The business market can be a tough place to find a competitive edge against similar properties and businesses with similar pricing. If you’re a business or property manager trying to convince upper management of the value of investing more in the building landscape, here are three tips to help plead your case:
If you are positioning your high-end commercial real estate development or retail business as premium and a “preferred location”, it needs to look that way. That means going far beyond the typical, ho-hum “shrubs-and-mulch” look to a more sophisticated, layered and textured look that shouts, “we’re different!”
Put another way, survival in nature is all about being attractive, so that you attract the resources you need to survive – insects you can eat, bees to pollinate you, or birds to scatter your seeds. In business the same principle holds, but you want to do more than just survive, you want to thrive, and that means being more attractive than your competitors to attract the consumers you need to succeed.
Every good business and property manager knows markets are fickle and have their ups and downs. To smooth out the peaks and valleys of property availability it’s important to have potential tenants or buyers in the pipeline, ready to take advantage of any opening that comes available – whether it’s a retail store location or service business suite. Having an attractive landscape that maintains its beauty and vibrancy year-round keeps your commercial property fresh and current. That translates into a positive, active environment that says “this property is happening NOW – it’s not dormant or past its prime.” When a property feels active, people are more willing to wait for something -- they want to be ready to take advantage of any opening.
If your property features an attractive, above average landscape, you stand out in the community. By making the environment better, you’re making the community better and that can result in increased goodwill and interest in your property and company. If you’re a retail business looking for customers, add some benches and sitting areas to invite current and potential customers to sit, linger, and enjoy your property.
In business as in life, there’s nothing better than being special. Beauty, for better or for worse, sets people and property apart. Being an outstanding member of the community – both from a physically attractive as well as good-business standpoint – is always better for the bottom line.
Crabapples in full bloom attract attention to business signage and a vibrant area of this commercial landscaped.
Tweetable tip: By making the environment better, you’re making the community better http://ctt.ec/lesg2+
Whether you’re trying to attract tenants, buyers, or customers, getting people to notice your property and therefore your business is the first step in getting them to become consumers of what you have to sell.
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