Ten Types of Emails to Send Your Landscape Customers

May 30, 2017

Summary

One of the easiest ways to stay in touch with your customers and prospects is with a regular email program.

You’re busy, and you don’t want to overwhelm customers with too many messages. But it's important to touch base occasionally, keep customers informed, and use smart email marketing to help grow your business.

Here’s ten types of email messages to send your prospects and customers throughout the year:

1. Welcome

Any time someone subscribes to your blog, newsletter, or other communication, send them a confirmation email that they have successfully signed up. This also gives you an opportunity to introduce your business and your services, and show off your latest work to prospects.

2. Heads Up

Before a job starts, send an email or text message to let your customer know when you and your crew will arrive. This reconfirms the time, address, and can include any instructions for the client including: whether they need to be home to grant access to any part of the property or water systems, what type of noise levels they can expect, and an estimate on what time the crew will be finished. This is your opportunity to set proper expectations and avoid confusion.

3. Thank You

When the job is finished, send an email expressing your appreciation for their business. Include before and after pictures showing them what you accomplished for added impact, and ask your client if you can showcase them on your website.

4. Referral

The best prospects come from your existing customers, right? So it makes sense to plant the idea with customers about how much you depend on referral business. Experiment with referral incentives, such as a percentage discount for the next project, a complementary grass cut, or even some simple flowers and a thank you note.

5. Industry trends

If you come across an interesting article or report that may be informative to your customers, share it in a brief message. It could be about a new pesticide law, a new water-saving sprinkler system, or tips on keeping your lawn healthy during draughts or low-rain periods. This will help establish you as a business that stays atop of industry trends and delivers added value throughout the year.

6. Review

No matter what you say about your company, what your customers say about it always carries more weight. In fact, according to a Moz study, 88% of customers give as much weight to online reviews as they do personal recommendations. Within a week of completing a job, ask customers to post reviews on your Google My Business page, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, or any site that lists your company. As a bonus, reviews are great for building links and improving your website’s search engine optimization (SEO).

7. New Services

Do you now offer landscape design? Tree care and tree cutting? Eco-friendly services? Any time you make a significant addition to your services, let your customers know. It’s another opportunity to say hello to your customers without being overly salesy while reminding them about all your other services, too.

8. Share ideas

If you complete a unique or interesting project, share it with your other customers and prospects. Whether it’s a unique hedge or tree trim, a creative landscape design, or even your latest YouTube post, it will spur them to think of new possibilities for their properties.

9. Off-season

In January or February, send a reminder about approaching warm weather. Include tips such as removing and composting dead leaves and grass, preparing planting beds, or preventing weeds and crabgrass. Your valuable advice will help position you as a knowledge leader.

10. Book Early

With so much of landscaping requested in the spring, remind customers and prospects to book early while the most convenient days and times are still available. Close the email message with a list of your services, as well as any discounts or promotions.

As with any written communication, brief, straightforward messages with short sentences are best. Don’t try to get fancy or verbose. Get to the point in a friendly, entertaining manner. Provide useful information customers can use.