Be a Problem Finder, Not a Problem Asker

The mulch in my backyard needed to be replaced.

It cost $350 the last time I had it done.

So I called Louis, the person who takes care of my lawn to get the job done.

Here’s how Louis turned a $350 budget into an $1100 sale.

Me: Hey Louis, it’s Josh. I need the mulch done. $350 right?

Louis: What’s the problem with the mulch?

Me: It’s worn pretty thin and the color is off.

Louis: Did you also notice the brown patches of grass back there?

Me: I did, is that a sprinkler thing?

Louis: Yes.

Me: Okay, can you fix that too?

Louis: How about we put a rock bed there instead of mulch.

Me: How much?

Louis: $1100.

Me: That’s too much. Let stick with mulch. My budget is $350.

Louis: Mulch needs to be replaced twice a year. That’s $700. New sprinkler zones will be another $500. That’s $1200. The rock never needs to be replaced and doesn’t need to be watered.

Me: Let’s do the rock bed.

See what Louis did?

He didn’t ask for a budget, he created one.