Put the Social Back in Social Media
Our second set of marketing takeaways from the latest trends report from Social Media Examiner is one that might resonate with you deeply.
Seth Godin predicts that, in two years, people will no longer find gratification in Facebook.
I’ve got to tell you, I believe we’re already there. Your friends, my friends, our peers, they’re all starting to check out of Facebook and check into life. It seems like the only updates you see from them are their family Christmas pictures.
Social Media Gets Social – In Real Life
No friend requests required.
Frankly, this is a long time coming. I know so many of you want to quit Facebook. You’re desperate to take a break and stop the insta-social notifications to enjoy life in its realisms. But you can’t quit entirely because that’s where your customers are, for right now. This virtual world we’ve been trying to play like Minecraft is due for a readjustment. And you’ve got be ready for it. This is your job.
You’re good at social. Every customer you greet in your garden centre proves that you thrive on face-to-face interaction. Boomers, Millennials, and the youngest marketable group, Generation Z, will soon crave entertainment beyond their smartphone. As Facebook and Instagram cease to monopolize your customer’s attention, they’ll seek other avenues for amusement, and this will be your time to shine. You are poised in the perfect position to offer experiences to a large group of people, regardless of the year they were born. Your garden centre, greenhouse, or landscape design company are all capable of offering unique experiences to the masses.
What this means for Garden Centers:
Start trimming the bushes, freshening up the mulch, and taking note of your online influencers, because the parade of bright-eyed, plant parent wannabes will be marching to your front door soon. You have to foster your online relationships right now to leverage the connections through to the next shift.
+ Stop treating Facebook like a newspaper ad where you blast your weekly special and never care to check back in to see if people even wanted to buy your two-toned calibrachoas. Start asking them in a Facebook poll if they prefer exotic flowers or soothing bloomers for their hanging baskets – and then design appropriately.
+ Stop telling your customers they need to call you for all their landscaping needs. They’re not a three-year old that needs to pick up their toys. Start going Facebook Live in the middle of your latest installation to showcase the craftsmanship and show-off your talented crew.
+ Stop posting Facebook galleries of your extensive pottery collection. Start offering workshops for people to design their own container garden filled with the thriller, filler, and spiller combos that will flourish in their space.
+ Stop selling just herbs, vegetables and berries. Start monthly cooking classes where customers can learn to cook with the edibles you grew specifically for them.
+ Start connecting the dots for the ultimate experience under your roof for a lasting impression that doesn’t need a Facebook recommendation – but you’d gladly accept it.
How DIG can help: Our knowledge is deep with marketing experiences for our green industry friends. From event planning, promotions and counseling through the whole process, this is our jam. We work closely with Salisbury Greenhouse and other destination companies to create lasting impressions that keep the door revolving with customers.
