Tip Jar: Sow the seeds

Years ago I had the chance to speak at the ANLA Management Clinic in Louisville, Ky. As was always the case, it was a wonderful gathering of industry folks looking to get the next great ideas to build their business and grow their profits.

One of the presenters at this event spoke about a concept called “Watering the Bamboo,” and some of you may remember it. The concept was fairly simple yet profound.

There is a type of bamboo in the Amazon that grows at an unbelievable pace (roughly 90 feet in 60 days). That kind of growth could kill a business, but it is a problem we would all love to have, right?

Well the story is a little more complicated than that. The first year you plant the seed (six feet into the soil) you water the area often and nothing happens.

The second year you water the area often, and guess what? Nothing happens. This is where most folks would give up and call it a waste of time.

“That’s a lot of water.” “Nothing is happening.” “I can’t wait for results to happen over time, I need them now.” And most would, by the power of impatience, lose out on the opportunity. It’s not until the third year that the tremendous growth occurs — 90 feet in 60 days.

The recession made our minds think of short-term tactics to drive “mini-victories” in the battle of a tough economy. But we now need to think long-term and strategically over the next four or five years to grow our business and win the war.

Last year, I challenged one of my favorite clients, Manor View Farm in Monkton, Md., to add new clients to their list of customers. Actually the challenge came from within by the employees who knew “you can’t squeeze more juice out of the same oranges.” At some point you need to go out and get new oranges. This is a great example of employee-led and ownership-driven change.

In 2013, the sales team targeted 25 new accounts to generate a goal of $250,000 in new sales in 2014. They pursued them, pitched the benefits of the company and the products and services they offer, and the team delivered on the promises the sales folks made.

The team celebrated by posting the names of the new client on the “success board,” as well as the sales goals on a weekly basis, and made sure that first order (and every order after) was perfect.

A perfect product, delivered in a timely way by caring, friendly people — nice promise to make and nicer promise to deliver.

The final numbers for the year showed they nearly doubled their sales goals for the year by the effort made in prospecting the year before (think: 90 feet in 60 days).

The benefit of “watering the bamboo” is the fruit of their effort in 2013 paid off in 2015 and beyond.

Another wonderful client, Ruppert Nurseries, is embarking on a similar journey. They have taken my “prospecting program” and have run with it. They shared that the sales team followed my prospecting letter campaign (five letters per week) and landed at least five new client opportunities in the first week. The seeds are being planted and watered.

Planting the seeds doesn’t mean we will see immediate results, but it does mean that we are investing the time, talent and treasure to make sure that the new sales of tomorrow are being watered today.

As we continue to enjoy the wave of opportunity coming to our industry over the next few years, let’s not get into the bad habit of saying, “We have too much business right now to worry about prospecting;” or “We can’t handle the business we have right now.”

You regretted those comments when you made them in 2007 and you will definitely regret them again in 2017. You must “water your bamboo” today for tomorrow’s next challenge.

Start sowing those seeds of love now, because you are going to love what they can do for you in the future.

John Kennedy is a speaker, author and strategist that drives business excellence and engagement to the green industry and beyond. He can be found at www.upsellinggreen.com