Making the Most of “New”

Jessica DeGraaf

I carry a little black Moleskine notebook with me wherever I go. It’s a trusted companion and confidante, a catalog of information and useful tidbits. I was flipping through one of my old notebooks the other day and happened upon a quote from Seth Godin: “Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.”

A little backwards you might say? But let’s think about it. Perhaps our challenge, as Seth so simply states, is not finding customers for our products. Maybe we should listen to our customers gardening challenges and then offer new products and ideas that solve problems or fulfill a need. We’re all in the midst of placing orders for spring and I think that this should be our No. 1 goal: we need to begin with our customers in mind.

There are hundreds of new plant introductions each year. There isn’t a magic number, but I can tell you this: retailers don’t need to offer 50 varieties of hydrangea or petunia. What we need to do is provide the best hydrangeas and the petunias—ones that will ultimately perform and delight our customers. Add new varieties to the mix, but be purposeful in the selection and ruthless in the quest to rid your spring offering of some of the old and obsolete varieties you’ve been selling far too long.

So how do you capitalize on the new introductions you’ve selected for your store?

A Sneak Peak
Many of you receive samples of new introductions well in advance of when you actually sell these varieties. Invite key customers to an “exclusive” evening event showcasing this material. Your hardcore gardening customers will love having an exclusive look at what’s coming ahead of time and it’s a great way to get orders for the following spring.

Tell the Story
While we participate in one of the best “craft” industries in the world, there’s much that can be learned from the craft food and drink movement. Take for instance Blue Hill yogurt, marketed as a “savory” yogurt. My interest was piqued immediately by the fantastic packaging, the crazy flavors (think carrot or beet), but primarily by their slogan “Know Thy Farmer.” I bought a cup and opened the lid to see a simple message: “Made by Dutchess, a Dutch Belt Cow— 6 years old.” In our mass-produced society, such simple, sincere messages have a resounding impact. We want to know where our food comes from, where our clothing is made and if the company behind the products we purchase is responsible. So why wouldn’t our customers love to know where their plants come from?

There are so many stories we can share with our customers—let’s get creative with social media, signage and even video content to teach them how the new plants you offer are better, what problems they’ll solve in the garden, where they’re grown and ultimately where they originate from.

New Plant of the Week Feature
Tout the fact that you’ve selected the best plants from around the world that are hand-picked with their needs in mind. Create a destination in the store to feature these plants and tell the story, each and every week. Focus on why it’s better, best ways to use it and your one favorite thing about each variety. At your weekly staff meeting, talk about these selected plants with staff so they, too, can share the story with customers. This will position your garden center to be the plant experts you truly are!

There are lots of other creative ways to market and sell our new introductions, but at the end of the day, the real key to success is selecting products with your customer in mind. GP

Jessica DeGraaf is the Retail Account Manager for Proven Winners, serving as an advocate for independent garden centers. She can be reached at jessica@provenwinners.com.