The June issue of Today's Garden Center is loaded with tons of ideas for bettering your business, so I hope you’ll have a chance to check it out (if you haven’t already). Maybe these highlights will entice you:
Gavin Herbert Jr., co-owner of cover story subject Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar, Calif., realized gardeners weren’t going to come to Roger’s for petunias and marigolds, because they can get commodities like that anywhere. His philosophy? “Rather than sell 100 $1 items, I’d rather sell 10 $100 items,” he says. This philosophy has served Roger’s Gardens well. With annual sales of $18 million -plus, they’re right on target. Check out the cover story in the June issue of TGC to find out just how they do it. You’ll like it. I promise.
In her story, “The Name Game,” Jennifer Polanz drills down deep into the topic of branding, which entails more than just putting your company’s logo on a package. Jen’s story will help you determine what to consider before creating your own brand, and how to deal with the challenges, like quality control and marketing, that come with it.
If you’re starting to think that a pencil sketch on a coffee-stained napkin isn’t cutting it anymore when it comes to helping your customers design their landscapes, you should definitely peruse assistant editor Kevin Yanik’s story called "Servicing With Software." Kevin talked to some key suppliers of landscape design software to find out how it can help homeowners visualize their dream gardens, while garden centers reap the benefits. The best part? It’s quick and easy.
I love animals. So do people in 83 million other households in the U.S. That’s how many have at least one cat or dog, and if they’re anything like me, they spoil their pets. Why not consider capitalizing on the pampered pets trend? You’ll find some advice on how to implement a successful pet department from some garden retailers who’ve done it themselves in story I had lots of fun writing, called “Catering To The Pampered Pet.”
