In 2001, Garden Media predicted that vegetable gardening would regain popularity. We noticed a trend of 'gardening for the greater good.' Basically, gardening for the earth and our wallets- reminiscent of the Victory Gardens popular during WWII.  

In 2005, we noticed there was still a demand for fresh, local, affordable fruits and vegetables.  But this time, young men were taking up the mantle, emulating their grandfathers and growing their own.

By 2009, 43 million U.S. households planned to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries, up 19% from 36 million households in 2008, reported the National Gardening Association.

"As in previous recessions, we've seen increased participation in and spending on food gardening as people look for ways to economize," explained Bruce Butterfield, research director for the NGA. "That said, these results suggest the interest in food gardening may continue to increase, even after the economy improves."

Flash forward to 2014.  Was Bruce right? Has the interest in food gardening only increased or did farmers markets become the backyard vegetable garden?  Read more after the jump to find out.

It's September, which means the leaves are beginning to change, yellowjackets are on the hunt for sweet morsels of food and it's New York Fashion Week!

Yes, gardening and Fashion Week have something in common... Can you guess what it is? 

Trends!

This week, we get a glimpse of what colors and shapes are coming out of New York during Fall 2013's Fashion Week from Pantone, a global authority on color. Check out the seasons' hottest colors below.

We talk a LOT about choosing the right PR firm for your business on. this. blog. But recently I read an article about the difference between publicity and PR from Spin Sucks by Gini Dietrich.

She says, "publicity or earned media or media relations is all about getting your organization covered in the news. It’s great for the ego, it’s great for building awareness, and it’s great for credibility. It’s not great, however, for making the phone ring or for increasing sales."

Gini goes on to explain that publicity, when combined with PR, can be a powerful tool in building your reputation and growing sales.

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?

I was recently asked to speak to a group of landscape designers on alternatives to social media that still remain effective. 

You know what I found out, traditional forms of marketing still work.

The same strategies such as direct mail, newsletters and gasp, face-to-face meetings, can be reliable ways of keeping your business in the public eye and generating new business without breaking the bank.

They keys to success in traditional marketing are the same in internet marketing.  You need to send the right message to the right people, and have a compelling offer. 

I wanted to share a few things from my talk, and the first is a guide to creating targeted, compelling newsletters.  And these tips can apply to e-newsletters, too, if you so desire! 

Our latest guide for mastering public relations strategies is out!

Growing Your Business with Public Relations explains the differences between advertising and PR, offers tips on creating public relations media plans and how to write a mission statement. It also includes a guide on writing a modern day press release.

Public relations is a powerful tool more businesses should be using to grow their bottom line. With public relations, you can fast track a product, build a credible reputation and drive demand. Our new eBook covers PR 101: how to get started.

We broke down the things we do on a daily basis and chose what were the most important to include in the eBook. Our insider tips will help businesses understand how to incorporate PR into daily marketing operations.

Building and maintaining a trustworthy reputation is the most important focus of any company, new or old.  But building this trust is not easy, especially in today’s inquisitive society. It takes a strong foundation, detailed planning, sound execution, creative ideas and time to build a brand. 

For years, companies have used the expertise of public relations firms to help communicate brand values and build their brand’s reputation. One of our services offered is branding.  To help companies better understand the nature of public relations in building brands, we have released a branding case study.

I recently read an article that made me chuckle.  It started off, "There are so many similarities between SEO and gardening..."

Of course, I had to read on. 

In the article, Bernie Borges describes the stages of gardening and how they relate to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  It reminded me of my post last week about content marketing in which Marcus Sheridan said:

"Success in this business doesn’t happen overnight. Content marketing isn’t a chia-pet—water today, a vine jungle tomorrow."

I usually start off Saturday mornings by catching up on some of my favorite blogs... from design, fashion and of course, those from the garden industry, I get my fill of information for the week! But this weekend, I read a particularly different post about social media etiquette.

Etiquette.  Ahhh... society has gotten so far from the writings in the very first Emily Post Blue book.  And as the rules of social media evolve, how does etiquette evolve with it? 

No, I'm not saying change is bad.  Change is good!  It's just that there are some basic principals of etiquette that should never change, on or offline:

Be kind.  Treat others with respect.  Show your appreciation.

This post will offer tips on how we can continue to follow these basic principals for these social media platforms: Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Otherwise, we all will have Miss Post rolling in her grave.