HortiTrends NEWS & WEEKLY COMMENT - 5th October
- 05 October 2013
If we are to look at any sector in the edible side of horticulture, that we can learn a lot from in terms of co-operation and marketing, I would suggest that it would be mushrooms. With the upcoming UK and Ireland conference happening on the 17th of October, the two countries will be further learning from each other and cementing their very successful marketing relationship, thus far. These companies compete like mad where they have to, but where it makes sense they are partnering to further the aims of their whole sector. The amenity sector in Ireland could have valuable lessons to learn from them. We will be exhibiting at and reporting from the event to pass on what we learn.
Speaking of learning, I am just back from London where I spent 2 full days at the e-commerce expo. Change is happening rapidly in the on-line marketplace. What is built today in a website and e-commerce shop is becoming obsolete more rapidly. It is therefore worth taking the time to do the research to find a trustworthy partner, who can future proof your investment. In reality this means that websites are not going to be a once-off capital cost any more, if you are just to stay up-to-date, let alone ahead of the competition. Your ability to get found via search engines along with the viability and profitably of your on-line sales operation will be most likely to succeed if you are working with a web development and marketing company on an ongoing monthly payment basis. This makes sense in my opinion, as you are investing a lot of your trust, time and cash when getting involved in any area of Information Technology (IT). If your are in the 90% of companies who want to do more on-line but tend to not know enough about IT, then this kind of ongoing partnership should mean that the web service provider will be bound to provide results rather than excuses if you are both tied to monthly payments that are target driven. Forgetting about all the technology stuff, the other secret of on-line success is to keep creating new and original content for you site. Get a blog going now and start writing about what you know. Write it as you would speak it and don't measure yourself against others. The spoken word is the 'KING & QUEEN' of Google juice, that can bring you rapidly up the organic search engine listings and therefore make your online presence worthy of the time and expense that you put in.
Thank You
Joseph (Editor at HortiTrends)