How e-ffectively do you communicate?

Your customers want to know that they’re understood and that you offer what will solve their gardening problems or needs. How do you accomplish both feats?

An effective sales e-mail to your garden center’s customers will concentrate on them. It doesn’t need to be fancy or slick. Your customers want to know that they’re understood and that you offer what will solve their gardening problems or needs. How do you accomplish both feats? Heed the ABCs:

Attract your reader with an effective headline. A clearly stated benefit is very effective (Reduce Your Watering Time and Expense). Other headlines include asking a question (Do You Know How to Tell If Your Plant Has Aphids?) or drawing a picture (Imagine Your Own Shade Garden With Hostas, Bleeding Hearts and Ferns Alongside The House).

Build the relationship with your customer. Anticipate their needs and offer help. Build on customers’ questions. (Which others probably share.) Trends, seasonal considerations and untimely weather also create needs for you to answer.

Content is what customers want. Providing what, when, where, why and “how-to” information helps customers plan their gardening projects. Your center will be the go-to resource in their minds.

Here is an example of an effective sales e-mail:

Looking for an Easy-Care Low Shrub to Plant Under Eaves or Another Dry Spot? (Attracting headline)

Here at XYZ GardenCenter, we’re often asked, “What can I plant under my eaves where it doesn’t get much water?”

You may have the same question. (Building relationship)

Sarcococca is a shrub (follow with brief content for customer describing the benefits and uses of this plant, etc.)

Now on sale...solve your plant problem and save money!

It’s short. It’s specific. It entices customers to read it, then follows up by outlining benefits. Finally, it helps them realize how smart they are for just having saved money on a solution they needed all along.

In e-mail parlance, that’s one big :) for your customers and one likely big $ for your store.

A member of the American Writers and Artists Inc. and the Professional Writers Alliance, Jacqui Austin is a trained Web Copy Specialist. She helps companies in the horticulture industry grow their businesses. Reach her at jacqui@gardencenterwriter.com; www.gardencenterwriter.com.