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Re: Gardeners vs consumers

Suzi Mc Coy's excellent analysis of what gardeners are really about hits the
nail on the head.  The big market for garden writers are beginners.  That is
what we did so well at Woman's Day.  We gave non and beginning gardeners a
positive first experience that encouraged them to do more.  I hate to see
the trend towards pushing products at this huge market, but obviously that
is where the money is for plant and product producers--and for TV and
magazines in a percentage arrangement.  This is a hard pill to swallow for
many of us.  But, things change, and so must we.  There are only so many
slots available for hardcore gardening articles.  Should all of us compete
for those dwindling articles or should we adapt.  I'm still puzzling this
conundrum.
Doreen Howard

----- Original Message -----
From: "Suzi McCoy" <buzz@impact-pr.com>
To: <Gardenwriters@topica.com>
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 9:06 AM
Subject: RE: [GWL]: Gardeners vs consumers


> It is important, I feel, as garden writers to know that most people who
> garden don't know nearly as much as ya'll do!  The studies I have seen
> indicate that 69 - 75% of the people garden consider themselves
> "dabblers" - although they may spend as much as 4-6 hours a week
> gardening - their definition of gardening is different than a master
> gardener's definition.  Jeff Ball coined a wonderful word some time ago
> - yardeners.  I think it is very apropos.  Ball Horticultural has done
> some in-depth research on who really gardens and Jeff Gibson, Ball's
> marketing manager, will be speaking to this issue at GWAA in August.
> The research shows they are both time and information strapped and want
> easy to understand plant information to be successful.  Rodale did a
> study many years ago.  I don't have the figures but imagine an inverted
> pyramid and the top point were the master gardeners - they made up about
> 1% of gardening consumers.  The majority are beginner or intermediate
> gardeners.  The important thing for garden writers is to make sure you
> are speaking to your audience.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: GLORIA SCHECHTER [p*@prodigy.net]
> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:38 PM
> To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
> Subject: [GWL]: Gardeners vs consumers
>
> Are Doreen's Woman's Day readers and Donna's Grandiflora readers real
> gardeners or just garden consumers? I believe there is a huge market for
> both types of gardeners, judging from the percentage of my Garden Design
> & Maintenance clients who want to be hands-on when I am installing their
> designs and truly want to learn how to tend their own gardens
> afterwards.
> I loudly applaud Grandiflora for their courage to print for those real
> gardeners who crave useful information. Congratulations, Donna!
> Would like to know if someone has done a study or comparison of these
> two garden markets. Suzi McCoy, any thoughts from Impact Marketing?
> Doreen, thanks for tipping us off to the trend. There will certainly be
> something more rewarding coming your way.
>
> Gloria Schechter Day
> Pretty Dirty Ladies, Inc.
> prettydirtyladies@prodigy.net
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> GWL has searchable archives at:
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>

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