The Indirect selling and Keeping records

The “Soft Sell”

Do you for some reason shy away from direct (“hard sell”) advertising? If so, you might try indirect advertising-the “soft sell”-by inviting garden club members out to see your greenhouse. At one meeting or another during the year every club is likely to be stymied for a program; and a trip to your greenhouse is a ready-made program. You can create additional good will by presenting each visiting member with an African violet leaf, a cutting, bulb, or tuber.

If it is at all possible, learn to lecture. Then you’ll be called upon to speak at P.T.A. meetings, church, and women’s organizations, as well as garden clubs. You will be introduced as the owner of a successful greenhouse specializing in African violets, gloxinias, geraniums, or whatever you specify to the M.C. Tell your listeners you will be glad to help them with their indoor gardening problems. Before long you will have a steady stream of eager customers at your door.

Discussing special plants on T.V. or radio programs devoted to gardening is also a form of good advertising. Most stations have a daily or weekly show devoted to people, their work, or their hobbies. Call the station and tell them about some of your interesting plants and you may be asked to appear on one of their shows.

Keep Accurate Business Records

Once in business you will have to keep records of your expenses and profits. Even though you don’t have a “head for figures,” you will find that if you use a simple system you won’t have too much trouble. Purchase, for your first bookkeeping set, two books from the dime or stationery store. In one book, keep a record of all expenses; in the other, your sales. Break down your expenses something like this: initial cost of greenhouse; cost of benches and shelves; cost of potting media and chemicals (including fumigants, sterilizing agents, disinfectants, and fertilizers); cost of tools, pots, labels and other equipment accessories, and utilities such as heat, light, and water.

When income tax time rolls around, you may have to consult someone as to how much you can take in the way of deductions. The usual procedure is to allow, each year, 10 per cent of the cost of your building and its equipment, and the total amount of utilities and materials used. You can obtain full information on all phases of income tax deductions from the office of the nearest Department of Internal Revenue. One thing is sure: you’ll be a sitting duck for the tax man without accurate, properly documented business records.

Keywords: Greenhouse Gardening, Landscaping, Plants, Pool, Gardener, Landscape, Trees

Tags: home greenhouse

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