Getting The Client to Tell You Their Budget

[JimLewis]

It's easier said than done. Customers don't often like to disclose their budget when asking for a quote for some landscaping work. I found this article to be extremely helpful in both explaining the problem and how to get around it. Excellent advice here:

http://www.landscapemgmt-digital.com...203?pg=56#pg56


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[allinearth]

Thanks, good article. Getting a budget # is definately the highest hurdle in developing a sale. I have wasted a lot of time designing for a customer that has no idea what a nice job will cost. If asked directly most customers will respond exactly like the article says.

[JimLewis]

I hear ya. I have three bids out right now on jobs where we did the design and everything. They didn't want to tell us the budget before hand. So we just designed it based on what they said they wanted and then once they saw the bid proposal for the work, they got a little upset because it was way beyond their budget. So I'm planning on using this trick from now on. It's so frustrating to get all the way through the process only to find out that what you came up with is totally outside their budget. Just a waste of time.

[M & MD Lawn]

That is a excellent article...I will be using that.

[JimLewis]

Ha! This stuff seriously works! I just used this method on an appt. I just left. Front and back yard re-design and install. It worked EXACTLY like the article suggested. I asked about budget. Client didn't want to say. Just wanted to see some numbers. So based on the property and what she told me she wanted I mentioned that, "we've done projects like this anywhere from $15K on the low end all the way up to $70K on the high end." And instantly, she told me that no way was she wanting to spend $70K. It was going to be closer to $15K tops. PERFECT! Now we're getting somewhere. I love this!

[SDLandscapes VT]

I did an appointment this afternoon Jim--played this card, they have no clue even still. Want the job, but we may have to phase it in over time.

[JimLewis]

Yah, it doesn't necessarily work every time. I tried it a little at another appt. this afternoon. The place I was looking at was going to be between $20K-$40K, depending on how extravagant he wanted to go. And I wanted to feel him out for a budget because we are moving forward with the design. Neither figure scared him off. He expected to spend at least $20K this year and wasn't surprised at the $40K number. He said it didn't matter so much. He may have to do it in phases. But the more important thing was that it includes all of his wishes in the design.

So to me, that's a winning scenario too. Because now I know that he's basically at least open to spending $20K, which tells me his budget is at least reasonable. And it also tells me he's willing to do it in phases, if necessary, which is great for me. I'd rather have someone who understands doing it in phases than someone who has lofty $50K dreams but wants me to do it all - this year - and only has a $20K budget. Those are the ones that frustrate me because we often just end up spinning our wheels and then some cheapskate landscaper who doesn't know his costs gets the job.

[SDLandscapes VT]

wish there was a like feature.....

[JimLewis]

If you're itching to "like" something, you can always "like" my FB page. We could always use more fans!

[SDLandscapes VT]

will do....if you return the favor