ILT Vignocchi is a full-service landscape design/build company competing in the Chicago market. Donna leads and directs the company's marketing strategy with an emphasis placed on tradition and culture. From their website:
ILT Vignocchi isn't merely products and services, customers and employees. To those of us that proudly call ILT home, it's so much more. It's the constant quest for melding artistry into everything we do, it's an unwavering commitment to integrity and quality, it's truly caring about each other and our customers, and lastly and most importantly… it's that certain magical atmosphere first created by Harry Vignocchi, my dad.
In this interview, Donna talks about the importance of creating that "magical atmosphere" and how to build a powerful brand in the Green Industry. . . . keep reading
Two Easy Ways to Add Your Flickr Images to Facebook Chris Heiler | August 27, 2010 I'm a huge fan of Flickr. You probably realize that if you've been following me for a while. In fact, Flickr is the first social media platform I adopted just three years ago.
I know this is a bit strange, but I actually don't have a single photograph in my home. I've uploaded everything to Flickr's digital cloud. Instead of opening my wallet to showoff a picture of Charlie I instead open my laptop :-)
Now Facebook Pages are all the rage and I feel like I should have a sampling of my landscaping portfolio parked over there. If you're like me and invested a ton of time uploading, tagging and organizing your photos on Flickr, you don't want to repeat the process for Facebook.
Fortunately, there are two fairly painless ways to import your Flickr images to your Facebook Page or Profile . . . keep reading
That's a fair question. I've received many others in the same vein that all come down to this:
"How will investing my time with social media make my business money?"
I aim to show you. But it won't be easy. Sorry :-)
First, let's talk about "easy" marketing.
Easy marketing is handing a check to a Yellow Pages advertising rep. Easy marketing is sending a pretty post card to 5,000 people you don't know. Easy marketing is blanketing a neighborhood with generic flyers and door hangers.
This is the style of marketing the Green Industry is accustomed to. And it has worked. But let's not confuse this easy marketing with social media marketing . . . keep reading
A Note of Thanks Goes a Long Way Chris Heiler | August 17, 2010 When was the last time you received a note of appreciation or a thank you card from someone you did business with?
Isn't it amazing how such a simple yet sincere gesture can be so memorable?
Recently, Mark's Detailing in Holland, Michigan won me over with their terrific service and quality of work. They capped it off with a handwritten note thanking me for my business--now I'm a fan for life.
I can say the same about my CPA, Paul Dalberg. Not only is Paul my CPA, he is also a client and close friend.
I want to share a "Letter of Appreciation" I recently received from Paul because I think your Green Industry business could do something very similar . . . keep reading
A Killer, Step-By-Step Direct Mail Strategy for Green Industry Professionals Jason Cupp | August 10, 2010 Would you like to be able to reach out to homeowners in a neighborhood your Green Industry business is working in? And do it in a professional and personal way that gets results? In this Case Study, Jason Cupp walks you through how his company did exactly this . . . keep reading
Webcast: How to Build a Presence Online Without a Traditional Website Chris Heiler | July 30, 2010 This is the recording of the July 29th, 2010 webinar. We discussed three things primarily--Blogs, Facebook Pages and VisualCV.com. I've included links to the many other resources we discussed during the webinar . . . keep reading
Finally, An Easy Way to Include Images in Your LinkedIn Profile Chris Heiler | July 28, 2010 Behance is a service that enables you to put your landscaping portfolio and images online for absolutly free. It also syncs with LinkedIn allowing you to post pictures of your work directly to your LinkedIn profile. This video shows you exactly how to do it . . . keep reading
The Case for FREE in the Twenty-First Century Economy Chris Heiler | July 24, 2010 The debate over whether or not to charge for a landscape plan could rage on forever. It's time for the Green Industry to embrace Free. But a new kind of Free, not your grandmother's Free. . . . keep reading
