On-the-Sly Marketing Tips

Ellen C. Wells

Recently, AmericanHort hosted the webinar, “Five Key Marketing Tips You’ll Need to Move Your Brand Forward in 2023,” featuring Peggy Doyle, CEO of Gardening Know How (GKH). Gardening Know How is more than an online gardening resource. With more than 15 years of experience of providing online content, it’s become an expert in digitally reaching the consumers you crave. I don’t normally share content from a webinar that’s members-only or costs something, but I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if I quickly told you three things that Peggy mentioned.

Market what is of interest to customers: According to GKH, which has the traffic and numbers to back it up, those are anything to do with:

• Pollinators

• Sustainability

• Houseplants

• Garden-to-table gardening

• Small-space gardening

Set up a video creation station: Video is key to reaching customers (says the person who writes for a living), so a place in your shop where you can quickly make a video when the ideas hit is a good idea.

Practice generosity: This could take two forms: 1) you could offer something like free access to a perennial gardening class when a customer buys a perennial; or 2) social customer service, i.e. answering customer questions on social media, is an act of generosity, especially when it’s practiced in a sincere and authentic manner.

Bonus tip! Peggy said that one of their consistently best-performing articles whenever it’s highlighted on the Gardening Know How site is one that discusses the restorative power of gardening. Talk up gardening’s restorative good points!

I want to thank AmericanHort and Gardening Know How for an informative webinar. You can find AmericanHort’s webinars and other educational events at the website, americanhort.org, under the Education tab. GP