The Landscaper's Guide to Modern Sales & Marketing

Jack Jostes
  • 5.0 (14)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Landscaper’s Guide To Sales and Marketing is a weekly video and podcast series dedicated to helping lawn and landscape contractors attract more of the RIGHT customers to Increase Profits + Enjoy A Better Lifestyle. Hosted by Amazon best-selling author, keynote speaker, and Ramblin Jackson CEO Jack Jostes, this show is packed full of the latest green industry sales, marketing, and business trends to keep your business growing in the right direction.

  1. 1H AGO

    How to Grow Your Landscape Business Without Sacrificing Your Marriage

    In this episode of The Landscaper’s Guide Podcast, Jack Jostes interviews Erika and Justin Mathis of Mathis Landscapes in Glenville, North Carolina. From buying the family business to building a high-end design/build company, the Mathis team shares what it really takes to grow sustainably—without burning out your marriage or your team. They discuss qualifying better clients, talking about budget earlier, investing in marketing for the first time, and why transparency builds trust. You’ll also hear how they’re learning to protect their relationship while working together, plus leadership insights from NALP Elevate that are shaping their next chapter of growth. You’ll Learn: Why publishing pricing ranges can help you qualify better leadsHow to talk about budget earlier without scaring prospects awayPractical ways to protect your marriage while running a business togetherThe importance of gratitude and leadership culture in scalingWhy hiring a coach can accelerate growth and reduce stressConnect With Today’s Guest: 🌳 Mathis Landscapes: https://www.mathislandscapes.com/ 🏢 mathislandscapes Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide: 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    21 min

  2. FEB 13

    Did ChatGPT Eat Google’s Lunch?

    Has AI changed how homeowners and commercial property managers find landscape companies? In this solo episode, Jack Jostes shares a real story from his own home renovation disaster — a leaking dishwasher, asbestos discovery, insurance requirements, and two wildly different proposals. Instead of guessing which contractor to hire, Jack used ChatGPT to compare bids and generate smart follow-up questions. What happened next reveals exactly how customers are researching and buying in 2026. You’ll hear what the data actually says about Google vs. AI search, what’s changed inside search results pages, and where landscape companies should focus their marketing this year to keep attracting high-value customers. You’ll Learn: How homeowners are using AI to compare contractor proposalsWhether AI is actually replacing Google searchWhat AI Overviews mean for your website trafficWhy fewer people are clicking search results — and what to do about itWhere landscape companies should focus their marketing in 2026 Connect With Jack Jostes 🌳 Ramblin Jackson: https://ramblinjackson.com 👤 Connect with Jack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackjostes/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackjostes/ Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events Schedule a 15-Minute Marketing Brainstorm at https://landscapersguide.com/brainstorm

    8 min

  3. FEB 6

    How to Get More Google Reviews, Handle Negative Feedback, and Respond to Every Review

    In this live Q&A session, Jack Jostes answers real-world questions from landscape business owners, straight from the stage. The conversation focuses on one of the most common challenges contractors face: getting consistent Google reviews, especially from maintenance clients, without feeling awkward or pushy. You’ll hear practical guidance on handling negative reviews the right way, whether employees should leave reviews, and how to use review feedback to build trust with future customers. If you want a clearer, more confident approach to reviews and reputation, this episode delivers tactical advice you can use immediately. You’ll Learn How to ask maintenance clients for Google reviews without hurting the relationshipWhy responding to every review builds trust and improves conversionsWhen negative reviews actually help your marketing instead of hurting itWhere employee reviews belong and where they do notConnect With Jack Jostes 🌳 Ramblin Jackson: https://ramblinjackson.com/ 👤 Connect with Jack Jostes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackjostes/ 📸 https://www.instagram.com/jackjostes/ 🏢 https://www.instagram.com/ramblinjackson/ Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    14 min

  4. JAN 30

    From Radio DJ to Green Industry Problem Solver: How PermaGreen Keeps Crews Productive

    Brian Middleton didn’t start his career in the green industry. For more than 20 years, he was a well-known radio DJ in one of the biggest markets in the country. Today, he’s the Head of Technical Support at PermaGreen, helping lawn and landscape companies keep their crews productive, profitable, and moving. In this episode, Brian and Jack talk about what really happens when equipment goes down in the field, why fast, human support still matters in an AI-driven world, and how smarter equipment choices can reduce burnout, lower employee turnover, and improve quality of life for crews. If your business depends on efficiency, reliability, and keeping your people running strong all season, this conversation hits home. You’ll Learn Why equipment downtime costs more than just repair dollarsHow riding equipment can reduce crew burnout and turnoverWhere AI fits into tech support and where humans still winHow PermaGreen designs support systems around real-world field problems Connect With Today’s Guest 🌳 PermaGreen: https://permagreen.com/ 👤 Connect with Brian Middleton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-middleton-48862b344/ 📸 PermaGreen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/permagreenspreadersprayers/ 🏢 PermaGreen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gopermagreen/ Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    11 min

  5. JAN 26

    Brand Your Landscape Sales Process Webinar with Jack Jostes & Robert Felton Thursday 1/29/2026!

    https://landscapersguide.com/brand-your-sales-process-to-get-the-owner-out-of-sales-with-jack-jostes-and-robert-felton/ Brand Your Sales Process To Get The Owner Out of Sales - with Jack Jostes and Robert Felton Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 10:00 to 11:00 AM MT Location: Virtual on Zoom Investment: FREE In this workshop, Ramblin Jackson CEO Jack Jostes and Director of Client Strategy Robert Felton will share what they've learned working with 300+ landscape companies to help you: Increase your close rate which will save you massive time Create a repeatable process that attracts both customers AND employees... Free up your time to grow the business Set your business up to grow, scale - and be even more sellable Ready to grow and scale your business?

    2 min

  6. JAN 23

    When Firing Clients Protects Your Team and Increases Profit

    In this episode of The Landscaper’s Guide Podcast, Jack Jostes sits down with Abe Faria, General Manager of CMS Landscape (Chris Mark and Sons) in Massachusetts, a multi-generation landscape company that’s been operating since 1973. Abe shares how CMS has grown to over 50 employees by making hard—but strategic—decisions about who they serve and how they protect their team. You’ll hear a candid conversation about identifying toxic or misaligned clients, the internal process CMS uses to evaluate them, and how the “Better Served By Others” (BSBO) framework helps preserve employee morale, improve service quality, and increase profitability. This episode is a must-listen for landscape and snow business owners who feel stretched thin, overworked, or trapped serving the wrong customers. You’ll Learn: What “Better Served By Others” really means—and when to use itHow toxic or misaligned clients impact morale and productivityA practical process for evaluating whether a client should stay or goHow firing clients can actually improve service and profitabilityWhy focusing on your best clients solves staffing and growth problems Connect With Today’s Guest: 🌳 CMS Landscape (Chris Mark and Sons): https://cmslandscape.com/ 👤 Connect with Abe Faria: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abram-faria-01aab81ba/ 📸 Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmslandscape/ 🏢 Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmslandscape/ Email: abe@chrismarkandsons.com   Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide: 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    27 min

  7. JAN 16

    Three Landscape Leaders On Sales, Pricing, And Protecting Their Teams

    What actually separates high-performing landscape companies from everyone else isn’t luck, leads, or even talent — it’s how they handle sales, pricing, and client qualification. In this episode of The Landscaper’s Guide Podcast, Jack Jostes sits down in the Ramblin Jackson studio with the three finalists for the 2025 Landscape Leader Of The Year Award. These owners flew in from across the country to participate in a live event, mastermind together, and share what they’re learning as they grow mature, professional landscape companies. The conversation dives into real-world lessons around qualifying leads, saying no to bad-fit clients, pricing transparency, speed to lead, and protecting teams from burnout. If you’re tired of price shoppers, wasted estimates, stressed crews, and sales that feel unpredictable, this episode offers practical insight from peers who are actively fixing those problems in their own businesses. You’ll Learn Why saying “no” to the wrong clients protects your team and profitabilityHow pricing guides and websites can pre-qualify better leadsWhat top landscape leaders do differently during sales conversationsHow faster follow-up dramatically improves close ratesWhy presenting proposals beats emailing them every time Connect With Today’s Guests 🌳 Buckhead Landscape & Design: https://buckheadlandscapedesign.com/ 👤 Stuart Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-ward-a918522/  🌳 Tri Valley Landscape: https://trivalleylandscapellc.com/ 👤 Dominick DePadre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominick-depadre-a33456337/ 👤 Diana DePadre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-depadre-a45459337/  🌳 Dutchies Stoneworks: https://www.dutchiesstoneworks.com/ 👤 Michael Fisher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fisher-2321922a0/  See the 2025 Landscape Leader of the Year: Stuart Ward’s Proven Sales Process for Scaling Profitably presentation https://landscapersguide.com/landscape-leader-of-the-year-stuart-ward/  Get Started With The Landscaper’s Guide 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    43 min

  8. JAN 9

    Elevating Careers In The Green Industry With Pam Berrios

    Pam Berrios has spent nearly three decades in the green industry—and she’s on a mission to elevate the people who power it. In this episode of The Landscaper’s Guide Podcast, Jack Jostes sits down with Pam to talk about career pathways, leadership development, and why investing in field-level team members is the single most important move landscape companies can make. Pam shares her experience as a former landscape company owner, her work training Spanish-speaking crews across the country, and how leadership, language, and genuine care can transform hourly jobs into lifelong careers. They also discuss how AI and translation tools are beginning to bridge communication gaps—without replacing the human relationships that truly drive retention and growth. You’ll Learn Why many field employees don’t see landscaping as a long-term career—and how to change thatHow leadership training can prevent new managers from failing after promotionWays AI and translation tools are helping connect crews and managersWhy relationship-building matters more than technology as companies scaleHow representation and mentorship elevate the entire industry Connect with Pam Berrios 🌳 Infinity Group: https://elevate123.net/ 👤 Connect with Pam Berrios: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamBerrios 📸 Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamberriostraining/ Get Started With Landscapers Guide 🎧 Watch the full episode + read the transcript: https://landscapersguide.com/podcast/ 🥓 Tell us where to send your beef jerky: https://landscapersguide.com/toolbox 📅 See upcoming live and virtual events: https://landscapersguide.com/events

    13 min
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5
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14 Ratings

About

The Landscaper’s Guide To Sales and Marketing is a weekly video and podcast series dedicated to helping lawn and landscape contractors attract more of the RIGHT customers to Increase Profits + Enjoy A Better Lifestyle. Hosted by Amazon best-selling author, keynote speaker, and Ramblin Jackson CEO Jack Jostes, this show is packed full of the latest green industry sales, marketing, and business trends to keep your business growing in the right direction.

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