April 2024 - 47

MARKETING
include social media, blogs, webinars,
virtual tours, online databases,
mobile apps, e-newsletters, etc. Erica
Hernandez wrote a great article about
social media and horticulture in the
May 2023 issue.
Technology now includes contentgenerating
tools such as artificial
intelligence (AI). AI can be a great
way to help clarify certain concepts
you might be unfamiliar with and
make them easier to write about.
But don't just copy and paste;
you need to do your fact-checking
and use your own experiences,
knowledge and voice. Think of AI as
another tool in your toolbox.
Engage with Your Audience
Encourage interaction and
engagement, whatever that
looks like for your business. Ask
for feedback, answer questions
and acknowledge comments,
especially on social media. Consider
responding to people's questions
directly. Make it personal when you
can. People love a personal touch,
and it makes them want to keep
buying your products.
Relevance
Ensure your content is relevant
to your target audience. When I'm
summarizing a research article
for American Floral Endowment
(AFE), it will be different depending
on whether it's going in our
Growing Further newsletter, being
shared with the industry or being
communicated to researchers. When
I'm teaching plant identification
to undergrads, I'll often include
humorous plant memes or tie-in
pop culture references to different
botanical concepts. This builds
As horticulturists, we are all
in the business of enhancing
people's quality of life and
enjoyment of the outdoors.
trust and rapport with my students
and lets them know that I want to
engage with them at their level.
Credibility
Make sure your information is
accurate and up to date. I once read
that having an out-of-date website is
worse than having no website at all.
Cite your sources where possible and
link to further reading. Especially
for garden centers, building trust
with your audience can also involve
sharing your store's history, mission
and achievements.
Storytelling
Use storytelling to engage your
audience and make your content
more memorable. This could involve
sharing success stories or personal
experiences. This helps to build a
connection and rapport with your
target audience and shows them your
human side.
Think about the reasons you
decided to join the industry. Sharing
our passion is key in whatever we do.
We may all have different comfort
levels in front of a camera or with
writing, but passion is always
evident - and people always
respond to it. One of my students
recently said that she had never met
me in person but felt like she knew
me better than half of her in-person
instructors because I was always
willing to show my human side.
Building meaningful connections is
possible in the digital world!
Communication about the
horticulture industry is a
multifaceted process. The ability to
successfully communicate about
plants and our businesses on digital
platforms can make the horticulture
industry more accessible, profitable,
adaptable and resilient.
Laura Barth is research coordinator
at the American Floral Endowment,
extension assistant at North
Carolina State University and digital
communications director with IPPS
Southern Region of North America.
She can be reached at lbarth@
afeendowment.org.
LGRMAG.COM | 47
http://www.LGRMAG.COM
April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2024
