June July 2018

9 colorad o nga.org LooseLeaf  June/July 2018 The Draw of Seasonal Events Midsummer events are tough to get people to, so a bit of creativity is necessary for success. Creek Side’s philosophy on holding events is to provide a free attraction that will bring people in, but we are not focused on sales at that moment. We want community members to come through our doors and experience our garden center, so they consider coming back to shop. In June last year, we hosted a fly-fishing presentation by a wildlife biologist and experienced fly fisher for Father’s Day. It was fun, well attended and very well received, so we’ll be doing that again this year. It was the type of event that attracted a lot of guys, and wasn’t really tied to sales. Like most of our events, it was scheduled for after store hours. We grilled up some hamburgers, and served beer. Last July, we held a lavender festival over a weekend, similar to what the Denver Botanic Gardens has done. We sold lavender plants and lavender-themed gifts. We taught classes on growing lavender, how to use it, and how to make soaps. We served and sold lavender seasoned snacks, cookies and tea. For a year or two, we had a birds of prey exhibition, where a nonprofit rescue group brought in raptors like owls and hawks. It attracted a lot of people, but did not help us much from a sales standpoint. They came, they saw and they left. August is the Creek Side Summer Harvest Celebration—our most popular event of the year. We serve over 100 people fresh summer vegetables and fruit-themed dishes for free. It’s not a dinner or meal, but a series of hor d’oeuvres and finger foods. We used to prepare the food by ourselves, but the size of the event grew and a caterer became more practical. We also serve some lemonade, wine and beer, and have music and decorations in the courtyard. It’s a lovely evening, a way for us to say thanks to our regular customers, plus we get some new people in, who can experience what we are all about. One of my college professors used to say, “If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll end up being nothing to no one.” It’s a good reminder in finding a niche and staking your claim in that space. Learn as much as possible about your current customers, then during the off season offer a related (not so different that it’s out of left-field) product that they might have bought elsewhere. Be careful not to stray too far from your brand. Move with the seasons, be aware of trends and find out what the millennials are doing (succulents). Email marketing is not dead; it’s often poorly executed. Same goes for direct mail, it’s alive but poorly executed. When you offer information of value that appeals to the customer, you’ll get a response. A newsletter simply takes up space in someone’s inbox. When you send messages that do not call them to action or offer anything valuable, you train people to delete your emails or throw away your mailing piece. It is not the loudest, the largest or the flashiest company that wins customers, it is by far the one communicating most clearly. When you communicate well, you win customers. Clarify the difference and the value you offer and watch sales increase. Make your customers feel like the heroes of their gardens. Often companies (car companies especially) want to make the company or their product seem like the hero in their story. This is backwards thinking. The company should position themselves as the guide in their customers’ stories. When your company is the guide, helping your customers get what they want, they will return to feel successful and important. You don’t have to use this hero/ guide language in your marketing for it to work; in fact, that would probably be a little weird. But, you can change your mindset and employees’ mindsets when interacting with customers. Further, your website should reflect the hero customer from imagery to language. Instead of an image of your storefront, showcase a lovely vegetable garden with a smiling gardener. Help your customers survive and thrive, look good to their family and friends, find success and feel like they are important, and you’ll have all the business you want. Lavender Festival at Creek Side Gardens