First of its Kind, A Trade Show & Music Festival Hybrid

BloomaPalooza is a never-before-held event designed for independent garden centers and the industry's top vendors arranged in flexible, outdoor spaces. BloomaPalooza is designed to connect and energize plant breeders, growers and product suppliers with independent retailers from across North America. Garden centers can enjoy the benefits of a closer relationship with your customers and other local businesses, including increased sales and customer loyalty by integrating your garden center into the community.

That being said, BloomaPalooza is an event for everyone to enjoy! Presented in a music festival format, you will be able to enjoy presentations from the most talented minds in the industry along with entertainment on the main stage. A diverse array of artists will perform each day until after the trade fair has closed. Events will include family oriented fun including children’s activities and free admission for those under 18 attending the event with a paying adult.

Organized by GIE Media Inc., an Ohio-based publisher of magazines, conferences, web sites and directories. C. Raker & Sons Inc., a leading producer of grown-to-order plugs and liners in North America. And Hort Couture LLC, a brand that offers the most sought after new plants and genetics from the world’s best breeders. BloomaPalooza is being held at the Raker Trial Gardens in Litchfield, Michigan. Dates are August 1st through the 3rd and ticket prices range from $69 to $129 depending on your method of registration.

For more information on BloomaPalooza 2013 Visit: BloomaPalooza.com

~ James
Garden Media Group

Trade Show PR

Headed to the IGC Show or FarWest and want to get more from your lawn and garden trade show investment? With some strategic garden public relations, you can introduce new plants or garden products to current and potential customers and get some media to build your brands reputation.

BrazelBerries got trade PR coverage before the MANTS show.

Why PR you ask? Think of garden PR as your "silent salesman" working the crowd from the pages of the garden media websites and magazines, increasing your brand recognition and, in turn, increasing traffic at the show and sales after the fact.

Be sure to read Part 1 of this post on "7 Inside PR Secrets to Generate Leads & Sales at Garden Trade Shows". So now let's look at an action plan to make your garden marketing efforts a little more complete.

1. Press Release Distribution: 1 month One month in advance, publicize your participation in the trade show. Issue a media advisory and start sending preview releases. Contact key reporters to begin setting up interviews for the show.

2. Press Release Distribution: 2 weeks Two weeks out end media kits to show send your official “unveiling” release with photos and multimedia. Send media kits to the trade show organizers. Confirm interviews and post unveiling teasers on social sites

3. Press Release Distribution: During Show Send your official release w/photos and multimedia to all media attending the show. You can get the list from the show organizers. Conduct interviews at the show and make sure you follow up with any request. Send them to your online press room for more information. Take photos and video during the show and post on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.



American Nursery featured BrazelBerries after MANTS.

4. Press Release Distribution: Post Show After you are packed up and back in the office, issue a success press release on how well the new plant or garden product was received at the show. If you received any awards or recognition, be sure to release that with pictures. Make sure that your online press kit is up to date with new photos. Follow up with media requests and post coverage on website and social media sites
Bonus Tip: I’m only an Attendee! So you don’t have a booth. Take a photo with someone “famous” and send it out to your customers and local media showing you were at this “big” event. Post pictures of new plants and products you saw on your social media sites and Tweet during the show. You’ll get the attention just like the big boys.

For more insider secrets on how to generate more traffic and leads at garden trade shows, download the free e-book at our website.

And if you want a little coaching, give us a call!

Suzi

Garden Media

The PANTS Trade Show is Just Around the Corner!

It's that time again. Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (PANTS) is coming up next week, July 31 through August 2nd. at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, PA - and I can't wait to go!

PANTS is produced by the green industry trade association, the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association (PLNA). Support of PANTS contributes to a wide range of activities and educational and certification programs that benefit the green industry.

Celebrating its 40th year, PANTS maintains its status in the green industry as the first show of the buying season on the East Coast.

Most attendees regard PANTS as the East's largest green industry event that provides the first opportunity to discover the hot new trends, meet industry professionals, and find buying season suppliers.

As part of the mass of thousands of green industry pros descending upon the summer’s only east coast green industry trade show, I can't wait to visit the exhibitor booths and see live demos of the latest plants, products and services.

The website says this year there's a special feature - the "Ultimate Backyard" - that is "displaying the best that the green industry has to offer in a backyard created right on the floor show." Sounds interesting!

Last year I was impressed the moment I arrived by the cool displays greeting us before we even entered the floor.

Truthfully, I've come to believe that this industry is filled with "ladies and gentlemen": friendly, courteous, knowledgeable plant and product gurus, who are willing to patiently describe the latest composter or irrigation system, with passion for their product, and respect to those of us asking questions.

Check out some of these photos I took from last year. Kinda cool, huh? If you get a chance to go, I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.

Let us know what you discovered that really wowed you... perhaps a funky new plant or a fabulous container or gotta' have garden art. Whatever strikes your fancy, please share it with us!

Enjoy!

Lynne

Garden Media Group

photos credit of  Soil Reef biochar; American Beauties and North Creek Nurseries & Pine Straw mulch: GMG

PANTS booths credit: PANTS

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Now in its fourth decade, MANTS® is the premier, private green industry marketplace for finding plants and nursery stock, landscape and garden items, heavy and light duty equipment, tools, furniture and hundreds of other allied industry products. Companies’ exhibit and industry members attend because they know that MANTS is the place to buy, shop, meet, see, be and be seen every January. MANTS is one of the largest private trade shows serving the Horticulture Industry which is why industry members say that MANTS means business!