Re: Flat Plant Sales Revisited

**"* C* <d*@sympatico.ca>**

Hi Folks, Doreen asked me to post my response to her to the general list. I 
once had a minor disagreement with Doreen.  (Whom I like) Here is my post:

 Hi Doreen,
> My first post stands as to how flat plant sales affect those who aren't
> aware of what their market is.
>
>
> That deals with plants themselves. Your next questions look at garden
> centres in quite a different light.
> I think you're identifying a two-fold trend in the garden centres: the
> first is a response to what people are buying and the second is a response
> to what makes them buy more- especially buy stuff they weren't thinking of
> buying when they entered the shop.
> As garden writers, we can be at the leading edge of the new products/ideas
> trends and we can use that to inform our readers. We would be at our best
> with an understanding of the trend and why it is happening. That way we
> can make good suggestions, provide warnings or solutions, and let people
> know how to climb onto the trendy bandwagon. Or not.
> One example would be outdoor living spaces and the furniture needed. We
> can write about durability, winter storage, selecting to match your style
> of garden, where to get it etc.
>
> The second response is simply clever merchandising. Garden centres do it
> because it works. You want people to stay longer in your nursery? Provide
> washrooms ( and they gotta be big and clean) and a play area for the kids.
> You want them to stay longer in your garden centre? Give them a place to
> sit, gnosh on some simple foods. Want them to buy even more stuff- make it
> entertaining ( gorgeous displays, cute trains etc), and show the whole
> package- a Christmas tree needs a stand, lights, ornaments, preservative,
> a bag to wrap it up in, gift certificates hanging from the branches, a
> couple of plush reindeer nestled under the boughs, etc, etc. so have it
> all there- right beside the hot chocolate and cookies. btw, up here in the
> frozen north, we are very aware of Village Green ( and Minter's in BC) as
> cutting edge marketers who need to be watched- and learned from.
> So what do we do as writers? We can write about this as either being a
> wonderful convenience for our readers ( let the garden centres do the
> thinking for you) or a shameless hustle to wring a couple more greenbacks
> out of the pocket.
>
> Another aspect is what kind of garden writing are you doing at the moment.
> A set piece for a specific market, i.e. a feature on outdoor furniture for
> the Sunday supplement of the local newspaper.  As a regular columnist or
> even a blogger, you have lots of time to look at everything from all
> aspects, even give an opinion or two.
>
> One last thought- what got you into writing- just plants? designing?,
> stuff only about growing stuff? green goods, lifestyles,etc? That's likely
> what you're going to write about, no matter the market.
>
> It is interesting, eh?
> Dan
>
>

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