To thrive in the present and grow in the future, garden brands need to market, target and build relationships. This is important to do with all customers, but particularly crucial in appealing to Millennials. 

Millennials have a desire to create their own path, influencing how and why they opt for one garden brand over a competitor. Often called the "DIY generation", this growing consumer base's preferences will become increasingly important to your garden business. 

Millennials are already extremely powerful - and their buying influence in the garden industry is only budding.

Continue reading to learn 5 tips and tricks to sell and market gardening to Millennials.

The constant availability of the internet has made spreading news about your garden business easier than ever.

But, getting your consumers to read that news has proven to be far more difficult.

Every minute of every day gardening customers are logging on and searching for the latest gardening news, but is your green business on their watch list?

With all of the news, phone apps and social media sites, your company news can easily disappear into the market noise.

Find out what form of media your garden consumers are reading and tips to ensure your message doesn't just get published--it gets read.

By now, your garden business knows social media matters.

Though startling new social media research shows that how you think about social media may need to be updated.

You know who you are targeting on social media, what types of content to post, and when to update your page.

But do you know where social media ranks in terms of activity on the web?  Or how often LinkedIn gets a new member?

The following statistics may shock and surprise you, and make you rethink your garden businesses social media strategy for 2014.

Automated, generalized messages don't have the impact they used to.

People change channels when commercials appear, no one answers a call from a telemarketer, and automated emails don't get opened.

The old way of marketing is out, and personalized, compelling content in context is in, in a big way. 

Over the next year, this marketing trend is going to continue to grow.

Here are the top 4 content marketing trends that will emerge and thrive in 2014.

When connecting with journalists in the wild and wonderful world of PR, there are proven tactics that work--like email.

PR pros cite emails as the top medium to reach out to journalists, and journalists agree. Email is their favorite way to be contacted too.

While public relations gurus and journalists are on the same page about email, after that, there's a major disconnect.

Namely, 35% of journalists prefer contacts and pitches on a social platform that a mere 15% of public relations professionals use.

Read on to discover what the social platform for pitching and connecting with an audience is that you're missing--and how to master it in a snap.

Are you an app addict? Always downloading new apps on your smartphone?

Well then it may come as a surprise to you that people use their smartphones most for emails, not apps, not internet, not actual phone calls, but E-MAIL.

A study found 79% of smartphone users use their phone to check email. And, after checking their personal email, emails from brands - or even better emails from your garden business are their second priority in terms of importance.

And a whopping 70% said direct emails from businesses influence their buying behavior -- a great ROI! That's why mobile email marketing is definitely a worthwhile investment.

With these stats in mind, your garden business needs to take a second look at your email marketing and use these simple but powerful tips for an email makeover.

Whenever you sit down to write something, do you imagine how impactful it will be?  Or how many eyes will read it?

Well, did you know that 40% of your articles never get read?

Yes, the one you slaved over and edited again and again.

If you're lucky, about 60% of your articles will be read! But there are secrets to increase readership and give your posts some punch.

Below, we've got some more facts about consumer reading habits... HOWEVER, we have ways to combat these findings and advice on how to produce pieces your readers will love.

As much as we talk about social media, press releases, and witty infographics, the medium simply will not matter if there isn't strong content backing it up.

Content is king and will be for the foreseeable future. Before you go blazing a new digital medium trail, you’ve got to pause and think before you do.

If you want your mediums to be successful, your content has to set the foundation. Meaning before you think about the how, you need to think long and hard about the what.

Strong, interesting content is the only way to ensure your clientele keeps coming back to you.

To get your mind wheels a’turning, here are eight types of content that consumers are proven to love.

Implement these tips next time you post on social media or write a press release, and voila, you’re the brand they’ll forever return to.

The world of public relations has undergone a major facelift in the last ten years. 

With social media and digital marketing forever on the rise, traditional forms of media have been under scrunity.

Bloggers, social media moguls, and online news stories have been the preferred mediums as of late.

Garden Media Group breathes garden and public relations trends; it's our job.

To make your job easier, we're dissecting traditional forms of media and outlining the public relations trends of 2013. 

Presenting new ideas, whether it's to your in-house team, your board, or a green audience at a conference, is your time to shine.

This is your moment to tell a captive audience just exactly why your product or business is the bee's knees.

Yes, public speaking is terrifying, which also means it's exhilarating. 

One of the quickest ways to flourish (or flunk) a presentation is to use visual aides. The next time you're presenting, mesmerize your audience with one of these hip, modern presentation tools.