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Want a rosy promotion this Mother’s Day? Turn to your local Rosarians for help.
At South Hills True Value in South Hills, Pa., owners Jim and Terre Ertzman and their staff horticulturist saw Mother’s Day, the spring weather and the beauty of roses as the perfect promotional opportunity. The horticulturist, a member of the American Rose Society, or Rosarian, suggested inviting other Rosarians to the store the day before Mother’s Day to share free advice while helping customers select roses.
To prepare for the event, the Ertzmans stocked up on a variety of roses—about five each of 20 different varieties, including Knock Outs™, climbers, tea and other garden roses. They promoted the event with fliers at the store and on their one-hour weekend home improvement radio show, a joint venture with vendor sponsors and a local radio station.
The day of the event, four Rosarians spent time at the store answering questions and recommending products. The promotion complemented the store’s large selection of garden products.
“We have a nice selection of bedding plants and perennials that come in fresh daily from local growers,” Jim Ertzman says. “We do Mother’s Day baskets, so the roses were a good add-on.”
The day was rainy and chilly, and Jim estimates he sold about half of the 100 roses he purchased, but he’s planning to try the promotion again this year.
“It didn’t really cost anything, and it added on to our Mother’s Day sales,” he says. “I gave the Rosarians a product discount. I sold all the roses over the course of the spring and early summer, and the advertising was low-cost.”
If you’re thinking of a rosy Mother’s Day promotion, contact your local chapter of the American Rose Society.
