06 AprChange your words – Change your Success

This Spring, you, as growers and retailers will launch and communicate various different promotions this spring through signage, direct mail, emails and social media posts designed to promote new products, and the many benefits of gardening and landscaping. It is important to remember that you need to look at the message you are presenting through the consumers’ eyes. What is in it for them? You need to make an emotional connection with the consumer to make them want and to use your products to meet their perceived needs to improve their surroundings.

08 JulAdults Over 65 Becoming More Tech-Savvy

Did you know that more than half of U.S. adults over the age of 65 are now online. A recent report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that in the past year, the growth rate of older Americans using the Internet, email and social media has continued to grow rapidly.

Among other important stats, the study shows over 53% of adults over age 65 now use the Internet or Email, 70% say the go online everyday, and 34% of seniors are also accessing and using social media sites.

30 AprPictures are worth a thousand words

Pinterest continues to be a hot topic this spring. Many garden centers and growers are starting to use Pinterest as part of their spring marketing plan. It is not too late to get started inspiring consumers with Pinterest yet this spring. Below is a link to an article that can give you some helpful tips [...]

29 DecAre You Listening to What Your Customers Really Want?

I came across this article by Mark Cuban last week. It does a great job of reinforcing that if you want to be an industry leader and improve your sales and profits, you need to provide innovative solutions instead of just incremental improvements. This where I think many Ornamental Horticulture suppliers miss an important point. We forget our ultimate customer is the consumer who makes decisions to buy plants on how they fill their perceived emotional needs, as ornamental plants are not a necessity in people’s lives.