The retail landscape is changing at a breakneck pace. Online retailers, safety concerns, and an ever-changing marketplace are some of the many challenges faced by brick and mortar retailers. Those who service these retailers must work toward helping overcome these challenges. Here are 5 ways a good landscaper can help the brick and mortar retailers they service.
Landscapers Can Design and Build Properties That Attract People
The addition of landscape features that allow people to congregate and socialize has long been a staple of restaurants, hospitality, and entertainment venues. These spaces encourage patrons to stay longer, which typically translates into more dollars spent at the business. Retailers, especially multi-unit brick and mortar are realizing similar successes when they develop these types of spaces. Common additions include seating areas, patios, playgrounds, and garden spaces.
Plantlife and color have also proven to be good investments for retailers. The addition of color is an especially powerful tool to bring attention to a property while also making the property more attractive. These enhancements create an environment that is appealing and eye-catching to shoppers. Utilitarian shopping areas can be transformed into places where people want to be, and as a result where they’d like to shop.
Lighting Matters
Landscape lighting serves both a safety and an aesthetic purpose. While it is common for a retailer to have overhead and pathway lighting, landscape lighting can help illuminate hazards on the property, and guide shoppers to follow a specific path, increasing safety. This type of lighting feature can also reduce the likelihood of crime and burglaries by eliminating dark places where crime may occur.
Lighting for aesthetics can create an atmosphere or make a statement, attracting attention to the property. Much like adding plant life and features, lighting can create dramatic shadows, appealing imagery, and accentuate an environment where people want to be, translating into more opportunities for sales.
Holiday Lighting and Décor
The holiday season is the most important time of year for retailers, and brick and mortar locations have a unique ability to differentiate themselves during this season. For many, an important part of enjoying the holidays is seeing, sharing, and enjoying the festive nature of the season. The addition of Christmas lights, wreaths, bows, garland, and other décor is a tradition for many businesses, and consumers enjoy the experience.
Many landscapers provide holiday décor services which range from designing, providing the decorations, to installation and storage.
The ability to decorate and attract customers based upon holiday atmosphere is an advantage brick and mortar retailers have over their online competition. The use of a landscaper to support these efforts allows the retailer to focus on their business and servicing their clients while reaping the benefits of the decorating services the landscaper provides.
Proactive property care
While traditionally a landscaper focuses on aspects that may be different from that of a property management company, a good landscape services provider will be able to assist in many maintenance and management issues.
Landscapers service a property regularly, and they frequently cover large swaths of the property. Additionally, they are often on-site more frequently than a property management service. As a result, landscapers will typically notice concerning situations sooner and can assist a client in awareness before a bigger problem is realized. Landscapers also frequently work alongside other service professionals and can help with recommendations for service providers should a concern be beyond their scope of practice.
If you have a landscaper who has failed to bring a problem to your attention that they were likely aware of, it’s a good idea to reexamine that relationship. While landscaping is a profession it is also a service, and service should include advocating for the best interests of the client.
Keep it crisp. Keep it clean
Finally, and perhaps most commonly, landscapers can help ensure your outdoor space retains its welcoming aesthetic. Overgrown plant life, damaged walkways, or a general lapse in maintenance will turn potential customers away. These conditions also can create safety hazards and should be proactively managed throughout the year.
Customers want to shop in areas where they feel comfortable. At a minimum, the retail space inside and out should feel well maintained and safe. Retailers sell goods and services, and they are most successful in focusing on their business, not maintaining their property. A good landscaper can allow a business to focus on what brings them income, by taking care of the property.
We’re here to help you succeed
At Belknap Landscape we understand that external appearance influences a shopper’s decision on where to shop. In supporting our retailer clientele we provide all of the services mentioned above. We are committed to the viability and success of our clients, and offer programs and approaches to meet the needs of most businesses.
Please call us at 603-528-2798 to see how we can help you focus on growing your business.
