Here's The Simple Truth...

  that I know a lot of people will have a difficult time accepting. Many will think it's way too simple and even more will think it just can't be the truth.

I know the reasons why...

The Garden Center Group Clients:

On Tuesday, March 15, the Department of Labor (DOL) took the final step in the rulemaking process by advancing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)  (commonly referred to as the "Overtime Rule") to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of the final changes.

Mail On!

by Robert Hendrickson

 I understand why people find it difficult to respect something called "junk mail" and "snail mail". Not the most reassuring titles when it comes to spending hard-earned marketing money. There's also the problem of people considering "old-fashioned" direct mail obsolete compared to the current 'all-things-digital' marketing mindset of most advertisers. But I've always approached marketing decisions based on what works, not what's currently fashionable.

And when done properly, direct mail works.

Last June, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) setting forth its rationale for a new and higher salary test for employees classified as exempt from overtime under the White Collar Exemptions covering executive, administrative, and professional employees. The DOL proposed a new guaranteed salary level of $50,440 per year------- an increase of 113% over the current $23,660 salary level. (For details about this proposed change and others in the NPRM, refer to our July 2015 e-bulletin.)

Since March 2014, when President Obama issued his directive to the Secretary of Labor to "modernize the overtime rules," it has been widely anticipated that the Final Rule would be effective prior to the 2016 elections. Why? Because of the potential for a Republican President to be elected who, by all accounts, would likely direct the DOL to delay the release of the Final Rule or revoke it altogether. Proponents of the overtime changes know that the sooner the changes take effect, the harder it will be to overturn them.

Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 65 percent of all workers currently receive paid sick leave benefits, across the nation there have been a proliferation of ordinances and laws that require private employers, including small businesses, to provide paid sick leave to employees.

Advocates cite statistics related to increased productivity, reduced turnover, lower rates of occupational injuries, and other workplace and societal benefits that they believe create an urgent need for paid sick leave. In addition, based on statistics showing an increase in domestic violence, supporters of these laws are proposing to include paid "safe days" for employees in need of time off to address domestic or sexual violence matters.

Integrate Your Marketing Communications for More Impact

by Tom Kegley

 

With so many ways to reach out to your customers– advertising, email, direct mail, in-store signage, events, social media, and more– it’s easy for your marketing communications to become diluted or disjointed. In today’s ocean of messaging, the isolated message gets lost.
 
No Message is an Island is a macro communications approach for today’s media. If you identify your big message, weave it into every channel you use to speak to your customers, and coordinate the execution, your marketing becomes so much more effective. Whether your campaign is for a weekend, a season, or the entire year, make it stronger by connecting your islands of messages into one giant continent.
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Learn why and how No Message is an Island in 7 minutes in Tom’s moving online presentation.

 

As the time winds down for reporting to the 2015 P&L Study (there might still be time to report, call me!), my phone goes into overtime. Questions relating to reporting, especially from new garden centers in The Group, come in at an ever-increasing rate as the deadline approaches.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad everyone is calling! Clarifying what goes where in the data is the key to valid data in the report you receive back. Since the P&L Study began over ten years ago, the report has become an industry standard due to the time, effort, and accuracy participants have contributed to the effort.

When The Group was in Orlando for The Fall Event, some of us stayed over to see The Landscape Show. While we were there, Dr. Tom Yeager of The University of Florida's Horticulture Department, introduced us to Dr. Charlie Guy, Professor of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry at UF and showed us details of a new study underway between the UF's Hort Department and the UF Medical School. Here's some details:

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A group of Florida researchers has found a link between gardening and good mental health.  Scientists at the University of Florida studied 23 healthy women and preliminary findings show the women who participated in group gardening activities twice a week reported profoundly reduced stress, anxiety, anger, confusion and fatigue.  The women also reported significantly more vigor and friendliness than the women in the control group.

There Was A Time...

when watching the Super Bowl was something I looked forward to for weeks. Not for the game but to see what millions of dollars of ad money would buy. And there were years when the work was amazing. Even the off years provided a glimpse into the world of budget-be-damned marketing.

But the last few years have been more of an embarrassment than inspiration. This year was no exception.

Friends...You probably know a lot about pricing. After all, you have many years’ experience doing just that. Think about this: pricing the way you know how is worth little more than one year of experience repeated over and over. You’ve probably heard the phrase that 

“it ain’t braggin’ if it's true." 

Last week I challenged you to get inspired and then begin working on your 2016 plans. The video here is of Bert Jacobs, co-founder of Life is Good, and co-author of Life is Good, the Book that I recommended to you last week.  If you failed to order the book CLICK HERE to do it now. I hope you'll invest 13.5 minutes to watch the video (click on image on left), and that you'll invest in others by watching it with them.

Where the Magic Happens

by Sid Raisch

On Wednesday during The Fall Event, Sid gave a challenging presentation titled "The Magic of Streamlining Your Business" and provided a path to making our businesses more simple, more enjoyable, and more profitable. While we can't bring you the full experience of being at his presentation (or the entire Fall Event), we can give you some powerful high points. And of course, if you were fortunate enough to be at The Fall Event, this is a recap to make sure you are working on this in your business operation!

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1. What is the responsibility between consultant and retailer regarding property design?

POWERsession Notes - 'Finding New & Keeping Customers"

by Robert Hendrickson

On Wednesday during The Fall Event, Group Clients voted on open session topics when they would join our Service Providers for what we called POWERSessions. Robert took notes from his session, "Finding New & Keeping Customers"  where 8 areas were shared, discussed and refined. Here's the eight areas of discussion:  (This is GREAT STUFF!)

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