Trade shows can bring in hundreds, if not thousands, of like-industry individuals from vendors and publicists to influencers and general admission attendees, and everywhere in between.

And we know catching the eye of folks in the midst of the crazy trade show floor can be chaotic and sometimes impossible. So hosting dinners and after-parties are a great way to connect with specific folks you want to and get them to pay special attention to your brand or product. At Cultivate this year, we opted for a Breakfast with the Stars.

---Read on to see what we learned from hosting an intimate breakfast prior to the trade show and how it benefited our clients. ---

The new year has begun and that means trade show season! Unfortunately, with the ever-evolving pandemic, there is still a lot of uncertainty about how the shows will unfold.

The first of the year is always MANTS, the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, celebrating its 52^nd show in Baltimore. With masks on, thousands of attendees joined the hundreds of exhibitors for three days of shopping, buying, and relationship building in the horticulture industry.

Like always, MANTS did not disappoint and there was no shortage of hot new plant releases and cool new tools and products. No worries if you couldn’t make it, we’ve wrapped up a “To-Go” list of some of the most eye-catching new products from the show.

Events, conferences, trade shows, it’s a common tool for buying and selling in the green industry. But it seems like every week we hear of another show cancelling due to COVID-19. Many are choosing to go virtual.

Yes, virtual events can be a headache to attend and plan for, they do offer some unique opportunities to build brand value and trust. The internet can be a strategic resource that can help your business pivot and adapt.

Event marketers agree (97%) — going forward, the most rewarding events will have a virtual component

Read on to discover how you can use online events in your digital marketing campaign and profit from them.

Every company, small business, family, and individual has been tuned in to the news to stay updated on the growth of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). Gatherings have been postponed and many have been cancelled. Some organizations are finding ways to move to an online way of functioning, including public schools, colleges, businesses, and churches. 

There are steps that need to be taken to professionally and successfully make major changes to your event, including cancelling it.

Read more to learn what we suggest for postponing or cancelling an event.

Social media has become increasingly important over the past five years as an integral part of your overall trade show strategy.

Social media can be a great way to drive traffic to your booth at the show when used properly. It is in your best interest to cut through the noise and not only be active on the show floor, but also active online in the coming weeks and days before the show. 

By taking a proactive approach before the show, you are allowing yourself the opportunity to meet as many people as you possibly can.

During the show, we suggest assigning someone to “real-time” social media monitoring. This person can monitor the show chatter as it’s happening, drive traffic to your booth and quickly respond to photo tags and direct messages. This is usually someone who is not onsite, but able to dedicate his or her undivided attention to reaching out to as many people as possible during the show. It is an investment in time and resources, but one that can make a huge difference in your brand’s visibility during the show.

Read on to learn five ways you can utilize social media to start spreading the word and drive foot traffic to your booth at the show before you’ve even set it up.

Trade shows are one of the best places to learn, network, garner new business, attract new customers and interact face-to-face with trade show attendees.

They are also a huge investment. Are you making the most out   of every dollar that you're putting into garden industry trade shows? 

Chances are, your garden business could be doing more. 

Mastering the art of PR at a trade show is not easy.  You will  have a lot of balls in the air if you're trying to both sell and  market at the same time. 

But, don't overlook marketing! It is just as important as selling.

Read on for 10 tips for to master garden industry trade shows, conferences and events

I recently attended my seventeenth GWA (The Association for Garden Communicators) Conference in beautiful Buffalo, NY.

It’s hard for me to believe I’ve been in garden PR for almost 20 years (gasp)! I guess I love what I do, right? It’s always a joy attending this yearly conference, which allows me to reconnect with many of my garden friends that I only get to see once a year. And, of course, making new friends, too!

After working and attending a variety of industry events throughout my career, I want to share a few tips for connecting with the media that will help you be more successful when pitching. After all, this is a great opportunity for face time and relationship building!

Let’s dig in with these quick tips for making media relations magic at your next trade show.

The Garden Media team attended IGC East earlier this month, and with half of the team being Millennials, we looked at the show with a different perspective. We definitely ran into certain booths that caught our attention.

Many companies are shifting their focus onto the new garden consumer: Millennials, and with good reason. Millennials make up nearly 25 percent of the US population and are the most influential consumers.

One trait of Millennials is that we love to be engaged - not of the marrying kind, not yet - but of the stimulant kind. Give us something to do or something to watch. And be approachable... without being creepy. Be nice, be calm and be welcoming.  

Continue reading to see what booths stood out in the Millennial mind and why.

Last week, Garden Media saw Martha Stewart speak at IGC East. During her talk, she stressed the importance of individuality and pushed for garden centers to appeal to the industry’s new consumers: millenials.

We touched on some things you didn't know about Martha in Part I of this series. 

Continue reading for Pat II and to learn more about Martha Stewart’s talk at IGC East. 

Cultivate, AmericanHort’s yearly conference, promises to offer industry insiders a sneak peek into what’s trending in horticulture for 2015 and beyond.

Garden Media plans to add to that buzz when President Susan McCoy previews the firm’s 2016 Garden Trends Report at Cultivate ’15.

“Syncing with Nature” identifies seven new garden trends that will shake up the industry in the coming year.

The 2016 report concludes that consumers are “rewilding” themselves and gaining a newfound appreciation for both the earth’s precious resources and nature centers found in their own backyards.