So, you've got everyone on board with your new gardening brand. You know how to describe your brand in three simple words; and, you've answered the 4 W's.

Now, you've have to work on making the world love your gardening brand.

To do this, you've got to get your brand in front of local and national media. 

The best way to ensure you get placements on t.v., magazines, and newspapers is to humanize your garden brand. 

At Garden Media we know that without a good reputation, you’re sunk. As experts in creating brand leaders within the garden industry, we know a lot about the power of a good reputation, and we’re excited to share some of our insider secrets with you!

Each month we have decided to release a new e-book featuring a case study that illustrates a specific public relations strategy, along with tips on building your reputation and strengthening your brand.

“Branding The Knock Out® Rose”, the first case study in the series, outlines the public relations strategies used to help launch The Knock Out® Rose, now one of the best-selling shrubs in America.

But the most exciting part of the case study series is our new monthly eBook club.  At the end of each month, I’ll host a On Air Hangout on Garden Media’s Google + page.  Just sign up for our virtual book club to receive the eBook of the month, discussion topics and an invitation to the On Air Hangout.  During the Hangout we will dig deeper into the case study and answer all your questions.

Congratulations! Since you have outlined your three branding words, you're on the way to creating a stellar brand.  You know who you want to be, and now, you've just got to figure out how to get there.

It's time to describe who your brand is in more detail.

The easiest way to define your brand is by answering the 4 W's of your garden brand.

In the late nineteen twenties the two largest manufacturers of breakfast cereal, Kellogg's and Post, were vying for the hearts and wallets of the American people. But with the Great Depression looming in the distance, and spending on the top of everyone's minds, only one company could come out on top.  Can you guess who?

Ah, the sweet smell of spring! We've endured the April showers, and now, it's finally time for May flowers! But, that's not all that's blooming...

Throughout the month of May, Garden Media Group will hone in on one of our favorite concepts: branding!

Each and every Wednesday throughout the month of May, our Grow blog will be examining a new aspect of branding.

Stick with us, and by the end of the month, your flowers will be in full bloom--and so will your garden business's brand!

To begin the journey, we're discussing one of the most important and initial steps of branding a business: defining your brand personality and product.

Branding is a compilation of the choices your business makes. There's no magic formula to crafting an impeccable brand.

In order to build your business's brand, you've first got to establish three words that really encapsulates who your brand is. How are you different than the million of other garden businesses out there?

Once you've established a solid, branding foundation, then it's time to build your brand!

Best way to build your green, garden brand? Read and use these tips below to make your brand UNFORGETTABLE. 

Yahoo! April Fool's day is a day we can all celebrate! Best of all, the day of humor, pranks, and non-stop jokes lands on a Monday. A great way to spice up our week!

April's Fool's day is fantastic for laughs around the office and the house. Office supplies in Jello anyone?

Get the laughter outside of the office! April Fool's Day is such an awesome way to flaunt your humor with the world. Below, we're outlining a handful of our favorite brand pranks... plus, tips on integrating humor into your garden business today, and every day!

I love this cartoon! Recovering from a public relations disaster is really such a mix of emotions. But, of course, we know that nothing is going to blow over—and your business’s Facebook page will never be left out of it! Keep dreaming, bud!

I’ve been waiting to write this blog for quite some time… In February, we saw an overload of public relations disasters: Anne Hathaway after the Oscars, Burger King’s Twitter getting hacked, or Senator Marco Rubio incredibly awkward water break during a speech.   

Disasters are no longer just broadcast on the front page of newspapers around the country; instead, instantly people flock to social media to share their opinions.

Rebounding from a public relations catastrophe looks a bit different than it used to. Make sure your company is ready to react if you end up being the target of an infamous misfortune with these smart public relations strategy tips.

By Chuck Bowen

Editor, Lawn & Landscape

One of the things we do at Lawn & Landscape is provide landscape contractors with practical information that helps them run their business better. And the best way to do that is to help you better understand your customers.

So late last year, we conducted the first major post-recession survey of homeowners’ perceptions of the landscape industry. We asked more than 850 homeowners across the country why they buy landscape and lawn care services, what they think of contractors, and how they decide what to spend on improving their green spaces.

Their answers might surprise you.

We live in a 24/7 world, where there is always a conversation going on Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Youtube.. People are going to be talking about the latest ending of a Phillies game or posting reviews about the newest Modern Family episode.

Memes give the people yet another avenue to express their thoughts; memes are a cultural sensation that have been growing exponentially. If you don’t know exactly what a meme is, don’t fret! We’ll cover that in just a second.

Memes and social media unite us as a nation and as a global community. Here, we’re able to connect, converse, and laugh about the same cultural icons.

Yet, memes can be an extremely valuable tool in your small business. Learn just how easy it is to become the next viral share on social media with a laughable, sharable meme!