This last week I took on a small project for a friend. Creating 32 corrugated signs that say “Fall is For Planting.” You guessed it! My friend owns a garden nursery called Millcreek Gardens. She handed me an old handpainted sign and said I want this! Go do it. So I dropped it off at the sign shop and had their artist redraw it and create the sign. I picked them up today. They looked great! It was fun dropping them off to her.
Here’s what I learned from the project.
- Plan B’s are important. Halfway through the project the sign shops artist went awol. Our art was sitting there with a time crunch reigning overhead. I used my regular artist to finish the project. The sign shop gave me a discount on the price and we were able to stay on budget with the art.
- When done correctly radio can be very effective. This client has used radio for several years–I kept running into people who knew Millcreek’s jingle–proof of the jingles effectiveness.
- LaRene and I had an initial early morning meeting to discuss some strategy. We discussed what sets her apart from her competition–her purple cow. She said it was in customer service. Each of her employers knowing how to point out specials and tie the shoppers into everything they have to offer. When you walk in or out you are bound to hear, “It’s a great day at Millcreek Gardens.”
- LaRene has a pretty decent grasp on what needs to be done. Her ideas are sound–she just needs help implementing the ideas. Everyone there already has tons of work to do. This is where I can step in, catch the lose ends. I’m the implementer.
- There’s one thing that I noticed. LaRene has a pretty clear idea that the internet will be important to her business, but she’s not sure how. There’s some sort of pie in the sky internet marketing concept that she knows is important, but the how and why aren’t quite there yet. I think the consumer my age and younger is reached online. When used correctly this will be the most affective way to interact with the online generation. A huge market!
