We have all been there, ooooh look at how pretty that one is! I know I can fit it into my flower bed, I mean look at how small it is. How many times does this happen? Pretty, load it up and get it home and plant it! It happens more than we could imagine. So how do you help your customer understand what is best for their spot?
Lists, Lists, Lists
Whether you are a landscaper, or garden center manager this is your opportunity to build customer relationships! By understanding how employees think we can help them purchase for success! Simply find out what’s important and fit it into their lifestyle.
Most homeowners have no idea how plants grow. To think they will understand soil, size, and water requirements is an understatement. Putting together simple lists can help your customer understand what will fit their needs will lead to their success. Your vendors may have those lists that they can give you to help your marketing department with a starting point.
Silent Sales Partner
In the past 30 years, we have seen many brands come forth and marketing flourish. Point of Purchase items like hang tags, picture signage, and category signage helps to make a complete marketing package for independent garden centers. Homeowners want their gardens to be beautiful and look like the cover of a magazine, not all have the budget for it. Pamphlets full of ideas such as butterfly gardens, pollinators, shade, and sun gardens put together will make you a winner in the eyes of the customer. Simplifying selections so they are not overwhelmed will give them the ego boost that is necessary to come back for more! The goal is to make the novice gardener feel like a pro, and the pro can excel to the next level if you offer special order items that may be too risky to fill the garden center with.
Cross-Selling
Cross-selling is as easy as offering “fries and pies” with your hamburger! (why reinvent the wheel, just borrow the saying from McDonald’s!) We want to help the customer plant the correct plant in the correct spot, right? Well to further ensure they have the success we need to sell them the fertilizer, mulch, stakes for trees, watering bags, and deer protection. Let’s keep building the egos for success while filling the cash register with dollars to keep inspiring our clients!
In conclusion
The right plant for the right area may be a simple equation for those in the industry but it is a daunting task for the homeowner. They will know a color, maybe a variety of names but they are going to rely on you to make sure they are the envy of the neighborhood. Listen to their lifestyle, help them choose the correct plant, and watch them turn into a returning customer. Sounds easy, and it is when you share your love for plants with those who are wanting to take that journey thru the forest of options you have for them.