Marketing your Garden Center in Downtimes
Let me start with one very obvious fact.
When the economy is in the dumps you need to be keep marketing .
Here is another fact, It is very hard to do!
When you are trying to make payroll , keep your truck running or make your house payments to name a few. It’s not real exciting to think about putting big money into advertising.
Here are a few ideas that might help you get your message out there and keep your truck running, pay keep your employees and keep the house.
- Build a website. I can recommend a great company (HaHa). This does take an initial large investment. 2 to 3 thousand for something you want to have people come to.
- Emarketing is the new way to advertise. First thing Get email addresses from everyone who enters your store, calls you on the phone (even a wrong number) or visits your site! This is a great way to get your message out . With a cost of 10 dollar a month you can send out personalized emails with the professional look of the big guys with over a 90% delivery rate. Send hundreds or thousands with no postage.
- Community Events are a great way to create loyalty in your local area. I remember a great book I read called “Things they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School” Mark McCormick was a sports agent for some of the biggest players in world, Here’s a great comment that I have experienced over and over. …People like to do business with people they like as long as they are close to the competition. I am going to add my own observation..People will go to great lengths to justify doing business with you if they like you, even if they have a better deal out there.
- Donate a plant or something to local fundraisers. I have always tried to buy from people who worked with my causes.
These are very rough times and we can all get very get discouraged at times. I have to tell you, there are days it seems nothing is working.I have to tell you. When we get out there and make a few calls, send a few emails……Things happen! Just don’t give up.
If you are still here, you are a survivor and I truly believe the worst is over.