SOCIAL MEDIA Marketing Trends to Avoid in 2021 Don't make these mistakes in your IGC's digital marketing plan. By Joe Tacosik I n a world where digital has become an integral piece of every garden center's marketing strategy, there is only one thing worse than having no strategy at all - having a bad digital marketing plan based in bad habits. We're taking a look at some of the marketing trends your business should avoid throughout 2021 and beyond. Spamming Your Customers One of the cardinal sins that many small business owners commit when it comes to digital marketing is " spamming " their customer base - continually inundating them with emails and social correspondence. Aside from the obvious privacy laws and FTC compliance issues that can arise from spamming your customers, it's just bad business and will eventually drive their business elsewhere. 38 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | JULY 2021 The risks of " spamming " can be eliminated by mapping out your marketing strategies and promotions to make sure there is very little (if any) overlap. When sending promotional emails, for example, make sure there is a timeline that you are following - one that lays out specific dates for email sends, and a tactical approach to what's being sent. This is the perfect way to make sure you're sharing just the right amount of content with your audience. Posting Too Much Many business owners equate the number of times a garden center posts on social media daily or weekly with the amount of people they will reach - and they couldn't be more wrong.