One evening last week, I walked downstairs to grab myself a frosty beverage before I went outside to water the flowers. As I turned to head back upstairs, I noticed that the wall opposite me was...rippled. In the moment it took for me to think "Oh, that's not good," I also looked up and saw water dripping from the ceiling. For the record, that's ALSO not good. 

I was able to discern that it was "probably" coming from a supply line that went to an outdoor faucet, but the leak was between floors, above the finished part of my basement. I shut the water off for the night, which was an unpopular reality for my wife and kids. Cut to 8 AM the next morning. I called a plumber I know, but they were booking a week out, so that was a no-go. The second company I called said "Yes, sir, we can have someone there between 10-11 AM." The plumber called on his way, got to my house about 9:50, and by 10:30 the problem was solved and he was on his way. It was fantastic.

Also last week, my wife and I had our first meeting with a landscaper regarding a new patio. It was a relaxed, open-ended conversation about our ideas, our wish list, and what our priorities were for our backyard. We got to know the designer, and she got a good feel for what we are like, what our family needs, and took measurements and photos of the property. 

These two experiences are a good reminder of the difference between a short-term buying decision and a long-term buying decision. I could have probably either fixed the plumbing issue myself or found a cheaper option. However, I needed it dealt with that day, and they had it completed in less than 3 hours from my initial phone call. 

The landscaping, on the other hand, is a long-term buying decision, and it is safe to say that the majority of lawn and landscape sales fall into this category. The wife and I had talked about our backyard a LOT before we ever called a company, and most people do the same, because new landscaping is a big investment that they need to be happy with for the duration of their time in that home. I could argue that certain types of work, like emergency tree work and maybe even lawn care services, could be more of a snap decision, but in general, homeowners and property managers think about their project for a good long while before they call you.

What this means: The goal of your marketing and advertising should be building "top-of-mind awareness," so that when your prospect finally decides to bring in a professional, YOU are the one they think of first. Your marketing efforts can be aimed at a direct response, but the underlying goal should always be to create awareness and establishing yourself as the first call for the services you offer.