It’s 2020 and we have self-driving cars and talking refrigerators. Quick, what’s the No. 1 source of plant information for garden shoppers?

A) Devices in their pockets that allow them to instantly access more data than all the world’s libraries combined.

B) The employee with 20 years’ experience standing 10 feet away.

C) A little piece of plastic stuck in the pot.

If you answered C, you are absolutely correct. A fall 2019 survey of garden shoppers conducted by industry-funded Home Garden Panel (HGP) showed that despite all the technology available, nothing tops shoppers’ desire for a quality tag.

Labels and tags far outpace all other sources — mobile phones and store employees included — and it doesn’t matter what type of store (independent or big box) or the age of the shopper. Consumers primarily look to tags for information and they keep them for later reference.

Yes, the gardener’s drawer full of plant tags is still alive and well in America.

By the numbers

HGP surveyed more than 500 shoppers in garden retail locations across the country. Ninety percent of plant shoppers reference tags while shopping, and six in 10 shoppers say tags influence their buying decisions. Seven in 10 say tags are their preferred source of information, compared to less than one in five who say they prefer their phones or store employees.

Yes, people aged 18-40 use phones at a slightly higher rate, but not much.

Tags have staying power. Three-quarters of all shoppers keep tags for future reference. Most store them in a drawer or container in the home. Oddly, older shoppers are more likely to place the tags in the soil beside the plant. My theory (just a theory) is this is because old people can never remember what drawer they put the tags in.

I could be wrong.

Additonally, 44% of shoppers said they refer to these tags once or twice a season, while 42% refer to them every few weeks. And one in 10 poor lost souls claim they reference their tags once a week or more.

Given that they’re keeping these tags for future reference, it’s not surprising that shoppers vastly prefer removable tags to adhesive tags stuck to the sides of pots.

What information are they looking for on the tag? Of course, retail price. Ninety-five percent of shoppers think having the price on the tag is important.

Yes, pre-pricing tags for retail customers is tricky at best. But by providing this service, it might be a way to differentiate yourself from the competition.

For plant-growing tips, gardeners most often seek information on:

• Light requirements (sun/shade)
• What type of plant is it (shrub, annual, perennial, etc.)
• Watering instructions
• Plant name

Some shoppers did indicate they desired information on blooming season, plant height/width, special attributes (attracts hummingbirds, etc.), fertilizer requirements, companion plants, cold hardiness and spacing, but far less than the bulleted points above.

What does this mean?

If your tags are an afterthought, you’re making a mistake. They’re a vital part of the total package you’re trying to sell. A high-quality tag is going to help sell-through rates at retail, leading to faster re-orders. And in the end, quality tags are going to help the consumer succeed with the plants they buy.

And ultimately, isn’t that what we’re trying to do here?

About the author: Todd Davis is Director, Catalog/OnSyte Division at Orora Visual Horticultural.

© iana_kolesnikova | Adobe Stock

This spring my accounts manager and I moved our office setups to our respective homes to ride out the Dallas shelter-in-place order after we’d already practiced several weeks of working in split shifts at the office, and the recommended social distancing. The COVID-19 virus is bearing down and forcing businesses to go remote, furlough, lay off staff — or shut down altogether. This is not a fun time for any of us, in this industry or any other. I’m hoping that by the time this column goes to print, we’ve turned at least a small corner. In the meantime, many businesses and employees have been forced to create a new digital presence for their services and products. There’s no better time for the green industry to catch up when it comes to digital content and education.

Lean in

When times are tough, it’s a common knee-jerk reaction to cut marketing and advertising. Understandably, budget cuts are a reality in certain situations. However, giving up all your market voice during a crisis will often make your recovery that much harder. Leaning in at a time when many others are pulling back can give you a strategic long-term advantage. It’s crucial to stay front and center in your customers’ minds, so that when the purchasing drive returns, you are at the top of their list.

From my perspective, wholesale growers have a bifurcated responsibility for educating and marketing to both their industry retailers and end customer. At a time when social distancing is a must, digital communications afford you the ability to do both with relative ease.

The “Gardening isn’t cancelled” push this spring by our industry created an opportunity to not only increase gardening activities and plant purchases, but also activate a new generation of gardeners. Doing so effectively means employing digital platforms and social media channels, photos, videos, live stories and even podcasts. We saw more individuals and companies jumping on the webinar and virtual consultation bandwagon recently as well.

Digital real estate

If you’re still not up to speed on digital communications, or are trying to figure out the best content platforms to use, let’s start with a list of basic must-haves:

• Website: This is ground zero for all content you create and disseminate. Create a clean, responsive design on a platform that allows you to update content easily and regularly for customers — both retailers and consumers. Ensure that you can feature video and images easily on your site. Be prepared to make a significant investment if you want significant returns, especially for e-commerce functionality.
• E-newsletter: This is the most effective and low-cost direct mail and touchpoint to reach your customers. Educate your buyers; don’t just sell them. Teach them about featured plants and offer content they can use in their retail/landscape marketing. Weekly mailings on platforms such as Constant Contact and Mailchimp are affordable and easy.
• YouTube channel: Set up a channel for your business. Your website platform may require you to pull in and display video from an external site such as YouTube (rather than uploading video directly), so you’ll need it one way or the other.
• Facebook: Facebook isn’t as effective for many businesses as it used to be, but still offers the opportunity to connect and engage with a big chunk of both retailers and end customers. Using the Facebook Live function, you can easily stream video, provide educational content and answer questions.
• Instagram: You need this to get young and up-and-coming gardeners engaged with your plants and products, to drive them to the retailers. Take LOTS of photos. Treat your IG channel as a mini visual blog. You also can use the live or recorded story function on Instagram to improve engagement and make your channel feel more personal.
• LinkedIn: Yes, you need to create and flesh out your company’s LinkedIn page. It’s a very effective B2B marketing and publishing platform, as well as recruiting tool.
• Blog: I’ll make a case that if your blog has gone fallow for the last few years, all this social distancing and desire for distance learning may drive the need for you to revive it. Start writing!

Video

Although many of us are uncomfortable on camera, video is a non-negotiable form of communication these days. Retailers and consumers want to see what’s going on behind the scenes of your operation, as well as learn more about the plants you're growing. You don’t have to get super fancy with your video, but at least get yourself an inexpensive tripod with an attached ring light that holds your smartphone and includes a remote. You can even just buy a small clip light for your phone. Trust me, you need the extra lighting. Then get into the greenhouse or out in the nursery and shoot! You can then disseminate your videos via your website, e-newsletter and all social media channels. Make sure you know the video-length limits for each social media platform.

Too hard?

In this industry, we complain a lot about the perceived value of our products and professions. The number of new students entering the field has dropped dramatically, and many of us have a hard time finding growers. I know ramping-up your digital communications and education for marketing purposes may seem hard. But realize that by doing so, you’ll not only educate your buyers and end customers, but also expose a lot of people to your profession and elevate perception of your expertise. You might just inspire the next generation of growers, while at the same time sell a lot more plants. Deeper connections through distance digital is the new paradigm shift for 2020.

Adobe Stock

One of the most important things when it comes to marketing and communications in times of crisis is to be proactive and transparent, says Kerstin Poehlmann, president of Pen & Petal, a marketing communications agency servicing the green industry. There is some confusion among companies about choosing the right marketing message during times like these, so we asked Poehlmann for some crisis-marketing advice.

Nursery Management: Is it OK to remain silent on the marketing front during times like these?

Kerstin Poehlmann: The worst thing one can do is to withhold information, or to “disappear.” If people don’t hear from a company about how the company is addressing and dealing with the situation, the customer will likely assume that the company either doesn’t have a plan or at least not a good one. Being prompt, clear and concise in one’s messaging is vital. People want to have reassurances during uncertain times. Knowing that their trusted supplier is something they can rely and depend on is important.

Another side effect of customers not hearing from a company is that they’ll also start wondering if the company is financially sound and can be relied upon for future orders. While this is true not only in times of crisis, it is magnified during times of crisis, because it adds another factor of uncertainty. So, in this case, no news is bad news.

NM: Since silence is a bad idea, what should businesses be saying?

KP: As you come out of the crisis and things start to return to normal — even if this may be a new/adjusted normal — think about who you want to target your messaging to. Of course, the first group that comes to mind is existing customers, as you’re looking forward to welcoming them back and they are looking forward to returning to their favorite, trusted supplier. So, a warm, heartfelt, “welcome back” message will be on target. But don’t neglect to reach out to potential new customers and target them in your messaging. Keep in mind that there are people out there whose previous supplier may not have dealt as well with the crisis and didn’t meet their needs. Or they don’t feel as confident with their previous supplier anymore because they’re not sure if they’re still financially stable, as we’ve already discussed. There might be a potential pool of new customers out there waiting to be tapped. Don’t be shy. Reach out!

Also, be positive and reassuring in your marketing message. And don’t say what everyone else is saying. Your customers don’t want to hear “in these difficult times.” Instead, create your own statement, including elements that you know are important to your customers.

NM: What’s the preferred method to send out a marketing message?

KP: Obviously, in today’s day and age it needs to go beyond a recorded phone message, because chances are a phone call is not a customer’s initial form of contact. It is common to check a company’s web site first for information, so make sure your web site is updated and addresses the current situation clearly on the home page. Equally as important is a company’s social media presence. Customers will likely look up your social media pages for information and may send a message through your social media pages. You must not only be active and posting frequently on social media, but don’t neglect to respond to direct messages and comments.

In case there is any doubt about how important a strong social media presence is today, keep this fact in mind: people are spending more time than ever on social media and using that medium to get a vast amount of content. This is, in part, due to them spending more time on social media simply because they had more time during stay-at-home orders, but also because there is so much going on in the world and they want to stay current. However, this doesn’t mean all they want to hear about is crisis related. Quite the contrary. At this point, people are starving for good news and positive content. Fortunately, our industry’s purpose is pretty much to beautify the world, so there should be no shortage of positive things to post. Try a Facebook Live event to show availability or introduce new varieties.

Direct email communications to your customers is another avenue that shouldn’t be ignored. Don’t be shy to think outside of your tried-and-true tool box and try something new, like videos, if you haven’t done any in the past. If people can’t come to your nursery or visit with you like they used to, they would welcome a video update from you. Try a mix of casual, off-the-cuff videos and invest in some simple video editing software for a more formal video presentation. Do you have a YouTube channel? If not, create one.

NM: What’s your final piece of advice?

KP: The uncertainty of the current situation creates anxiety in people, so knowing that some things are constant is important. Let your customers know that you’re there for them and that you are their constant.

With profit margins feeling ever tighter and the economic uncertainties of a pandemic, the marketing fees that go along with branded plants may feel like an unnecessary — or even risky — investment. What are you getting for those extra costs? And can you turn them to your advantage?

Let’s start with what a brand does. A brand offers an implied promise that its products are better than the generic.

“Let’s take Proven Winners because I think their name is very telling,” says Bridget Behe, a professor at Michigan State University and retail marketing expert serving the horticulture industry. “The customer is buying into the promise that these are winning or well-performing.”

Brand marketing, when done right, conveys that brand promise to the consumer. A brand’s marketing also raises awareness of the product and creates demand in the marketplace.

While we are covering the basics, let’s also review the types of fees that are associated with branded plants. In addition to the marketing fee, there may also be a royalty fee. Sometimes these are rolled together into one “program fee.” The royalty fee is the portion that is passed back to the breeder, in compensation for their work in identifying, selecting and trialing the new genetics.

“It’s important that if you’re going to create a better plant that performs better for the consumer that we’re compensating the people that are doing the work to make that happen,” says Natalie Carmolli, PR and marketing specialist for Spring Meadow Nursery, part of the Proven Winners brand.

In some cases, the breeding work may be done by the brand, who also typically conducts plant trials and stock buildup. In all, it can take five to seven years, if not longer, to fully ready a new introduction.

Breeding before branding

The investment into breeding is key to the brand promise that lines like Endless Summer and Proven Winners offer. New is nice, but “new and improved” is even better.

Those improvements are meant to benefit growers as well as consumers.

“In order for a product to go into one of our brands, it has to be something that everyone through the system has the ability to be successful with. Certainly, it has to have a consumer benefit at the end, but as importantly or more importantly, it has to be something that a grower can be successful with,” says Alex Charais, marketing and communications manager for Bailey. “It has to look good in a pot. Our genetics approach has to have some measurable benefit to the grower, whether it’s lower input costs, maybe less pruning, less disease management, and that’s where trialing comes into play for us.”

Breeding advancements are why Tim Kane, marketing and inventory manager at Prides Corner Farms, is all in when it comes to brands and marketing fees.

“It’s an absolute necessity, and actually growers that think otherwise have just got their feet so far in the past I wonder how they can manage. The branded plants give you such an advantage. It’s the cost of doing business, and it’s also the thing that helps stimulate you selling the material,” Kane says.

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners

Pulling back the curtain

So why aren’t all growers on board with branded plant lines and marketing fees?

Matthew Chappell, professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia and state nursery extension specialist, sees both sides of the issue in his dual roles. He says part of the problem comes from a lack of understanding on the growers’ part of what goes into a national marketing program and what it takes to run one smoothly. He puts the responsibility on the brands to bridge that gap with better transparency into how fees are being spent, so that growers do not see it as a profit center for the brands.

Natalia Hamill, brand and business development manager for Bailey, gives some insight by comparing the launch of two recent Endless Summer hydrangea varieties. Her story shows the difference a coordinated and well-executed marketing campaign can make.

With BloomStruck hydrangea she says, “We had a great plant,” but she admits that she and Charais, both new in their roles at the time, had not yet fully developed the marketing programs, grower communications and supply chains that were needed for a strong launch. By her estimate, it took six to seven years for sales numbers to meet the potential the company felt the plant offered.

In contrast, by the time Summer Crush hydrangea was ready to hit the market, all their tools were at the ready.

“It was a really very focused, multilayered approach to launching that plant. When Summer Crush hit the retail market for the first time in spring 2019, every plant that every grower [wanted to sell] was sold,” she recalls.

According to Charais, some of the components that go into a successful campaign include print, digital and outdoor advertising, social media, public relations and consumer-facing websites that include dealer locators. These programs are shared with growers to promote to their customers, along with point of purchase materials and other retailer marketing tools. The brands also put resources into consumer education, under the theory that a homeowner who knows how to grow the plant will be more successful, and more likely to buy again. For example, Proven Winners sponsors the YouTube Garden Answer channel, which Carmolli calls “outrageously successful.”

A portion of the marketing fee also typically goes toward marketing programs aimed at growers, including cultural information.

“While the end goal is to reach the consumer with a great message, it all starts with the grower and making sure they’re supported well from the beginning,” Charais says.

Why would a grower want to support marketing going to other growers? According to Hamill, the answer lies in a robust supply chain to support the demand the brand is creating through consumer marketing.

“One of the worst things is for somebody to want a plant and not be able to find it. If we’re encouraging consumers about a particular plant or brand, the supply chain has to be in place,” Hamill says.

The strength of the brand comes from the shared effort of that supply chain, according to Charais.

“Remember there’s not just one company that’s growing and representing that brand, but that there’s a coalition, if you will. Simply put, that’s where the power of the brand really resonates. If you try to forge that road on your own as either a grower or as somebody trying to market your brand without strong strategic partners, it’s really hard to get off the ground,” Charais adds.

National brands in a regional market

Carmolli thinks “the objections [to marketing fees] are really simple — it’s ‘I don’t want to spend extra money on a plant.’”

But for Ed Tankard at Tankard Nurseries on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the reasons are more complex than that. A lot of his objections have to do with national programs not working at his local level.

“I don’t really relish the idea that someone from another area of the country is doing marketing for my region or market segment,” he says.

Feeling a demand in his region for native plants, he wants to be able to keep his plant choices tailored to the local climate.

He also suggests that perhaps a national approach does not send resources where they need to be and may be promoting poor performing plants.

“We’re not interested in including the newest vogue plants until they have proven themselves,” he adds.

Chase Johnson, vice president at Johnson Nursery Corp. in Wilmington, North Carolina, admits he also feels the push from national brands to grow their entire line, but says, “It isn’t a pain point for me. I get that perspective that the brands are trying to go national, and they are. But I feel like they’ve given us enough power…to say to certain [customers], ‘Here’s what you want to focus on.’”

Nickel and diming on pots and tags?

Where Chappell thinks the brands lose buy-in and trust among growers is the upcharge on branded pots and tags.

“Most growers look at it as, ‘I’m paying a tremendous amount,’ not just in the royalty fees, but what really gets the grower is they’re paying more for the tag and pot. Those are the two things that really annoy the growers. Not that they have to use [branded materials] — it’s that there’s an obvious, tremendous mark up on the tag and the pot. They see it as a bit of a rip off. I think a lot of growers would just rather pay a higher royalty fee,” Chappell explains.

But Johnson thinks that cost cuts down on competition.

“We believe in the product enough that we want that product to stand out. Of course, if it were cheaper it would be better. But it does allow those of us that really believe in it to stay in it, and those who are on the fence to stay out. The exclusivity is appealing to us,” Johnson says.

The bottom line

In the end, it may not really matter what you think about plant branding programs, Behe says.

“I would encourage [growers] to take a longer perspective and try to put themselves in the end customer’s shoes. Not everyone makes a choice based on a brand, however, there is a significant market segment for most products that prefer a branded product. If [growers] focus on the customers’ perception of the product and the market potential of the individuals who prefer a brand, that’s where they can begin to see a profit potential,” Behe says.

Carmolli is also focusing on the consumer when she designs marketing programs.

“[Growers] don’t want to pay a marketing fee, but it’s not going to help them to grow a plant that no one knows about and nobody’s asking for,” Carmolli says. “We want people to not just happen to pick up a plant, we want people to go and to ask them for a plant because they know it’s going to do really well. We want [plant buying] to be purposeful for the gardener, and I think that’s what the marketing fee really provides.”

Next month, we will continue this topic by looking at what you can do to reap the most out of your investment into branded plants, including pricing, merchandising and marketing strategies.

About the author: Helen Newling Lawson is owner of Spot On Communications, specializing in content marketing for the green industry.