A Rallying Cry or a Last Gasp of Air
I was recently scrolling through Facebook looking at pictures of food and cat videos when I happened across a targeted ad from a manufacturer who shall remain nameless (I am certain many of you will be keenly aware of who I am referring to). In the ad the manufacturer urged tradespeople to inquire to them about how landscape lighting could be offered as additional revenue for their company.
This manufacturer has prompted a lot of conversation amongst people in our industry about how the brand chooses to go to market. Their sales strategy for better or worse is to target ads directly to homeowners through Google and social media. The strategy has worked very well for them but the general consensus is that this particular manufacturer is contributing heavily to the decline of our industry.
There are many reasons this is believed to be so, aside from the fact that they make a truly inferior product. But the most important way, from my perspective, is that they are inferring that landscape lighting design is not a specialized skill. They are suggesting that anyone can do it and that it should be thought of as an add on service that will create additional revenue for any business that happens to work outside.
So, that got me to thinking about other manufacturers in our industry. There are heated debates amongst landscape lighting professionals about the manufacturer referred to above but if you boil it down to the fundamental belief that landscape lighting is not a specialized craft there are hundreds of manufacturers out there who believe exactly the same thing whom we are all happy to support. And I am genuinely curious, why?
Any manufacturer that makes its primary means of distribution any channel other than lighting (be it lighting showrooms, online lighting distributors, or direct to lighting designers), is fundamentally saying that lighting is a non specialized discipline. They are going through distribution channels like irrigation and doing their best to train non-lighting specific businesses how to install lighting quickly and efficiently in order to generate additional revenue for those companies.
And hey, I’m not saying that’s a bad strategy. The goal of any business ought to be to make money. And this is a great way to make money in the short run. At the end of the day training everyone in America to install their own lighting will definitely put more landscape lighting fixtures in the ground. But where does that leave us? How is that any different from what the manufacturer I first mentioned is doing? They just happen to be doing a better job of it.
Maybe it’s our fault. Maybe there aren’t enough lighting distributors out there so these companies are forced to go through other channels. Maybe specialized lighting people are so scared of charging more money that we’ve forced manufacturers to find ways to sell en masse. So they’ve had to make cheaper products that distributors are willing to keep on the shelf making their higher end product less appealing. Maybe we just haven’t done a good enough job educating the public as to why they need someone who specializes in lighting and not just someone with thumbs who can twist a wire nut together. Maybe this is all on us.
I don’t have the answers here. I’ve been told by many people in this industry that I care way too much about lighting to be a good businessman. That may very well be true. After all, it’s not up to the industry to change. It’s up to me to adapt. I’m just very reluctant to race to the bottom with everyone else and I think that it starts with the idea that anyone can do landscape lighting. It starts with removing the idea that landscape lighting is an art.
Maybe that’s self-aggrandizing or pretentious but honestly, if it’s not an art and our design vision and knowledge isn’t worth anything then the industry itself is going to self-canabalize. And if the manufacturers that we do business with don’t even believe it’s an art how are we going to survive? As for me, I think I need to take a very long hard look at who I am supporting and if their interests really align with my own. There are plenty of manufacturers out there that make very good products (albeit more expensive) that are doing their part to elevate the lighting specialists out there. Maybe we should all be supporting them as well.
Joe Donnelly
August 4, 2019I always make sure I tell the perspective clients as part of my presentation why they should use somebody that’s dedicated to landscape lighting. Not somebody that uses it as a sideline we’re just the way to make a few extra bucks. I also have in the back of my mind occasionally a picture or two of some local examples of homes with lighting that were installed in by an irrigation guy landscaper or even occasionally a dog fence guy. I also reinforce my products by telling a prospective customer that I only do a lighting and I do it well. I will still be doing lighting next year and the year after that. Chances are if your landscaper irrigation guy does your lighting 2 years from now if you have a problem or issue he’s not going to want to deal with it. You will still be my customer even after all the checks are written
Michael Carrasco
August 4, 2019All great points Joe! Thanks for commenting.
Joe Donnelly
August 4, 2019I always make sure I tell the perspective clients as part of my presentation why they should use somebody that’s dedicated to landscape lighting. Not somebody that uses it as a sideline we’re just the way to make a few extra bucks. I also have in the back of my mind occasionally a picture or two of some local examples of homes with lighting that were installed in by an irrigation guy landscaper or even occasionally a dog fence guy. I also reinforce my products by telling a prospective customer that I only do a lighting and I do it well. I will still be doing lighting next year and the year after that. Chances are if your landscaper irrigation guy does your lighting 2 years from now if you have a problem or issue he’s not going to want to deal with it. You will still be my customer even after all the checks are written
Barbara
August 4, 2019I would have a 3 part persuasive strategy on reasons to hire a professional.
1. Lighting is an art. Are you looking for a Paint-by-Numbers or a Rembrandt?
Screw keeping up with the Jones’. Surpass them
2. Time. It would take a Do-it-Yourselfer way more time then a professional so you could be doing other things.
3. Pictures! Pictures ! Pictures! Before and after.
Social media.
Print in high end home magazines, and Association mags, including yachting print.
And while I’m rambling on… I would do interior exterior boat lighting as well. I don’t think that market has been very well tapped
Michael Carrasco
August 4, 2019Thanks for your comment! All great ideas.
Joe Donnelly
August 4, 2019Love #1! I may use that down the road.
Homes of local installations work best
Mark Carlson
August 4, 2019Michael, I’m really glad you have brought this more attention. I saw this issue begin to peer its evil head back around ’10-’11, and most thought I was just seeing the industry changes as ‘negative’. However, this is a true problem for all of us, and it will continue to be until most are swallowed up in the feeding frenzy. Several problems exist here: 1) most all of the lighting manufacturers have followed one another with no real leadership and long-term vision for the profession, 2) the consumer is primarily driven by the lowest cost item–the hanging “carrot”, and 3) the general practitioner (those who install) see cost as a controlling element, too.
There aren’t that many of us who truly practice this discipline as an “art-form”….which requires years of practice, study and field experience. Yes, much of the industry is dedicated to the short-term goal of sales–annual sales. The competition is over-saturated….way too many manufacturers and distributors trying to hoard as many nuts as they can from that limited supply. You’re right…it’s not their fault 100%, but they are a huge contributing factor. They don’t see the long-term detriment of their actions and/or greed. We ALL need to have a common “Vision” for what and where the profession and industry must be. Is landscape lighting only supposed to be a commodity? That’s how they are treating it…much like irrigation and many of the other trades.
Where is the plan for advancing the craft and art-form? These manufacturers and distributors do not care to advance it…truthfully! Why is this? Because, the majority of their sales come from off-the-shelf purchases by entry and mid-level practitioners, including homeowners performing DIY work. Where is the advantage for them to see beyond this? Therefore, they cater to the low hanging fruit that requires very little….maybe a box full of doughnuts at a 2-hr. seminar and it’s a done deal! This is the sad state we are in.
The only way we will combat this misfortune is to “educate” the public/consumer, as well as the trade. They need to understand that there are big differences in outcome, and once we all align in thought….it will force the manufacturer/distributor to change. Fortunately, there are a couple of smaller manufacturers that understand the problem…they are willing to support and help those who wish to advance the practice. We need to support those brands, as much as we can. This is what I do…I no longer give my business to the big dogs because they haven’t taken a leadership role to make this change. The true professional, landscape lighting designers should be aligning themselves with Only those companies that are making a change to better the craft. But, the problem is…all the manufacturers “think” they are doing this.
There are no uniform, set goals in place for our profession. If you asked anyone that is part of the landscape lighting practice….manufacturer, distributor, contractor, designer, etc…..Where they would go to find any information to guide them, what do you think they would say? This is NO governing body for us. Most of the big organizations or associations in the lighting industry don’t really recognize us…our contributions to society. Why? Because we as so small in comparison to the rest of the industry. We are a specialty niche. It is for this very reason, I launched my new website….https://www.landscapelightinginitiative.org/ to help provide understanding and provide a voice….as an educational resource.
Michael, we’ve recently started talking about this and I think it’s a great idea that several of us get together to explore ways in which we can better our profession and this very problem. I look forward to working with you and the others in the near future. Keep up the great works and thank you for sharing your thoughts on all of this….it’s definitely needed.
Michael Carrasco
August 4, 2019Mark, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. We are definitely on the same page and I am really looking forward to working with you to elevate this industry!