As landscape lighting continues to grow in popularity, so too are the fixture options available. Your selection in color, material, texture and especially price are vast compared to just a few years ago. So what do you do when your 8-color crayon box grows to 64?

  • Variety isn’t always the spice of life. Even with all the options available, the most common and popular styles will remain the dominant choice. So why complicate your business? By suggesting a limited selection of materials and color palettes you make your client’s choice easier (not to mention your inventory management). Have a client with more eclectic taste?
  • Don’t leave money on the table. The best part of the variety of price points now available is that it opens up your client list to include mid-level properties. No longer is outdoor lighting just for the rich. But just because the job can be cheaper doesn’t mean it has to be. There is a difference, and the quality and appearance of the higher end product lines is noticeable. Make sure you match the right product with your client’s taste and lifestyle.
  • Don’t just calculate product costs. While the no lamp fixture may be less expensive, think about the total cost of the job. Hand-installing each individual lamp is time-consuming and leaves you susceptible to breakage. Choose the integrated fixture/lamp option to help make your job easier.
  • What about online? Yes, you will probably find some pretty good prices on internet sites. But at what cost? Make sure you know what you are getting. Five-year warranties include “when run 3 hours a day” caveats, products are rated to UL standards, and not all are rated for outdoor use. Plus, you don’t receive the support you would receive working with your local supply house.
  • Upsell! The expansion of landscape lighting isn’t just in fixtures but add-on products as well. With innovative products like FX’s ZDC and Unique’s new Vivid Lamps you can enhance your client’s properties while enhancing your profit on the job. Take the time to learn about technology like dimming controls, color-control lamps and WIFI transformers.

Product innovations in landscape lighting are opening opportunities for contractors to expand their business, cultivate new clients, and improve the quality of the install. This is a great time to learn more about the outdoor lighting business, and your local Horizon store offers classes throughout the year. Call us today to learn more!