27 AugAre You Marketing Where Your Customers Are?

A new survey recently revealed that people are on Facebook 4 times a day on average. So 400 million users check their Facebook 4 or more times day. Another 200 million check it at least once and up to 3 times a day. How many of your customers do you think will look at or visit any of your other marketing efforts with that kind on frequency? Facebook is a great tool to inspire your customers, provide timely advice, show new products, promote seminars, highlight community activities and much more. In short, it allows you to interact with your customers on a personal level even when they are not in your store.

If you don’t have a Facebook page yet or a plan on how and when to market your products through it, now is the time to start. There are three reasons to get stared now. 1) Your customers are there frequently. 2) You competitors are there. 3) If you are not there, your customers are going to interact with your competitors. The fact is, Facebook is no longer a nice to have, it is a necessity.

30 JulThe Customer of the Future

The Customer of the Future
It was at a seminar in Austin, Texas back in about 1994 or 1995 that I first saw the Internet unveiled. The presentation did not go smoothly, and the demonstration of its capabilities was slow and awkward. I remember thinking at the time, if they can ever get this thing to work the way it is described, this will really change the face of the way consumers get their information, and the way companies market to customers and we communicate with each other.

Fast forward about 18 years, WOW it is more than I ever imagined it could be. The article below recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal, and talks about some of the capabilities and advancement we may see in the next 10 years that will again change peoples lives. As marketers, we should continue to be aware of the changes taking place in technology and our society. These type of advancements create opportunities for us to interact at a closer level with consumers and help them improve their lives by taking better advantage of the products we offer.

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 [...]

19 NovInspiring Change

Last week I wrote about the tremendous opportunity that todays economic situation provides for the green industry. While reviewing some trade articles, I came a across the article below by Danny Summers a longtime industry veteran and friend. Danny’s article talks about inspiring change to create opportunities for the future. He echos the same thoughts, that we must make positive changes in the way our businesses communicate and inspire consumers if we are to take advantage of our future growth potential. I think you will enjoy reading Danny’s article.

11 NovOpportunity is Knocking

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Albert Einstein

Many companies have struggled in the turbulence of the passing recession because they assumed our industry would be as recession proof as it had in the past. That approach bred overconfidence, which probably led to a postponement of needed corrections, which only made the struggles worse. Many companies have been forced to leave the industry as a result of these financial struggles.