Embrace Your Role as Expert

Jennifer Polanz

Product lines like pest and disease control and plant foods/fertilizers can be a tricky sale. There’s a multitude of reasons for this, but to me, it boils down to the fact that most people buying garden products consider themselves “weekend warriors” or casual gardeners at best. According to a recent National Gardening Association study, only 12% labeled themselves as an enthusiast (9%) or Master Gardener (3%). Confusion about what to buy, how much to buy and how to apply it correctly all can be barriers.

This is where independent retailers can take advantage of those email addresses that have gathered over the years. Let customers know what pests and diseases to look for before they attack (we’ll help you with the most common pests and solutions). Educate employees on what they should recommend as solutions. One retailer I interviewed years ago swore by the strategy of handing the product to the customer while explaining its benefits. The simple act of being handed the proper product convinced the consumer to buy it more times than not.

Let’s go back to that NGA statistic again. The vast majority of people buying lawn and garden products do NOT consider themselves experts and are relying on the knowledge of others to determine what to buy. If there’s something you strongly believe your customers need to be successful, don’t be shy about making that recommendation. Heck, create a life-size cutout of yourself with the product and position it next to a display of it. Do what it takes. But make sure your customers know what you recommend. You’re the expert and they’ll trust you.

Here’s another related idea. I feel our gardening customers are similar in nature to those who frequent stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics (or if you don’t have Jo-Anns, think Michaels, Hobby Lobby or other crafty retailers). They love to use their hands to create and make beautiful things. Jo-Ann has full color cards with project ideas. They feature a picture of the product on the front with a skill level. On the back are supplies needed and directions. They’re free and usually displayed on a large rack in the front with lots of projects and again in the aisles with the supplies. While paper cards could get tricky in the wet greenhouse, I would love to see cards like this for mixed container recipes, hanging baskets, a variety of landscape projects and even fun projects with kids. Instead of a skill level, the card could have an estimated amount of time needed to complete it.

The more you take the guesswork out of gardening and let the consumer rely on your expertise, the more they’ll return, ready for bigger and better projects!

Here’s to spring. GP