Tip: Steve Pattie, CLP, notes that exhibiting at garden shows can help generate interest in your company and its products and services. Since installing a show garden can be expensive, one way to save on expenses is to ask your suppliers to donate materials or to sponsor part of your exhibit.

“Exhibiting at garden shows is a good way to generate interest in your company and its products and services. But, like anything else, installing a show garden can be expensive. One way to defray the cost is to ask your suppliers to contribute, either by donating their materials or by actually sponsoring a portion of your exhibit.”

This tip comes from Steve Pattie, owner of The Pattie Group, Inc., in Novelty, Ohio. Pattie admits that he is not as successful with this approach as some contractors, who defray nearly all their exhibit costs through supplier sponsorship, but his company is gaining more supplier participation every year.

As he explains, the strategy is fairly straightforward. “Start by looking at each component of your exhibit (e.g., plants, brick, sandstone, irrigation supplies, topsoil, etc.). Then, talk with suppliers or vendors of each component to find out if they would have an interest in contributing to the booth, again either by donating supplies or through a partial sponsorship. In return, you could offer them the opportunity to help staff the exhibit, hand out fliers, and promote their product. You could also offer to mention their product in fliers that your company may be handing out to attendees.”

There are several potential levels of involvement for suppliers, Pattie adds. “They can lend product, donate product, or, again, offer to help sponsor the project. Contractors who have high-profile gardens may also want to consider getting sponsorship from other professional groups within the community, including banks and insurance companies.”

The effort to gain outside support for exhibits can result in a win-win situation for everyone involved, Pattie notes. “Obviously, any support a contractor can get cuts into expenses. Sponsors have something to gain, too — an opportunity to promote their product in a real-life setting to a targeted audience.”

By Steve Pattie, CLP

The Pattie Group

Novelty, Ohio

steve@pattiegroup.com