Free yourself to think more clearly

The future of the garden and gardening is malleable and not a given. As such the future of the garden center, garden shop, or whatever we wish to call it is open to a myriad of possibilities. The old order seems to be dying, and a new one has yet to emerge. I suggest there is no one “new order” to arise, but many, many choices available.

It’s this change that frightens us. Will everyone shop only at box stores and their kind? Is the future of gardening businesses just to get bigger and bigger? We hear that one way to be successful in this field is to serve food, or coffee along with our plant offerings. Some stores have found success doing this, while others have not. We are also told that to be successful in this new world we must have attendant business attached to our business. How can we possibly appeal to the new generation of gardeners is we don’t offer more and more choices when they arrive at our store? How can we not offer free Wi-Fi or QR codes to scan? Will everyone simply buy online, leaving the physical store behind?

It’s so difficult to predict the future of gardening, and the gardening related businesses. Everything is possible, and without a guidepost we feel lost and unsure how to proceed. When I started in the business the path “seemed” clearer. Now it would seem we have so many different paths that can be followed. Which is the correct one that will lead to our ability to stay in business and thrive? There is no lack of well meaning people, publications, and organizations ready to help. Who do we listen to?

It seems that with The Internet the amount of information increases daily. You get what you focus on, and with so much “information” coming your way, how can you focus? My suggestion is to limit how much information you digest on any given day. You might think you’ll miss something important if you don’t receive all that information. What if the “future of gardening” is published and you’re the last to find out? Someone else will reap the benefits, and leave you in the dust.

I suggest that you turn off much if not most of that noise. I have cancelled most of my subscriptions to well meaning newsletters, and publications. Not that someone else won’t enjoy them and reap benefits. I find for myself, focusing on a much smaller diet of “positive news” makes a huge difference. There is so much negativity all around that it might seem impossible, but it’s not. This includes The Internet, which can be one of the biggest time sucks there is. Interestingly, when I turned off 90% of “The News” I found that my “online time” shrunk to about 10% of what I had been spending with it before. My outlook has improved and I don’t feel lost or left out. Pick your “trusted resources”, and turn off the others. You’ll free up your mind to focus on what’s really important. You won’t miss a thing and you just might discover the proper path for you follow.

The customer as "garden celebrity"

I receive Green Profit Magazine, published by Ball Publishing. It's a trade journal for people involved in the garden businesses. The last issue contained a article titled, "Get to Know the Garden Celebrities" in which we are introduced to 6 "personalities". According to Green Profit, "Knowing these garden gurus appearing on television, online, and in books and magazines can help you serve your customers and better meet their needs. Green Profit asked a few for their take on gardening and how the garden centers and gardening personalities can work together."

P. Allen Smith, "garden and lifestyle expert..."sums up the point of the article when asked what retailers can do to harness these personalities powerful brand. " The first step to bridge the gap is for retailers to carry the products and plants that personalities are using and endorsing. Manufacturers and breeders have national marketing programs that retailers can tap into. This gives the retailer the benefit of having a better idea of what is going to be promoted. For instance, my Platinum Collection of plants with Proven Winners is being promoted 24/7 through all of our media platforms."

Interestingly enough an article was written for the same publication in February of this year. Written by Merrideth  Jiles, general manager of The Great Outdoors in Austin Texas it's titled, "The New Trendsetters". In that post Merrideth say's, "Step back five or more years. Close to 100% of the trends in gardening were being set by our industry. National trends were presented on television by the Marthas, Jamies and P. Allens, or maybe an inspired set designed for a TV or movie studio. You could also see them in the latest issue of 'Better Southern Home & Fine Garden Living.'”

He continues, "Today, with tablet ownership estimated at 25% and sometimes even higher (I’m sure it’s higher for our target demographic!), garden trends are coming from all over the place. Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, the list grows every day. And don’t forget all the Garden Bloggers. The biggest difference? It’s not Martha or Jamie or P. Allen out there trending. It’s artists, homemakers and many of the afore-mentioned screwballs that are sharing their ideas and creations for the home and garden with an online community."

So I ask the folks at Green Profit,  which advice do we follow? Follow and do as the "personalities" tell us, or follow and do as our "customers" tell us?

The new IGC Marketplace

Want to join others who are changing the way business is done in horticulture? The new IGC Marketplace on Facebook is a closed group for vendors to share what they have, and IGC owners & staffers to ask for what they need. It's not mean to take away from the various trade shows available, but rather to enhance the possibilities for members. The rules are simple at The IGC Marketplace.

1. Products posted must be garden related (no iPods, shoes, etc.)

2. Don't post pricing. We don't want issues with price fixing. Haggle that part out via private message.

Well, that seems simple. It's a place to meet, see whats available, and make contacts. If your a vendor be sure to get on the vendor list so potential customers can learn more about you.

Since it's a closed group everyone taking part is identified, which makes it a brighter, friendlier place to do business. No spam, no anonymous posts, no pressure, and no travel.

To change the world, go here.

Why do we make social media so complicated?

I want to share a post done by one of the members of our IGC&N (Independent Garden Centers & Nurseries Group.) By the way, our group now has 287 members, and is growing every day! Ian Barclay, owner of The Desert Northwest and author of a blog by the same name wrote a great post on how not to use social media for your garden center or nursery. He writes about one garden center where he posted on their Facebook page, only to find his post's deleted, twice. Now if the garden center in question found a post that was derogatory or demeaning then I certainly could understand it being removed. His post's we're not, and when a garden center does that it shows they are not very open to having a conversation with people, but rather they are trying to control the message. These day's that doesn't work, but some garden centers, nurseries, and garden media continue with the illusion. I am concerned that some horticultural enterprises, who are jumping into the social media bandwagon, are following the wrong advice. Often this advice comes from the very people who tout them selves as social media experts.

There are no social media experts! Just people who have figured out how to use the various platforms available. Sure someone can tell you to push this or that button, or here is how to turn on this or that feature with Facebook or Twitter. But social media experts? I'm not a social media expert. I am a garden center owner that has figured out how to use some of the platforms available to get the word out.  What you do with  it after that is up to you. Do I need someone to tell me how to start conversation? No.

Simply being a IGC (Independent Garden Center) does not make you better than the local box stores. There a plenty of IGC's that don't get it, as Ian in his post points out. Why wouldn't an honest nursery, with honest advice not want to start a dialog about what they are recommending with Ian? Because they are trying to control the message. It doesn't work that way anymore. If your garden center or nursery that's get "it", and you want to hang with others that do, we have a community of like minded people here. Come join us.