New Messages for Today's Lawn & Garden Consumer - presented by Bill Calkins at the Gulf States Horticultural Expo 2012

1. Gulf States Horticultural Expo 2012: A New Era Communicating with Today’s Consumer

3. What’s the problem? Total NA Retail Sales 1998-2010 (Others: Houseplants, Landscape, Lawn care)

4. What’s the problem?

5. What’s the problem?

6. What’s the problem?

7. What’s the problem? =

8. What’s the problem? no time; no green thumb Time & effort Money Knowledge

9. The Challenge STAYING RELEVANT

10. 5 New Ways to Connect meeting their wants & needs • Events • Website • Go where they are • Hire the right staff • Creative outreach

11. Events family fun • Couples shopping • Weekend outing • Involving kids

12. Website community & knowledge • Message boards/FB • Buy, sell, promote • Get them educated

13. Go Where They Are find the gatherings • Farm markets • Community festivals • Art fairs

14. Hire the Right Staff build a winning team • Hire “friendly”; train l&g • Sales only – no watering • Personal shoppers

15. Outreach & Marketing get creative • Is traditional working? • Leverage your database • Partnering

16. Practice New Vocabulary speaking their language • Extreme • Lifestyle • Social Groups • Sarcasm • Retro

17. Vocab: Extreme go wild • Strong language • Tell them what’s cool • Bring them the best

18. Vocab: Life & Relaxation after hours enjoyment • Weekends & Holidays • Fun products • Beautiful spaces

19. Vocab: Social Groups friends = experts • Share stories • Enlist good customers • Invite their friends

20. Vocab: Sarcasm sharp humor • Gen X is sarcastic • Know your limits • Reduce intimidation

21. Vocab: Retro throwback marketing • Fun & hip • Reflects our products • Appeals to all ages

22. Health & Wellness Trends 10 years of data, 500,000+ consumers, 150 products Small Steps, Big Changes – long-term changes Isolation to Affiliation – reconnection/community Being Here. Now. – multitasking, tools Clean Sweep – toxins, treatments Not So Alternative – embracing alternatives Energy 2.0 – conserve on personal level Heirlooms – buy less, buy better

23. Sustainability plants are little oxygen makers • A better choice • Leading edge • A national priority • Marketable • Industry issue

24. Reduce intimidation for the first-timers • Personalized attention • Signage & information • Low-maintenance options • New gardener bench • New gardener Web page

25. Today’s Consumers in their own words 1. What attracts you to a product? 2. How much research do you do before buying? 3. Do you seek advice from employees? 4. How do you hear about new products? 5. What would entice you to buy a plant?

26. Gulf States Horticultural Expo 2012: THANK YOU! Bill Calkins ~ [email_address] “ Flourish” ~ on Facebook @BillCalkins ~ on Twitter