How To Find Landscape Design Clients

It’s not uncommon for landscaping businesses to take a few years to get off the ground and become profitable. This is because there are a number of factors that will affect how long it takes for your business to start making money, including (but not limited to):

If you’re starting a landscaping business from scratch and with no experience, it’s likely that it’ll take longer to become profitable than if you already have experience in the industry.

If you’re not already a certified landscape designer, we highly recommend that you consider getting certified. Simply put, having a professional certification will give you the credibility and qualifications needed to attract new clients. In fact, you’re far more likely to book customers if you have proper training under your belt, compared to if you don’t.

Furthermore, being certified and reputably designated will show potential clients that you’re serious about your career as a landscape designer – and that you’re willing to invest in your professional development.

QC Design School is a faculty of QC Career School, a pioneer of distance learning since 1984. All of our training programs are 100% self-paced and online. This means that although you’ll have 2 full years to finish your course, YOU get to choose when and where you work on your studies!

As a point of reference, many of our alumni found that they were able to graduate from their course(s) in as little as 3-6 months, simply be devoting a mere 1-2 hours per week to their training.

In QC’s 5-unit long Landscape Design Course, you will learn all about:

What’s more, you’ll also have an entire unit devoted to business training! In this final unit of the course, you’ll discover the ins and outs of marketing and promotion, building your brand, developing your portfolio, working with vendors and suppliers, and more!

The best part of this entire program?

As soon as you graduate, you’ll receive a globally-recognized International Landscape Design Professional (ILDP) certification! This also doubles as your official designation, which can be proudly added to your resume and business cards.

This one’s important. How can you expect clients to invest in your landscape design business if you don’t even know what your brand is?

Your brand is more than just a logo or a catchy tagline – it’s the heart and soul of your business. It’s what sets you apart from other landscape designers in your area. Moreover, it’s what will make potential clients remember you long after they’ve first heard about you.

So, sit down and really think about who you are as a business. What are your core values? What kind of work do you want to be known for? How do you want potential clients to see you?

Don’t have a website? Now’s the time to invest in one! In today’s digital world, potential clients are going to expect you to have an online presence… And if you don’t, they’re likely to move on to someone who does.

Your website doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. Just make sure it’s easy to navigate, includes your contact information, and showcases some of your best work.

Who are you trying to reach with your landscape design business? Families in newly built suburban neighborhoods? Businesses in urban areas looking to spruce up their outdoor spaces?

It’s important to have a clear understanding of who your target audience is before you start marketing your services. This way, you can tailor your message and promotional materials to appeal directly to them!

For example, if you’re trying to attract businesses as clients, you’ll want to focus on promoting the benefits of investing in commercial landscaping. Increased foot traffic, higher property values, and improved employee morale would all be great examples.

On the other hand, if you’re targeting families, you might want to focus on showcasing your experience with designing kid-friendly outdoor spaces.

Once you’ve identified your target audience, you can start thinking about the best ways to reach them. For instance, are they active on social media? Do they read certain publications?

So, make sure you’re regularly active on the platform(s) of your choice. Share interesting articles, post photos of your work, join relevant groups… Basically, get involved in the conversations that are happening within your industry!

Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok offer incredible opportunities for networking, relationship-building, and promotion.

Social media is a powerful tool that should not be underestimated – especially when it comes to finding new clients!

There are a ton of different platforms you can use for paid advertising, including Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, TikTok Ads, and LinkedIn Ads. Just make sure you do your research ahead of time so you know which one(s) will work best for your business!

The best part? You can specifically target your ads to reach people in your ideal client demographic. How cool is that?

Paid targeted advertising is a great way to reach new clients who might not be familiar with your landscape design business.

That said, here are just some examples off the top of our head:

There are a TON of different marketing strategies out there – and, unfortunately, we just don’t have the time or space to cover all of them in this article. That’s just how many there are at your disposal!

Your design portfolio is one of the most important tools you have at your disposal when it comes to attracting new clients. After all, it’s a physical representation of your work, experience, and style!

Make sure your portfolio is up-to-date with your latest projects and that it’s easy for potential clients to flip through. If you can, try to keep it organized by project type or client demographic. And don’t forget to make your portfolio accessible on your website – as well as showcase it regularly on your social media.

Some of the most popular landscape design associations and organizations include the:

Joining landscape design associations and organizations is a great way to grow your network and learn from other designers. Not to mention, as you’ve probably already guessed, it’ll help you attract new clients!

Attending conferences, webinars, trade shows, and workshops is a great way to meet new people in your industry. Plus, of course, you can also show off your landscape design skills!

Looking for even more opportunities to get involved? Why not volunteer for a local landscaping project? You can also offer your services pro-bono to a non-profit organization.

If you want to attract new landscape design clients, you need to get out there and start networking! As we just mentioned above, get involved in as many industry-related events as possible. No matter what, make sure that you’re meeting as many people as you can!

Some of the most popular online forums and communities for landscape designers include:

In addition to attending events, another great way to network is by joining online forums and communities related to landscape design. This is a great way to connect with other designers from around the world – and potentially attract some new clients, too!

Some of the most popular online directories for landscape designers include:

There are dozens of online directories that list landscape designers in a specific area. So, if you’re not already listed on these sites, you’re missing out on some great opportunities!

Furthermore, other popular online directories you should look into as a business owner include:

If you want to attract new clients, you need to set your landscape design rates properly. So, how do you do that?

By taking the time to understand what your potential customers are willing (and able) to pay!

Of course, this can vary depending on the type of clientele you’re targeting. For example, if you’re targeting high-end residential clients, you’ll be able to charge more than if you’re targeting commercial clients.

Next, it’s also critical that you do some market research and see what your competition is currently charging. This’ll give you a better idea of what’s realistic in your area. After all, if you charge too low, you’ll attract the wrong type of clients. But if you charge too high, you might not attract any clients at all!

To make sure your free consultations are as effective as possible, here are a few tips:

Not only will this help build trust between you and your potential clients; it’ll also give you a chance to sell them on your services. After all, the more they like what they see during the consultation, the more likely they are to hire you!

Another great way to attract new landscape design clients is by offering a free consultation. This will give potential customers the chance to meet with you and get an idea of your landscape design skills before committing to working with you.

While we’re talking about client retention, perhaps another idea to consider is some sort of loyalty program! For example, you could offer a discount to clients who use your services multiple times. This is a great way to show your appreciation – and keep those clients returning for more!

Another popular incentive would be a referral program. For example, you could offer a discount to clients who refer you to someone else. This is a great way to get word-of-mouth marketing – which is always a plus! Plus, it’s a great way to encourage past clients to come back to you for future services.

In addition to offering free consultations, you can also attract new landscape design clients by offering other incentives. For example, you could offer a discount for signing a contract on the spot. Or, if you’re working with a larger budget, you could offer a free upgrade (e.g., from mulch to stone).

If you’re looking for an innovative way to attract new landscape design clients, look no further than podcasts!

Podcasts are a great way to reach a larger audience and show off your expertise. Plus, they’re relatively easy (and inexpensive) to create. And, if you do it right, they can be a great marketing tool for your business!

When starting a podcast, the key is to focus on topics that will appeal to your target market. For example, if you’re targeting residential clients, you could discuss topics like “How To Choose The Perfect Plants For Your Home” or “The Top Landscaping Trends of 2022.”

On the other hand, if you’re targeting commercial clients, you could discuss topics like “How To Landscape A Business Park” or “The Benefits of Commercial Landscaping.”

In today’s day and age, it’s important to offer both in-person and virtual services. This way, you can reach a wider range of clients – no matter where they’re located!

If you’re not sure how to get started with virtual services, here are a few ideas:

Another great way to find and attract new landscape design clients is to run an email campaign!

Email campaigns are an excellent way to reach a large group of potential clients all at once. Plus, they’re relatively easy and inexpensive to create. Furthermore, if done correctly, they can be highly effective!

When creating an email campaign, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

First, make sure your subject line is attention-grabbing and relevant. After all, if no one opens your email, they’re not going to see your message!

Second, keep your message clear and concise. No one wants to read a long-winded email – so make sure you get to the point quickly!

And lastly, include a call-to-action. This could be something like “Sign Up For A Free Consultation” or “Get 20% Off Your First Service.”

In addition to landscape design, there are a number of other design services you can offer your clients. For example, you could become a certified interior decorator or home stager!

By offering additional services all under one roof, you’ll be able to reach a whole new group of potential clients. Plus, you’ll be able to diversify your income stream – which is always a good thing!

Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas:

By following the 20 tips outlined in this article, you’ll be sure to find and attract new landscape design clients in no time! So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start growing your business today!

Looking for even more business-growing advice? Check out our other articles on our blog, The Focal Point!

Do you have any other tips on how to find landscape design clients? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below! And don’t forget to share this article with anyone else who might be interested!