FROM 



THE 



B O A R U 



The NHPGA 

 Retail Directory 



BY ROBERT DEMERS 



Dear Fellow Retailers, 



The NHPGA has produced a Re 

 tail Directory thanks to the help 

 ot a mini grant trom the NH 

 Department ot Agriculture. Only 

 NHPGA members are promoted in 

 this directory. It is another NHPGA 

 service designed to help vour busi- 

 ness grow. 



The directory, which was pre- 

 pared by a professional graphic 

 designer, provides your potential 

 customers with a number of ways to 

 locate you. One of the easiest loca- 

 tor aids is the state map and corre- 

 sponding lists. The state's five 

 distinct regions are outlined and all 

 business information is sorted by 

 these regions and listed together. 

 For example: when a homeowner re- 

 ceives the directory, the individual 

 shoidd first consult the map to de- 

 termine what region he or she lives 



in. Next the homeowner can lurn to 

 that section in the directory and 

 find all the NHPGA retail members 

 listed in alphabetical order. 



The publication also includes a 

 complete alphabetical list of all 

 NHPGA retail members. In this sec- 

 tion, we have the opportunity to in- 

 clude more specifics about your 

 business. After your business name, 

 current address and phone number, 

 there is a description of your spe- 

 cialties and the services your offer. 

 Brief directions to your place and 

 your hours of operation are also 

 listed here. 



In the directory there is a small 

 box under your listing. When the 

 box is checked it indicates that your 

 business participates in the discount 

 coupon program. There are 4 cou- 

 pons aimed at each of the 4 seasons. 

 The idea of the coupons is to entice 



a new customer to your garden cen- 

 ter and give a regular customer an- 

 other reason lo stop by and shop. 



The directory will be handed out 

 at NHPGA functions that involve 

 the public such as The Farm and 

 Forest Expo held each February in 

 Manchester. You the retailer can 

 give them out vourself if you are 

 doing a function within your store 

 or when you're doing a demonstra- 

 tion or talk away from your store. A 

 lot of us do talks and demonstra- 

 tions outside of our garden centers 

 and this would be a nice tool to 

 give to potential customers rather 

 than just a business card, or flyer. 



Contact a director or Virginia 

 Hast with questions about obtaining 

 a few copies to distribute. The 

 NHPGA Retail Directory is a con- 

 sumer friendly marketing tool with 

 a lot of potential. 



EARLY WINTER iOd.l 



