While the folks at the Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association are putting together focus groups to find out "Why People Don't Buy Plants From Us" The Arizona Nursery Association figures to heck with focus groups. We know what the public needs. They need to be told to "Plant Something". According to the website of the Association, "ANA received a USDA Specialty Crop Grant this last year to promote the nursery industry. To do this, ANA is working with Park & Co., professional advertising firm, to develop a state wide campaign promoting planting and the benefits that go along with it. The campaign debuted at the 2010 Earth Day celebration."
According to The Park & Co. website the campaign is "a fun, semi-radical campaign that sows new perspectives on the importance of greenery into the minds of Arizonans." Semi-radical? That's what the trade needs right now, "semi-radical" action. I am not even sure if those two words can go together. Well, The Arizona Nurseries paid good money for it, so it must make sense.
Our trade is adrift. What amazes me is after all the talk we have had concerning social media these groups continue to attempt the "old-school" method of trying to reach everyone, including people who just don't want to "plant something". What we really need to do is focus on our current customers, and allow them the tools to help spread our message.
Check out this list of participating nurseries.