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Re: More Magazines Gone



    The internet certainly has changed communication. The world of gardening
is certainly no exception... but that has brought opportunity along with the
need to adapt. Because of the internet I am more aware of the printed
material to purchase than ever... and quicker than ever. Quality gets passed
by word of mouth in a heart beat today...


I think Gene - as usual - has nailed it quite correctly. If you look at the rate of adoption of new technologies, there's usually a 20 year span between the time the technology is "invented" or brought to the market and the time that changes start to occur as a result of that technology. This has been true for such important innovations as the train, the bicycle, the birth-control pill etc etc. I note that modern computer technology is just over 20 years old now and if the tech-sociologists are correct, we'll increasingly see changes as a result of this communications tool. The important point in much of that change is that the major changes or impacts on society are always unexpected. As much as we say - this technology will do X - we find that the major change was really Y. Railroads were supposed to move people - instead they created huge land-based empires based on owning right-of-ways and changed the pattern of freight movement, land cultivation, social mores and made paupers out of ordinary investors. Birth control pills were supposed to reduce the incidence of babies being born. Do a quick analysis of the impact on women and society as a result of this little bit of chemical wizardry and see if preventing pregnancy was the main outcome.

Similarly, we are only beginning to see the effects of the computer and the Internet. Where it takes us is beyond the ken of this poor writer. But, its a great ride!! And for communicators - an amazing challenge and opportunity has landed on our laps. There will be winners and losers in this - like there were with the railroads. Think about it - the railroads were built to facilitate face-to-face communication, to enhance the ability of people to move from place to place. The Internet - built to facilitate communication - could really be seen in one light as an outgrowth of the technology wave started by the railroads. <grin>

As Gene suggests, those of us in the business might well think of how we intend to survive and prosper in this revolution. But that gets us into biz planning and other soapboxy types of areas. <grin>


    Doug, I hear the plant people you work for had one hey of a spring
season in sales..... not all was directed at the container market?? The
world is not ending ... just changing.


Gene - yes, Valleybrook Gardens (Heritage Perennials, Jeepers Creepers brands) did indeed have - and continues to have - a good sales year. (It ain't over until October) <grin> And yes, we do see trends in plant sales in the industry - the world is indeed changing. And no - we don't do "container plants" per se although there's a fashionable trend to using perennials in containers and blurring the lines between annuals and perennials. Valleybrook simply knows its niche customer and provides a service to that customer.

Just like garden writers need to know their customer and provide a service to that customer. But, that's another soapbox for another day.


Doug


Doug Green
Award winning writer - making things happen
Telling Your Story - Your Way
www.simplegiftsfarm.com/clips/clipmaster.html



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