66 rated with a UL 1838 designation, the factory sealed watertight fixtures are protected against powerful water jets. The fixtures carry an extensive 10-year warranty.

For more information, please visit WACLandscapeLighting.com

Winterize Safely and Profitably This Season

Safety first. When working with compressed air in cold conditions, strange things can happen. There have been contractors seriously injured. Wear eye protection. Don't stand over equipment when it's running. Don't try to pry up heads when under air pressure. Components that are iced can become very brittle and explode. 

Think volume not pressure. Don't exceed 50 PSI when blowing out a system. There's no need to take products beyond their rated pressures with air. Select a compressor that can deliver high CFM (cubic feet per minute), not one designed for high pressure. More pressure will only cause components to fail and will not get the job done.

Go in order. Turn off the water supply first. Then blow-out one zone at a time starting with the farthest zone from the mainline. If on a slope, start with the highest zone.

Don't run a zone too long on air. Rotors will literally melt or "burn up" from the inside when run on air. They're designed to be water-lubricated. Taking away the water and running them dry too long will cause failures, regardless of brand.

Remember the backflow. Take particular care with backflow devices. Be sure to turn ball valves to the 1/2 off position to release water from the seal area. Open testcocks to release water in the device. 

On Trend: Modern Path Lighting from FX Luminaire

New modern path lights from FX Luminaire bring a sleek design element to your contemporary projects. Four sleek aluminum models provide an optimized throw and includes an innovative conduit stake to prevent tilting.

The M-PJ, M-PK, and M-PZ fixtures give you three striking choices to satisfy the growing demand for creative and functional lighting design.

NDS SureFit Universal Valve Box Lids

Introducing the Only Valve Box Lid You Need for Replacements

If you’ve ever had to find a replacement lid for a round valve box, you know it’s not easy. Different brands design their boxes with different dimensions, so a lid that works for one brand may not fit another. Why waste time?

The SureFit Universal Lid is available in two versatile sizes, which together can fit virtually any kind of valve box on the market with a secure, confident fit you can count on.

Rain Bird ESP-TM2 Controller: Simple, Flexible, Reliable

Get simple, flexible and reliable irrigation with a contractor-grade controller that’s available in 4-station, 6-station, 8-station and 12-station models.

When To Utilize the ESP-TM2

The Rain Bird® ESP-TM2 Series Controllers are a great option for residential and light commercial applications. These controllers can accommodate a wide range of applications and meet local watering restrictions.

What Sets Rain Bird Apart

The ESP-TM2 provides an easy, familiar interface in a controller that is built to last. Plus, you can tailor water schedules with 3 available programs with up to 4 start times each.

Make It a Smart System

Provide upgrade opportunities for your customers without installing a new controller! When you add the Rain Bird LNK2 WiFi Module and WR2 rain sensor to the ESP-TM2, it becomes a WiFi-enabled, SMART and WaterSense-certified controller. Learn more here.

Grab Some Bargains for Upcoming Projects

Have you visited our website lately? We've updated our clearance section! 

Head over to our website and get some great deals on some useful products.