November 2006 Big Grower

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda? By Diane Pirocanac

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda?Diane Pirocanac Vice President/ Group Publisher (847) 391-1046 dpirocanac@sgcmail.com

An advertisement tacked to my office wall reads: "Cease to say shoulda, coulda, woulda." These words are my daily reminder to be proactive, to do what's needed, now.

Good looking plants at retail should be everyone's goal. So the large retailer I visited recently could have taken the dead mums off its benches and would have increased sales in the garden center if it had restocked healthy, good-looking plants. This store lost out and the grower missed an opportunity for additional sales. Too late.

Large growers and large retailers alike understand the impact of good-looking plant material on sales. They also face the universal challenge of maintaining those good-looking plants — some meeting that challenge more successfully than others.

Success has come to those proactive retailers and growers who have ceased to say, "shoulda, coulda, woulda." They recognize that strong in-store merchandising programs drive increased sales for both growers and retailers, provide an environment for increased margins and result in happier consumers.

As the value of merchandising programs gains recognition, more large retailers are moving to adopt the practice. Wal-Mart reportedly plans to begin a pilot merchandising program in spring 2007. In case you missed the details, you can check out "Big Blue Sees Green" in the September issue of Big Grower or go to www.biggrower.com for more information on Wal-Mart's plans.

More News

The best news we've heard this year is your desire to see more of Big Grower. So last month we launched an electronic newsletter called The Bottom Line. This E-newsletter arrives in your E-mail box twice a month and is an extension of the solid, focused coverage you receive in Big Grower.

If you haven't received The Bottom Line from Big Grower, send an E-mail to jpaul@sgcmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.

We're Here to Serve

Big Grower is designed specifically for you — the largest growers serving the mass merchants. Our editors, along with editorial consultants at Visions Group — Jim Barrett, Dave Edenfield and Jim Snyder — are charged with delivering information that will help you grow your business. And as insurance, we continually monitor your feedback so we consistently deliver a publication that offers real value.

Call, write or visit. We want to hear from you, so please don't hesitate to contact me at dpirocanac@sgcmail.com or by phone at (847) 391-1046. Or, you can call Editorial Director Tim Hodson at (847) 391-1019. His E-mail is thodson@sgcmail.com.

Thanks

As we round out this first year of Big Grower, we want to send our thanks to our contributors and to all of you for your comments and suggestions. Thanks for taking time to talk with us. Thanks for taking time to read Big Grower and The Bottom Line. Thanks for the great reception.