Garden industry marketers typically face the same challenge: our primary audience is downsizing or eliminating their gardens, and the generations that follow did not grow up learning how to garden. Consequently, even if gardening is of interest, they’re overwhelmed and intimidated about getting started.
Burpee has done a magnificent job of addressing new gardeners through their Burpee Home Gardens campaign. Instead of a catalog, website and seed packets overflowing with information – much of it confusing jargon to the newcomer – Burpee has slimmed down their offerings and made them accessible for the novice gardener.
Have a look at the elegantly designed Burpee Home Gardens website and you’ll see what I mean. The clean, inviting site just oozes reassurance.
The home page invites readers in with an invitation to receive a free Garden Fresh vegetable gardening guide (all you have to do is answer three simple questions that will help Burpee in their future marketing efforts). Tomatoes: How to choose the right one? questions another prominent link. More information and reassurance is offered through the simple FAQ section, Facebook page, blog, and more. The distinguishing feature of the site is just how well information has been simplified.
Burpee Home Gardens is not an ecommerce site. Its purpose is rather to educate and support the retail distribution of a select line of branded Burpee plants available at garden centers.
Have a look, learn from what they’re doing and wish them well. I believe they’ll be attracting a great many new gardeners, and that’s a good thing for all of us.
