Interesting question, no? You're probably asking, 'How on earth will they connect indoor plants to marketing?'. Well, we believe in the power of greenery to bring fresh air, productive juju and calming feng shui into your space. Millions of studies, blogs and experiments highlight indoor plants' positive effects on your physical and mental well-being.
Before we take a closer look at the magical world of botany, we'd like to address the Elephant's Head flower in the room. This year's saga has brought us closer to things that matter: the people in our living quarters and the realisation that many meetings could have simply been emails. It has underscored the importance of creating the right environment, suitable for work, play and rest. With this in mind, we present a brief overview of the similarities between investing in your online presence and indoor plants. Both contribute to the healthy functioning of your home and business. It's kind of a big dill.
If you're familiar with the ritual of welcoming a new plant into your space, you'll know it's a whole process. One cannot simply, in good conscience, drop a fern into an empty corner and expect it to maintain its lush, green verdure. It takes knowing a plant's family tree and its natural habitat to create the right environment conducive to optimal growth. According to plant whisperer Jason Chongue, microclimate conditions like warmth, humidity and airflow in your home can make or break your plant's development. So, to avoid the pangs of parental guilt many first-time plant owners feel after accidentally drowning their new green friend — or drying it out next to a heater — you need to consider its biology and origin.
Like plants, businesses are often confronted with the challenges of adapting to seasonal change. Business owners who traditionally focused their marketing efforts on the tangible aspects of their brand, including the brick-and-mortar setting built around them, are now forced to join the competitive online marketplace. Digital advertising and social media marketing, eDM campaigns, community management, and content creation are essential to this process. Like a vitamin D-deficient plant that exhibits clear signs of malnutrition when moved to a shaded corner, your business model will struggle in a foreign online landscape without a digital strategy underpinning it.
"So, why should I invest so much time and energy into a plant? Isn't it just another responsibility I don't need? After all, it just sits there looking pretty." These are the words of someone who has yet to learn the many benefits of indoor plants in the office or home environment. This question is also often asked when developing an online strategy. Without knowing, with certainty, whether better content, professional community management, or a well-designed website directly generates higher traffic, visibility, conversions or sales — how can you gauge its success? More importantly, how can you justify its expense?
The answer is that what you see at face value is purely cosmetic. The benefits of plants and marketing strategies are working for you behind the scenes. Studies have shown that houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. Not only do they act as a filter absorbing polluted air, but they also produce fresh oxygen and act as humidifiers. What's more, they increase productivity, boost your mood and reduce stress. Cheaper than your average therapist, these little bargains carry great potential.
Investing in your online presence may seem like a luxury for a business owner working within a tight budget. But it's hard to estimate the cost of lost customers deterred by unprofessional marketing, cut corners or poor brand management. If your competitor offers the same product or service as you do but presents it better than you, they'll likely escort your customer through their checkout system. Your brand image needs your attention just as much as the air you breathe needs purification.
Your primary customer touchpoints — like your website or social media accounts — host new visitors seeking to know your brand. They might even be there to purchase a product or enlist a service. At this point in their journey, guests will evaluate your welcome mat, personal style, and commitment to quality and upkeep. A poorly designed layout may confuse your online visitors and cause them to look elsewhere; unkempt visual aesthetics may indicate a trade-off of utility over style, and outdated information sends a message of incompetence.
A thoughtful human touch makes all the difference, like introducing life and colour to an otherwise static site. Even more so when it provides a fresh perspective, oxygenating your brand's image. Home and work are not defined by their physical infrastructure but rather by the feelings with which your guests are left.
Though plants often go unnoticed — in some cases, until they're dead or overgrown — they can act as little powerhouses, housemaids and therapists. Similarly, though you may not see the connection between Instagram engagement and online sales, your marketing strategy is working overtime to boost exposure, strengthen your brand's image, and convert visitors into paying customers. If you're looking to introduce a fresh perspective, prune back old material and grow branches of opportunity for years to come — you know where to find us.