How to Use Landscape Design to Win Bigger Projects, Better Clients, and Higher Margins
Details About Episode
Most landscaping companies don’t have a design problem.
They have a design process problem.
- Projects start too quickly.
- Clients aren’t fully clear on what they want.
- And teams end up reacting instead of leading.
The result?
- Smaller projects than they should be
- Price-sensitive or indecisive clients
- Scope changes, stress, and lower margins
What if design wasn’t just a deliverable… but your most powerful sales tool?
In this live webinar, you’ll learn how to use landscape design to:
- Win bigger, higher-value projects
- Attract better clients who trust your process
- Increase margins by reducing confusion and change orders
- Structure your design process for growth (in-house, outsourced, or hybrid)
What You’ll Learn:
1. Why Most Landscape Projects Start Off on the Wrong Foot
-The biggest mistake contractors make in early conversations
-Why clients don’t actually know what they want (and what to do about it)
-How poor design structure leads to smaller jobs and more stress
2. How to Use Design as a Sales Process (Not Just Drawings)
-Why the best designers think like salespeople
-How better questions lead to better projects
-How to create stronger client buy-in before you ever present a quote
“Design and sales are the same thing — curiosity, questions, and problem-solving.”
3. In-House vs Outsourced Design — Which Is Right for You?
The pros and cons of each model
4. The Design Process That Leads to Bigger Projects How to uncover what clients actually want (not just what they ask for)
-Why experiential questions change everything
-How to design full projects — even when clients plan to build in phases
5. Real Examples of Increasing Project Size
How a simple deck project turned into a much larger opportunity
Why better discovery leads to multi-phase projects
How design naturally increases budget (without “selling harder”)
-Learn specific questions you can use immediately
-How to talk investment rather than budget
Trent Brown has spent the past 15 years in the landscape industry, starting behind a shovel and working his way through the construction side of the business before becoming Lead Designer for one of the most prominent landscape construction companies in the Lower Mainland.
That hands-on experience gave him a unique perspective — not just on how landscapes are built, but on why so many projects fall short before they even begin.
Along the way, Trent noticed a consistent problem: most homeowners feel completely overwhelmed when it comes to designing their outdoor space. They either don’t know where to start, or they’re flooded with so many ideas and inspiration that they struggle to make confident decisions.
That realization led him to start Ground Break Design, where he developed his OASIS Method — a structured design process that helps homeowners and contractors create clear, intentional plans that lead to better projects, smoother builds, and higher client satisfaction.
Today, Trent works both in-house with leading landscape companies and as an outsourced design partner, giving him a rare, real-world perspective on how different design models impact sales, operations, and growth.
He is the author of “Taking Your Yard From Overwhelm to Oasis” and a regular speaker at Home and Garden Shows across Canada, with features on Global TV and in The Vancouver Sun.
Known for his curiosity and ability to connect with people, Trent brings a thoughtful, practical approach to design — one that helps uncover what clients truly want and turns that into spaces where they can connect with the things and people they love.