Sales made Simple for Outdoor Living Pros, Landscapers and Hardscapers (formerly Outerspaces) Why “Impressing” Homeowners Is the Worst Sales Strategy w/ Jon Valenta from General Pavingstones
Jan 7, 2026
Jon Valenta, a hardscaping expert and owner of General Pavingstones, shares his transformative journey after embracing sales training, which boosted his close rate from 30% to nearly 90%. He discusses the pitfalls of free designs and the importance of qualifying clients early to avoid wasting time. Valenta emphasizes the power of listening to customer needs over technical jargon, fostering relationships over mere transactions, and how consistent sales processes can lead to improved job satisfaction and efficient business practices.
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Don't Give Away Detailed Designs
- Charge or qualify before doing detailed designs to avoid wasted time and energy.
- Require a deposit or verbal agreement before producing full proposals or 3D designs.
Training Raised Close Rate Dramatically
- Jon went from closing 3/10 to roughly 8–10/10 after joining ongoing sales training.
- Training freed his time and reduced work on tire-kickers so he could focus on qualified clients.
Designing Blind Ignores Client Budget
- Designing without discussing budget means you design for your idea, not the client's needs or budget.
- That mismatch creates high rates of 'we'll think about it' and wasted effort.