Re: Economy and GWL

**"* B* <g*@netsurfusa.net>**

	Just a few thoughts here while enjoying the comments of others. Very
interesting thread with lots of unraveling along the length.
	I am an owner of a small niche nursery. Being in business for myself
I must forecast the future as best I can each November for the next year.
All the plants must be ordered, seeds selected, sales approach for the
coming year, my next year's catalog written along with the changes to the
web site. My only real comment here is it is a time of knowing who you are
and why you are here. We do our best to be true to who we are and at the
same time adapt to the changes we see coming. Also care is taken not to buy
into panic and let it distract us from our focus as a small business. I very
carefully read my own stats from previous years and analyze them when making
decisions. What many other nurseries are going through, we are not. 
	 I do not have a single contract this coming year for a feature in a
major gardening magazine. Works out just fine with me for I am very close to
completing my book I have tried to find time for the past 5 years now. Also
I was able to put a bit more time into my hard copy catalog and web site.
Things have a way of working out if you let them. 
	To publish a hard copy catalog or not this year. Lots of nurseries
are ending the publication of hard copy catalogs. Can understand why as it
is our largest expense of the year. However, this is not time to become
invisible to our customers. Now more than ever we need to have them up late
at nite reading our catalog and wearing out a good felt tip pen. When times
are toughest are the times you need advertising most. Focused advertising
that works. 
	Thus far orders are coming in about normal amount and rate in
numbers. Real tale will be told around June when our last order is shipped
out for spring. 
	Speaking of... our last year's web site orders are down from year
before last. However, our visit here to the nursery are way up... just the
exact opposite of what would be expected while gas was running about $5 a
gallon. We worked for some time to make ourselves a destination and it paid
off when we needed it most. 
	You do not have to buy into the numbers of others, it is possible to
create your own. 

-----Original Message-----
From: gardenwriters-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:gardenwriters-
Chris wrote....
What do all of you think these troubled times will do to our industry?
I have some predictions, but they're not particularly insightful:

   
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters