Pam Danzinger, top gun at Unity Marketing recently published a newsletter about the 'Home Furnishings' marketplace.

The value of the marketplace ($264 Billion) certainly caught my eye, but she didn't include the service side of the lawn and garden industry ($45 Billion).

OK, so the total is a $309 Billion dollar of products and services marketplace called 'Home and Garden'.

 

WOW !

Digesting that number, knowing that we are ineffective at advertising our products and services (to get an earned share of consumer discretionary spending). That number exists even so.

To clarify, when I say ineffective, I’m not blaming our businesses. The advertising vehicles our businesses have had in the past have not been measurably effective. However, we have no excuses going forward because of the Internet.


Here is how Pam describes it:

"But the real power of the Internet comes from its ability to influence the shopper. Home shoppers turned to the Internet first when they wanted to learn about new items to buy to decorate or remodel their home.  The Internet ranked ahead of in-store displays and sales associates, word-of-mouth and magazine ads in terms of influencing the shopper.  So the Internet plays a much larger role than many marketers may suspect simply from looking at raw online sales data alone."

Here is another part of her newsletter:

“The big take-away?  Home furnishings and decor marketers must offer a robust online presence, packed with data that includes price, product details, brand information, and customer reviews and feedback.  These elements are part of the 'new customer service' that the Internet offers and which truly influence purchase," says Danziger.

As manufacturers, we have to get over the desire to have all product information and eyeballs come through the manufacturer web site. This product information needs to be everywhere consumers are looking. That means the web sites of the retailers, publisher marketplaces, search engines, etc.

Retailers (more than 50% don't have web sites) need to engage the web and find ways to give their web audience what they are looking for.

What are they looking for?

"data that includes price, product details, brand information, and customer reviews and feedback."

This is no small task I know, but it is a lot easier than we know. MANY marketplaces are already doing it.

It will be done - the consumer is demanding it. The question is: Who in our industry is going to remain on the island of non-participation?

Steve

TMP has recently released the results of their "Local Search Usage Study" conducted by comScore.

In a nutshell it says that people use different resources based on what they are searching for.

As for the 'Home and Garden' category, the study suggested that the users are using IYP's over search engines. IYP's are 'Internet Yellow Pages'.

The amazing part of this is that IYP's typically have only 11 categories for the 'gardening' part of the equation.

Therefore, there is NO WAY someone can look up information about 'Perennials' on an IYP.

This data supports the mission of my company 10-20 Media. We have created a  'Home and Garden' marketplace platform for 'Interactive Publishers' interested in new revenue from the "Home and Garden' categories.

The end user (consumer) will be the big winner at the end of the day. They will actually be able to find information about 'Perennials' and know where to buy their new favorite locally.

Here is the link to a summary of the report.

Steve

We recently scrubbed some data in our 'LawnandGardenSearch.com' database and found that in any given region, less than 50% of garden centers have web sites.

Obviously it made me scratch my head in bewilderment. I guess most garden centers are not getting this research data:

(IYP = Internet Yellow Pages)

Searches with geographical modifiers are on the rapid rise. Yes, believe it or not, people are actually figuring out how to use the search engines effectively.

This second chart shows that the number of searches per user has risen dramatically over the same period of time.

All the data says that local consumer spending is SIGNIFICANTLY influenced by search. To say it differently, the consumer is searching on the web for products, then going to the store to buy.

Multiply that by the increased frequency of local search and you have the perfect storm for advertising your businesses on the Internet.

I wonder when our industry is going to figure it out?

Any thoughts on this?

For your consideration,

Steve Cissel

The study found that Engaged Viewers (viewers who watch more than an hour of online video a week) make up nearly 40% of all online video viewers and watch nearly 75% of all online video.

• Are more likely to watch videos all the way through
• Pay more attention to online video more than they do TV
• Interact with and rate the videos they watch more frequently
• Are twice as likely to recall in-video ads and post-rolls than non-Engaged Viewers
• Agree more readily that advertising is fair and helps pay for their free experience
• Consider banner ads and ads that come in between videos (mid-rolls) most effective

Here is the rest of the story:
http://www.veoh.com/static/corporate/press_releases/10_08_2008.html


Steve

Building Share Of Voice In A Recession

It is easy to cut the ad budget in tough economic times. Particularly when you have know idea if the ad spend is working.

Internet advertising is measurable, especially when dealing with verticals or niche marketplaces (consumer publication sites).

This article in Media Post suggests that using targeted Internet advertising in a down economy will be a great investment as your company will gain 'voice share'.

"And when houses do begin to sell again and America gets re-bitten by the home-decorating bug, "that share of voice will be worth more."

Tough economic times won't last forever.


Steve

Brand Marketing in a Weak Economy

 

Brands work because they have a clear message, they connect with consumers emotionally, and their products fulfill a consumer need. In a weak economy, when consumers must be especially careful of their spending, brands can earn a lifetime of brand-allegiance or lose it, depending on how they market themselves in a down turn.

 

In his article, Marketing Your Way Through A Recession, Harvard Business School professor, John Quelch, prescribes eight guidelines for marketing your brand in 2008-2009. “…brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower costs than during good economic times. Uncertain consumers need the reassurance of known brands.”

Steve

Thank you Cheryl and Jeff Morey for hosting such a powerful event (IGC trade show).
It was well attended by the GC's and vendors and full of educational seminars, good food, good music and good friends.

Chicago is such a beautiful city. The blue water of Lake Michigan and the cool breezes blowing across it. Nice.

I am already looking forward to IGC trade show 2009.

If you didn't make it to the IGC show in 2008, put the IGC show on your calendar for 2009.

Here are the details.

See you there.

Steve

'Local Search' is a term that is gaining a new perspective among today's businesses (even though the model is over 100 years old).
 Question is, what does 'Local Search' mean?

I am going to join Greg Sterling (Greg's blog) and agree that the defenition is: "Reaching particular people in particular places — who will typically buy something or do something in a physical location."

For you and me in the 'green industry' the term 'locally' drives the bus:
    ~ Contributing locally with people
    ~ Contributing locally with products in and products out
    ~ Contributing locally with services in and services out

It's not like most of our businesses are branded multi-location businesses. Most in this industry have a local flavor.

Reaching 'particluar people' in 'particular places' means you have to meet them where they are, when they are.

The Internet is where they are - locally, and they are looking for you.

This survey drives that point home:
"A Nielsen survey in May 2008 found that among a representative group of people who had recently made consumer electronics purchases in a brick and mortar store, 80 percent bought from a store whose Web site they visited first. Further, 53 percent purchased from the retailer on whose Web site they had spent the most time." (Here is the link)




Here is a table that shows the preferred source of Information gathering

Table 1: Information Sources ranked by Preference among Consumers
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred Information Source                   Percent of Consumers
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Internet                                                                 58
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Visit to local stores                                                    25
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Reviews in newspapers/magazines                                           8
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Friends and family                                                        8
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Other                                                                     1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Nielsen Online

There are lots of things happening in the 'green industry' that will make your web site 'more visible'.

Best bet is to have a professional web site and engage those who are visiting it in a professional manner.

Yes, it is The Information Age, and our businesses need to serve it up with a local flavor.


Steve




  

For about a year, an idea, 'Oxygen Footprint' has been stuck in my brain as a way to promote the green indsutry.

Now, more than ever, the 'green' movement is coming alive.

I read across the blogsphere about the movement slowing down. In my opinon, it is only going to get stronger and lounder, and the cream will rise to the top.

We as an industry have HUGE opportunity to get the message out to the kitchen table.

As of this date, I have posted a 'Summary' of "Oxygen Footprint' on www.OxygenFootprint.org for all to reveiw. There is a message board for discussion. There are logo's to download as you see fit.

Soon, the site will take on a consumer facing perspective that addresses the tagline "Fresh Air, Clean Water, Healthy Plants".

Comments appreciated. Preferred as discussion here.

Steve

Cre8asite Forums site has some SEO information.

Title: What are the Most Important Search Engine Optimization Practices?

1. When you start doing SEO, write down every thing you do and monitor results closely. If you make a change, write that down too -- and continue reviewing.
2. If you work with clients, you may want to opt in for an NDA so that they don't "reuse any specialist codes you might be using as part of [your] strategy to work that magic."

The rest are in the link above.


Steve

Well, I must admit, things have been crazy.

I have turned a blind eye to this blog and the newsletter for the past few months.

What can I say?

Ok.  Back in gear.

Steve