Buylines Spring 2011

Every weapon you need to eliminate Moles & Gophers!

SE9014 SE9011

SE7002

SESN01

Repellent Spray - SE8001

Repellent Granules - SE7001

s 4REATS SQUARE FEET s OZ HOSE END SPRAY

s !LSO REPELS 6OLES !RMADILLOS s ,B 3HAKER "AG

Sonic Spikes - SE9012

Gopher Traps - SE9013

s 3ONIC PULSES PENETRATE SOIL

DRIVING RODENTS AWAY s 3PIKES COVER 15 SQ FT

s +ILLS 'OPHERS INSIDE TUNNELS WITHOUT THE USE OF POISONS s PINCHER TRAPS

2011 BWI EXPO

September 26, 27, 28 Gaylord Texan • Grapevine, Texas

HOW DO YOU BALANCE...

8 New vs. Old 12 Trendy vs. Tried and True

15 Short Term Pain vs.

Long Term Gain

18 Volume vs. Profit 23 Products vs. Services 24 Risk vs. Consistency 26 Price vs. Value 28 Consolidation vs.

20

Diversity

CONTENTS

6 New Trailer Design

13 2011 Catalogs

turf

BWI COMPANIES, INC. www.bwicompanies.com

NIES, INC.

BWI COMPA panies.com www.bwicom

2011-2012

2011-2012

grower retail

BWI COMPANIE www.bwicompan ies.com

al Turff and ofessiional ro Profession Retail Consume 201 e Supplies ape dsca and an Landscap r Pro

POET®

Portable Order Entry Tool

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al Grower Profession Supplies

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Take your plants to a whole new level.

Grow like the pros with Osmocote®. Your plants will get the nutrition they need, and with Osmocote® Smart-Release® plant food, they’ll be fed for up to six months.

Osmocote® Soils are exclusively available at our independent partners. ©2011 The Scotts Company LLC. World rights reserved.

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Balance...It's True in Business as Well

SPRING S PRING S SPECIALS PECIALS Chicken & Critter Hutches

Top Selling Designs!

Large Rabbit Hutch ITEM # WA1550 (42.5” x 28.25” x 39”) Master 1

T

hey say balance in your life is the goal. I believe that to be the case even though we do not always follow that advice each day. That same focus on balance is also true in our businesses as well. So how do you balance?

• • • • • • • •

U Fold-down Hop-Way door design U Galvanized slide-out pan U Full opening roof top for ‘EZ’ access

New vs Old Trendy vs Tried and True Short Term Pain vs Long Term Gain Volume vs Profit Products vs Services Risk vs Consistency Price vs Value Consolidation vs Diversity

Mark Fomby VP Sales

We have asked our staff to touch on these subjects in this issue of Buylines as they relate to their areas of focus. The reason being is that we feel that BWI’s success is wholly dependent on the continued success of our valued customer base. We can only move forward as you move forward. The role of the BWI sales force is changing from selling products to helping our customer base ‘sell more’. That fundamental change does not happen by snapping our fingers but will require an evolution of consultative actions mixed with their historical model that results in a balance.

We also believe this applies to our vendor partners as well. The model we operate in today is a chain from manufacturer to distributor to retailer or end user. Each of us must exercise balance in the supply chain in order for it to remain healthy for the years to come.

BWI has been and will continue to review our balance as it pertains to the topics listed above. We believe the end result will be helping you make a ‘supplier of choice’ decision a little easier. We would appreciate it being BWI and our goal is to make you happy with your decision.

I hope to see you all in Grapevine, Texas at the Gaylord Texan for the 2011 BWI EXPO! -Mark Fomby

4 GALLON DELUXE BACKPACK SPRAYER Perfect for large spraying jobs.

Comfortable straps let you lug 4 gallons of solution around with little exertion.

Chick-N-Hutch ITEM # WA1490 (42.5” x 28” x 39”) Master 1

U Comes complete with wind guard design and adjustable perch U Wa Waterpro Waterproof roof shingle shingl shi nglee roof roof

Easy access egg door

Chick-N-Rabbit Pen ITEM # WA1491 (40” x 60” x 36”) Master 1

U Securely attaches to Large Rabbit Hutch and Chick-N-Hutch U Expands pet’s living space

48” hose length wide mouth makes refilling easy In-tank fillers help prevent clogging

CHAPIN, THE WAY TO SPRAY SINCE 1884 Are you up to date on the EPA mandates that will affect rodenticides beginning June 2011? If not or you need more info, please ask your BWI sales representative how we can help.

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To learn more about our products visit us at www.waremfginc.com or call us at 602-257-8803

3

Is Now the Time to Invest in Your Business?

W

ith the United States economy gradually emerging from the throes of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, many business owners and managers would say now is the time to hunker down and hold on to every dime you make Jim Bunch or have in reserve. HowCo-President/CEO ever, after hearing two of the country’s most informed economists (Alan Beaulieu and Brian Wesbury), I personally think now is a great time to invest in your business. I do not consider extravagance and luxury items as investing in your business. However, I do consider investing in your business to meet the criteria of any of the following: • Invest in human capital by recruiting and training smart professional people who can drive sales and improve efficiencies in your business. After all, people are the most important asset in any business.

• Invest in processes that will automate your business, thus improving efficiencies i.e. automated irrigation system, automated payroll system, automated shipping and receiving.

• Invest in your marketing by taking advantage of the many social media advertising avenues that reach millions of people for very minimal cost i.e. Facebook, Twitter, website, Linked- In, blogs, etc.

• Invest in your Information Technology department in order to gain a competitive edge. IT is now viewed as an essential component of one’s business. If you are a smaller company that outsources your IT, craft a strategy that will give you a competitive advantage and maximize returns on your investment.

• Invest in fixed assets such as buildings, real estate, and equipment that will position your company to grow in the future. One economist stated there has never been a better time to borrow money at historically low interest rates. He suggested borrowing money to improve efficiencies in your business at a fixed rate and then pay back the loan with inflated dollars. Both economists said inflation is on the way.

I want to be perfectly clear that I don’t endorse borrowing money for non revenue generating or luxury items that do not improve your business’ overall efficiency. I am of the opinion that prudent investments in your business will provide a great return on investment.

BWI eats its own cooking. We are investing in

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our company for the future. Some examples are: • Substantial investment in training of both new and seasoned sales personnel, and training programs for our warehouse managers and team members.

• Equipment such as new trailers and trucks which are lighter and allow us to carry more weight resulting in less down time which ultimately improves customer service.

• We have invested a tremendous amount in our Information Technology (IT) department - new laptops for sales team, new software for laptops, a server referred to as “Cloud” that improves our communications and reduces downtime, processes that allow for automation of placing orders with vendors, software that allows our customers to order product online, Warehouse Management System (WMS) that allows for electronically receiving and picking orders which greatly reduces errors and training time.

• Automated payroll system that streamlines the processes for bi-weekly payroll, sick leave, vacations, holidays.

This process has taken the manual key stroking out of the procedure, as well as all but eliminated errors.

You might say BWI is bullish on the future and we are investing in our business. We hope you, our valued customer, will as well! I am sure Apple is glad they continued to invest in their business with product development i.e. IPad. A few other points both economists shared that I would like to share with you (These are not guaranteed):

• 2011 is forecast to be a very good year and even better than 2010.

• 2012 is forecast to be even better than 2011.

• Plan on inflation not due to quantative easing but based on federal rates at basically zero versus gross domestic product growth at over 3%. Might take some time but inflation is on the way.

• Stay out of long term fixed bond funds.

• Stay in equities.

• Commodity prices will continue to rise • Unemployment will remain above our historical average (currently 9%) but good talent will always be in high demand.

On the 100 birthday anniversary of former President Ronald Reagan, I will close with one of his quotes: “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we’ve ever known.”

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our September BWI Expo in Grapevine, Texas at the Gaylord Texan!

-Jim Bunch

FRUIT, CITRUS & VEGETABLE INSECT CONTROL §Season-Long Protection Without Spraying §Kills Insects and Prevents New Infestations §Rain-Proof Protection That Won’t Wash Off

KILLER BRANDS

ONE SOURCE

LOOK FOR THESE NEW PRODUCTS AND MONTHLY SPECIALS FOR YOUR EDIBLE GARDEN G VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT SPRAY §Protects edibles from insect damage §Kills aphids, Japanese beetles, cutworms and other listed pests §Concentrate or ready to spray

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5

BWI Upgrading our Fleet to Improve Customer Service In January 2011, BWI received delivery of 20 new 2011 Utility 48’ x 102” Van Trailers. These new delivery trailers are vastly improved over our older models. Some of the new features include new 4,400 lb Maxon Rail liftgates with a LARGER aluminum platform which provides faster and safer delivery of products to our customers. The new 48 foot “air ride” trailers are longer and lighter than previous models allowing more customers product per load. Other Robert Bunch features include lightweight and smooth interior white Co-President/CEO poly lining inside the trailers. This greatly reduces damage to products during the loading and unloading process. New interior lighting helps BWI’s team of professional drivers select and deliver customers products quickly and accurately. One of the most noticeable features you will see on these trailers are our NEW full trailer wrap graphics.

This new design was a combined project with BWI Marketing and Lowen Corporation. We feel this new and updated design and BWI Logo better portrays BWI and our vendor partners who participated in this project.

BWI would like to offer our sincere thanks to the following vendor partners for their support on this project.

Back to Nature Monsanto Pickseed VPG (Fertilome)

Barenbrug Myers Lawn & Garden Scotts (Osmocote)

-Robert Bunch

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Fafard/Syngenta Nursery Supplies T.O. Plastics

Only Extinguish Plus Gives `em Both Barrels. ®

Fast acting. Long lasting. Extinguish Plus is the only dual-action bait that kills adult fire ant workers and sterilizes the queen.

®

Blow away fire ants before they take another bite out of your assets. These little buggers account for nearly $6 billion* of damage annually in the United ® States. Extinguish Plus gives you the double barrel approach to fire ant control with an adulticide to knock `em down and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) for long lasting results.

Behind every masterpiece is a growing-media with over 80 years of research and development.

Fafard offers commercial growers a superior growing canvas and the scientific expertise to create art with it. We invest heavily into research and development and provide ongoing technical support from our expert horticulturists. We can also create custom blends, perfectly balanced for your specific needs. Fafard will help you grow your business, as well as flora worthy of a frame.

Unsuspecting workers take the bait back to the mound as food, eat it and die. They also spread it to the queen—effectively eliminating colony ® growth and relocation. Extinguish Plus is fire ant ammo approved for indoor and outdoor use where fire ants are a problem.

FAFARD.COM • 800-732-8667 • A SYNGENTA GROUP COMPANY

Aim for superior results, reduced costs and dead fire ants. For more information, contact your local distributor, call 1-800-248-7763 or visit extinguishfireants.com/turf.

©2009 Wellmark International Extinguish is a registered trademark of Wellmark International.

Always read and follow label directions. *source: USDA

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7

New vs. Old

Join Today!

Marketing 2.0

Jana Swanson Marketing Coordinator

G

rowing up I can remember a “Marketing Campaign” was accomplished by talking to neighbors at the local grocery store and advertising consisted of placing ads in the newspaper or running a local radio or T.V. commercial. In today’s time, these methods are becoming more and more expensive.

Before the internet became available in most households, the average consumer spent a lot of time reading the newspaper front to back. It was the best way to find out what was going on in the community, and to find vendors for specific products or services. Now that news stories are available online and updated in real time, newspapers are having a hard time keeping up with the new media outlets available.

The key to successful sales relies on forming relationships and reaching interested parties. No longer are print ads, business parties, or telephone calls the way to accomplish this. Instead, the internet makes it easy to accomplish marketing tasks in the comfort and privacy of your own home or office.

Social media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access. Increased communication for organizations furthers awareness and better customer service. Additionally, social media serves as a relatively inexpensive platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. Key factors that ensure its success are its significance to the customer and the value it provides them.

Some of the most popular social media platforms are blogs, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Let’s look at the comparison between Old Marketing and Marketing 2.0.

Old Marketing • Advertisers had control • Billboards, phone book ads, magazine ads • Results driven • Expensive • Advertising appealed to the masses

Marketing 2.0 • Customers are in control • Difficult to measure • Blogs, ebooks, internet advertisements • Inexpensive • Easy to change your marketing mix for best results • Any size and target Now let’s look at the “New Rules” and “New Tools” of marketing.

New Rules • People do not want to be interrupted anymore (it is now called SPAM) • People want value (content), which develops relationship and trust • Content is king, and stays online, with no end to the campaign New Tools • Websites • Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn) • Microblogs (Twitter) • Videos (YouTube) For some small businesses it is difficult to take advantage of the benefits of Marketing 2.0 because of resistance to change and fear of the unknown. Many also think their aging customer base is living in the past. Think again: A report by Pew Internet & American Life Project shows half (47%) of internet users ages 50-64 and one in four (26%) users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites. Between April 2009 and May 2010, internet users ages 50-64 who said they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn grew 88% and those ages 65 and older grew 100%.

If you’re not in with the “new” marketing yet, I challenge you to pick one Marketing 2.0 strategy and implement it.

In a couple of months, see if you have benefited or not. The best marketing strategy may also be a mix of both traditional and online marketing that best suits your needs.

-Jana Swanson

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The Taste Rodents Just Die For!™

Killer Rodent Control.

©2011 Farnam Companies, Inc.

11-0448

Farnam, the Farnam logo, Just One Bite and The Taste Rodents Die For! are trademarks of Farnam Companies, Inc.

®

Celsius.

Weeds vanish without a trace.

®

Celsius. A higher degree of weed control.

Unlike traditional herbicides, Celsius works with less risk of turf damage, even at high temperatures. Celsius, the newest generation post-emergent herbicide, effectively controls over 100 weeds, including several hard-to-control grasses and broadleaf weeds. Plus, Celsius offers pre-emergent control of germinating weeds – after all, healthy, weed free turf is the best herbicide available on the market. Celsius delivers superior results in balance with consideration for our environment, because we believe in Protecting Tomorrow, Today. And, as always, you’re Backed by Bayer and all the science and technology that support it. Sustainable weed control from a name you trust. To learn more, contact your local BWI representative or visit BackedbyBayer.com/Celsius

Bayer Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. www.BackedbyBayer.com. Celsius is a registered trademark of Bayer. Not all products are registered in all states. Always read and follow label instructions carefully. ©2011 Bayer CropScience LP

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w w w. p re e n . c o m

Use Preen once to prevent weeds all season ■

Stop weeds before they start! TM

■

Lasts up to 4 months

■

Formulated for southern gardens

5

$ Preen consumer rebate offer exclusively for BWI dealers • $5 consumer mail-in rebate is on Preen Weed Preventer for Southern Gardens through BWI only. (Valid on consumer purchases between April 1 and May 31, 2011.)

• Free POP marketing kit included with each initial order

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WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 2011 Preen ® is a registered trademark of Lebanon Seaboard Corporation.

2011 EXPO Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center on Lake Grapevine September 26-28, 2011 Monday, September 26 Seminars .................. 3:00 p.m.

EXPO Open .............. 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Hot Buys ................... 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 27 EXPO Open .............. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Post EXPO Events ... 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 28 EXPO Open .............. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Hot Buys ................... 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

N GISTRATIO E R E IN L ON IN MAY! COMINGmpanies.com o www.bwic ! n EVENTS o k c li C

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Trendy vs. Tried and True I

magine walking into your favorite store and seesmall or no yards have seen the benefits to growing the same products day after day, month after ing their own produce. There is nothing like fresh month, year after year. Would you feel that flurry herbs or tomatoes right out of the soil. I would of excitement in your stomach? Would you want say this is still a trend for urban areas, but it might to open your wallet? One way to keep custommake it to the “tried and true” category. This trend ers excited and coming back is to offer “trendy” has also boosted sales for the tried and true such products in addition to the “tried and true.” as garden seeders, spreaders, hoses, fertilizers and much more.

Many people think “trendy” is the same as the As with any business, it is important to have a current “fad”. But the key difference is that many times trendy will make it to the tried and true basic selection of products available in order for category and fads will just fade out of our minds Felicia Beaird customers to know where to go when certain like a bad dream. In the lawn and garden industry Marketing Associate things are needed. Long-term relationships are many times a “fad” will last 2 seasons at most. But formed when customers know they can depend we have seen “trends” establish their place in the market. For on you to have what they need every year and do not have example, organic gardening became trendy several years ago, to run all over town to find a can of wasp spray when they but now has an established following and does not look to be discover a nest in their garage or a new water hose to water slowing down. their garden.

Trendy products do not need to be offered all year, just those Trendy products may be exciting and new but just like that first few months when demand is high. The key to success is pair of old house shoes tried and true products are reliable. to move product in and out as quickly as possible. If there is We know what time of year customer’s start looking for what still much demand, you can always reorder. There is always a they need to plant their gardens and landscape their yards. We slight risk involved when offering the latest trend since differ- also know what happens with insects when the weather warms. ent areas of the country might do great with one product while Mulch, fertilizer, seed, insect granules and sprays are just some in another it might not make it off the shelf. examples of products that we can count on to sustain our busiThe latest trend that is making its way to the tried and true ness. category is organic gardening. Many people are becoming It is important to have a variety of products from ‘trendy” to more environmentally conscious and are converting to organic “tried and true”. The tried and true will offer reliability and products. We have seen this category grow tremendously the stability to customers and businesses alike. But “trendy” offers last few years with no signs of slowing down and it is slowly excitement and new opportunities to all. making its way to the “tried and true”.

-Felicia Beaird Another trend gaining popularity is using your garden space as an extension of your home. This is in part due to the economy INTRODUCING A NEW BAMBOO GLOVE forcing families to stay at home. Outdoor kitchens are very popular and in turn people Mechanically, want to “pretty” up their yard by purchasnot chemically, Seamless knit ing pottery, fountains, statuary and other processed. bamboo liner keeps products. Whether this trend will continue hands cool and as the economy rebounds, who knows? In %DPERR ¿EHUV DUH comfortable. the meantime the lawn and garden industry naturally Textured natural is benefiting from this trend. antibacterial, UV rubber palm-coating protective, odor free, Every year we see new innovative ideas for protects hands and cool, and durable. growing a small garden, from containers to enhances grip. small raised garden kits to vertical gardens.

Those that live in metropolitan areas with

Bamboo With Rubber Palm

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BWI is proud to offer you the largest selection of lawn and garden, grower, turf, landscape and agriculture supplies in your area.

Complete product information and literature is available from our sales representatives or RI¿ FH SHUVRQQHO ZKR ZLOO EH pleased to assist you in any ZD\ SRVVLEOH

turf

BWI COMPANIES, INC. www.bwicompanies.com

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BWI COMPA m mpanies.co www.bwico

2011-2012

2 2011-201

BWI COMPANIE www.bwicom panies.com

retail er

Retail Consum 201 er Prod

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Professional Turf and Landscape Supplies

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Profession

Water the Money Tree II where growing begins.TM

Dealer - Grower & Retail Rebate Program 2011

As a professional retail store in the lawn and garden industry, you want to feel confident that the soil your customer takes home will give them healthy, fruitful plants and flowers. As a professional grower, you know that you must rely on the best soils for your continued success and profitability. Whether you're a retail store or a professional grower, Baccto & Michigan Peat have products that meet both your needs. Further, we have invested millions in new facilities and equipment to insure that you and your customers receive high quality soils and mixes - bag after bag time after time. So we can, as we have for over five generations, meet your retail, planting, and growing needs.

Now we are going to reward you for using Baccto professional mixes and retail products with our WATER THE MONEY TREE REBATE PROGRAM 2011

From April 1 - June 30, 2011, we are offering you a rebate on all NEW Baccto Product purchases placed with BWI. Product must be received by June 30, 2011

GRASP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REBATES 2 or 5% on Baccto Professional Grower Products 12 or $15 per pallet on Baccto Retail Products

For complete program details contact your favorite BWI branch or BWI sales person or

download the complete program & claim form at baccto.com/moneytree.pdf Water the Money Tree II program has no cash value. The rebate program applies to new orders only. The program is not retroactive and may not be combined with previous programs or special offers.

Water the Money Tree II is a Baccto dealers - only program.

Baccto is a registered trademark of Bay Houston Towing Co “where growing begins.” is a trademark of Michigan Peat Company

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Corinthian Bells

KILLS CRABGRASS Designed to rid your lawn of crabgrass, clover, plantain, chickweed and other broadleaf and grassy weeds and sedges.

By

Festival Windchimes

Image Kills Crabgrass contains 3 packets of concentrated granules. Each packet mixes with one gallon of water and covers 500 sq. ft.

The best chimes on the market now in our NEW Ruby Splash!

Order yours now for spring!

MADE IN THE USA!

G GREENHOUSE SOLUTIONS FFROM A NAME YOU KNOW AND TRUST...

Greenhouse Construction ZNew Construction ZRemodeling ZRepairs ZBench Installation ZRecovering and Re-glazing Irrigation Design ZDrip Systems ZSprinkler Systems ZInjection Systems ZFiltration Systems ZWatering Booms and Basket Systems ZTotal System Design Automation and Equipment ZConveyors ZFlat Fillers ZBale Processors ZMixers ZPotting Machines ZSeeders ZTotal System Design

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PAIN

o much of life, in one form or another, is affected by the idea of short term versus long term thinking. Are we willing to Clay Wilkerson tolerate some Grower Technical Sales Manager “pain” in the short term to make some “gains” in the long run? For example, are we willing to endure the short term pain of exercise for 30 minutes a day 3-4 days a week to gain a healthier body and possibly a longer more productive life? Are we willing to tolerate the short term pain of following a budget and doing without some of the things we want today to gain a more secure financial position in the future with less anxiety and more freedom? Finally, are we willing to tighten our belt and pay a little bit extra right now to make sure the job is done right the first time so that we are able to enjoy the end product later without problems or complications that inevitably would have come from possibly cutting corners? Over and over we are faced with decisions that can be boiled down to this tension between short term versus long term thinking.

Business is much the same, whether in this industry or in others. Every business owner has a philosophy that is driving his business decisions whether he can articulate it or not. Although there are obviously many facets to a person’s business philosophy, one of the defining attributes has to be where he stands regarding this tension between short term versus long term thinking. If there is a willingness to endure some difficulties in the short term to make some reasonable gains in the long term, you will typically see good business decisions being made and a healthy business as the outcome.

If, however, the focus is primarily on the short term, the entire approach to business changes and many of the decisions

S

LONG TERM

FOR

SHORT TERM

that flow out of that mindset may not be healthy ones each time.

Nowhere is this tension more evident in a greenhouse business than in the area of capital purchases. Since most of the products we handle through Grower Technical Sales fall into this category I observe customers struggling with this tension on a regular basis. Here are a few examples I have seen over the years where greenhouse owners and operators struggled to find a balance.

Decisions Made Based On Up Front Cost Rather than Return on Investment – It is possible for greenhouse owners to become fixated on the up front cost of a capital purchase that they come to the false conclusion that they can’t afford it. Long term thinking means looking beyond the cost today to see what this investment can mean to you and your business down the road.

A good business man knows that if a product pays for itself through savings and efficiencies gained in 2-3 years, that’s a good investment. Again, short term thinking focuses on cost but long term thinking understands the nature of an investment.

Choosing Price Over Quality - This is one of the most common examples I have seen of short term thinking ruling the day. We all know there is a direct relationship between price and quality. It is generally understood that as quality increases, so does price. However, over and over again I have seen customers make their capital decisions based largely on price (as opposed to quality). Some sales

Introducing

GAIN

person convinces them that all products of that particular flavor (greenhouses, equipment, etc.) are all the same and the only difference between one and the other is price. Unfortunately they don’t discover the rest of the story until after the transaction.

Allowing the Urgent to Rule Over the Important – The urgent things in business are typically the things that scream the loudest and demand our attention.

The problem is they generally are not the most important things. This may be the most central issues in this whole matter of short term versus long term thinking.

Many times decisions are made on large capital items based on the urgency of the moment rather than on what was really important to them. They allowed circumstances to influence them and now the pursuit of the urgent is driving them to make an unwise business decision.

In each of these examples the business owner or manager allowed his decision making to be influenced more by short term thinking than long term. Yes, sometimes that means enduring some pain or difficulty in the short term. But in the end it’s worth it.

-Clay Wilkerson

Fast Acting, Long Lasting Starts Killing Fleas & Ticks within 15 Minutes

SPOT ON® FLEA & TICK CONTROL FOR DOGS

©2011 Farnam Companies, Inc. 11-0251 Spot On is a registered trademark of Wellmark International. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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Booth# 1901 15

Trusted for consistent quality and performance for over 30 years.

With a stronger, more concentrated formula and 30-minute rainfast warranty, Roundup PROMAX® gives you faster, more effective weed control right down to the roots.

To learn more, visit RoundupPROMAX.com

The fastest weed control you can get with visible results within 24 hours.

QuikPRO®, powered by Roundup Technology®, gives you fast burndown results with an easy-to-mix, water-soluble granule. All it takes is one try to see why it’s the choice of lawn pros everywhere.

To learn more, visit RoundupQuikPRO.com Roundup Technology® includes Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide technologies.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. QuikPRO and Design®, QuikPRO®, Roundup PROMAX®, and Roundup Technology® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2011 Monsanto Company. 26895 022311

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2/28/2011 11:09:09 AM

Sales Force Solutions I

n 1995 BWI outside sales people the system so it will cut down time searching for the product began carrying ThinkPad laptops that is sitting on the shelf in front of you, or quickly work up an and used a software package order on a busy spring day. from Access International called OrderWriter to enter their customer POET has proven to be very dynamic and a great addition to orders electronically. OrderWriter bring better customer service. Of course there have been some was a proprietary data base program hiccups along the way. We truly appreciate our customers that served BWI and our customers patience while we learned and brought POET up to its current very well through multiple versions status. We at BWI truly believe POET will serve us and our of its software. In 2010 Access customers for many years with the most up to date inventory International released new software and order entry.

-Ralph Waits Ralph Waits that was a non Corporate Training Coordinator p r o p r i e t a r y SQL data base, Windows based program called POET® (Portable Order Entry Tool). BWI made the decision to purchase and deploy this software Dalton Georgia based on its ability to be customized for BWI. This also coincided with BWI’s new laptop purchase.

Beginning in April 2010, one BWI division at a time, BWI began the rollout of POET. At first POET and OrderWriter were both active allowing our sales force to continue entering MadeRECYCLE from Recycled Poly orders with the familiar OrderWriter while learning the new system, POET, without negatively affecting customer service. In July of 2010 OrderWriter was turned off and BWI became 100% POET. Some simple features POET offers are the $300 Off Plates ability to copy and paste from one program Custom Trunk Mats - Item F to another, sort based on any column in a Order By 9-1-11 customer’s history, or move columns to any order the sales person desires. This allows sales people to select parts of their open order reports, backorder reports, A/R reports, and PLANTING INFORMATION ANNUALS PERENNIALS print or email just the selection for their customer. Pictures were added and now a picture can be viewed of most items. If a THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING customer needs a copy of the order they just MILBERGER LANDSCAPE NURERY www.milbergernursery.com placed, it can be exported to an excel file and then emailed or printed. We have colored coded promotional items, consolidated warehouse items, category management items, and customers A/R types so that those things are easier to recognize and there are fewer mistakes. Each item in the customer’s history has a last sold date and the invoice number of each item so the customers don’t have to dig for an invoice when that information is required for a credit, price adjustment, or pickup. Most recently we have added a column with the UPC number of each item so that when a customer requests it the sales person can again export to Excel and email or print the document for them.

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Bare Root 1. Remove all packaging

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2. Check to make sure roots are moist and alive.

3. Dig a hole large enough

to allow all roots to spread laterally without bending and deep enough to allow planting mix to reach 2 inches above the original soil mark on the plant. Soil will settle to original soil mark with time.

4. Set plant in hole to correct depth and backfill with planting mix - usually a combination of sandy loam and ferti·lome® Potting Mix or peat moss.

5. Form a berm around the hole, using soil mix, to aid in watering.

6. Water slowly and thoroughly with a mixture of water and Root Stimulator and Plant Starter Solution. This not only feeds and waters the plant but also eliminates any air pockets.

7. Prune 1/3 to 1/2 off the top of the plant to help balance top growth and root system.

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Balled & Burlapped Container Grown 1. Always carry the plant by *This planting technique is the root-ball, never by the trunk. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root-ball and deep enough to place the plant at the original growing depth.

2. Leave any burlap or other material around the root-ball, but be sure to remove any wire or nylon cord from around the trunk.

3. Backfill the hole with planting mix, usually a combination of sandy loam and peat moss (or other organic matter).

4. Plunge water hose to the bottom of the hole to soak and settle soil, working out any air pockets.

5. Large trees should be staked and tied with guy wire to prevent wind damage.

6. Using soil mix, form a berm around the hole to aid in watering.

7. Prune 1/3 off topof the plant to help balance top growth and root system.

8. Wet soil around plant with solution of Root Stimulator and Plant Starter Solution.

the most preferred since the root system is fairly large and has never been pruned or cut back. Be careful not to damage the roots when removing the plant from it's container.

1. Dig hole twice the

diameter of the root ball and deep enough to place the plant at it's original growing depths.

2. Backfill hole with planting mix, usually a combination of sandy loam and ferti·lome® Potting Mix or peat moss.

3. Form a berm around the hole, using soil mix, to aid in watering.

4. Water slowly and thoroughly with a solution of Root Stimulator and Plant Starter Solution and water. This not only feeds and waters your plant but also helps to settle soil and eliminate air pockets.

5. Prune only to achieve desired shape since root system has never been pruned or cut back.

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GARDEN CARE PROGRAM

Planting , Watering & Fertilizing Vegetables - When Planting, choose

an area that will receive full sun and good air circulation. Vegetables do best when planted in raised beds. The ideal planting mix is sandy loam and organic material (peat moss) in a 50/50 ratio. Good drainage is the foundation for great gardening. Consult your local ferti·lome® dealer for correct varieties, specific planting methods and optimum planting dates in your area. As you are Watering, remember that the roots are very shallow; they will probably require more water than your other plants. Water slowly and thoroughly to saturate the bed area. Frequency of watering will depend upon your local soil conditions and weather. Avoid wetting the foliage as this can promote disease problems. Fertilize your vegetables every three to four weeks during the growing season. Proper fertilization is essential to producing a good harvest.

Insect & Disease - The damage from insects and disease can quickly devastate your

garden. To prevent and control common insects and diseases, spray twice a month during the growing season. More frequent applications may be required during rainy periods since the spray can be washed off. For more specific insect problems refer to your ferti·lome® dealer. Areas that have high humidity levels tend to have the worst disease problems. In these parts of the county, you should treat preventively before disease appears. If you live in an arid region, wait until you see the first signs of the disease, and then begin treatment.

Two treatments, usually 14-30 days apart, will be required on most problems. Some diseases, like brown patch, may require treatment for up to three years in a row. Try to spray and water your plants in early morning, since plants that stay wet overnight tend to be more susceptible to disease problems.

Weeds - Unique situations will arise from time to time that call for the use of specific

weed killers. There are basically two categories; selective & non-selective. Selective weed killers control only certain or types of weeds (grassy or broadleaf). Some are safe for use around desirable plants while others are not. Most non-selective weed killers cannot tell the difference between weeds you want to control and your desirable plants. It is very important to keep non-selective weed killers, as well as certain selective ones, off the foliage of desirable plants. Special weed killers work best on young, tender, actively growing weeds. If the weeds you want to control are large and not growing much anymore, you should cut them off at ground level, wait until 2 to 6 inches of new growth appears and then make your application. Due to the importance of using special weed killers properly, always read the label directions thoroughly or consult with ferti·lome® dealer.

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APRIL 2011 /

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17

Volume vs. Profit A

s retailing trends are continuously changing, driven most by mass merchants and national accounts, so should the independent retailers strategy to go to market. One of the most common trends we see in these mass Randy Townsend and national retailers Marketing Manager is changing pricing strategies. I couldn’t tell you how often I see prices change from ending in a “9” to a “4” and then to “6” or “8” throughout a store. You can bet that there has been some formula or calculation to get that number.

One of the greatest challenges in my opinion that an independent retailer faces is how to price merchandise. This is a struggle that most face and the end result is not favorable upon the bottom line. Simply put the strategy of pricing products offered for sale at retail determines how long the doors will stay open.

To effectively price merchandise, one must understand the differences in markup versus margin. These two terms are often used interchangeably in the retail world but a wrong understanding of how each is calculated and then using the wrong one

for pricing schematics could have an adverse effect to the business.

Most retailers talk markup when pricing their products. Markup is simply the difference between the sales price of a product and the cost of that product. For example, if an item sells for $15 and it costs $10, the markup is $5.

The Markup percentage would be the markup as a percentage of the cost. So in this case the markup percentage would be 50% (5/10). Using this example, a pricing scheme at retail then could be to mark retail prices at 50% by using the multiplier of 1.5 applied to the cost of a product.

Margin is the percentage difference of profit and sales price. So in our example above, the markup of $5 would be our profit, sales price of $15, and margin would be 33.3% (5/15X100). This margin percentage is usually referred to as profitability and used to analyze income statements. So if it has been determined that you must have a profitability or gross margin of 50% to operate your business and you use the markup calculator to determine your retail price at cost times 1.5, you are likely to fall short of your profit goals since you will only earn a 33.3% gross margin.

These examples are simple to help understand the differences in markup and

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margin. But in actuality, a business should not simply determine what the profit margin should be, find their markup calculator and start pricing every item the same. At retail, there are many factors that determine what the market will pay for certain items. There must be a more complex strategy to price items rather than one size fits all. Commodity items driven by national retailers, promotional items, high ticket products, and more may require a lesser markup to make a sale. On the flip side; exclusive items, low ticket products, trendy styles, and so on, can usually garner a higher markup. Every retailer should have a plan to address how to price the multitude of items and categories they offer for sale. Then the challenge is to have the different markup schematics result in the total margin needed to meet profit goals.

That is really when your pricing strategy comes into play.

We know that we must have profit to remain a viable business. And to get that profit we have to sell a certain amount of product at a certain price over our cost.

But what is that amount of product?

Volume and profit are both keys to success in business. I don’t think you can be successful with only one. They go hand in hand. Your pricing strategies should address how to drive volume in some items while garnering the most profit on others. The mixture results hopefully in a profitable margin somewhere in the middle that meets the needs of your income statements.

Volume items are usually commodity items that everyone offers at some low price. The national retailers are usually the ones driving the pricing on these items.

Rather than just not offer these items or mark at a high price and hope that someone may buy them, why not develop a pricing scheme that will drive the products out the door. It is sometimes difficult to compete with those national retailers but it is possible with the right pricing strategy. If it is a low ticket item that does not offer much profit, develop your strategy

so that you can sell multiples creating larger ticket and more profit per transaction. Mulch is a great example. Have a one bag price but also have a multiple bag price or free bag with “X” amount of bags purchased that will drive sales. This approach can also be used with other products across categories. Small packages of fertilizer come in many variations and most of us carry several that can be mixed and matched to offer a volume program. Offering to let the consumer purchase a combination of 4 for a hot price, or buy so many with one free again helps increase the ticket purchase and drives sales. There are many different ways and different products where you can use this approach. But we must start somewhere to get the volume.

Developing a drive item list of things you want to sell in volume and utilizing the “secret shopper” strategy to determine market prices is a good practice.

To create the volume needed on chosen items, you must know what the market will bear. Without that knowledge your strategy may not be effective at moving product or you could be leaving too much profit on the table.

Sometimes an item needs to be offered at relatively zero profit. These “lost leaders” help the perception that you are “priced right” on other items as well when it is an item that has a known value with consumers. It is a good assumption that the item will not be the only item on their ticket at checkout. Without the “priced right” perception created by the “lost leader”, the sale could have never occurred.

Volume can also be attained my targeting categories and not just items. Merchandising efforts with targeted categories drawing attention to off shelf placement, floor stacks, and displays can help drive sales as well. Depending on the product mix, you may or may not have to offer anything else such as discounts to increase movement. Just having something that catches the eye outside of the normal shelf run can spur a purchase. But there are many ways to bundle items featured together to get a bigger ticket ring. Free goods, discounted items, etc. offered on product mix or total dollars purchased are good ways to do this. Be creative in your merchandising and programs to drive multiple item sales.

Using available floor space not dedicated to permanent fixtures to display timely items and changing this area out on a

regular basis keeps something new in front of the shopper if they frequent your business. These types of programs can drive volume in certain items and categories. Another approach is to use this area for “in and out” displays moving one out when it is sold through and moving another in. This approach will require a little planning on the front end determining what those displays should be and making necessary purchases ahead of the season to keep in your rotation.

They key here is to sell out and replace with another display and not to fill the display again. One of the mistakes we all make from time to time is going back to the well to often with the result being left over inventory. Even if the approach was a success by moving the initial amount out, refilling it and having left over inventory leaves the perception that it did not perform well and we are not likely to repeat again. Done repeatedly, you can keep your customers guessing what will be in that space the next time they visit you and also give them a sense of urgency to purchase the item on display now as it may not be there next time. A get while it lasts perception.

In summary, to make a comparison between volume and profit, we first must know how to determine what our profit needs to be to remain viable. Then make sure we are using pricing strategies and schematics that meet the needs of our profitability goals. In order to do that, we must know what products need to move out quicker than others to drive sales and thus operating revenue, and what items we can make more profit on that don’t have to have the same velocity out our front doors. Somewhere in the middle of all those variables is a happy medium that keeps our doors open for business.

Volume and profit are different but you can’t have one without the other. They work closely together giving us the lifeblood of any business; a healthy bottom line.

-Randy Townsend

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BWI Branch of the Year The Branch of the Year for 2010 was BWI Apopka. This was Apopka’s first time to win the award. Out of the 11 criteria that determines branch of the year, Apopka scored 4 first places; 2 second places; and 1 third place. Congratulations to Jim Lange (division manager), the management staff, and the entire Apopka crew on an outstanding year.

Bi Bu rd L y ov Pi e n k rs !

Congratulations!

BWI Employee of the Year Damon Fulmer (BWI Texarkana, Maintenance) and Victoria Halstead (BWI Greer, Purchasing). Damon will be celebrating his 10th year with BWI in October and Vickie, her 5th year in September. Through their strong daily support of their operating teams, sales staffs and local customers, each of these employees exemplifies the core values that make BWI rich in tradition.

Department Manager of the Year Chris Huff (BWI Apopka, Sales) celebrated his 10th year with BWI and led our sales team in increasing our core business sales by 13.75% in 2010. Chris is known as a great ambassador for BWI, and through his leadership and teamwork, has built a loyal customer base for BWI in the State of Florida.

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APRIL 2011 /

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21

BWI EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Ralph Waits

CORPORATE TRAINING COORDINATOR

How long have you been with BWI? I have been with BWI for 21 years.

I began as primarily a grower sales person based at BWI Jackson, MS. In 1993, I became an integral member of the startup team that opened BWI Semmes, AL. During the last 13 years I have worked at BWI Corporate, Nash, TX training our sales force in a number of areas including our order entry software, Poet速, and sales techniques to benefit both our customers and BWI. I not only train our new sales recruits but I also try to bring as many of our seasoned sales force members to our corporate office to keep them up to date on the latest software and techniques of our changing industry.

What are your primary responsibilities? My primary responsibilities include training new sales recruits and coordinating special projects. I am also a liaison between the IT department and our sales force.

What do you enjoy the most? I enjoy working with the new sales trainees because they are fresh and in learning mode. It is very exciting to see them progress through the training process and move into field positions. I have developed relationships with the people I have trained that have benefited me personally and professionally.

What has been your biggest professional challenge? Staying focused on a single duty has been my biggest professional challenge. I stay spread out and like to have a lot of things going on at the same time.

What do you do to relax when you are not at work? I have a wood shop in my garage and enjoy building furniture. I also enjoy working in my yard and playing golf.

WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM Visit the BWI website at www.bwicompanies.com and discover exciting tools to assist you in your account management.

From this site you can search for products using the easy to use navigation or browse the online catalog for retail, turf and grower items. The information available includes product image, description, availability at your shipping location and your price.

For access to direct order entry, you may also use www.orders. bwicompanies.com. This takes you directly to a secure site dedicated to making your order entry efficient and easy.

The BWI website also has several features that allow you to review your invoices, special programs, marketing tools (e-contacts) and upcoming events. All of your account information is protected with this secure website and is only accessed with your personal sign on and password (your customer number in all capital letters). This website is one of our premier services developed with you, our customer, in mind to help you grow your business.

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Product vs. Services Can there be a balance between product and services, or is one more impor tant than the other?

If you are a golf course Kolby Keeling s u p e r i n Regional Turf Sales Coordinator tendent or sports turf manager, you are always striving to use the best product to provide the optimal golf course or field conditions for your players. An LCO company has the same desire in using the best product, while achieving the same end result with a quality property. It doesn’t matter which of these markets you cater to it is important to always remind your clientele what they are getting.

BWI is no different than any of the above end-users; we are constantly looking at how to improve our services while also evaluating new and valuable services.

BWI shares a common business philosophy in striving to provide superior customer service, delivery service and quality product choices to you through our knowledgeable sales team.

BWI’s Expo has become a very valuable service for our customers. We have enhanced our 2011 Expo with more turf and landscape vendors. In addition, we continue to provide quality speakers specific for the Turf and Landscape enduser.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the EXPO in September at the Gaylord Texan!

-Kolby Keeling

Golf course superintendents have the ability to show their services to their golf committee, board or owners, by showing before and after pictures of areas that they are focusing on. These areas may not consist of the whole golf course, but an area where they might have put in a trial / sample plot or even an area enhanced by only having to use labor and /or mechanical means. Showing these pictures on the projects’ anniversary dates each year continues to prove the value of the product that was invested in, as well as your continued quality and valuable service that you are providing for the club.

Lawn Care Operators (LCO) have the same opportunity to show before and after pictures of properties they have taken over from their competition.

From an LCO prospective, when you are out selling your service to a new potential client, you are selling something that doesn’t yet exist. Promoting your credentials, industry involvement and providing pictures become valuable marketing tools to help get more value for your service. Getting more value for your service creates more gross profit dollars in the end. I think we would all agree that selling service value and not products is vital in all market types.

APRIL 2011 /

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23

Risk

vs. Consistency

T

he awareness of risk in business to search out businesses that are predictable in providing consistent has increased drastically over the customer service each and every time they visit that location. past few years as we currently live in Consistency, reliability, predictability, and product knowledge are a less stable economical environment. the cornerstones of creating long term relationships with consumers.

Difficult economic conditions and McDonald’s revolutionized this concept in the fast food business. No reductions in consumer spending matter where you go to a McDonald’s in the world, you can just about have severely impacted our industry. bet that they will be as consistent as the last one that you patronized.

While no one can consistently If you want to be set apart from your competition, you must be predict where the overall economy consistent with your customers. You must develop sales and business is going, if we understand some of standards and stick to them. People will judge you on your worst the risks (interest rates, inflation, day, so consistency is the key to success. Get your message across the unemployment, competition, credit, same way each and every time because the message received by your Ronnie Britt and inventory values) associated customer is the only one that matters. Lack of consistency can destroy Sales Manager BWI Jackson with it, we can at least make sound a budding business. A business that is successful knows the value of a decisions about how to manage our constant product or service. business going forward. The problem dealing with risk is that most In conclusion, when a customer has no idea what to expect from businesses have trouble finding the time, budget, or people necessary your business, you are asking them to take a risk. In today’s to explore their options. If we decide to never take on some degree society, there aren’t many risk taking consumers anymore. Keeping of risk, we can lose our competitiveness in the market place. If we do consistent business practices takes the risk out of the customer’s decide to take on some degree of risk, we can position ourselves to hands, instilling a sense of security associated with your business. better compete in the market place. Nothing is more fundamental to I believe that it is more important to be consistent than risky. a businesses’ success than a little risk.

Consistency is the best solution for building the best customer Every business encounters risks, some of which are predictable and loyalty and achieving long term successful sales! under management’s control, and others are unpredictable and -Ronnie Britt uncontrollable. A business can’t control interest rates but it can take advantage of them when they are down. Inflation rates are maintained by the Federal Reserve and are not within our control.

We can control unemployment to a degree in our own business, but we are susceptible to our customer’s work situations. Competition has been around forever and we can’t control it, but we can make sure that our business out services and sets itself apart from direct competition. Credit issues will always be a part of our business, but we must be smarter in how we control and handle them.

By not collecting your receivables promptly, you are in effect loaning money interest free and reducing the return on your investment. We must be proactive rather than reactive in this process. COTTON BURR COMPOSTS We are at the mercy of our distributors and 7UXO\ QDWXUHœV SHUIHFW VRLO FRQGLWLRQHUV e manufacturers when it comes to inventory values, Loosens tight clay soils, excellent moisture UHWHQWLRQ KHOSV WR QHXWUDOL]H VRLO S+ but we can buy smarter and try to increase our inventory turns. How quick we sell merchandise can take risk out of the equation when it comes COMPOSTED MANURES /LIH to bringing in new items or services. You need to Adds organic matter to help rejuvenate VRLOV ,PSURYHV VRLO DHUDWLRQ DQG WKH doesn’t ask yourself how much room you have to store EUHDNGRZQ RI SODQW UHVLGXH ,QFUHDVHV start it, cost, and how soon do I have to pay for it? water retention in sandy soils. with Anytime you deal with risk you must always minimize, monitor, and try to control the impact SPECIALTY PRODUCTS the of each opportunity that you have. If it were easy Rose Bed Amendment, Nature’s Blend and seed, d to avoid risk and its potential negative impact, Flower Bed Conditioner–all begin with nutri-it everyone would do it! ent rich plant material and cattle manure to starts with st Consistency is critical for sales and business obtain rich, consistent, high-quality compost WKH VRLO success. Every individual business is as unique WR EHQH¿W DOO W\SHV RI VRLO as the person whom controls it. Consumers tend

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E-Contact

Specials

Have you noticed coupons by the box stores and wish you had the time and resources to offer something like this to your customer base? Simply download the e-contact template, modify it and email it to your customer base. If you have not collected your customers email addresses, print out the coupon and use them around your store or include them with monthly invoices.

The program is easy to use and best of all FREE.

Instructions View/edit the templates using Adobe Reader. Download the latest version from http://get.adobe.com/reader.

Log into your account at www.bwicompanies.com.

Click on the E-Contacts tab under Marketing Tools.

Scroll through the listing of 39 customizeable templates and click the link. A download page will open. Click the attachment link and save to your computer.

To edit simply highlight and type over the text you would like to change.

Editable areas include: • The month • The dark blue box (type store information here) • Price • The advertised special (no special is necessary; it can be deleted if you choose) • Offer valid XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX (simply type over the Xs) Save the pdf.

More information can be found on the BWI webstie at www.bwicompanies.com.

Specials Specials

12 Month Tree &

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Fertilome For

Flex Corn, 37.1 lb

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Bonide Fog Rx Insect Fogger

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Price vs. Value “What’s the price?” is often the immediate two hundred indecisive customers like me that response from a customer when presented day, they would have missed out on over four with a product. A very important question, no hundred dollars in business. doubt; but more importantly what do you get It is common in our business today that suppliers for that price? BWI has been very persistent promote themselves as always being the lowest about requiring customer service be first on their cost provider. If it was just cost that could make employee’s mind, therefore creating a value that or break this industry, then I wouldn’t have is difficult to put a price tag on. anything to write about but the variables after This being the case, I cannot help thinking about the price are what suppliers are always graded this in my personal life. Just this week I made a on. Timely delivery, in stock products, no trip to a local fast food restaurant, which I had Brad Meador additional freight to that low price and field staff no business going to in the first place but I did, Marketing Manager that understand your needs are just a few of these and I couldn’t believe the response. I ordered at additional variables that come to mind. The lack the digital screen and paid at the next window and then of follow thru after the price often costs customers so much waited in line to get my food at the next window all the time more than the two dollars more a quart that they searched to thinking I’m pretty hungry and should have ordered fries. As avoid.

I approached the last window, I politely asked if it was against BWI realizes that ease of business is an important part of doing the rules to add an order of fries. The lady responded “We are business with a distributor and that while these values are not not supposed to.” I took that to mean that she was going to let completely apparent between the $ sign and the decimal they this one slide, but I quickly realized that I was wrong when she are ultimately what result in a satisfied customer. Although we refused to fill my request even if I overpaid. do not distribute french-fries, I can assure you that we would Lunch was less than five bucks, so what should I expect? I have not issues adding them to your order and making sure should expect that they provide a service of selling food and that they were still hot when you received them. profit from that service, so it would make sense that they -Brad Meador would want to sell as much food as possible while making their customers feel satisfied and important. If they would’ve had

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26

APRIL 2011 /

WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM

The Best S o l n u o t i i t o a n g i s r ! r I Wobbler Technology Senninger introduced the Wobbler technology in 1980.

The unique off-center rotary action provides outstanding uniformity over a large area at low pressures 10 - 25 psi (0.69 - 1.72 bar). This design delivers a gentle rain-like application employing only one moving part for durability.

The Xcel-Wobbler® MW MHIEP JSV ¾S[W from 0.78 - 6.97 gpm (177 - 1583 L/hr).

The mini-Wobbler® MW HIWMKRIH JSV WQEPPIV ¾S[W SJ 0.42 - 2.18 gpm (95 - 495 L/hr).

Several models to choose from.

Pressure Regulators Maintaining a constant preset outlet pressure regardless of variations in inlet pressure helps assure optimum system performance. Senninger introduced the ½VWX MRPMRI LMKL UYEPMX] VIKYPEXSV MR Several models to choose from.

MADE IN USA

www.senninger.com

APRIL 2011 /

WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM

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vs.

CONSOLIDATION DIVERSITY E

veryone at BWI takes great pride in knowing that our company offers the most complete line of products and services of any Horticultural distributor in the geographical area we serve. We know that you, our customers, depend on us to supply your far ranging needs and that our business success depends upon how well we fulfill your needs and make your business successful. We take this responsibility very seriously.

Paul Toler Key Account Manager In our efforts to be your supplier of

choice we have gone to great lengths to have the right products in the correct quantities to make you a successful grower, retail garden center operator, golf superintendant, or farm dealer. Experience has shown that the best way to accomplish this goal is to have quality products in quantity. If as a distributor we have a warehouse full of products that you and your customer don’t want or need we have not served you satisfactorily nor have we helped you make your business successful. Please ask yourself, is it more important to have the correct product mix or just a lot of different offerings? If you are a grower it is critical that you make the correct decisions on what items to grow. We have all seen a particular grower produce beautiful plants that could not be sold at any price because they did not realize the buying habits of their customer had changed and the customer wanted the new “hot” plant that had just come into the market. To be successful you, as a grower, have to make hard decisions about your product mix and often have to discontinue growing a very good plant simply because the demand for that plant has declined over the years to the point it is no longer profitable for you to produce it in quantities that justify the time and space necessary.

You make a difficult decision but in the long run it is the correct one because it allows you to have more of the new product and fulfill your customer’s needs which in turn make your business more successful.

Our goal is to offer you products that are high quality at affordable pricing which create the best value for you and make you more successful. In order to do this we have to make sure that the products we offer meet your needs and are available in the quantity to satisfy your needs. For us to be successful in this effort it is necessary that we occasionally discontinue an old product in favor of a newer better item. The alternative is to have products that are no longer state of the art or are no longer in demand. By adopting a “narrow but deep” strategy it allows BWI to satisfy your needs more consistently while holding down cost which in turn gives you much better value for your purchases. In partnering with the best suppliers in greater quantity it brings down cost and allows you to receive product in a more timely manner which takes away some of the stress of acquiring the right product for your needs.

Regardless of which field we operate in it is important to make decisions about how we offer our products. The popular plant of forty years ago may not represent what your customers demand today. It is sometimes necessary to say goodbye to the old and bring in the new and product offerings are no exception. You can try to grow every plant there is or stock every potting soil made but eventually you will have to make a decision based on what’s good for your customers based on your best abilities. Having good products that meet your customers needs in sufficient quantities to satisfy the demand should be our goal. With your help and continued patronage BWI strives to meet that goal.

-Paul Toler

Call Your BWI Representative Today For Great In Season Savings!

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Does Your Customer’s Pond Look Like This?

YOU CAN HELP!

The same is true for BWI. If we are to properly service our customers we have to make hard decisions about which products we offer to you.

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Prevent Algae with Crystal Blue and Natural urall P Pond ond dC Cleaner, lean Treat Existing Algae with Crystal Plex!

Sanco Industries

www.sancoind.com

APRIL 2011 /

WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM

MORE PRILLS IN THE POT, MORE PROFIT IN YOUR POCKET. Fusion Technology™ effectively binds prills to container growing media.

Osmocote® Pro with Fusion Technology™ 5-6 month COMING SOON 8-9 month

+ When nursery stock gets blown or knocked over you lose fertilizer, you lose money, through additional material and reapplication costs, or lower plant quality. + Consult with a Scotts Territory Manager to calculate what you’re missing without the no-spill prill in your pots.

View the video at TheNoSpillPrill.com

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CARTHAGE, TX PERMIT NO. 80

P.O. Box 5968 Texarkana, TX 75505

“the ferti-lome people”

Time to Line your Shelves with Brands you Can Trust.

Triple Action Plus II - Contains Neem and Pyrethrins Bougainvillea & Flowering Vine Food - Enhances size, color & quantity of Blooms Broadleaf Weed Control - Stops Broadleaf Weeds Before They Start Double Play RTU - Dual Action Formula - Pre and Post Emergent Weed & Grass Control HydroStretch - Cuts Watering Time up to 1/3

®

Bug Blaster w/2.4% Bifenthrin - 4 months Control of Cockroaches Vegetable & Ornamental Insect Granules - Works above & below the Ground Bug Blaster II - Controls Ticks Nutsedge Control- Absorbed into leaf within 24 to 48 hours Neem - 3 in 1 Multi Purpose Product Fungicide/Insecticide/Miticide Lawn Shield Insect Repellent - Creates an irritant scent barrier keeping insects away Compost Maker - Releases Nitrogen for plant and soil micro-organisms Grub Control - Grubs are controlled within Days Top Dressing - Use as part of your total fertilization program

New & Ready for Shipment Now Ultimate Soil Amendment

Controls purple & yellow Nutsedge

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