A Grassroots Movement at Fifth Season Gardening Co.
Tapping Into Opportunity
Anna Haupt was the manager at Fifth Season Gardening Company in Charlottesville, Virginia. For years, she sold flowers and vegetable plants in standard plastic nursery pots. But there was a problem. The plants dried out quickly, their roots tended to bind and they would ultimately tap through the holes in the bottom of the plastic pots. All of these factors prevented plants from thriving as they should. That’s when Anna discovered Smart Pots.
A Revolutionary Discovery
Fifth Season Gardening obtained samples of the Smart Pot and began experimenting with various vegetables. They quickly discovered that virtually every species thrived in Smart Pots. Soon, they were growing tomatoes, eggplants, hops, potatoes, peppers, herbs, melons, sweet potatoes, aloe and more in these fabric aeration containers.
Taking it to the Street
The plants grown in Smart Pots were so vigorous, Anna decided to display specimens outside her store. She filled the parking lot with flourishing vegetable plants to attract customers as they drove by. Despite the fact they were sitting on black asphalt, the plants flourished, and customers started to take notice. “They would literally take me outside, point to the Smart Pot and say ‘Where can I get one of these?'” Anna recalls.
Fertile Ground for Sales
As sales grew, so did unexpected benefits for the store. “Once people try Smart Pots, they’re hooked. It leads to repeat sales, and the profit margins are higher,” Anna noted. When customers buy Smart Pots, they load up on related products like soil and fertilizer, further increasing store revenues.
Customer Service: The Cherry Tomato On Top
Sales and marketing advantages weren’t the only things that stuck out in Anna’s mind. Throughout her relationship with High Caliper Growing, she appreciated the excellent customer service she received. “I had great experiences with all of them. Even past sales reps were always there to help out when I needed. They’re a wonderful bunch of people.”
