Page 5 - Griffin Gazette - March 2025

By Hannah Sadosky, Retail Education Manager, Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, Inc

In today’s horticultural market, independent garden centers must find ways to
stand out from the crowd. Quality and variety are two vital areas to focus our
energy on where we can differentiate our business.

While the quality of the plants you grow or sell is essential, we can differentiate

our business by focusing on the quality of how your business grows and

operates. By sharing behind-the-scenes pictures on social media can help your

garden center stand out from the competition and big box stores. We can add a

more personal touch and humanize our business by sharing a glimpse into the

process of growing a crop or receiving a new shipment. This reflects the attention

to detail and care you put into the quality of your business. The quality of your

staff’s collective knowledge is something worth sharing with your customers.

Most garden centers have someone on their team, that is the go-to for perennial

gardens, fertilizer, houseplants, lawns and the list goes on. Not only is it important

to share their knowledge but it’s crucial to mentor others on the team and pass

that knowledge along. We want to remind our customers that the plant doctors

are in, and we are here to help with solutions. Posts on social media like “Meet the

staff Monday” are great ways to call out these gurus a few times a year. Quality

on the other hand can also be in your business’ appearance both inside and out.

Do you have weeds or algae in your retail space? It’s time to address those areas

by manual or chemical method, depending on the issue. When was the last time

you looked at your roadside sign as a new customer? Is your sign reflecting the

quality of your business? Having well maintained colorful roadside presentation is

your customers first impression. These are all simple ways to impact the perceived

quality of your business. Continued 