Rambo’s Nursery

LOCATIONLOCATIONLOCATION

By Paul A. ThomasThe University of Georgia

Determining: Where You Are Now…. And What May Eat You Up In The Future!

Re-Assessing Your Location

Am I Really in the Right Place

…..or Should I Move?                                            

What are you gaining?

Who Is Your Customer?

Is This A New Market?

What’s Different?

What’s The Goal?

Marketing

Site Criteria Table

Factors Grade 1-10 Weight 1-5     Points    

Traffic count: Cars or pedestrians

Visibility access

Proximity to competition

Zoning

Parking (include off-street parking)

Condition of premises

Proximity to customer generators

Income level of neighborhood

Population density

Ethnic make-up of neighborhood

Age factor

Directional growth of area

Area improving or deteriorating

Crime/shoplifting rates

Availability of qualified employees

Labor rates of pay

Supplier proximity

Terms and rental rates

Adequacy of utilities, gas, water

Transportation accessibility

Total Points

PotentialWholesale

PotentialLandscape

Market

PotentialRetailMarket

Location Affects Income Potential

Urban Sprawl – Are You Prepared?

Your Greenhouse

New Greenhouse !New Greenhouse !

Know The Future!

What’s Your County’s Plan?

Huh?

TheyCan’tBe

Serious!

Can They?

Passage of Referendum A. - 1998 Ad-velorum tax exclusion needed by farmers and established for agricultural commodities (including greenhouse and nursery operators) was questioned and challenged by tax commissioners in several Georgia counties. Referendum A was a pre-emptive legislative effort to establish that nursery and greenhouse inventory was not assessable under ad-velorum taxation. This was a team effort between many of Georgia's agricultural commodity groups that would have been affected if standing crops and livestock had become taxable.

Taxation and Tax Status

THE STATE OF GEORGIA

1997 Georgia H.B. 1350Enacted April 20, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT:

To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from ad valorem taxation, so as to provide for an exemption for certain livestock; crops; fruit or nut bearing trees, bushes, or plants; annual and perennial plants; Christmas trees; and plants and trees grown in nurseries for transplantation elsewhere which are grown in this state and remain in the hands of a family owned qualified farm products producer; to provide for conditions and limitations; to consolidate such provisions with certain provisions regarding farm and harvested agricultural products; to repeal certain provisions regarding production; to provide for applicability; to provide for effective dates; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Urban Sprawl Rate

Atlanta expands outward at 4.5 Miles / Year!

Urban Sprawl

Relocate Here ?

Or Here?

Athens Income

Three New

Garden CentersSince 2001

Expanding Neighborhoods

LandscapeInstallation!

LandscapeRenovation!

Housing Permits

Population Density

Best For

Retail?

Age Of Home Structures

LandscapeRenovation Mailings?

Ethnicity

Age Of Residents

Age Distribution Of Children

Skill Level

Years Of Education

Per Capita Income

Upscale Garden Centers!

Political Bent!

Religious Bent

Unemployment Rate

Last ten years

Labor Availability May Dictate Location

You Are

Here

Labor Force Trends

You want to be closer if: The more perishable your good areThe more dependent you are on walk in sales

How Close To An MSADo You Want To Be?

Traffic Flow Analysis

Traffic Flow Document

[Your Company’s Name]Marketing Plan

[By So and So….][By So and So….]

Market SummaryMarket: past, present, & futureMarket: past, present, & future

Review changes in market share, leadership, players, Review changes in market share, leadership, players, market shifts, costs, pricing, competitionmarket shifts, costs, pricing, competition

Early Adopters/Pioneers

Mass Market/Followers

End of Product Life

Time

Numberof

customers

Product Definition

Describe product/service being marketedDescribe product/service being marketed

CompetitionCompetitionThe competitive The competitive

landscapelandscapeProvide an overview of Provide an overview of

product competitors, product competitors, their strengths and their strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

Position each Position each competitor’s product competitor’s product against new productagainst new product

A B

CD

PerformanceP

rice

Competition

Can You Compete?Are You Different?Market Saturated?

Commercial Greenhouses In Georgia

PositioningPositioningPositioning of product or servicePositioning of product or service

Statement that distinctly defines the product in Statement that distinctly defines the product in its market and against its competition over its market and against its competition over timetime

Consumer promiseConsumer promiseStatement summarizing the benefit of the Statement summarizing the benefit of the

product or service to the consumerproduct or service to the consumer

Map Out Your Market Share

How much is sold in your area and how much of that is your sales?

State

Region

County

Market Positioning

Reduction in profit due to falling prices!

Communication StrategiesCommunication StrategiesMessaging by audienceMessaging by audienceTarget consumer demographicsTarget consumer demographics

Packaging & FulfillmentPackaging & FulfillmentProduct packagingProduct packaging

Discuss form-factor, pricing, look, strategyDiscuss form-factor, pricing, look, strategyDiscuss fulfillment issues for items not Discuss fulfillment issues for items not

shipped directly with productshipped directly with productCOGs COGs

Summarize Cost of Goods and high-level Bill Summarize Cost of Goods and high-level Bill of Materialsof Materials

Launch StrategiesLaunch StrategiesLaunch planLaunch plan

If product is being announcedIf product is being announcedPromotion budgetPromotion budget

Supply back up material with detailed budget Supply back up material with detailed budget information for reviewinformation for review

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Sep Oct Nov Dec

Phase 1Phase 1

Phase 2Phase 2

Phase 3Phase 3

Public RelationsPublic RelationsStrategy & executionStrategy & execution

PR strategiesPR strategiesPR plan highlightsPR plan highlightsHave backup PR plan including editorial Have backup PR plan including editorial

calendars, speaking engagements, calendars, speaking engagements, conference schedules, etc.conference schedules, etc.

Types of PromotionTypes of Promotion

AdvertisingAdvertisingPublicityPublicitySale PromotionSale PromotionPersonal SellingPersonal Selling

AdvertisingAdvertisingStrategy & executionStrategy & execution

Overview of strategyOverview of strategyOverview of media & timingOverview of media & timingOverview of ad spendingOverview of ad spending

The Compelling “C’s” of The Compelling “C’s” of JournalismJournalism

Catastrophe

Crisis

Conflict

Change

Crime

Corruption

Color!

Media TypesMedia Types

Print MediaPrint MediaNewspapersNewspapersMagazinesMagazinesDirect MailDirect MailBillboardsBillboardsDirectory AdvertisingDirectory AdvertisingTransit AdvertisingTransit Advertising

Other PromotionOther PromotionDirect marketingDirect marketing

Overview of strategy, vehicles & timingOverview of strategy, vehicles & timingOverview of response targets, goals & budgetOverview of response targets, goals & budget

Third-party marketingThird-party marketingCo-marketing arrangements with other Co-marketing arrangements with other

companiescompaniesMarketing programsMarketing programs

Other promotional programsOther promotional programs

PricingPricingPricingPricing

Summarize specific pricing or pricing Summarize specific pricing or pricing strategiesstrategies

Compare to similar productsCompare to similar productsPoliciesPolicies

Summarize policy relevant to understanding Summarize policy relevant to understanding key pricing issueskey pricing issues

DistributionDistributionDistribution strategyDistribution strategyChannels of distributionChannels of distribution

Summarize channels of distributionSummarize channels of distributionDistribution by channelDistribution by channel

Show plan of what percent share of Show plan of what percent share of distribution will be contributed by each distribution will be contributed by each channel -- a pie chart might be helpfulchannel -- a pie chart might be helpful

Where Are You In The Market Channel

ScheduleSchedule18-month schedule highlights18-month schedule highlightsTimingTiming

Isolate timing dependencies critical to Isolate timing dependencies critical to successsuccess

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Sep Oct Nov Dec

Task 2Task 2

Task 3Task 3

Task 4Task 4

Task 1Task 1

Milestone

Vertical Markets/SegmentsVertical Markets/SegmentsVertical market opportunitiesVertical market opportunities

Discuss specific market segment Discuss specific market segment opportunitiesopportunities

Address distribution strategies for those Address distribution strategies for those markets or segmentsmarkets or segments

Address use of third-party partner role in Address use of third-party partner role in distribution to vertical marketsdistribution to vertical markets

Wanna Be Different?

Goals of Niche Marketing

Name recognition

Increased repeat visits

Increased profits

Relief from general competition

Restructured work load / schedule

Personal interest

PremisesPremises

You are willing to be different

You need to be personally interested You must evaluate frequently

You must actively market and promote

It takes a long-term commitment

Theme gardening is cyclical

Options For Difference?Options For Difference?

Product Line: Focused, not diverse!

Produce Style: Unique, rare?

Service: Fast, reliable, on time?

Product Quality: Best? Second best?

Easy of Purchase: Drive up, mail order.

Knowledge: Ability to assist, facilitate.

Personality: Friendship, trust, humor.

Devise a StrategyDevise a Strategy

List: Your goals

Develop: Opportunities

Plan: Tasks and procedures

List: Obstacles and solutions

Develop: Detailed time-lines

Develop: Advertising / marketing options

Ask: Why would anyone shop here?

Planning is essential!

Venues For Venues For Theme Garden Theme Garden

MarketingMarketing

Trade Shows Philadelphia Show

Radio/ TV/ Newspapers Interviews / Stories

Classified Ads Weekly / Monthly

Local Events Art Festivals Flea Markets May – August

Organizations Garden Clubs

Crafting A Sale!

Example: Customer wants butterflies, but has too much shade.

Solution: Butterfly garden for shade bundle.

Example: Customer thinks they have a brown thumb.

Solution: Butterfly Garden with step by step design.

ovide layers of involvement and education:

Example: Customer base has beginners, advanced and fanatics!

Solution: Butterfly gardens for beginners

Crafting A Sale!Crafting A Sale!

Set the stage for the sale:

Adapt images to store front signage

Organize “interest centers.”

Plan a sequence of experiences.

Crafting A Sale!Crafting A Sale!

Steps to closing a sale:

Get Attention: Unusual advertising!

Spark Interest: Live, how to demonstration.

Develop Desire: Demo butterfly garden.

Facilitate Action: Bundled plants for sale.

Crafting A Sale!

Establish or re-design store policy:

Empower employees to act

Phone presence / Customer greeting

Reward enthusiasm

Facilitate training

What to evaluate after 18 What to evaluate after 18 months.months. There’s more than just direct sales!There’s more than just direct sales!

Overall sales.

Media coverage.

New customer base.

Repeat customers.

Community Goodwill.

Evaluation:Evaluation:

Start tracking inquiries.

Phase in a test event, seminar or demonstration.

Have a garden club focus group…

and then track actual sales from that group!

Search for similar theme on the internet.

Poll employees for interest / support.

Evaluation:Evaluation:

Follow up assessments:

Listen to customers questions.

Evaluate sales records weekly.

Monitor attendance at similar events.

Use coupons to gauge impact of ads.

Monitor your own enthusiasm.

Evaluation:Evaluation:

A. (4) Person knows, directs, recommends “it”*.

B. (3) Person knows and directs one to “it”.

C. (2) Person knows about “it”.

D. (1) Person as heard about “it”.

E. (0) Person had no idea “it” existed.

* “it” refers to your business / theme event.

*Not recommended in Georgia!

Have new theme ideas in pocket.

Continue to listen to customers.

Evaluate sales monthly by theme.

Reward employee with new ideas.