Monthly Archives: January 2009

Fast and Easy Market Research

January 30, 2009 – 4:15 am

More and more companies are involving customers in marketing decisions. Some catalogers invite their buyers to vote on a choice of catalog covers. Others use customer suggestions to name new products.

At the recent Mailorder Gardening Association conference, industry consultant Ian Baldwin reported that one garden center regularly sends emails to the top 20% of their customers, inviting their feedback on new products the nursery is considering carrying. About 4% respond to any given email. Not only does the process provide helpful guidance on new product selection, but it also forges a much stronger bond between business and customer.

By Val Gosset | Posted in Marketing | Leave a Comment

Key #3 in Marketing to Younger Buyers

January 28, 2009 – 4:15 am

Our last two blog posts discussed two of the three keys to marketing to Gen X and Gen Y buyers: emphasize end results and simplify the shopping experience. Today’s post deals with the third: build on small successes. (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Marketing | Leave a Comment

Key #2 in Marketing to Younger Buyers

January 26, 2009 – 4:15 am

My last few posts have discussed why learning to market to Gen X and Gen Y is critical, and the three keys to doing so. Today’s topic is Key #2, simplifying the shopping experience. (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Marketing | Leave a Comment

Key #1 in Marketing to Younger Buyers

January 23, 2009 – 4:15 am

As mentioned in my last post, the first of three keys to marketing gardening products to younger buyers is to emphasize the end results.

What do I mean? Don’t sell patio furniture; sell an outdoor relaxation area. Don’t sell trellises; sell privacy. Don’t sell the time-consuming, steep-learning-curve hobby of gardening; sell higher property values through landscaping.

For a prime example of selling the end product… (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Marketing | Comments (3)

Three Keys to Expanding Your Market

January 21, 2009 – 4:15 am

In my last post, I discussed why learning to market to Gen X and Gen Y is critical for the long-term health of the garden industry. The question is, how to do it? (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Garden industry trends, Marketing | Comments (1)

What the Future of Garden Marketing Depends On

January 19, 2009 – 4:15 am

The recent Mailorder Gardening Association conference featured three speakers who addressed the future of the garden market. Chief among their points was the importance of learning to market to Gen X and Gen Y. (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Garden industry trends, Marketing | Comments (1)

Capturing Business From the Competition

January 16, 2009 – 4:15 am

In my last post, I explained how to monitor what’s being said about your company and your competition in cyberspace. Here’s a dramatic story illustrating why you should. (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Blogs, Customer service, Marketing, Social media | Leave a Comment

What Are People Saying About Your Company?

January 14, 2009 – 4:15 am

If you’re not monitoring what’s being said about your company in cyberspace, you should be. What’s more, it’s easy to put on auto-pilot. Here’s how:

By Val Gosset | Posted in Marketing, Online marketing, Social media | Leave a Comment

What’s a Good Email Open Rate?

January 12, 2009 – 4:15 am

I’ve had any number of people ask me lately “What’s a good email open rate?” It’s an impossible question to answer, for a whole variety of reasons. What Are You Sending? It’s no surprise that companies that send useful information tend to get a higher open rate than those that bombard their subscribers with promotional […]

By Val Gosset | Posted in Email marketing | Comments (1)

Stay Away From Greenwashing

January 9, 2009 – 4:15 am

I’m often asked some variation of the question, “How green does my business have to be in order for it to “count”?” (Click on headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Posted in Advertising, Marketing | Leave a Comment
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