How can the small nursery businesses benefit from the proliferation of social media? Contacts are being made across borders between small businesses and their customers. This cross pollination has huge potential. There is also a cross pollination going on between garden centers. While we all know, or are learning the importance of social media between business and its customers, what I find interesting is the back and forth going on between nurseries and garden centers. A garden center owner starts a Facebook page and worries about what she should post. Another want's to know what it is about drive-by's, why the don't stop and come in, and even more important, does this happen to other garden centers? (yes, it does). What about that new vendor that just seems a little to good to be true. Anyone else dealt with them?There are all sorts of concerns and ideas that we could share.
At one time that cross pollination was done at social gatherings like nursery industry meetings. That’s still being done, but for a lot of smaller businesses it’s hard to always make those meetings. In addition we can now broaden our horizons to include fellow businesses many, many miles away. That nursery in Ireland has a great idea that could be implemented right here. To that end I created a new Facebook page, Independent Garden Centers and Nurseries. I like Facebook and the way you can catch up on much of your social networking all on one site. Now you can discuss issues with other nursery people and no one else. Not because others don’t have important issues to discuss with independent nurseries, but as an owner, manager, assistant manager, or nurseryperson sometimes I just want to talk to others in my situation. While there are many allied businesses and people important to a successful operation, this is not the forum for that. If you are a member of those allied professions we have a group for that at LinkedIn. The group is called Garden Centers, Nurseries, and New Media and can be found here. The group has over 900 members and is growing. Stop by and see if you would like to get involved. We love, and cannot get along without our allies in the garden businesses, but this time it's just for nursery people. It is also just for independent garden centers and nurseries. No box stores, chain stores, member only warehouses, and those who service them.
If you want to meet with other garden center, and nursery professionals why not join our Facebook page here? Our discussions will be private, and only viewed by members. This could be the beginning of something great for your business, and mine.