In the field, electrical contractors, lighting specialists and building contractors are often asked to perform tasks above and beyond their usual duties, like installing or recommending outdoor lighting. Asked often enough, these simple requests could translate into extra income and possibly a launching pad for expanding their current business or starting a new, lucrative one. This may be an opportunity for anyone with an electrical contracting background who is in the employ of someone else but is looking to start off on their own, and enjoy the artistic freedom that comes from being self-employed.

Electrical contractor Glen Barry of Newburgh, New York recently realized this opportunity. After completing several outdoor lighting jobs for a landscaping contractor, the landscaper suggested to Glen that he engage in outdoor lighting as a full-time business. He took the advice to heart and the result was Glen’s new business—Hudson Valley Night Effects, LLC.

“I have always wanted to run my own business and have been thinking about it for years,” comments Barry. “My business goals are not just to be profitable, that goes without question, but also to provide the highest quality workmanship.”

After examining numerous independent contracting opportunities offered by other manufacturers, Barry decided on Nightscaping, a pioneer and leader in low-voltage outdoor lighting for over 40 years.

“When I spoke to the company’s representatives, they were very open and eager to get me started using their products,” Glen says. “They had a regional representative get back to me right away, finding out about my company, my goals, and what I wanted to do. We started working together and it was more like a partnership—they were as eager to see me succeed as I was.”

Glen also found that he didn’t need to “buy in” to the product line as one would with a franchise, or commit to a sales goal—the company was simply interested in getting him up and running, with no further obligation.

Since starting up, the business has taken off extremely well, and the support hasn’t stopped. In the short time Glen has been in business, he has performed several high-end residential jobs, and has just landed a high-end commercial job as well. His income has already increased over 30 percent.

“They even came out to my first couple jobs with me,” Glen says. “They were with me when I provided the estimate to the customer, and walked me through the job step-by-step. They treat me more like a partner not just another contractor, and it’s been really great.”

The company’s focus on quality, both through their service, support and their products, was another major deciding factor for Glen. “I tried to match up my work ethics and my attention to quality to a vendor,” he says. “This was a good match up to my business ethics.”

The company’s assistance to Glen in getting him up and running isn’t unique—for them, it’s the normal run of business. “Nightscaping’s strength and our lifeblood is the contractor,” says Doug Alderman, Nightscaping’s southern region manager. “I used to be a contractor myself, as have all our representatives. Our goal is to show contractors the opportunity and the profits they can make, which is why we work so closely with each of them, one-on-one.”

Alderman finds that in dealing with contractors new to outdoor lighting, one of the prime concerns they have is their lack of education in outdoor lighting design. The company will fully educate a contractor in this area, and in any other aspect the contractor needs, all as part of their service to get the contractor’s business rolling. “We’ve very hands-on,” Alderman adds. “We’ll go out and help the contractor meet with the client, design the job, order the materials, and even go back out and help him install his first job or two.”

The company’s assistance continues further into the contractor’s expansion by instruction on marketing and portfolio development. In addition, they help the contractor implement service maintenance agreements and relay the importance of highlighting past jobs as promotion, and other elements of the business.

“One thing we’re not trying to do is make salespeople out of our contractors,” says Alderman. “We want them to sell their own business, establish a base and most importantly become industry experts. That’s one reason we make multiple tools available to them. We even provide design templates they can follow.”

In addition, partners also receive assistance with their own marketing tools including brochures and press releases. Other aids available include Information on Demand, shared information from the experience of a pro, CDs on a wide range of products and techniques, basic seminars, which are half and full-day workshops to introduce products and techniques, a specialized computer drawing program called DynaSCAPE3, and even a regular invitation-only event called Nightscaping University. Information on all of these can be found on the company’s web site and are available in Spanish.

Nightscaping’s dedication to their partners can also be demonstrated in the dedication and longevity of their partners.

Dave Kelly is a contractor and Nightscaping partner in the Houston, Texas area, and president of his own company, Aurora Lighting. He’s been working with the company over 25 years, and his loyalty is also due to the company’s back-up. “In terms of support, their products, and their warranties, they’re the best in my opinion,” he says. “They’ve always been there for me, no matter what I needed. I have gotten free samples from just about every manufacturer out there, and I’ve never found anything that stands up to it product-wise, not to mention their customer service and warranty. So I’ve stayed with them throughout the years.”

The company’s leadership position and product quality speaks for itself—the majority of Dave’s business comes from referrals from previous customers. And his existing business has continued steadily through maintenance—replacement of lamps, cleaning of fixtures, adjusting of lighting as landscaping grows and changes, and the fixing of lines when cut into by gardeners.

In addition, the company name is often sought on the Internet by homeowners searching for high-quality outdoor lighting. They list partners on their web site, and forward any leads to them. “That’s been a big help,” Dave says. “People go on the web site and see me as a preferred contractor, so they know I know the product and how to install it properly.”

To any electrical contractor who hasn’t investigated outdoor lighting as a possibility, Doug Alderman says, “The time has never been better. Don’t continue to let outdoor lighting continue to go down the street to your competitors. Let us show you how.”

It’s clear that a company such as Nightscaping offers a substantial business advantage to electrical contractors with their focus on quality, training and support.

Established in 1958 by Bill Locklin, Nightscaping® has been solely focused on providing the best, most dependable, technically superior quality outdoor lighting systems to customers across the globe. For more information on becoming a contractor call (800) 544-4840 or visit www.nightscaping.com.

Bruce Boyers is a freelance writer located in Glendale, California