Mining gold at New England Grows

Here are some highlights from the Garden Center Success seminar at the recent New England Grows trade show and conference in Boston. The all-day seminar was geared specifically for garden center operators and featured industry veterans as keynote speakers and session leaders.

Regarding sending buyers to shows
“I don’t have buyers, I have investors. I give them 20 thousand dollars and say – go make that 100 thousand dollars.” -- Ken Lain, owner, Watters Garden Center, Prescott, Ariz.

Regarding product lines
 “Customers don’t really want “green;” they want it to work. First it has to work, then it has to be natural, then safe and then all that other feel good stuff. Give them that and you’ve got the sale.” -- Ken Lain

Regarding staff training
 “Teach them about reading people. This is my staff training: I teach them to find out what the customer's favorite color is. It’s easy, what color is her blouse, her ring? Say it’s red -- that’s her favorite color. Now it’s your job to show her our biggest-margin red flowering plant.” -- Ken Lain

About payroll savings
 “I went to an all-volunteer staff. On slow or rainy days I went around asking for volunteers to go home” -- Jonn "J-Dog" Karsseboom, owner, The Garden Corner, Tualatin, Ore.

On what most of us don’t want to do when sales are dropping
 “One night I Googled my store, and this is what I found: “Once, it was a nice place”. --Jonn Karsseboom

On the need to shop your competition
 “If you go into your competition, there is always this weird feeling that you may see one of your customers there. I did, my neighbor was buying soil at HomeDepot. It’s gonna happen, you just need to learn to live with it.” -- Jonn Karsseboom

On trying to run a garden center and keep up with technology
 “Like most of you, my website gets updated three times a year, January, February and March”  -- Michelle Harvey, owner, Lakeview Nurseries, Lunenburg, Mass.

On how long it takes to shoot a video
“60 to 90 seconds seems to work for us. People don’t want to listen to me for longer than that! Make it quick, grab their interest then ask them to come into your store.”   -Michelle Harvey

On why age and lack of technical expertise isn’t an excuse for not using social media
 “Look, it’s so easy even a blonde girl can do it! I have no computer skills whatsoever, but with a camera a free YouTube and Facebook site, it’s quick and easy.” -- Michelle Harvey

On how to get more fans for your Facebook page
 “Let your staff post. Before you know it their friends, mom, dad and assorted aunts and uncles will have “liked” your page.” -- Michelle Harvey