For the garden industry, this is a busy, busy time of year! From new plants emerging in garden centers to gardening makeovers, there's a lot of garden-centric competition this time of year.
So how do you make your gardening brand stand out from the crowd?
Well, it all starts with an air-tight brand personality--and stellar products, of course.
From there, part of the fun is piggybacking on eco-events (like Earth Day, Arbor Day, and International Composting) and making your own company-specific events, too.
Below, we're detailing tips for eco-events based on successful Earth Day campaigns--and dishing on how to use these tricks to your company's advantage.
Why Events?
In the busiest season for the gardening industry, why should your business invest in events?
Events, whether national or exclusively hosted through your garden business, provide a sense of urgency for both consumers and the media (if you're pitching your event out).
Also, events don't have to physical, in-person events. An 'event' could be a digital Google+ Hangout, a social Twitter chat, or a day to share photos of gardens on Instagram. The definition of 'event' is up to you to define.
Time and time again, events have proven to generate media buzz, social buzz, and most often, sales for your business.
Marketing Lessons Learned from Earth Day
Company-Specific #Hashtags Work
With Nasa's #GlobalSelfie hashtag and contest, they proved that having a specific hashtag for your campaign is a must.
This hashtag was trending throughout all of Earth Day on both Facebook and Twitter.
Plus, having a specific hashtag just for your campaign or event allows you to track the engagement, conversion, and amount of people you reached.
Provide Useful, Simple Information
Think about what questions you get asked the most about your gardening product. You know that your customers are already interested in that topic. Now, take it a step further.
Hold an 'event' that answers the questions your customers are already asking. When promoting the event, focus on the 'simple, easy' takeaways and benefits the attendees will take away.
You want them to leave the event feeling empowered--and armed with information, too.
Make It Personal
Another reason Nasa's #GlobalSelfie was such a success was because it focused on the individual. The campaign was all about its users--not about the company itself.
They capitalized on the word of the 2014, #selfie, and used this trend to their marketing advantage.
Plus, it was a small ask from customers, who are always looking for an excuse to take a selfie.
Then, you can take these photos, quotes, and user-submitted content and share it to show you care. Gardening customers love to see their efforts shared with a larger community!
Hook 'Em with A Deal
Customers can't resist a good, exclusive sale or freebie. Always align your events with an irresistible sale, too!
