I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime: a rafting trip down the grand canyon with friends and family. My sister is a guide and my wife knows I love all things outdoor adventure, so they surprised me with a trip to raft the Grand Canyon for my birthday. It was an absolute blast. We rafted rapids, caught fish, hiked to hidden waterfalls, and enjoyed sleeping under the stars.
When I returned to the office, not only did I wish the trip had lasted longer and I had used more sunscreen, but it helped me realize the importance of three principles quickly approaching this Fall. It’s already late August and that means many companies are getting close to buying products, budgeting, and brainstorming for 2016.
Buying
My wife bought the raft trip months ago in plans to give it to me for a birthday trip this August. In essence, she put in a purchase order for one trip and reserved our spots. Permits sell a year in advance to float this beautiful natural wonder of the world. Not unlike buyers in the Lawn and Garden Industry, this purchase was made months out in order for it to be enjoyed when it was. If you have a way to do it, consider hosting promos now or at upcoming shows for the 2016/2017 selling season and rather than cramming last minute orders for late summer. Keep an eye out for what may make next year’s sales pop.
Budgeting
The last 6 months, I was wondering what my wife was doing with that “secret savings account”. Turns out rather than trying to save for some shoe shopping, she had been budgeting for our trip down the river. She knew that an experience as memorable and epic as this could not be paid for at impulse, so she planned ahead and budgeted. As you look to the 2016 season, be sure to budget now for what you want to accomplish later. If you know that 2 years from now it will be time to launch a new product, start budgeting for research and design. If you are looking to attend trade shows for the first time or add new events to the mix, don’t wait until a month out to try and scrape up the money to make it happen.
Brainstorming
The rafting trip began way back in December with a secret conversation about how to surprise me big time this August. (I am a lucky one, I know!) Unlike my birthday brainstorming which usually happens the night before my wife’s birthday, this think tank happened well ahead of the date with enough time to implement and plan for the execution of ideas. Not only did she include key people in the barnstorming (my family), she made sure the plan included key relationships that would benefit future success (my friends), but she planned with enough time left to execute action items. In the Lawn and Garden Industry, winter can be a slower time. Fall is a great time to brainstorm fresh marketing tactics, generate leads, and look into product development while the 2015 season is still fresh. Then, when the time comes to begin working new ideas, you are not stuck trying to come up with a bunch of fresh insight months removed from the actual industry sales season. Grocery store roses are nice, but a river trip is better. Who do you need to involve in your brainstorming? What relationships do you need to develop next year? Where are your resources best spent? Asking these questions now instead of after the 4th quarter report is going to pay off.
I don’t know what will make your 2016 season as big a hit as rafting the canyon was for me, but we have found that face to face interaction with new clients goes a long way in closing a deal. If you are looking for some ideas on what to consider, budget for, and how to make more buying happen, let’s have a chat and see if NLGS can be a good idea in 2016. Feel free to take a look at our WHITEPAPER to see why we think Guaranteed Face to Face meetings are as cool as class 5 rapids and see our 99 second video on how NLGS is an idea off the beaten path designed to boost your business.
Want to talk outdoor adventure, Lawn and Garden, or about how you can connect with 40 buyers or 100 manufacturers face to face this year? Give us a call or email us!
888.316.0226
