Retail Revival: Local and last minute

While the end of November and early December can be busy and rushed at the garden center, many businesses find that the action drops significantly around the 15th of the month.

This is logical, since if our customers are going to decorate their houses with greens and holiday plants, they tend to do it early in the month.

Closer to Christmas, however, people are shopping for gifts at other stores, and IGCs need to get creative to attract those customers back into the garden centers.

To bring them in, we need to appeal to what they care about and solve their problems.

Location, location, location

Since all gardening is regional, we are in a business that stresses locality. Use this to your advantage in your late-holiday marketing.

Which products do you have that are locally made? Do you carry books about local plants and gardening? Highlight those on your website and social media.

Is there a plant that’s a must-grow variety in your area? Assemble a kit for success and offer it with a gift card for purchasing that plant in the growing season. For example, if pecan or apple trees are a favorite in your area, offer a box with the right fertilizer and watering equipment, plus a gift card for two trees that are compatible for cross-pollination.

In my region, the favorite plant is the blue mophead hydrangea, so a hydrangea success kit with suggestions for several good varieties would be appealing. Take a picture of the group of products in an attractive basket or box topped with a bow and post it as a last-minute gift suggestion.

In addition to locally favored plants, local products are also good to draw people in for last-minute shopping. On your social media posts, ads and website, emphasize that these support families who live in your area. Gifts that are locally produced give in several directions: to the recipients, your store and your neighbors who made them.

Solve their problems

If you can help make your customers’ lives easier at holiday time, they will thank you for it. One way to do that is to publish gift suggestions based on price. Many need a nice present for a teacher, bus driver or hair stylist, but they can’t afford to break the bank on such gifts.

Show them unusual or unexpected things that aren’t too expensive. Perhaps it’s a small, easily grown plant, some paperwhite narcissus bulbs or a pair of small snips for harvesting herbs. Focus on what you stock that is useful and attractive but under $10.

If you have small craft paper gift bags that can be tied with a snip of raffia or crimped curling ribbon, feature those in photos with your gift suggestions, and offer this to your customers. The pretty presentation of a gift, even in a small brown bag, can make all the difference.

Offer to be the personal shopper for your customers. Have them give you a list of who they need small or last-minute items for, then collect your suggestions and text or email them for approval. Once given the OK, you can bag up those gifts, label them with the intended recipient’s name and have the lot ready and waiting for your client to pick up.

Shake it up

Have some last-minute shopping days or evenings when everyone admits that sometimes Christmas can be tiring or tiresome.

Pledge to play music that isn’t about Christmas, or even have a local folksinger or fiddle player in the house. Serve snacks that aren’t associated with the holiday — “No sugar cookies tonight!” — or give out prizes to people who come in Halloween costumes instead of ugly Christmas sweaters.

Promote your store this week as “Your source for local, last-minute and lovely gifts.” And happy holidays!