FREE ACCOUNT — you source with Plantbid for free, no credit card required.

Are you a nursery or other plant seller? Contact our support representatives to get started. All fields below are required.

News

PB Blog

Blog: A Shot in the Dark—The Need for a more Targeted Approach

May 6, 2016 

 

 

Nurseries currently utilize old fashioned and traditional ways to reach customers--using spreadsheets and brochures for contractors to spend hours sorting through and relying heavily on trade shows for networking and and identifying new potential customers. When it comes to broadening reach and moving into new geographic regions, it’s incredibly difficult to expand a customer base and reach the right buyers.  Without a more strategic approach, nurseries are reaching out blindly to new contractors--and it’s really a shot in the dark whether they will reach a qualified buyer.

 

If a nursery is able to create a more targeted approach, imagine the possibilities of reaching more qualified buyers--buyers who are looking for the products that that nursery specifically sells?  It would lead to:

 

  • More targeted marketing - Time and money is spent more effectively on those who are real potential clients like previous buyers versus those who are unlikely to buy wholesale plant material. Look to tech and marketing automation tools like MailChimp to help create and manage customized communication, news and information sharing with your real target customers. Using built-in tools like list segmentation, you can make sure you are communicating the right thing to the right buyers!

  • Better relationship building - Rather than wasting effort on 50 prospects, do your best to understand who is just pricing for a bid and who is pricing for a job they have already won. Zero in on those real potential customers and let the bidding noise fall away. Nursery employees will then have more time to focus on nurturing relationships and can create better experiences for those customers.

  • More targeted RFPs, more wins, more sales - Less time is wasted on jobs with lower odds. As a result, employees spend their time more efficiently and on jobs that will more likely convert into sales.

 



PB in News

Green Profit - A Cure for the Winter Blahs

February 26, 2016 

Read the article, here. 



News

Nursery Management - Playing matchmaker

January 2016 

Read the article, here. 




Plantbid Blog

Blog: Technology Myths in the Landscaping Industry

October 5, 2015 

 

By Cameron Cantrelle, CEO, Co-Founder

I’ve been in this industry for nearly 20 years.  As both the CEO of a landscape contracting business and the CEO of a horticultural buying and selling platform, I’ve seen the industry continuously evolve.  In particular, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology has helped develop this industry and make us more productive as a whole. From the use of phones for deliveries and drivers, to the management of inventory, to the use of email and Internet for sales and marketing, to computerized irrigation systems, things sure do look different from 1990’s.

 

Unfortunately, what I’ve also seen is that time and time again there is a hesitance to embrace new technologies. Sure change can be scary. Especially within a business environment.  Nevertheless, change can also be good, as history has shown us. Embracing new practices, new tools, new techniques or technologies can help the way our industry operates. 

 

Let’s look at some of the common myths and misconceptions associated with technology in the landscaping industry

1. Technology eliminates the personal touch in my business

It certainly doesn’t have to. For example, if you are using email to create more efficient communications, it doesn’t mean you need to eliminate calls and in-person meetings with your buyers and/or growers. 

An excellent technology tool that actually allows for greater personal interaction is oLark—it allows you to interact with your website visitors directly. Regardless of whether you are at a computer or using a smartphone, you can create instant connections with buyers looking to find out more about your business.

Technology exists to help you be more productive, not hinder your relationships with your customers. Just like the tools we use each day in our trade, technology is another set of tools that helps us work smarter.

 

2. Using technology will subject me to being hacked!

Technology is already part of your business in any number of ways. Making technology-enabled tools like social media, email, marketing platforms, phone apps and the like, an active part of your business is not going to lead to being hacked. By embracing the technologies that make sense for you, you limit your risk and add horsepower to your business operations.

Here are a few extra tips to help give you peace of mind as you make technology a part of your business planning:

o    Keep your computer up to date. All software companies provide security updates to their software, and most make it very easy to allow it to auto-update on its own.

o    Think before you click. If you receive a message that doesn’t feel right, then take the extra second to think about whether it’s something you should be following-up on or simply “marking as spam” and sending to the trash folder.

o    If you are uncomfortable sharing a piece of sensitive information via email or the web, then don’t do it. You are in control of your own information, so go at whatever speed makes the most sense for you.

o    Finally, and perhaps most importantly…Create a strong password and use different passwords for different sites. Worried about forgetting too many passwords or passwords that are too complicated? There are a number of great products on the market, like 1Password, to help you manage and secure your accounts.

3. Learning a new tech tool is way too time consuming

The truth is that there is a learning curve associated with everything. However, you have to compare the time investment in learning a new tool to the time saved once on boarded. Here’s an example: the typical plant sourcing process is just not efficient—gathering and sifting through hundreds of availabilities is a massive time suck. It’s time that the industry considers trying out more effective solutions.

There are several resources available to buyers to help search databases and more efficiently purchase materials. Advanced technology platforms such as Plantbid allow you to do just this. Plantbid directs buyers to the most optimal sellers per list they need secured, so that sellers are only pricing jobs that they have a good chance of winning.  This makes it an efficient technology for both buyers and sellers. Think about the possibilities and the time you’ll add to your day if you open your eyes to new approaches.   

Key takeaway? Be open, adopt new technology and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone—it’s in the interest of driving your business. 

 

 

 






News

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune - Photos

May 12, 2015 

See the photos, here. 



Podcast

Lawn Care Radio - Branch Out

April 28, 2015 

Listen to the podcast, here. 




Podcast

Lawn Care Radio - Keep Covered

March 23, 2015 

Listen to the podcast, here. 


News

Green Profit - More New Tech

March 2015 

Read the article, here

 



News

Green Industry Pros - A Better Plan for Plant Procurement

January 23, 2015 

 

Read the article, here