July 2012
B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association Publication
TIAL N E S ES
n e e r G iness buAs TEGIES
STR
11 MUST HAVE
SOCIAL MEDIA APPS
GOLF TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Superior quality structures at competitive pricing - from single house to a full range. Cold Frame . Freestanding . Herculon Open Roof . Venlo . Benches . Heating
JULY 2012
EDITOR Michelle Manson DESIGNER Uniquity Design ADVERTISING Suvan Breen | t. 604.575.3516 HortWest is the newsletter of the BC Landscape & Nursery Association. For further information, contact us at: Suite 102, 5783-176A Street Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 6S6 t. 604.575.3502 | f. 604.574.7773 HortWest is owned by the BC Landscape & Nursery Association, and is published 6 times a year. Views expressed inside do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the Association, but are those of the writer concerned. Material may not be reprinted from this magazine without consent of the publisher. All advertising and editorial material are to be received one month in advance of mail out date. HortWest is mailed under Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement N. 0288608. This magazine is printed in Canada by Hemlock Printers.
BCLNA DIRECTORY COLLEEN SCHAEFER (Intern Student) Special Event Support | 604-575-3503 / cschaefer@bclna.com DAVID ADKINS Landscape Industry Development Coordinator | 604.575.3510 / dadkins@bclna.com Contact for: Landscape issues including standards and bylaws, landscape certification programs, Landscape Awards of Excellence
HEDY DYCK Industry Development Manager 604.575.3505 / hdyck@bclna.com Contact for: Grower & Garden Retail issues and advocacy, Education, Labour and Projects
HEIDI HENDERSON Membership Administrator 604.575.3502 / hhenderson@bclna.com Contact for: Membership services, CRM administration (Membee), CanWest registration, Special Events, Member Awards
JOY DEMELO Landscape & Certification Administrator | 604.575.3501 / jdemelo@bclna.com Contact for: certification registration, landscape commodity events and meetings, Landscape Awards of Excellence
KAREN DE JONG CanWest Hort Show / Marketing & Communications Manager 604.575.3504 / kdejong@bclna.com Contact for: CanWest Hort Show, general marketing
LESLEY TANNEN Executive Director 604.575.3506 / ltannen@bclna.com Contact for: Board of Directors
LINDA WING Bookkeeper 604.575.3507 / accounting@bclna.com MICHELLE LINFORD Administrative Coordinator 604.575.3511 / mlinford@bclna.com Contact for: Grower & Retailer Commodity Support, Event Support, Office Administration
SUVAN BREEN Sales Associate 604.575.3516 / sbreen@bclna.com Contact for: HortWest ad sales, CanWest Hort Show booth sales, event sponsorship
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT STAY INFORMED AT CANWEST HORT SHOW The customer, and the industry, is evolving more than ever before. More and more, people are choosing landscapers to maintain their property, causing a change in the demand for varieties and sizes of plants, and equipment needed to do the job. The industry is altering rapidly as well. Proposed changes in the use and applications of pesticides on residential properties to the upcoming reversal of the current HST back to the former GST and PST taxation system are just a few examples of changes that will have major implications to our industry. You can see why we need to get together and talk about these issues and how they will affect the way we do business now, and how we will do business in the future. The BCLNA is your source of information and education in the industry. We strive to bring these relevant issues to the surface, and we encourage our members to look to us for support and leadership.
The CanWest Horticulture Show is a great place to bring yourself, and your staff, for education, networking, and keeping up-to-date on the latest trends. We are all interconnected in this industry, and we are faced with a variety of challenges and needs which require us to come together and learn from each other. I encourage you to engage in discussing the issues that affect our industry, and to communicate to the BCLNA what your needs are so we can support you in the best way possible.
Sandy Mathies, President B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association
BOARD SYNOPSIS MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012
MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2012
The CLNA recently decided to move their Membership Directory from a paper format to
Recent changes to the Employment Insurance Program will not impact the Seasonal Agriculture
The Friday, May 4th edition of the Vancouver Sun
The recent survey sent out to BCLNA members regarding the recommendations of the Special
completely online, allowing users to search for professional industry members across the country using filters to make searching more efficient. The CLNA website receives over 200,000 hits on average per year and has active Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. profiled landscape members under the Home Garden Section. The feature covered everything from design and stone work to sustainable gardening. This annual edition highlighted the previous year’s Landscape Awards of Excellence winners. David Adkins met with the Vancouver Parks Department, Surrey Planning, North
ON THE COVER: Photo of garden created by BCLNA member Bob Wilmott in Vancouver's Shaughnessy neighbourhood. Photo by Michelle Manson
Vancouver District, and the Abbotsford Parks Department to discuss tree care issues, which include poor tree planting and pruning. Surrey will seek to fine contractors and property owners $500 per tree infringement, and North Vancouver is looking to set up an approved contractors list. This work will be worked into the new Tree Section of the Landscape Standards.
Work Program in the short term. However, the 2011 decision to no longer require Low Skilled Workers to be paid the prevailing wage for the National Occupational Classification, instead being paid at minimum wage, will present a longer-term issue with domestic labour.
Committee on Cosmetic Use of Pesticides received a 15 percent response rate. Across all commodity groups, there was no consensus on any of the recommendations outlined in the report. Landscaper and retailer respondents both agree on expanding people’s ability to return unwanted pesticides, and all of the sex retail owner/managers who responded agree that public education should improve and customers have restricted access to pesticides. Suppliers supported the recommendation to develop a list of preferred product, and to establish a consumer website regarding residential IPM & lawn care. As of printing, the Minster of Environment staff has not yet been directed to take any action. HortWest July 2012 |
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KEEP CURRENT
Seattle Retail Garden Centre Bus Tour, Call 604-575-3511
JULY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 23 24 25 26 20 21 22 27 28 29 30 31 Horticulture Training Program info session, UBC Vancouver www. botanicalgarden.ubc.ca
Landscape Certification Test, Kwantlen University, Langley www.bclna.com
Water & Irrigation Workshop with BBQ & Growers Meeting, Abbotsford, www.bclna.com
Deadline for Jane Stock Foundation scholarship applications, info@janestockfoundation.com
AUGUST
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
SEPTEMBER
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Landscape Meeting, UBC Vancouver www.bclna.com
OCTOBER
CanWest Pre-Show Clinics, Vancouver Convention Centre www.CanWestHortShow.com
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Equipment Field Day, Cloverdale Fairgrounds, Surrey www.CanWestHortShow.com
Annual General Meeting at CanWest, Vancouver Convention Centre (West) 2nd Floor - 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC www.CanWestHortShow.com
NEW MEMBERS Final Approval
Final Approval
The BCLNA welcomes the following new members as of the May 14, 2012, board meeting:
The BCLNA welcomes the following new members as of the June 18, 2012, board meeting:
Countryside Landscaping, Richard Thompson, Surrey, Active Landscaper
Brinkman & Associates Ltd., John Grindon, New Westminster, Active Landscaper
Eco-Logical Lawn & Gardens Ltd., Gavin Dewar, North Vancouver, Active Landscaper
Holly Skedanuk, Abbotsford, Kwantlen Polytechnic University – Student
Sarah Johnson, New Westminster, Active Landscaper (Interim)
Tentative Approval
Tri-Star Nurseries & Landscape Supplies Ltd., Tony Sourial, Surrey, Active Grower
The following companies will become BCLNA members at the next board meeting unless a member provides a valid reason for not accepting the application:
Deb Becelaere, Town of View Royal, Victoria, Horticulturist
Easy Living Holdings Ltd., Rob Muir & Suzanne Granula, Nanaimo, Active Landscaper
Tentative Approval
Ethical Concrete Solutions, Sandy Burns & Roger Landry, Langley, Associate (Interim)
The following companies will become BCLNA members at the next board meeting unless a member provides a valid reason for not accepting the application:
Brinkman & Associates Ltd., John Grindon, New Westminster, Active Landscaper Holly Skedanuk, Abbotsford, Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Student 4 | HortWest July 2012
The Great British Gardener, Liz Wilkinson, Squamish, Active Landscaper (Interim)
BCLNA NEWS BULLETINS GOLF TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS The Annual BCLNA Golf Tournament was held this year on June 19 at Redwoods Golf Course in Langley. Congratulations to David Raymond, Jared Raymond, Nathan Raymond and Chris Novey from Bedrock Granite Sales Ltd., on receiving the Best Team of the Tournament award. A big thank you to Schmunk Gatt Smith & Associates for sponsoring all the awards and prizes for the best team. Many fabulous awards were given out to the following individuals and teams:
A big thanks to everyone who came out
Men’s Closest to the Pin: Dave Raymond Ladies’ Closest to the Pin: Leanne Moriarty Men’s Longest Drive: Blane Stokely Ladies’ Longest Drive: Deni Hunter Most Honest Team: Deni Hunter, Miles Hunter & Michelle Pain The winner of $733 from the Mulligan Reverse draw was Dave Sept of Golden Spruce Nurseries (2009) Ltd.
In order to make this golf tournament possible, we rely on member companies of the BCLNA to provide sponsorship for the event. Thank you to all those companies who generously sponsored this year’s tournament: Abbotsford Concrete Products Aquascape Inc. Avenue Machinery Corporation Brandt Tractor Ltd. Candy Cane Nursery Creative Embroidery Denbow, Finning (Canada) Gemstone Landscape Supply Ltd. Hino Central Hub International Insurance Brokers Mertin Chevrolet Cadillac Ltd. Ricoh Canada Inc. Schmunk Gatt Smith & Associates Sunnyside Greenhouses Ltd. Triple Five Quality Wood Products Inc. Douglas Lake Equipment Contest Trophies & Prizes Sponsored by Schmunk Gatt Smith & Associates, Dinner Sponsors Brandt Tractor Ltd., Sunnyside Greenhouses Ltd.
The Most Honest Team: l-r, Michelle Pain, Miles Hunter, Deni Hunter.
Best Overall Team: l-r, David Raymond, Jared Raymond, Chris Novi and Nathan Raymond
2012 BC Landscape Awards Of Excellence
Finally finished that project you have been working so hard on and want to show it off? Enter your project today! Entries are not compared or evaluated against one another, but against criteria of excellence. Accredited judges that change yearly, and are chosen from various sectors of the horticulture industry, will evaluate entries. Winners are those projects achieving an average score of 85 percent or better. Installation projects must have been completed less than three years prior to the entry deadline. Maintenance projects must be more than three years old. Entry deadline is 4:00 pm on Thursday August 9, 2012. Awards ceremony will be held on December 6, 2012 at the Industry Christmas Party. Visit bclna.com under awards for more information and for application forms. Good Luck! Thank you to the following generous sponsors:
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Fresh Ideas
The Farwest Show is THE trade show for ideas. Exciting ideas fresh from nursery and retail experts delivered straight to you. With hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of plants and products, and dozens of valuable seminars, you’re sure to leave energized and ready to go. Join your fellow green industry professionals and fill your head with electrifying, practical and innovative ideas to invigorate your business. Register now!
August 23-25, 2012 www.FarwestShow.com
BCLNA NEWS New Design Book Features BCLNA Member
Houston Landscapes is highlighted in the new, upscale coffee table book, Perspectives on Design Western Canada, published by Panache Partners. The book highlights creative designs by leading professionals. To find out how you can get a copy, please visit: panache.com
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Jane Stock Horticulture Scholarship The Jane Stock Foundation Committee is awarding up to three $1,000 scholarships to qualifying BCLNA members or the daughter, son, or grandchild of a BCLNA member who is pursuing post-secondary education. The deadline for application is July 30, 2012, and scholarship recipients will be announced August 31, with the award being presented at the President’s Banquet & Awards Party at Vancouver’s Coast Coal Harbour Hotel on September 19. Jane Stock, former Executive Director of the BCLNA who lost her battle to cancer in 2009, was an advocate and number one cheerleader for anyone advancing his or her interests with higher education. Therefore, this scholarship encompasses all areas of study. For more information, and application form, email info@janestockfoundation.com
18598 Advent Road Pitt Meadows, BC Canada, V3Y 2G8 Toll Free 1-800-471-4448 Phone: 604-465-7122 Fax: 604-465-8100 inquiry@specimentrees.com
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WHOLESALE NURSERIES LTD.
www.specimentrees.com HortWest July 2012 |
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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
MEMBER PROFILE
BENEFIT OF THE MONTH
Member: Bob Wilmott Company: Langara Landscapes, owner How long in the industry: 12 years
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When you use your CNLA Platinum Plus MasterCard credit card account, a portion of the amount of your qualifying purchases is donated back to CNLA to support a variety of projects and initiatives. So don't delay. Request your CNLA Platinum Plus MasterCard credit card today!
MEMBER QUOTE OF THE MONTH “At ECHO Power Equipment Canada, we find working within the BCLNA very rewarding. The level of professionalism and the desire to do their craft in a green, sustainable way lines up well with our product manufacturer’s commitment to the environment. We believe that being members of such a high level of professionals allows us to elevate our standards and recommend that these businesses are part of the higher standard of businesses that people should want to partner with.” Rick Cleghorn, ECHO Power Equipment (Canada) 8 | HortWest July 2012
Reason for choosing landscaping as a career: I worked in the forestry industry as a property manager and secretary. The company I worked for downsized in 1998, so I returned to school to complete a certificate in horticulture at Kwantlen University College as part of my severance package. I really wanted to turn my gardening hobby into a career. And it was the perfect time to do so as my children were leaving for school and starting careers of their own. What has been the most rewarding part of your job? Being able to turn my hobby into a profession. While my daughter works with me on occasion, I have kept Langara Landscapes small on purpose. I enjoy the time I get spend with clients, giving them personalized service. Also, the people!
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INDUSTRY BITS BC SKILLS COMPETITION RESULTS By Annika Ingram
The BC Skills Competition took place on April 18, 2012 at the Tradex in Abbotsford. Nicole McWalters and Jessie Lyons from Camosun College, and Dillon Mennie and Kevin O’Connor from Kwantlen Polytechnic University were the competitors this year. The students were provided with a design, materials, and only six hours to complete the project. The elements of the project included a patio, stack stonewall, water feature, bench, and planting.
NATIONAL SKILLS COMPETITION RESULTS By Annika Ingram
The National Skills Competition took place in Edmonton, Alberta on May 14 and 15, 2012, welcoming participants from BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia. The competitors had 12 hours over two days to complete the project, with design and materials provided. Elements in this project included a walkway, patio, bar, pergola, sod, and planting.
During the competition, a Try-a-Trade was held to give spectators the chance to get their hands dirty and work with a small-scale landscape. The Try-a-Trade attracted all age groups, and was a great chance for HortTrade BC’s Liz Spring to discuss career opportunities in horticulture. The event attracted a large crowd, and many commented on their enthusiasm for watching the progress made by the competitors throughout the day. Team BC, Dillion Mennie and Kevin O'Conner at National Skills Competition.
Spectators try out Try-a-Trade demos.
Team BC ready for competition!
It was a close competition as both teams were working hard until the very end. After a thoughtful evaluation from the judges—Aaron Magee, Magee Landscaping, Brian Huttema, Mijodelu Landscaping & Renovations, and Jerry Ingram, Ingram Landscape Design—it was determined that Team Kwantlen would receive gold, and Team Camosun would take home silver. Team Kwantlen qualified to move onto the National Skills Competition. A big thank you goes to our judges, and volunteers Bill Hardy, NorthWest Landscape & Stone Supply, Jonathan Vanderpol, Vandenburg’s Landscape Design, and Mike Vandergugten, Higher Ground Landscaping & Design. We could not have run this competition without the support of our sponsors; Brandt Tractor Ltd, Burnco, Golden Spruce Nurseries, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, NorthWest Landscape & Stone Supply, and West Creek Farms who supplied the materials required for this project.
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The BC competitors, Dillon Mennie and Kevin O’Connor, received financial support from HortEducationBC, BCLNA, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and their employer, Para Space Landscaping, to attend the competition. Team BC put in a strong effort building the complex project against the stiff competition. Gold went to Alberta, silver to Quebec, bronze to Manitoba, while BC took home fourth place, with fifth place going to Nova Scotia. The next National Skills Competition is taking place in Vancouver at BC Place Stadium on June 4-5, 2013. I hope to see you all there supporting team BC. To see more photos from both competitions, please visit: HortEducationBC.com.
INDUSTRY BITS CANADA'S NATIONAL TREE DAY On September 26, 2012, CNLA and BCLNA members will seek to educate students and the public about the environmental benefits of trees through planting events at schools, parks, and open spaces in local communities. To get involved in this great event, simply inform your company about the program and identify a school in your area with a need for a tree.
Urban Trees
This public service event benefits everyone involved. Schools receive a tree, along with the environmental advantages it brings, and students get to learn about the value of trees and caring for the environment. Members who take part in National Tree Day will strengthen their community relationships while gaining visibility as community leaders. Tell us what you are planning, and send us photos! We'd like to share your efforts with your colleagues across the country. Also, BCLNA is aware of a number of municipal projects/events that you can donate to or join in.
CLNA ideas for member Landscapers, Nurseries & Retailers: • Give away seedlings to children visiting your store on September 26, 2012. • Hold a nursery sale in honour of National Tree Day. • Create signage that reminds customers to plant a tree in honour of National Tree Day. • Plant a tree on your property in honour of National Tree Day, and build a how-to-plant seminar around the event for • Plant a tree in a park or your children’s schoolyard in honour of National Tree Day (with appropriate permissions, of course). • Find a reforestation or remediation program in your community and hold an after-hours staff tree planting party (you supply the pizza dinner). • Nurseries pair up with landscaper clients—you supply the tree, and they supply the schoolyard planting activity! • Donate a portion of the proceeds from every tree sold on September 26 to Tree Canada, CNLA's partner in National Tree Day.
For more information please contact David Adkins at DAdkins@bclna.com, or, 604-575-3510. To download CLNA Tree Day application forms visit, www.canadanursery.com/National Tree Day
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CANWEST SHOW CANWEST SHOW By Karen De Jong-Ellery
NEW SHOW HOURS! 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM
September 19 & 20 Vancouver Convention Centre, West
CanWest is the single largest event of the year for BC’s horticulture industry. The most influential suppliers of plants, landscape and nursery products will be exhibiting. An impressive line-up of expert speakers has been carefully selected to provide professional development for all levels of staff in the green industry. CanWest provides you with the opportunity to learn, connect, and network with new suppliers, colleagues and peers. Show Highlights: Attendee Prize: Win a $3,000 Grand Prize Destination Getaway! Have fun in Las Vegas, relax on the beaches in the Dominican Republic or travel to Amsterdam…which destination would you choose? For each order you write at the show, you will receive one entry into the Destination Getaway draw. Container Competition: Check out the hottest trends in container gardening at CanWest’s 3rd Annual Container Competition. Want to be part of the competition? Contact Karen De Jong – Ellery: 604-575-3504, or kdejong@bclna.com Tailgate Party of Opening Day: 5:00 pm on September 19. Network with exhibitors, delegates, colleagues and friends on the show floor while enjoying drinks and appies.
BCLNA Annual General Meeting Wednesday, September 19, Vancouver Convention Centre: Continental Breakfast at 7:30 am; Meeting at 8:00. BCLNA President’s Banquet & Awards Party Wednesday, September 19, Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, Happy Hour: 6:30 pm; Dinner & Awards: 7:30. Clinics, Workshops & Seminars Make CanWest your retreat for business and professional development. BCLNA members receive preferred rates. Check for CEU’s on the CanWest website. Pre-Show Clinics: September 18 • How to Sell Contracting Services Successfully • Small Sites – Big Ideas Landscape Design • Green Roofs & Living Walls 101: The Fundamentals • Urban Foresters Symposium: September 19
Half-Day Clinics • Effective Leadership Strategies for Lead Hands & Supervisors • Winning Edge Customer Relations Skills
90 Minute Seminar Sessions: • Take advantage of multi-session discounts on 4+ seminars. (BCLNA Members: $45/session!) • The Changing Relevancy of Our Industry in Today’s Demographics • Food Gardening: Where It’s Going and Its Huge Potential • Landscape Contracts & The Law • Landscape Lighting: Illuminating Design Ideas • Surviving A Cosmetic Pesticide Ban • Tackling the Big 3 (+1) - How to Use Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and Google+ to Effectively Market Your Business • Tag It! How to Effectively use QR Codes in Your Business • Hot New Plants!
Landscape Tour
• Lean Management: Principles & Practices Applied to Horticulture • The Value of Trees & i-Tree Software
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CANWEST SHOW Equipment Demo Day October 11, Cloverdale Fairgrounds Get ready to ‘Rip It and Kick It’ at the 2nd annual CanWest Equipment Demo Day.
NEW DATE & TIME!
Check out the latest outdoor power equipment. Demo zones will be set up in the Stetson Bowl and Agriplex, with access to plenty of green space throughout the property. Compare products side-by-side… and try before you buy.
Demo Day
A number of exclusive onsite presentation and demonstrations will be taking place throughout the day, including CLT demonstrations. Full details will be available on the CanWest website. Register by September 7 for Early Bird Rates. Check out all the details at CanWestHortShow.com Western themed display.
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CANWEST FEATURE SALES STRATEGIES YOU NEED TO KNOW By Kevin Kehoe, 3 Point Group
Three key steps to operating a successful green business, which we often overlook, include creating a strategic plan that forecasts into the upcoming year, developing a personalized sales strategy, and thoughtful retention practices to maintain those hardearned clients. Be Prepared! If you haven’t already, now is the time to put your planning hats on. From a strategic standpoint, midsummer is when you will be addressing two important issues: updating and revising the plans for the current year and creating the strategic initiatives for the coming year. First to the issue of revising this year’s operating plans. You have a rolling budget, which looks at the year, month by month. Currently, you should have six months actual performance, plus the remaining six months projection updated for how you see the year completing. Take a hard look at the next six months— make sure that the results you expect are reasonably achievable. This updated picture is probably the best early return of the year-end results you can generate. The reason why? If you primarily will be doing maintenance, you know what is renewed, what is sold, what is likely in the pipeline for starts in the next four to five months—you also know the enhancement activity which is likely to finish the year. If you are involved in installation, you have your backlog and your pipeline for what is likely to be signed for job starts. Follow the same process for revising your direct cost and overhead expectations. If your information is solid, you can anticipate year-end results to within a surprising degree of accuracy. Now, how good is that? If you don’t like what you see, change course! You have five to six months to make a difference. If you do like where you are headed, make sure everyone on the management team is plugged in to make it happen. This is also a terrific time to take the first look at year-end tax planning. Your second responsibility is to take your first pass at the game plan for next year. This isn’t a detailed numeric preparation, but rather a strategic session 14 | HortWest July 2012
with your management team. Address weighty issues such as sales goals, pricing adjustments, organizational changes, capital wish lists, policies governing payroll, cash flow, and banking, and major calls on capital such as debt reduction, expansion of, or to new facilities, or perhaps even an acquisition. Start to grasp a realistic view of the following year. The key to this is establishing the pricing structure for 2013, as selling season is about to start. In early fall, you will want to document strategic plans with a more detailed picture in numbers. The message here is to plan, plan, plan! Look at every eventuality. Be prepared and make sure there are no surprises. One Question Next, it’s not the product or service you are selling that matters to a prospect, it’s what ails them and what you can do about it that matters. If you are selling quality, service, and professionalism, you are selling exactly the same thing that everyone else is selling. If you are not consistently the lowest price vendor, you probably won’t get the contract. I encourage sales people I work with to change their approach. It’s not about what you have (landscape services) and how good they may be, it’s about what they need and whether they believe you are the answer. Save the sales pitch. This is true when you consider the process of trying to win work with a property manager when you are only one of many bidders. The first thing to realize in this circumstance is that their key concern is not with proper landscape. Their key concern is keeping their job. They cannot afford to make the wrong decision. The second thing to realize is that the way they keep their job is by keeping their customers happy—whether it is homeowners in an HOA, or tenants in a commercial property—and by managing their costs. I suggest a selling strategy not based on your product, but based on your selling process. If you want to improve your close rates, you have to get the client engaged. Let’s start with the obvious. You already know their problems, so the challenge is to connect their problems in a very specific way to your services being the potential solution. Doing this requires confidence, some moxie, and expertise. The application of these practices is directed at one specific outcome. You want them to ask you a question. When they do this, they are now engaged with you in creating a solution to
CANWEST FEATURE what ails them. The way to get them to ask you the question is to sow seeds of doubt. In many instances, property managers are vague about the origin and accuracy of the specs for their properties. They are certain about one thing—everyone has to bid to them. Unless of course, someone suggests that the specs may not be the best way to keep tenants happy and manage costs. For example, you can sow the seeds of doubt as follows: “Mr. Property Manager, the problem very often with property specs is that they are old and designed for a very different landscape than you now have. The result is you could be spending more money than you need to in the wrong places increasing costs and the odds that your tenants won’t be happy because the problems they see are very often baked into the old services spec.” Once this is said, it is time to be silent and wait for them to think about this. If they ask you, “Really? How does that work?” you are now in the sales process. If they don’t, then your chances of making the sale go down dramatically. At the very least, you won’t sound like every other salesman. And that’s your goal—be different and get them to ask you one question. Retention: The Silent Profit Killer Lastly, we will discuss the silent profit killer. It’s the email or letter that comes out of the blue—it’s never a phone call. This is your thirty-day notice, we are terminating your services. The impact of this termination can be traumatic, personally and financially.
Loosing one contract, even if it brings in a seemingly modest monthly revenue, can have a great impact, as your overhead and equipment purchase costs don’t change that much month to month. What should you do? Maintain an “At-Risk List”. At-risk customers are those who have a change in ownership, a change in management, or a change in personnel. They are also those you rarely see, those who do not return your calls, those where you have changed an Account Manager, those that do not purchase enhancement services, and those that are very new to you— sometimes even those who have been with you a long time. You must talk about more than landscape with your customers. You must talk business. Ask them how their business is doing. This may come as a shock, but most of your customers have business concerns that greatly outweigh their need for a perfect landscape. These concerns can be put in two categories: budgets and bosses. You will always be more successful if you offer them cost savings ideas like changes in job specs or enhancements that decrease maintenance costs. If they appreciate your efforts in saving them money, and you are bold enough to show them the return on investment that enhancements can make, they may find that you are indispensable. It’s worth the effort given the costly alternatives and the unpleasantness of those depressing termination emails and letters. Kevin Kehoe will be presenting a full day clinic on September 18 "How to Sell Contracting Services Successfully" from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, plus a ½ day clinic: “Effective Leadership Strategies for Lead Hands & Supervisors” at the CanWest Hort Show on Wednesday, September 19 from 8:30 am till 12:30 pm. For more information, please visit: CanWestHortShow.com
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Photo: Landscape 2000 Ltd., Winning project Landscape Award of Excellence 2011
HortWest July 2012 |
15
RETAIL CONNECTION THE 11 MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL NETWORKS AND APPS FOR GREEN INDUSTRY BUSINESSES By Chris Heiler, Landscape Leadership
There are a zillion (seems like it anyway) social media tools out there. We've got social networks, blogging platforms, social bookmarking, mobile apps, photo sharing, video sharing, podcasting and on and on (and on...). But what is most important to us—green industry businesses? You only have so much time. So you need to know where best to spend it as it relates to social media. In my opinion, the following 11 social networks and apps are the most important and relevant to green industry businesses. (Disclaimer: I am not suggesting your business use each of these. Personally, I would rather be run over repeatedly by a skidsteer before implementing all of these in my business.)
Facebook With over 900 million users worldwide, including over 50 percent of the U.S. population, Facebook is by far the most relevant social network for individuals and businesses alike. No other network boasts numbers like these. So if you want to connect and engage with the greatest number of customers, prospects, industry peers and other professional contacts, this is the network for you. As a business, the best way to use Facebook is to create a "fan page" for your company to serve as a real-time window into your business where you can share timely and useful updates and content. Google+ Google's relatively new social network--and competitor to Facebook--can be used by green industry businesses in much the same way as Facebook. However, up to this point Google+ lacks the same level of engagement as Facebook and lags behind in total number of active users. Since your Google+ updates can be indexed by Google Search and your activity can impact search results, it may be worth publishing your company's content (like blog posts) to the social network as a starting point. LinkedIn LinkedIn is a social network for professionals where you can connect with your industry peers and other business contacts. It's not a marketing or publishing platform like Facebook and Twitter. The focus is on networking— especially B2B. 16 | HortWest July 2012
Personally, I've found LinkedIn to be a great tool for reaching out and getting introduced to decision makers and influencers in our industry. Twitter I joke that LinkedIn is like networking at a BNI group or Chamber of Commerce. Twitter is like networking at happy hour. Some prefer a conference room while others enjoy the corner bar. Both can be effective. While I don't think Twitter is necessary for every business or professional, I think it can be the most effective social platform for those who understand how to use it and commit to being an active member of the Twitter community. Wordpress Wordpress is a content management system (CMS). It's a blogging platform. Wordpress gives businesses and individuals the ability to quickly and easily publish to the web—and, most importantly, do it themselves. Do-it-yourself content management systems like Wordpress give you control over your content and publishing. There are other content management systems available (Blogger, for example) but Wordpress is the most popular and, for companies in our industry, the most user-friendly. Tumblr Tumblr is another blogging platform, often referred to as a micro-blog, but different from Wordpress in that the focus is on sharing short-form content like pictures, video and links.Aside from Facebook, users spend more time on Tumblr and Pinterest than any other social network. Tumblr also draws the under 30 demographic, which makes it ideal for large national brands who are trying to attract a younger, trendy audience.
RETAIL CONNECTION Pinterest Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where you collect and organize images from across the Web that you find interesting or that inspire you. With a focus on the visual, Pinterest is an ideal network for many businesses in the green industry. Use Pinterest to organize images of your own work, curate images to inspire your design work and your clients, and even drive traffic back to your website. Instagram Instagram was recently acquired by Facebook for $1 billion. So it's an app that you should familiarize yourself with, even if you don't use it personally. Instagram is a mobile photo-sharing app for iPhone and Android devices. You can take photos with your phone, apply a filter, add a description and location, and share the photo on Instagram as well as Facebook and Twitter. Instagram is a great complement to Twitter and Facebook because you can show your fans and followers, visually, what you're doing in real-time. This is another unique way to show off the interesting work that we do. YouTube I've never found YouTube to be useful as a "social" network, but instead as an easy way to upload and share videos online. I simply use it to host videos that I intend to share elsewhere like Facebook or on my blog. Embedding YouTube videos on your blog or website can give a boost to your search rankings. And, not to be overlooked, YouTube can be a quality source
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of content for your Facebook Page. You can embed interesting and helpful YouTube videos, like these from LandscapingNetwork, on your Page. Flickr Who knows what the future holds for Flickr. While it still has millions of users it has most definitely taken a back seat to Pinterest and Instagram recently. Flickr is still a good platform for hosting and organizing your photos online and in the cloud. This gives you the ability to easily share your photos across multiple devices and in numerous ways like via email, Twitter or Facebook. You can also now "pin" Flickr photos to Pinterest. Foursquare Foursquare is a mobile location-based social network. Users check in wherever they go, like restaurants and other businesses.Foursquare is really popular so you should be familiar with it. That said, unless you have a retail aspect to your business, I wouldn't really worry about it. It's good for attracting new customers to a bricks-andmortar establishment like a garden center. It's also a great way to reward your loyal customers and keep them coming back. You can catch Chris Heiler, Socail Media expert for the green industry, at CanWest his two sessions titled, 'Using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ Effectively for Your Business' and 'Using QR Codes Effectively in Your Business'. This article was originally posted by Chris Heiler on Saturday, May 12, 2012 on LandscapeLeadership.com
• Raw materials purchased in advance helps to ensure product consistency and availability. • Multiple computers control the dosing equipment, increasing accuracy and speed. This makes it easier to offer competitively priced products. • Non-invasive mixing equipment protects the structure and consistency of the media. HortWest July 2012 |
17
11/30/09 11:14:40 AM
CONTRACTOR'S CORNER KEEP YOUR 2 STROKE MACHINES RUNNING LONGER By Rick Cleghorn, ECHO Canada
What kills landscaping machines? Contrary to what you may think, it is not reckless employees, though their actions can lead to the failure. Heat, carbon, varnish, debris and poor lubrication can all cause small engine destruction.
How do you keep your machines running longer and more efficiently?
Heat The build up of carbon deposits and varnish keeps heat in the engine and increases the internal friction, which can cause excessive heat. Dirt ingestion from bad or dirty air cleaners are part of this, and low quality lubricating oils contribute to the carbon build up due to not burning cleanly or completely. Dirty or failing spark plugs lead to carbon build up by not providing a complete spark, thus not producing a complete combustion process. Airflow through the air filter and carburetor is a major part of the overall cooling of the engine, so anything that prevents the flow of cooler air into the engine contributes to premature engine failure.
Clean and change spark plugs regularly: This ensures a complete burn of the fuel/oil/air mixture which will give you the combined benefits of maximum power, fuel efficiency, less emissions, and will limit the amount of carbon deposits in your engine.
Low Quality Lubricants Low quality lubrication oils or improper mix of oil to fuel ratios can mean that the engine does not get the lubrication it needs to fight the friction of the internal components. These oils may not be properly formulated to work in the higher operating temperatures present in 2 stroke engines, and do not always maintain their lubricity in high heat. As lower quality oils may not burn completely, they can leave carbon deposits in the engine.
Change or clean your air filters often: Less debris will be ingested and will also improve clean air flow.
Use the highest rated 2 stroke mix oil (FD rated is best): This will ensure the lubricant stands up to high temperatures and carries through the entire engine to prevent heat build up and engine scoring. There are some high quality oils that have decarboning detergents in them that can not only provide top level lubrication, but also cut down on carbon build up. Be careful with lubricants that claim to be able to function at a lower mix ratio than the manufacturers specify in their manuals. If it is too good to be true, it probably is.
Piston dome from a trimmer engine before, during and after running a de-carboning oil in it.
Quick Tip # 1
Quick Tip # 2
Quick Tip # 3
Did you know that running a line trimmer without a shield and cutter increases the torque and load on your engine exponentially? If heat kills engines, then running a trimmer without a shield and cutter will kill your engine as well.
Burning through trimmer line too quickly? Store your line in water and it will be more flexible and less brittle, cutting down the breakage and lasting longer. Just don’t let it freeze!
Replace your jerrycan each year! As the container ages, the plastic will break down and leach into the fuel, which can clog your carburetor and engine. A 5-liter jerrycan costs as little as $10, and is well worth the price.
Rick Cleghorn has been a member of BCLNA for 6 years and since 2010 has been the Southern BC Territory Manager for ECHO Power Equipment Canada.
18 | HortWest July 2012
LANDSCAPE CLIPPINGS CLT RESULTS Congratulations to the following candidates who passed the CLT test held March 31, 2012 at the Pacific Horticulture College in Victoria, BC. Softscape Installation: Chris Lawes, CLT, Acacia Landscape Services Robbie McRae, CLT, Acacia Landscape Services Mike Creighton, CLT, Acacia Landscape Services Allan Larkins, CLT, Lee Smith Landscapes The next opportunity to test is: July 13 and 14 and/or October 19 and 20 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley. For more details, please visit bclna.com under Certification.
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certified
CHT Info Session
Art's Nursery
Thank you to Art’s Nursery for opening their doors for our first Certified Retail Horticulturist (CHT) Information Session, held on June 11, and hosted by Leanne Johnson, Retail Chair. A huge thank you goes to Michael Mills of Sunshine Coast Nursery, for his great insight into the program with his experience of putting staff through the test. Thank you to Paul Buikema, Conway Lum, Shelley Murley and Rob Welsh for volunteering their time to help and of course Cable Baker, Jeff Foley and Bill Hardy from the Certification committee for their guidance.
June 13 Landscape Commodity Meeting The skies cleared just in time for a guided tour at East Richmond Nurseries during the June 13 Landscape Commodity Meeting. Members enjoyed some socializing over a delicious BBQ chicken dinner served Landscape Meeting at in the greenhouseEast Richmond Nurseries turned-banquet room. On the agenda was the upcoming Landscape Awards of Excellence, industry updates and special guest, Victor Santacruz, Executive Director of our National Association, the CNLA. Victor spoke to the members on the current industry issues and discussed Employment Insurance, the Red Seal program, and Certification. He also wanted members to know the funds that may be available to them through the Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) through the CRA. For more information, please visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/sred/.
l-r, Anne Kulla and Heike Stippler sharing some good times.
A big thank you to East Richmond Nursery and TerraLink for sponsoring the meeting! The next Landscape Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 8 at UBC Botanical Gardens, Vancouver.
CHT info session.
HortWest July 2012 |
19
BCMAL REPORT SHOULD YOU BLAME THE WEATHER? David Woodske, Industry Specialist, BCMA
(HortScience 47(1):71-73) – The objective of the project was to define the relationship of weather and time of the year on the sale of herbs and vegetables and of flowering annual plants. Data on daily plant sales were collected over a 12-week period from mid-April to mid-July for 2007 to 2009. A large plant producer provided sales data from 42 stores of a retail chain in the Midwestern U.S. The stores sell food and household
goods, but also have seasonal sales of plants. The plant sales areas are attached to the stores and include an overhead covering but no climate-control. Weather data was collected from the nearest weather station. The study determined that precipitation had no effect on plant sales, whereas sunlight hours had an inverse relationship and temperature had a direct relationship to sales. There were also significant differences in sales between years and days of the week. Daily plant sales were highest in May, followed by April, June and July. Sales were greatest on Saturday, followed by Sunday and Monday. Total sales were more than threefold higher on Saturday than on Wednesday. The authors concluded that there is a “modest relationship between weather parameters and sales”, but the relationship between month and day of the week on sales is “stronger and more predictable.”
Precipitation has no effect on plant sales.
20 | HortWest July 2012
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BCMAL REPORT EFFECT OF SUGAR-BASED COMPOUNDS IN ENHANCING THE EFFICACY OF INSECTICIDES AGAINST THE WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS David Woodske, Industry Specialist, BCMA
Grower spraying pesticides on fruit trees
(HortTechnology 22(2): 177-184) – Some growers of greenhouse crops suggest that adding sugar to an insecticide spray can enhance control of western flower thrips (WFT). The objective of this trial was to determine whether sugar-based compounds (e.g. Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, white sugar, and brown sugar) are attractive to, and can improve control, of WFT. The sugar-based compounds were applied alone or in combination with an insecticide (e.g. Conserve®, Avid®, Ornazin®, and SucraShield™). The study included both laboratory and greenhouse trials. In the lab trials, a single WFT adult or nymph was placed in the center of a petri dish that contained five circles of filter paper (2-cm diameter) positioned equidistant from each other. The filter paper circles were moistened with the sugar-based compounds. The amount of time that the thrips visited a treatment was
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22 | HortWest July 2012
recorded. None of the compounds were found to be attractive to WFT based on the negligible amount of time the thrips spent in any of the treatments. In the greenhouse trials, gerbera cut flowers, which had not been treated with pesticides, were artificially infested with 15 to 20 lab-reared WFT adults and nymphs. Two days after the flowers were infested, they were sprayed to run-off with the treatments. Seven days post-treatment the number of live and dead thrips was counted. The greenhouse trials demonstrated that none of the sugar-based compounds provided any mortality of WFT. In addition, adding Mountain Dew or brown sugar to the insecticide treatments did not enhance the control of thrips. The study quantitatively demonstrated that there is no benefit to adding sugar-based compounds to insecticide sprays for the control of WFT. The authors concluded that growers should focus on improving pesticide coverage, applying insecticides frequently enough, and rotating products to avoid developing pest resistance to improve the control of WFT.
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September 19 - 20, 2012
WESTERN CANADA’S PREMIER LANDSCAPE AND NURSERY TRADE SHOW
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350+ Booths Pre-Show Clinics September 18th Industry Focused Seminars New & Sustainable Products Showcase Container Competition Tours - September 21
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