With an average of 60,000 visits a month to its website, and more than 18,000 likes on its Facebook page, the Just Add Ice Orchids brand is a popular hit among consumers. Developed by Green Circle Growers, Just Add Ice Orchids was a result of the company’s goal to deliver high-value, high-satisfaction consumer products.
“We’ve taken that national brand presence now, and are branching out to other items that are high-value, feature the characteristics of longevity at the consumer’s home, and all with the idea to really promote customer satisfaction,” says Scott Giesbrecht, sales manager.
Delivering high-value, high-satisfaction products for the consumer is just one part of innovation the company is focusing on. Using social media to connect with the consumer is another.
“[Social media] is an investment to carry through that value all the way to the consumer level to make sure she understands it, she feels comfortable with it, and, ultimately, she can be successful with it,” he says.
Just Add Ice Orchids’ social media streams offer consumers links to everything from tips on caring for their orchids to using them for feng shui. Consumers can also sign up for a watering reminder on the website, so Green Circle will send them an automatic email reminding them to drop three ice cubes in.
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Specifics Name: Green Circle Growers Headquarters: Oberlin, Ohio Founded: 1968 Production space: 4.5 million square feet Major crops: Bedding plants, poinsettias, fall mums, plugs and liner material, indoor house plants, including orchids Major customers: National chains, including Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and Kroger; multiple regional supermarket chains in the U.S. and Canada Number of employees: About 800 Annual revenue: More than $100 million |
It’s techniques like these that help the company stand out from its competition.
“We have an openness to new products, new ways of doing business, new processes, that will continue to drive our competitiveness in the marketplace,” he says. “Secondly, and closely knit to this, is our commitment to bring fresh new talent from other industries, as well as growing young talent in our existing business through training and development.”
But perhaps the one thing that has made this all possible is the fact that Green Circle Growers hasn’t forgotten to stick to its roots.
“Our roots are low-cost production,” Giesbrecht says. “That’s what brought us to the dance, and we feel that’s what’s going to keep us on the floor.”
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3 Tips from Scott Giesbrecht 1. Know what you’re good at and do it better than anyone else. 2. Figure out a way to connect yourself with the consumer, or align yourself with a sales or marketing organization that does. “That’s the absolute key going forward. We have to create products that people want to buy and are going to have success with.” 3. Have fun. “Productivity is directly related to how people feel about their work. We think fun is an integral, or should be an integral, part of what we do.” |
For more: Green Circle Growers, (440) 775-1411 or www.greencirclegrowers.com
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