Landscape
And
Nursery
Dialog
Mary Ann Rose
Commercial Landscape
& Nursery Specialist
The Ohio State UniversityAugust, 1996
Signage for the Garden Center
Keywords: garden center, marketing, business management, sales
W hile at the Ohio International Floral Short Course in July, I attended an excellent program on signs: "Signage, Your Silent Sales Force," by Linda VanWilgen (VanWilgen's Garden Center, North Branford, CT). In this program, Linda described how signs convey a store's image, and above all, how signs sell product. I'll attempt to summarize the highlights from her program.
Getting started with an in-house program. Assign one person in the company the responsibility of making signs to maintain standards and a consistent image. Linda advised using a personal computer to make signs. While initial investment may be high if an existing computer can't be used, the advantage of creating sign templates and saving signs for later use is great. Additional items needed include desktop publishing software, a printer (laser quality is best but others may be acceptable), a laminator and laminating sheets, a paper cutter, and sign holders.
What to put on the product sign. Product signage should include the product name, the reason why the customer should buy the product (e.g., ever-blooming, care-free perennial) and price. Linda promoted the use of multiple pricing, having found that this tactic helps sell more product. If the product is on sale, indicate the regular price as well as the sale price so the customer knows what they are saving. Using colored stock to call attention to weekly specials can be quite effective.
Including plant care information is optional, but is appreciated by customers. Don't over-do it, but occasional cross-merchandising (fertilize monthly with product X) can help sell more product. Including noteworthy, unique information about the item also will help sell it (Perennial Plant of the Year, 1995). All product signs should have a consistent style and lettering. Be sure to proofread signs and change them weekly to keep up with store specials.
How to write effective text. Getting the message across (You want to buy this product) through effective copy is critical. Word-crafting may seem to be a daunting challenge at first, but Linda encouraged the timid to be creative. A good place to go for help is the product package or manufacturer catalogues. The manufacturers went through a great deal of effort to come up their product descriptions, - so borrow them. For plants, turn their features into benefits, e.g., "dazzling orange flowers all summer long". As you develop a repertoire of phrases that work, don't worry about reusing them. Finally, the language on all signs should be professional.
Other types of signs. Linda had some good ideas for signage that garden center operators may want to try. For large garden centers, a directory of the store layout can make the store more customer friendly and also help customers find items when a sales person is not immediately at hand. Making glossy color catalogues of plant materials available to customers can help sell plants not currently in flower or leaf. For a small cost, many producers will supply eye-catching point-of-purchase displays; these usually include first-rate photos or graphics and also help the customer envision what a plant will look like or what a product can do. Finally, customer services that may be provided by the business can be advertised by strategic placement of signs throughout the store, e.g., "ask about our home-landscaping services."
