A recent report, published in January edition of Garden Trade News stated: 8% of consumers hate having to communicate with a business using the business preferred communication systems rather than their preferred communications system (YouGov / RightNow research ).

This indicates how rapidly the world is changing and how quickly garden centers need to change. Can you imagine even two years ago, that one of a consumers hates would be you not communicating with them, using their preferred choice.

Life was so much easier back then. An advert in a newspaper and a monthly or quarterly newsletter and you could sit back feeling you had done your job.  All you needed to do was wait for the customers to walk in the door.  You controlled the marketing journey.

That was in the days when it was a “Selling Cycle” where you were in control.  In 2010 it is a “Buyers Cycle” where the consumer now takes the lead and expects you to communicate with them using their preferred technique not yours.

It Starts with the Family
Before we look at business communications, it is worth reflecting how your own family communications have changed.  Since I spend a lot of time on the road, I need to communicate with the family on a regular basis.  If I email my Gen Y daughter, I know I will not get a response.  She thinks emailing is old fashioned.  If I want to communicate with her I need to use Facebook. When it comes to my Gen X daughters, I know emailing is their preferred choice and I’ll get a response. But, when it comes to my wife, she expects a phone call from me as her preferred means of communication from me.  At the same time my elderly aunt will only respond if I send her a letter or postcard.

It finishes with your business
The business world today is very much in the same situation. A garden centre communications channel with its consumers has to deal with the same multitude of options.   Garden Centres now have to ask their consumers what channel of communication they would prefer. Use the wrong channel and you may lose a customer.

The first step is to become familiar with all the different means of communications you have at your disposal. If you have not “played” with the different options then join the various social media options at your disposal and find out how they are used and more importantly, how you can use them.

Secondly, get your team members to talk to your existing customers and ask them how they would like to receive communications from you.
Thirdly, consider the consumers who do not visit you and find out how they would like to receive communications from you on gardening.

The Communications Tool Kit in 2010

Take a Step at a Time
All the new ways of communicating can be mind blowing. A client of mine the other day was quite frustrated as he was not keeping up with marketing communications and was at the point of giving up. We agreed he should take one step at a time. At this point he has decided to ignore YouTube, Twitter and Blogging while he focuses on getting to grips with FaceBook. Take one marketing tool at a time and once you feel comfortable with that one, then work on developing the next one.

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