22 Dec Why commercial landscaping matters
Perception matters. From the moment a customer visits your business website, to the first time, a potential client walks into your brick-and-mortar location. A well-designed and maintained landscape makes a massive difference for your company, regardless of the industry, for both your employees and customers. From increasing visibility, building community trust, acting as an extension of your brand, positively impacting recruiting and retention, and helping control your bottom line. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that most image-conscious professionals rarely work in a shabby office space. These people understand that perception is reality, and people’s attitude towards their business is based on perception. In this post, “why commercial landscaping matters,” we break down the benefits and why your company should take a look at upgrading your commercial outdoor space in 2021!
Visibility
Any business that needs to attract consumers to their physical location can benefit from curb appeal. Eye-catching curb appeal increases visibility sets your business apart, making a great first impression. This acts as part of your marketing and brand identity and may impact if someone seeks to do business with you in the future. We cannot deny the importance of aesthetics. As humans, we are visual creatures, and we form first impressions quickly, but the work to impress doesn’t end after the first visit. The goal is to send the message that you are detail-oriented and care about your business appearance. The rule of first impressions applies to all business, including:
- Offices small and large, corporate and casual
- Retail stores of all kinds
- Homeowners’ associations (HOA’s)
- Multi-family living complexes, duplexes, apartment complexes
- Municipalities
- Schools and higher education institutions
- Religious establishments
- Manufacturing plants
- Industrial businesses
- Non-profit organizations
- Clubs and associations
- Banks
- Private-practice professionals
- Restaurants
- Hotels, resorts, and other hospitality places
Extension of your Brand
Commercial landscaping allows you to reinforce how your customers see you and your brand. You can play with textures, light, and color to choose what will greet your customers when they walk through your doors. Maybe you want a more contemporary landscape design using native plants, or perhaps you opt for bright, colorful containers that are changed out with the seasons. Each choice says something a little different about your business.
Community Stewardship
As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats, be the tide that helps raise all the boats! Improving landscaping benefits the entire community. It shows you take pride and can help increase foot traffic, business, and property value in the surrounding neighborhood. “Going green” isn’t going away. It is a status that is actively sought after. As a business, you can send the message, “We care about the Earth!” by planting native plants that require little water and filter air. Like natural prairie grasses, which don’t need to be mowed, evergreens, and leafy trees. Did you know that one tree can remove 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year and release oxygen in exchange? While most customers and employees won’t be able to recite these exact stats, they will have respect for companies doing their part and using good practices to make an environmental effort. For more valuable tree facts, visit the Arbor Day Foundation.
Recruiting
Adding a greenspace to your corporate offices has shown to improve work-life for your employees as well. A University of Exeter study found that participants in the green office not only had higher productivity by 15 percent but also reported increased workplace satisfaction, fewer sick days, and better concentration, and perceived better air quality compared to the workers in the lean space. Having landscaped outdoor space allows employees to interact with nature during breaks and create a natural outdoor living/meeting space. Don’t limit the plants to outside; bring them inside as well.
Economic Advantage
Mother nature can take a toll on our bottom line when it comes to property life and efficiency. Like residential, the same statistics are accurate; shade trees can help lower summer cooling bills in an office building by up to 25% in some areas. Maybe you have a door that needs a wind block from the brutal winter winds and snow; this is also an option. We can help create a wind block with well-placed trees that allow better protection from the weather for people entering and exiting your business. Plants, trees, shrubs, and other landscaping elements effectively control erosion and help stabilize the soil.
A well designed and well maintained commercial landscape creates a positive impression that exudes good energy. One study shows that quality landscaping yields an ROI of more than one dollar for every dollar invested. While it requires an investment to have the landscaping designed, installed, and maintained, the overall effect is proven to generate many benefits for any business type. Want to get started on transforming your corporate greenspace before your employees return to work full time? Give us a call today!