April 2020 - 46

POHMER ON
What can your garden
center do to stand out in
a crowded marketplace to
develop brand affinity with
your customers?
online? Absolutely not! They'll spend hours browsing and
shopping in specialty retail stores, like Patagonia and REI
for camping items, and Gear West for running stuff.
So I asked them what the attraction was to these
specialty stores, and again, I shouldn't have been
surprised by their responses. First, they are passionate
about these activities; they had personal and emotional
ties to them, and they found extreme pleasure and
enjoyment in these activities.
And there were a few other reasons that they favored
these retailers over general merchandise stores (and
some other specialty stores as well!). First and foremost
is the fact that the sales team members at these stores
were experts in their respective activities; they personally
participated in their fields of camping and trail running, so
they had high credibility.
Second, they had the opportunity to " test " the product
before they purchased it. For example, at Gear West, they
had a treadmill set up with cameras to record your gait and
movements, so they could offer guidance on selecting the
opportune running shoes and even suggesting changes in
stride, etc. ... all recommendations made by experts with
extensive experience.
Third, my son and daughter-in-law bought into the
image and corporate mission/purpose/core values of these
retailers. For example, REI's core purpose is to " ... inspire,
educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and
stewardship " and its core values are: " Authenticity - We
are true to the outdoors. Quality - We provide trustworthy
products and services. Service - We serve others with
expertise and enthusiasm. "
Their slogan, " We believe a life outdoors is a life welllived.
We believe that it's in the wild, untamed and natural
places that we find our best selves, so our purpose is to
awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all " is embraced
and lived by their associates (FYI, REI is a worker-owned
cooperative) and it resonates with their customers,
including my son and his family, making REI and Gear West
their retailers of choice for the products they offer.
And my son and daughter-in-law are willing to pay
dearly for the products, services, experiences and positive
YOUR NEW FAVORITE PLANTERS
MADE
IN THE
USA
LEAD
& BPA
FREE
New for 2020, the Smart Pot product you love in new
sizes and colors. Show your customers how easy and
clean hanging gardens can be with our NoCocotm
and inspire them to start their own square space
garden with our sleek
Milk Crate Linertm
.
NoCoco TM
Liner
Mixed Color Assortment Case
With our best sellers all in one case, you can offer
your customer more options in a smaller space.
Our Mixed Color Assortment Case features three
colors: black, natural and forest green.
Milk Crate Liner TM
This liner is perfect for the square space
gardening method. It helps plants thrive and
grow anywhere. It holds in soil and allows for
maximum drainage.
Our extremely durable, longlasting
wire basket liner helps
plants thrive, deters bird damage,
prevents soil from leaking, and it
won't fray, split or crack.
smartpots.com 405-842-7700
Liner,
Circle 128
46 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | APRIL 2020
http://www.smartpots.com
April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2020
