The Client

In 1889, John Armstrong took a train from Ontario, Canada to Ontario, California and started what would become the largest independent retail nursery company in the western United States. Over 120 years later, Armstrong Garden Centers has become the destination across the state of California for beautiful roses and quality garden products. With over 31 locations, all stores are 100% employee owned. And with over 100 acres of growing grounds and greenhouses, Armstrong Garden Centers grows what it sells.

The Challenge

Although Armstrong Garden Centers is more than a century old, as the decades change, so too does its customer base. This means that Armstrong Garden Centers cannot rely on reputation only. They need to continue to market to their target audience using the strongest channels available—and today, that means social media. Armstrong Garden Centers knew it needed to grow its online presence, specifically in key social channels, to get fresh faces and existing customers through its doors more often.

Furthermore, there was the challenge of marketing an offline company to an online audience. Armstrong Garden Centers sells only a handful of products on its website—orchids, gift cards and sod. This meant that they needed to obtain a large reach within social media networks with the specific intent of increasing foot traffic to their brick-and-mortar stores.

The Tactics

Oneupweb conducted marketing research to better understand the Armstrong Garden Centers target demographic and to find the social media channels best suited for the nursery company to connect with that audience. It was determined that Facebook and Twitter would be Armstrong Garden Centers' most optimal social media channels to start planting the seeds to grow a healthy customer relationship channel online. So Oneupweb got to work with custom profile designs. We also worked with Armstrong Garden Centers to build up a following on the two networks and regularly consulted on content posted and shared with fans and followers.

The Results

• Armstrong Garden Centers' Facebook and Twitter audiences grew 101% and 265% respectively within a 30 day time period, with unique Facebook Page Views increasing 207%. Armstrong's brick-and-mortar customer base was ready and waiting to connect with the company via social networking.
• Online communication between Armstrong Garden Centers and its customers has increased dramatically. In a 30 day period, Armstrong Garden Centers experienced 220 interactions with its customers on the company's Facebook Page Wall. And over 13% of all Facebook Wall posts from customers pertain to shopping at Armstrong Garden Centers–the exact reason the Page was created.
• Over 30 days, traffic to ArmstrongGarden.com from its Twitter profile increased 529%. Nearly 20% of all tweets from followers pertain to purchasing in-store items from Armstrong Garden Centers.
• Six months into the Facebook and Twitter campaigns, Armstrong Garden Centers' Facebook Page and Twitter profile have become solid channels for strengthening the customer relationships that Armstrong Garden Center's employees cultivate during in-store visits.

The Takeaway

Social media marketing can and will drive business and sales–both online and off. It's an effective marketing tool that will increase brand awareness, strengthen relationships with customers, and ultimately, positively impact the bottom line. Take it from Armstrong Garden Centers, no matter how old your business is, you can still benefit from the incredibly cutting-edge medium known as social media.