July 2019 - 60

Pohmer On
brands need to be nourished,
maintained and cared for to flourish and
continue growing. Without regular care,
a brand will wither and die and the time,
effort and monetary investments you've
made in it will realize no benefit.
Consumer Benefits
And there are benefits for
the consumer in the retailer
communicating a clear, concise brand
message to them. It sets well-defined
expectations; offers confidence in
the products and services offered;
makes it quicker and easier to buy;
helps avoid the clutter of choices;
resonates with their values, tastes
and needs; communicates social
and environmental accountability;
" guarantees " success; and
demonstrates a value to the consumer.
If the Sears re-branding example
illustrates the disconnect between the
brand message and the delivered reality,
here's another example of a re-branding
initiative that will be a huge success -
Lululemon.
This retailer is the founder and leader
of the athleisure trend, a purveyor of
high-quality (and high-priced!) yoga
pants, fitness clothes and leisurewear.
Strategically, they want to change
people's lives by encouraging
Where do you
The products you
sell in your garden
centers are
transformative.
customers to embrace the Sweatlife
philosophy of leading a healthy,
mindful lifestyle focused on three
elements:
* Sweat - basically, reaching fitness
goals
* Grow - personal development and
becoming one's best self through
meditation, restoration and recovery
* Connect - creating bonds with
others to build something bigger
than we can alone for a wider
community focus.
Lululemon is reconfiguring its stores,
If you want your business to perform better,
grow stronger, and be positioned for whatever
the future brings, there's no better place to
belong than AmericanHort.
For more than 220 years, we've been the green industry's leading association, answering
your questions, representing you in government, and connecting you with other
horticultural professionals at our annual trade show, Cultivate.
Join us today, and see how
we're better together.
re-training teams, changing advertising
and marketing ... bringing the physical
stores and communications in synch
with its new brand message, with the
result that the company will be able to
deliver on the new brand expectations
it set for their customers.
The products you sell in your garden
centers are transformative. They
have the power to improve lives and
lifestyles, and enhance quality of life,
much like Lululemon sees it doing for
its customers.
But is that the brand message you're
communicating? Is that the focus of
your marketing and advertising? If
not, you may not be connecting with
the basic values and needs of your
customers, or developing that allimportant
long-term relationship.
Make the time to really think about
what your brand message says about
you ...
Stan Pohmer is president of Pohmer
Consulting Group in Minnetonka,
Minnesota. He can be reached
at spohmer@pohmer-consulting.com or
612.605.8799.
AmericanHort.org/Join
Circle 146
go to grow?
http://www.AmericanHort.org/Join
July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2019
