The latest issue of GrowerTalks has a brief article suggesting that In-Store Marketing can be more effective at reaching consumers than traditional advertising methods outside of retail locations. Citing BrandWeek: among customers 32% said in-store marketing was very effective while 27% said the same about ads outside of stores.

 

Within stores, end-of-aisle displays are the most engaging for 70% of consumers, while 62% respond to merchandising displays and 58% to department signage. Ceiling banners and overhead mobiles had the least impact among consumers, according to Brandweek.

 

Understanding what methods best reach consumers and potentially influence their decisions is crucial for retailers. Garden centers also potentially can save funds by spending their marketing dollars only on the most effective methods.

 Tidbits from John Stanley's latest newsletter:

 

    Most companies lose 45-50% of customers every 5 years

 

John Stanley is presenting its first live, interactive webinar on Thursday, March 11, 2010 to discuss Customer Service.

Topics will include:

 

Link here to register.  There is a $45 cost for the one hour webinar.

Cornell University's latest IPM Newsletter for Ornamentals talks about greenhouse diseases to keep watch for - and approaches to control.

 

Access UW-Madison's Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic here. 

 

UW Madison's Herbaceous Ornamental Fact Sheets are here. 

 

An on-line article from Washington State University outlines how retail garden centers can compete with the big box stores. Areas where you can complete include Plant Selection, Larger plants, Niche marketing, Personal Service and add-on products.

 

Quoting from the final paragraph of the article:

 

Advertising costs money and it can be difficult to decide just how much should be done.  But, when major companies are doing national advertising, and you are carrying their products it behooves a business to make the connection between the national campaign and your own business.

 

Burpee will be doing fourteen full-age ads throughout 2010 in magazines such as Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Health and Parents. These ads will begin in April.  Make those ads "local" by building on them in-store.

 

Proven Winners continues with their massive advertising campaign (CNN, HGTV, The Weather Channel, and PBS as well as Better Homes and Gardens, Gardening Basics, Good Housekeeping, Midwest Living and Northern Gardening) Businesses carrying their plants might as well use that advertising to benefit themselves. 

 

Using some "as seen in" end cap displays can bring to mind information the customer has seen in full color elsewhere but can purchase locally.