NAHSA plans for the future

The North American Horticultural Supply Association is holding its 25th annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a large focus has been looking toward the future.

In the opening day of meetings, association members heard Charlie Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture, speak about buying trends, generation shifts and economic indicators that will all affect the horticulture industry.

“Economic downturns and weather are like flashlights – they’re not the cause of the problem, but they illuminate problems during downturns,” Hall said.

He went on to talk about how the industry has to change its value proposition and its approach to selling.

“We’ve been selling ourselves on pretty,” he said. “Pretty isn’t going to cut it any longer. We need a different value proposition.”

He also forecasted that the country is turning a corner in the housing market and shared 4 to 6 percent growth projections for the home improvement industry.

In the second day of meetings GIE Media President Chris Foster shared trends about social media and marketing trends and how to best use these technologies to connect with customers. He talked about metrics, how they differ between measuring companies, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of data associated with online marketing initiatives.

“Every metric is right, but you have to know how they’re measuring,” he said.

He also talked about how app engagement is growing and while someone may spend two to three minutes on your site while on a computer, that session can jump to 45 minutes when it’s done on an app.

Additionally he provided tips for cost-effectively venturing into producing video content for your site. He encouraged videos to be no longer than three to four minutes.

“Don’t post a seminar,” he joked with the audience.

The association has also provided several networking opportunities over the last three days via a golf outing, cocktail receptions and organized dinner meet-ups. Members also discussed the future and how to better meet both members’ and non-members’ needs by providing value to them. The meeting concludes this evening with a banquet.