Category Archives: Marketing

Overcoming a Common Objection When Selling Plants Online

May 2, 2013 – 4:15 am

I just scanned hundreds of customer reviews on Garden Watchdog for our next newsletter on “Lessons From the Garden Watchdog Top 30.” In the process, I was struck by the overwhelming…” (click on the headline for more)

By Val Gosset | Tagged | Leave a Comment

How Small Businesses Can Outshine Big Ones

September 26, 2012 – 4:15 am

I was just reviewing notes from the last Direct Gardening Association conference, and Michael Katz of Blue Penguin Development made an interesting observation about the difference between small and large companies’ approach to marketing: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Tagged , | Leave a Comment

Marketing Insights From Pinterest

May 9, 2012 – 4:15 am

Chances are, you’ve heard of Pinterest, the virtual pinboard that soared to 10 million US monthly visitors faster than any other website in history. Even if you’re not currently using Pinterest, checking to see what people are pinning from your website can be informative. Here’s how: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Pinterest, Social media | Tagged | Leave a Comment

Are You a Problem Solver?

April 3, 2012 – 4:15 am

Whether you sell plants, seeds, tools, greenhouses, outdoor living products, or something else, there are many types of appeals you can use to sell product. For instance: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising, Copywriting | Leave a Comment

What’s Your Breakeven Advertising Budget?

January 12, 2012 – 4:15 am

Most companies think of advertising as a means of growing sales. That’s all well and good, but prospecting is necessary just to stay in place. To determine your breakeven advertising budget, you must answer two critical questions: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Tagged , | Leave a Comment

A Clever Use of the Bandwagon Effect

January 6, 2012 – 4:15 am

Marketers have long relied on the bandwagon effect to increase sales. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Psychology, the bandwagon effect means that “the probability of any individual adopting [particular conduct or beliefs] increases with the proportion who have already done so.” River Pools & Spas, which was the subject of our last blog post, cleverly uses the bandwagon effect… (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Tagged | Leave a Comment

A Superb Example of Using Content to Sell

January 3, 2012 – 4:15 am

I love finding great marketing techniques from other industries that could be applied to the gardening industry. The latest that I’ve come across is from River Pools & Spas, a fiberglass pool company based in Warsaw, Virginia. Judging from their website, the company understands that their prospects require a lot of education and hand-holding before they’re ready to buy. Not only is the site jam-packed with valuable information, but the way it’s organized is also instructive. (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Website design | Tagged | Leave a Comment

How to Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet

November 22, 2011 – 11:49 pm

Would you like to make 2012 your best year yet? It’s easier than you may think. Here’s why I say that: (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Goals | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment

Balancing Learning Curves and Opportunity Costs For New Marketing Methods

October 18, 2011 – 4:15 am

Mobile websites…smartphone apps…iPad apps…text marketing…Facebook advertising…Facebook company pages…Twitter…StumbleUpon…Groupon…YouTube channels…blogs. There’s a plethora or marketing possibilities that were virtually non-existent 10 years ago. Just as many have come and gone within that time. It’s hard to tell what will last, and what will disappear. So how do you decide what to focus on, and what to ignore? (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Advertising | Leave a Comment

A Devil’s Advocate View of Facebook Marketing

August 2, 2011 – 4:15 am

Every time I write about Facebook marketing, my site traffic jumps. Few topics generate as much interest. With 750 million active users worldwide, Facebook is a presence that can’t be ignored. But is it really deserving of as much credit as it receives as a marketing vehicle?

My simple answer to that question… (Click on the headline for more…)

By Val Gosset | Also posted in Facebook, Marketing goals, Social media | Leave a Comment
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