Centered at the Garden Center Conference & Expo: Part II

There was so much to do at the Garden Center Conference & Expo (Aug. 2-4 in Minneapolis) that it was necessary to break our recap into two parts. With 16 educational sessions over three days and 45 exhibitors across a 1,600-square-foot show floor, there was a lot to see and a lot to miss.

Here’s part two of our synopsis of this year’s sessions with helpful tips to refresh your memory and prep you for 2024’s conference, which will be Aug. 20-22 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

Both Sides Of The Sale: The Story Inside The Successful Ownership Transition Of Rockledge Gardens

Theresa and Kevin Riley, former owners of Theresa’s family’s garden center, Rockledge Gardens; Liz Lark-Riley, senior customer relationship manager, Mahoney’s Garden Centers, and former managing director, Rockledge Gardens; Devon Klingman and Brendan Hayes-Morrison, new owners (and industry newcomers), Rockledge Gardens

Communicate often and openly with staff, customers and vendors about the selling process, especially to prevent false rumors from spreading. Be prepared for how much information you’ll need to compile and how much time it will take to do so. (As a sidenote, the new owners have a fascinating life story — both had ocean-going careers on commercial cargo vessels traveling around the world: Brendan as a ship captain and Devon as a third and second officer in charge of safety and navigation. The couple is getting married at Rockledge Gardens in the future.)

Dive Into Garden Centers Across The Pond

Bob Marley, consultant and UK horticulturalist

During a virtual garden center tour, Bob Marley discussed best practices of British IGCs, with a focus on human store design that’s clean, accessible and merchandised for the way people shop. He also stressed the importance of creating a destination where consumers would be willing to linger. Co-locate displays and merchandise, so customers inspired by a display have those products within easy reach. Lean into conservation, as consumers expect green practices, including water conservation, recycling and environmentally friendly planting media. Become a destination, with cafés, play areas and event spaces. Food sales at UK garden centers are becoming the leading source of profit.

Discovering The FELCO DNA: How Curated Hardgoods And Expertise Differentiate Your Garden Center In A World Of Me-Too Product

Ryan Amberg, general manager, FELCO North America

FELCO doesn’t sell in big box retailers — the brand’s shears and other gardening tools are only available in garden centers, which are the company’s fastest-growing segment, with 30% growth year over year. FELCO says there are four advantages to only selling in garden centers: product, place, price and promotion. Alpen, a mid-price point brand, is coming soon from FELCO.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

Peter Wigren, founder and CEO, Simple Spring

Capturing more data is not always a good thing; it just increases noise. You need to get to knowledge. Information tends to be — even though interesting — a distraction. Knowledge tends to be actionable. Wisdom tends to make you money. Data-driven decision-making starts with a business hypothesis, informed by your knowledge and wisdom, that is ultimately proven either true or false. Data sources include digital marketing, online sales, POS systems, inventory, CRM and accounting.

Survey Says! Leadership Development For Existing And Emerging Managers

John Kennedy, owner, BoomerWrangle

A survey taken before the session found that one of the biggest struggles for IGC leadership is effective and empathetic communication with staff. Kennedy walked participants through the exercises that showed the importance of clear, thoughtful and active communication. More than anything, he pointed out that leaders need to listen and observe as much as they talk in order to help staff find solutions and lead them in day-to-day business practices.

Tech Talk - Extensions And Partnerships

Jessica DeGraaf, director of retail accounts, Proven Winners; Sam Kirkland, strategic relationship manager, Epicor

There are four pillars of technology for companies with a vision: cash flow, employee productivity, customer engagement and process improvement. Identify your core competencies, identify areas that are inhibiting growth and find partners that can help. When it comes to employee productivity and retention, 40% of employees who don’t receive training will leave their position in one year. But 94% of employees won’t quit if they’re offered training and development opportunities. The retention rate of businesses with strong learning cultures ranges from 30-50%. A learning management system is a good idea.

Pain Points: Identifying Roadblocks In Your Customer’s Shopping Experience

Judy Sharpton, owner of Growing Places Marketing

Pain points — those places where you struggle to meet customer needs — are great places to consider change. Start with the sign. There’s no buying if your customer doesn’t know you exist or understand what you do. Make signs simple and visible, with clear text as to what you do and provide. Plan for parking. IGCs struggle with parking, but it helps to have an accurate drawing, made to scale of the space you have available for cars. Consider the front door. Your entrance should offer easy access, and its position should offer clear direction as to the way you want your customers to move through the store. If it doesn’t work, moving the front door may be the best investment you can make.

Content Is King

C.L. Fornari, writer, speaker and host, The Garden Lady; Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, founder, Agrochic; Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, “The Hoosier Gardener” and GardenComm past president (joint panel with GardenComm)

Before diving into any content creation, you need to think about who your customers are and what they care about. You can use the content you create across multiple platforms — on social media, in blogs or in newsletters. Use a content calendar to keep track of it all. Make sure that the content you’re putting out is educational and scientifically correct. But don’t be too science-y — you need to use plain language to make it easy for your customers to know what you’re talking about.