Recently we posted several articles about “collective marketing,” the whole idea of having an industry-wide “got milk?” type of campaign. The general conclusion these posts arrived at was that such an initiative would simply not work as we currently define it.
But rather than give up, OpenHort has 3 ideas that can change the green industry. Here they are:
Play to our strengths.
One of the major reasons “collective marketing” won’t work is because the industry is so fragmented…regionally, climatically, horticulturally…the list goes on. As the ANLA posted on the Knowledge Center Facebook page last week, “efforts…were always harmed by the industry’s diversity and fears that “flower growers would benefit more than tree growers,” or… “what if promotion peaks during Minnesota’s spring but I’m in Georgia?””
Instead of fighting an uphill battle, what if we played to this strength, in fact seeking to increase the diversity? OpenHort envisions a future with many more people actively selling plants for a living. We see an opportunity to form an army of individuals advancing the same cause: getting people excited about plants. It is our belief that the biggest change we can effect is through an emerging but ignored sector of the industry: the personal garden coach.
Huh? What is a “personal garden coach?” You’re probably already aware of the phenomenon of the “personal trainer” for fitness. A large percentage of Americans have the desire to get in shape, but not the knowledge or the drive to do it alone. Gardening and landscaping are very similar. Many homeowners and potential gardeners do not have the first idea how to get started. Our industry has made success very complicated for the average person with an average interest in plants
We have given the American consumer two options: call a landscape contractor and they will come to your house with a truck full of Mexicans or go to a garden center and blindly pick out plants as best you can. Trucks or shelves. Take your pick. [This is perhaps THE KEY insight we can offer, and we will visit it again. Trucks or shelves.]
Could it be that our sales are flat or declining not because people don’t care for plants but because they don’t particularly like the solutions we offer them? What if they don’t want trucks or shelves? What if they want a person to help them?
The third option is beginning to take root already. There are landscapers finding that their target customers are choking at $30,000+ landscape quotes, but eager to pay for a multi-year project done in stages. There are garden centers finding that the people coming through their doors (or not!) are intimidated and lack even a basic understanding of how to select, install and care for plants…but they are willing to pay for “personal shoppers,” to have their hands held and be guided through the life-long process of enhancing their homes with beautiful plants.
It is time for the industry to legitimize and encourage the emerging role of “personal garden coaches” by creating a national certification program. Such a program could bring many hundreds of new professionals into our industry. But existing firms do not have to worry that this will increase competition or shrink the existing pie nor their slice of it.
Retailers can have their staff become certified, and benefit from selling an additional service as well as selling more product. Landscapers, likewise, should not see this as a threat but rather an opportunity, either from offering this level of service themselves or by becoming “subcontractors” for an army of garden coaches out there independently spreading the gospel of gardening.
One objection to this idea: “Certification should be done at the state level.” Another objection: “We already have horticultural certification at the state level.” Take a moment to imagine something different. We imagine it as national in order for it to be more visible, powerful and normal. We imagine it as very different than simply a horticultural knowledge exam. One might know plants, but do they know how to “coach?”
By offering a national certification program, it will encourage this sector to grow tremendously by legitimizing it, professionalizing it, defining it and ensuring that it grows in ways that benefit the industry.
Once this national certification is in place, common or “generic,” easily-customizable sales, marketing and support materials could be developed and deployed via this network.
If you’ll forgive a Christian gospel analogy…instead of relying on converts to somehow show up at church and listen to one single preacher, let’s equip the congregation to go out and make disciples.
That’s our first idea on how to “sell more plants.” We have two more we’re ready to share.
Get creative(s).
The future belongs to the creative class, and its ranks are swelling quickly. The tools and distribution platforms to create and publish creative content have been democratized so greatly in the past 5 years that only the invention of the printing press can compare with the societal impact we will witness. Today, for less than the cost of a used car, a student can obtain the means of making a feature film that can rival Hollywood. With blogs, social media, desktop publishing, apps, mobile computing and video broadcasting platforms, the traditional media gatekeepers have lost their power.
OpenHort believes our industry has a tremendous opportunity before us. We can exploit this change. We can lead it. We can rehabilitate our image and reinvent ourselves faster than we can imagine. We can change the perceived value of plants.
OpenHort encourages every green industry firm to hire a creative. Every grower, garden center and landscaper should make it a priority—right now—to hire a talented multimedia creative producer. Do not look to your current staff to “fill in” like you always have done. And do not out-source the creative process to an expensive, established marketing firm. Hire your own creative.
It doesn’t have to be a full-time position, though that would be ideal. And it doesn’t have to cost a heart-stopping amount. There are many thousands of design and film students, amateurs and semi-professionals willing to work for as little as $10 per hour. True, many are only worth $10 per hour, but now, while the upheaval is still occurring, there are many talented creatives that are undervalued. OpenHort will help you find them by telling you how to advertise, what to look for and how to put them to work.
We want to see a massive infusion of new creative ideas into our industry, and we want OpenHort to be a connector, facilitator and inspiration to these creatives in the green industry. We believe that if as little as 20 firms made the commitment to hire a creative, and to task those creatives with promoting the basic fundamental value of plants…the innovation would be staggering. We would go a long way forward to understanding what we as an industry should focus on to “sell more plants.”
Tell stories.
The way forward is not through clever slogans or slick brands. To focus on these is to get distracted. Slogans and brands are fine and well, so long as they connect emotionally with the people we want to buy more plants. The way to be relevant, the way to engage an audience, the way to move people and inspire them…is nothing new. We must tell stories. We should make it a priority to become world-class storytellers.
Whether it be through recruiting and equipping garden coaches or though finding and hiring creatives, we must make sure that they realize their #1 goal and primary skill should be in telling stories.
OpenHort has a modest proposal to begin a project that will point us forward in how we should tell stories.
We propose to make two documentary-style videos that tell the personal story of a gardener (end consumer) in an emotional and relatable way. The idea is a simple one: have real gardeners explain why they love plants. Not just for the results, but for the whole process. The experience. The lifestyle.
Once the format, tone and style of these videos are established and refined, we can make plans to produce and distribute them in a concerted way. Imagine if in a few years’ time we had 1,000 such videos made. It is possible. Even if the only viewers of these videos were their friends and family, which would happen naturally without paying for network airtime, the number of people impacted with a positive message for gardening would perhaps be close to 1 million. How much would this cost? We don’t know. Perhaps as little as $200k.
This is what we imagine: A garden center asks some of its customers to give testimonials to why they love plants. Depending on the garden center’s unique priority, they could choose the demographic that would most benefit them (GenY or BabyBoomer? Female? Middle-class suburbanite? Urban hipster? Tropical, xeriscape, vegetable?) The “creative” connected with the garden center makes the videos, producing two versions: one that specifically promotes the garden center and another that is generic and able to be used by the entire industry. What could be unleashed if we give voice to those most passionate about our products?
How can we encourage and nurture those with an average or immature interest in plants to pursue this interest further…and in a safe and credible way? We need to make it seem normal to have people talk about plants.
To move forward, OpenHort is asking for help. It is our goal to have 100 individuals contribute $20 to have these two pilot videos produced. It’s not that it will cost us $2,000; we don’t know what it will cost. And we don’t care about the money. OpenHort isn’t about money. We would gladly pay for this ourselves, but this is a test. We are tired of wasting our time. If we can’t convince 100 people to give up 20 bucks freely, without a guarantee that it will ever end up helping their business directly…then the whole concept of “collective marketing” and industry-wide participation in the common goal of selling more plants is…well, never gonna work.
If you’re tired of hearing people say, “We should have a campaign like GotMilk,” but never doing anything to make it happen. If you wish there was something we could do, here’s your baby step. We’re willing to work on this very hard, but we’re not willing to work alone.
In summary, OpenHort proposes that we:
1) Play to our strengths. Lay the groundwork for a massive influx of “personal garden coaches” by creating a national certification program. This would increase diversity and distribute the power and control, but in a way that could allow for common marketing messages.
2) Get creative(s). Encourage and guide all green-industry firms to hire creative individuals from outside the industry, and then put them to work.
3) Tell stories. Donate $20 to OpenHort to produce 2 pilot “Why I Garden” videos. To support us, send me an email: art[at]openhort[dot]com.
We are eager to hear your response to these ideas, and willing to support any others that may be superior. As with everything that OpenHort produces, you are free to use, borrow, improve upon or do anything at all you’d like to do with these ideas. We plan to post them on the blog later this week, so if you have suggestions or comments, please send them our way soon.
Thanks!
Art Parkerson for OpenHort
Art–just to mention—there already is a TRADEMARKED business name, someone you served on the panel at the Town Meeting with, Christina Salwitz, and she has been known as, and blogged as, and runs a business NAMED The Personal Garden Coach. Also, the consensus that I picked up was NOT that the national marketing initiative could not work—just that everyone seems way more concerned that only THEY benefit, and God forbid anyone else should. Oh, and it should cost nothing and show only what they already grow—–except what they already grow might not be working for them right now, but who cares, it’s what I know, damnit and I’m going to continue doing it even though it isn’t working!!!! The naysayers were PRODUCT oriented, and I am convinced that that is NOT what the consumer is looking for, but rather Passion, Excitement, SUCCESS!!! How they see it is very different than how we see it. We need to show the benefits, the enjoyment, and how it adapts to THEIR needs and deliver it in a manner that they can relate to—QR, 2D, video, whatever, but not the way we do it now.
Lloyd!
Thanks for reading and for leaving a comment!
“TRADEMARKED:” is that some sort of cease and desist warning? Of course, Christina Salwitz is a true pioneer and I have thought often about her business NAMED the “personal garden coach(TM) (R) (C).” I also realize many other individuals believe they are already doing the “personal coaching” thing. What I’m saying is: imagine there were 200,000 Christina Salwitzes(TM) across the USA. And imagine they had an industry-backed support network to help them do their job. Maybe this vision disrupts someone’s plans?
I’m certain there is NO consensus about a national marketing initiative or the efficacy of such an endeavor. What I am certain of is we all want to sell more plants at higher margins.
I absolutely agree with you about “passion, excitement and success” and that “how they see it is very different than how we see it.” That’s what I’m getting at with “trucks and shelves.” We (the industry at large) think we’re giving the public what they want, but they have to actually look past all the things we put in the way (trucks and shelves) in order to find what they really want (personal service). Let’s put the personal service out front and center!
I believe we have a story to tell, and its a story that people are dying to hear. They have a deep need for our products and services. I don’t want a counter-productive debate about a “check-off” program to derail our window of opportunity to tell this story. That’s why I have proposed the three steps as an alternative to gridlock.
As always, I really appreciate your insights!
~Art
Landscapers are more than a bunch of Mexicans. Correcting your view point on landscapers may be a good place to start reviving your industry.
It’s not my point of view, Sid. I’m saying that its a common perception from the average homeowner.
Art.
Landscapers should use technology to show their customers a “Before & After” photo image of the finished project, during the sales presentation. People buy what they can see!!!
How do you propose other links in the supply chain (growers & distributors) participate or collaborate on this? Your advice is probably good advice. What is really interesting to OpenHort, and is occupying our thoughts, is how do we work together as an industry? Are there ways that we can help each other while helping ourselves? Is the only way to do this by taxing and spending? Best of luck to Design Imaging Group and thanks for reading and commenting! ~Art
The ‘Green’ building industry is using the term ‘green’ to market their industry very successfully. Add that initiative to your list. Landscapes are green…vital to groundwater recharge, stormwater filtration, moderating temperature, cleaning air, etc..
I really like the garden coach and personal shopper idea. I have placed that suggestion in a mass hardware store suggestion box many times since they opened many many years ago. They are now doing a better job.
Health and wellness and aging are the other big issues in America. What is healthier than gardening and creating a welcoming healthy landscape/garden… I actually have waiting lists for all the community gardens I assist.
Hi Art,
Your article came up in a Google Alert that I have set for Personal Garden Coach. I was thrilled to see your supportive idea and I am of course greatly enthusiastic about this as a way of getting more gardeners excited about buying plants and even more excited about supporting the IGC’s and Growers too.
I have been Garden Coaching for over 20 years. Back in the beginning we were simply called “Consultants”. For many years, it was next to impossible to get ANY nursery to cooperate and work with us in any capacity, no matter how much it was to their benefit.
Now things have changed quite a bit. The turning point was when founder Susan Harris started the first World Wide Directory of Garden Coaches immediately after the New York Times published the first story about our new profession in June of 2007. With the wave of publicity that followed, the directory grew quickly, serving its intended purpose of promoting garden coaches and helping clients find coaches near them.
http://gardencoachdirectory.wetpaint.com/
I was the first to use the name “THE Personal Garden Coach” and my business has been going extremely well since. Many others have copied my name by calling themselves “Personal Garden Coaches” since my original success, rather than simply Garden Coaches. This is flattering, however I would prefer that we not encourage any further infringement on my business name on a National Level. There is already a National Network of Professional Garden Coaches set up.
In support of your idea, I thought that I would outline an example for you of how my business partners with a nursery and a professional landscape company. It’s a pretty simple set up really. 1) I work as a Full/Part Time employee at a nursery. 2) I also have my own business outside of the nursery as THE Personal Garden Coach. 3) I partner with a Professional Landscape Company that is a full service company in their own right.
My clients are acquired through either the nursery or on my own time from referrals. My agreement with the nursery is stipulated this way; any clients that I get through the nursery requires that ALL plants that I sell must come from the nursery. For Clients from outside the nursery who would like me to provide plants, I have the choice as to where those plants come from, but it is agreed that whenever possible those will come from the nursery as well. Otherwise, I go to straight to the growers, pick them up and bill for those myself.
When I work with the landscape company, if THEY bring the client to ME, then I act as a subcontractor through them and they pay me. If I bring a client of mine to the Landscape Company, then THEY act as a sub-contractor though me. We also have a referral fee system as well, where we have a progressive percentage earned based on the total bill to the client.
This system has been working out very well for the nursery, for my clients as well as for the landscape contractor. It mystifies me as to why EVERY nursery does not do this. Many large nurseries have their own Landscape Install Team, so this can be made even easier.
The only issue that I have come across that has been a problem for my clients is when the nursery can’t or won’t buy in the plants that I need to sell for a design plan. But, overall this has not been a giant impediment to business.
I am by far the most enthusiastic salesperson that the nursery has for moving plant material both on and off the company clock. I have much more time at a clients home to personally address landscape issues that we can’t see at the nursery and creatively sell plants. I can identify potential problems with locations, drainage, drought, plant diseases, maintenance issues, potential Insurance issues and more when I am there, in person, as a Coach.
The ability to create a long term relationship with each client and break up projects into smaller more long term chunks is KEY in this economy. The number of referrals seems to double every year. Plus I can activate my network when special trees, shrubs, perennials, new plant introductions etc. become available and create demand.
I call myself a “Horticultural Hand-Holder”. As THE Personal Garden Coach, I’m also a Cheerleader, Project Manager, Confidence Booster, Teacher, Salesperson, Marriage Counselor (Quite Often), Real Estate Consultant and Accountant. I’m also a Certified Nursery Worker, and a Horticulturist with over 20 plus years of nursery experience as a Buyer, Manager etc. with millions of dollars at stake in my budget.
The question of a Professional Certification Program is a MUCH larger issue that can have state to state implications that I think should be addressed by the ANLA, APLD and other Professional Associations for viability and necessity. Though, if my clients are any indication, they could just as well hear “Master Gardener” and still be perfectly happy as long as the Nursery/Coach/Landscape Co. relationship gets them to their gardening goals at the right price at the right time.
The entire idea of Nurseries providing Garden Coaches as a formal option for customers, is one whose time has come and really matured before many have realized it. If it is taken advantage of in a simple, aggressive, creative manor, it’s a win-win. So far, I have seen most companies who dip their toe into this water are just being far too timid to get the results that are potentially available.
I would LOVE too see this grow to 200,00 Garden Coaches! I’m happy to train anyone willing to listen. There is plenty of business for everyone to go around. As long as they aren’t called Personal Garden Coaches or “THE Personal Garden Coach”. (Smile)
Christina Salwitz
I think this is perhaps the most well thought article on horticultural marketing that I’ve read. I’m always looking for new ways to present information to those involved in horticulture and agriculture. I’ve bookmarked this article to remind myself of some ways to approach this.
Brian Hammer
Director of Marketing
Vital Earth Resources, Inc.
I am a small grower selling herbs, vegetable starts in season, a few ornamentals as well as a selection of succulents. I sell mostly at Farmers’ Markets, from my farm and at various garden shows, market days, etc. When someone buys a plant from me, I spend anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour discussing the care, growing conditions, harvesting, etc. with my customer. I have people come to me with landscape questions, problems with their vegetables or herb plants. I am a ‘garden coach’ in every transaction I make, practically.
I think the idea for more formal training and certification is OK, too. The more people we can demystify gardening for, the more plants overall we’ll sell as an industry.
Good article.
Cindy Meredith
Owner, The Herb Cottage, Hallettsville, TX
Is it really truly worth paying so much for the grass seed? I got myself some big brand seed bags this past year for my lawn but they really failed to seem to do much