Saturday’s Experience
September 8, 20078:00–9:00 a.m.
A Profit Monger's Tactics for Financial Improvement
Speaker: Stephen Bailey, Financial Analysis Consultant for The Garden Center Group, Cobden, IL
Financial success in garden centers today requires tackling diverse dollar issues, including inventory,
margin management and technology, to name a few. This "best of" program outlines twelve financial management issues
that should be addressed in order to increase your bottom line.
Market Planning & Pricing
Speaker: Andy Buyting, Green Village Home and Garden, Fredericton, NB
Want to make more money? Want to create a buzz around the great deals you offer while increasing your margins and keeping more cash for your bottom line? It can be done by proper market planning and adopting a new pricing strategy. Learn how Green Village has increased customer count while increasing their margins by 5% in just two years.
Water Garden Retailing: Proven Strategies
Speaker: Doug Duval, Aquascape Inc., St. Charles, IL
As water gardening continues to grow in popularity, there’s a clear divide at the retail level between those who offer high-quality information and service and those who put six filters on the shelf, hoping they sell. Doug Duval is an expert in helping garden centers become water gardening destinations by training employees, merchandising effectively to maximize sales and keeping retailers informed of new trends and products.
Panel: Three Gift and Décor Buyers’ Secrets for Success
Panelists: Lisa Petitti, Petitti Garden Centers, OH; Michelle Reardon, Breezewood Gardens, Chagrin Falls, OH; TBA
A well-planned gift and home décor department can boost revenue and help your profit margin. Find out how three successful garden centers run their departments, including which gift shows they attend, how they source their products, manage inventory, and market their products. What works? What has failed? What trends have they capitalized on?
Our Changing Consumers
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Dennis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Staying relevant with today’s consumers is critical. Dr. Dennis has an amazing range of expertise in horticulture—from production to retail—and has recently completed consumer studies to help us understand our customers and how to best meet and exceed their wants and needs. Join her for a cutting-edge discussion of consumer trends and how they can be directly applied to boost sales at your garden center.
Marketing & PR: Getting It Right
Speaker: Don Eberly, Eberly Public Relations, Atlanta, GA
In an interactive session, green industry PR and marketing specialist Don Eberly will look at how to create free PR, how to draw up an effective advertising budget and plan, and how to promote your business in a rapidly changing world of media and consumer relations. Don will address the unique challenges that various types of garden centers may face when it comes to creating and executing a marketing plan. Eberly Public Relations is known for its personal, hands-on approach tailored to each client’s needs. Bring your questions.
Creating the WOW!
Speaker: Nancy Durand, Merchandising Specialist, Nancy Durand Retail Consulting, Edina, MN
One of the best ways to encourage customers to spend time and money at your store is to inspire them with creative displays and a unique product mix. Nancy Durand has coordinated gift & decor buying, merchandising and sales, both inside and outside of our industry, and she has plenty of great, take-home ideas to share during this dynamic session.
E-Marketing Your Store
Speakers: Phil Adikes, Garden Center News, Niskayuna, NY; Steve Cissel, 10-20 Media Inc., Woodbine, MD
These days it’s not realistic to expect new customers to find you amidst all of your competition (orange, blue and otherwise). You need to go out and bring them into your store! One of the most efficient and effective ways is through electronic marketing. Phil Adikes, an e-newsletter expert, shares steps for building a contact list, finding free content and he’ll go into detail about what makes up a good newsletter. Steve Cissel discusses proven ways to position your store to attract Web traffic based on local search optimization and interactive plant lists.
Retail LIVE!
(Lunch will be provided)
After learning effective retail strategies from industry thought leaders in the morning, you’ll get to see some of them firsthand at three independent garden centers on Cleveland's East Side during Retail LIVE!
Breezewood Garden & Gifts: You’re in for an exciting experience at Breezewood Garden & Gifts! Offering a unique array of products ranging from garden supplies, plant material, home décor, chic fashions and a premium floral shop, they’ve created a remarkable place to visit all year long. The gift and apparel shop is truly a destination unto itself, featuring distinctive gifts, jewelry, home décor and name brand apparel such as Columbia, Fresh Produce and Crocs.
www.breezewoodgardens.com
Eagle Creek Garden Center: Eagle Creek Garden Center is a full service garden center with its own growing facilities nearby. Eagle Creek offers a distinctive line of outdoor living and entertainment products including statuary, furniture, and fountains. Design and installation services for patios, pavers, and several varieties of water features are also available, and its Potting Shed offers custom planting services for every lifestyle and budget.
www.eaglecreekgrowers.com
Lowe’s Greenhouses, Florist and Gift Shop: Lowe’s Greenhouses, Florist and Gift Shop has evolved into a true one-stop shop and destination, featuring a greenhouse, florist, gift shop, nursery, landscape services and a garden center. The team at Lowe’s prides themselves on offering their customers inspiration. They offer a unique and diverse selection of products and services, from unusual annuals and tropical plants to a full landscaping service and in-home decorating consultation.
www.lowesgreenhouse.com