Why We Buy
The more you know about why consumers buy, the closer you are to knowing how to sell to them, and how to sell more to them. We start this half-day discovery into consumer behavior with a book group discussing Paco Underhill's pivotal book Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. We invite you to read the book prior to the National Green Centre but invite everyone to participate in the discussion. Following the book discussion, join us as a panel of Generation X and Generation Y consumers discuss why they are (or in many cases are not) purchasing plants and other garden center products. This is sure to be a lively discussion and an illuminating look into the decision processes of several Gen X and Gen Y consumers - some married with families, others single and living in condos and lofts - some gardeners and others who don't intend to own a single plant. Come to one or both of the sessions.
Richard Holberg: Creating a "Brand" New Garden Center - A Case Study
Sunday, January 9th; 2:30 - 3:30 P.M.
Branding is a hot topic in the retail world, but many small green industry businesses have a hard time deciding what it means to them. This seminar will show you how the power of your own integrated brand can transform your garden center business... and grow your sales success! In this session we'll explain what makes up your brand, you'll see a case study of a garden center brand redesign, with before and after examples, and you'll learn the importance of making a branded impression in your customer's mind. Attendees should then be able to take a fresh look at what their current brand is saying to customers... and decide on a path for improvement.
Richard Holberg is President of GreenBranding, a division of Holberg Design Inc. an advertising agency he formed in 1988. GreenBranding helps retail garden centers fully integrated all aspects of their brand throughout their entire facility, creating a dynamic, enhanced shopping experience for their customers. Rick led the rebranding of Stauffers of Kissel Hill, a national top 20 garden center in south central PA in 2006. Visit www.GardenCenterMakeOver.com to learn more. Rick is known and respected for his insightful creative solutions and for creating unique and goal-driven relationships with business owners, marketing managers and in-house design teams. Rick is the recipient of the Central Penn Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Award, Kutztown University's 1995 Young Alumni of the Year Award, and the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award. He stays professionally involved with his alma mater, the Central PA AIGA and The Society of Design. In addition to his work at GreenBranding, Rick also teaches at The Art Institute of York PA.
The Gardening Consumers of Tomorrow; a panel discussion moderated by Paige Worthy
Sunday, January 9th; 4:00 - 5:00 P.M.
Are generations X and Y the next "Lost Generation" for the green industry? If you keep doing business the same way you always have, they
probably will be! There's still hope, though: This panel of next-generation consumers, whose gardening experience runs the gamut from ill-fated springtime Home Depot runs to regular garden center shopping, will offer insight into why they shop today and what makes them buy what they do. Come with your questions and an open mind... "kids" say the darnedest things!
Paige Worthy is the American Nursery & Landscape Association's marketing and outreach Girl Friday. She's former editor of /Lawn & Garden Retailer and GPN magazines, and has spent more than three years falling in love with the green industry. She can be reached at pworthy@anla.org. Learn more about ANLA at the Knowledge Center. For more information about their Clinic in Louisville, Jan. 26-29, click the website link below.
