Sales made Simple for Outdoor Living Pros, Landscapers and Hardscapers (formerly Outerspaces) Why Hardscapers Lose Projects When They Skip This Simple Rule w/ Jon Valenta from General Pavingstones
Apr 8, 2026
Jon Valenta, a hardscaping pro from General Pavingstones with hands-on field and sales experience. He discusses why meeting only one decision maker kills deals. Short, practical rules about involving both partners early. Tips on handling disagreements, enforcing a joint-decision policy, and protecting your schedule.
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Why Single Decision Maker Meetings Fail
- Selling to only one homeowner drastically reduces your close rate on multifaceted projects.
- Joshua and Jon call these leads "one-leggers" (the excited 'bird dog' without the 'banker'), causing many designs and proposals to go unopened.
Require Both Decision Makers For Big Jobs
- Require both decision makers for design projects, especially above $25,000, and pause discovery until both are present.
- Joshua says his team won't start discovery for big projects unless both partners attend, even if it means losing the lead.
Pull The Quiet Partner Into The Conversation
- Actively include the quieter decision maker during meetings by directly inviting their input.
- Jon recommends looking at the quiet person and asking them specific questions so they open up and reveal hidden objections or needs.
