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BWI Companies, Inc.'s biannual Buylines is a 10 year old publication mailed to over 4,000 BWI customers. Buylines is colorfully informative and provides expert advice on many topics to aid the reader in conducting day to day business, improving sales, managing resources, and much much more. The reader will also find marketing tools with innovative ideas to boost profits. The fall issue, released in August each year, is our EXPO issue focusing on vendors and products featured at our EXPO.

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Page 1: 2011 Spring Buylines
Page 2: 2011 Spring Buylines

Every weapon you need to eliminate Moles & Gophers!

SE9014SE9011

SE7002 SESN01

Sonic Spikes - SE9012

15

Gopher Traps - SE9013

Repellent Spray - SE8001 Repellent Granules - SE7001

Page 3: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 1 1APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM

15 Short Term Pain vs. Long Term Gain

Professional Turf andLandscape Supplies

turfBWI COMPANIES, INC.

2011-2012

www.bwicompanies.com

Professional GrowerSupplies

growerBWI COMPANIES, INC.

2011-2012www.bwicompanies.com

ional Turf andfape Supplies

rorooffeessiananddsca

BWI COMPANIEwww.bwicompanies.com

201Retail Consumer Proretail

CONTENTS6

2011 BWI EXPOSeptember 26, 27, 28

Gaylord Texan • Grapevine, Texas

20

HOW DOYOU BALANCE...

8 New vs. Old

12 Trendy vs. Tried and True

18 Volume vs. Profi t

23 Products vs. Services

24 Risk vs. Consistency

26 Price vs. Value

28 Consolidation vs. Diversity

13

17

2011CatalogsNew Trailer Design

POET®Portable Order Entry Tool

Page 4: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM2

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.

Page 5: 2011 Spring Buylines

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

They 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. Th at same focus on balance is also true in our businesses as well. So how do you balance?

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

We have asked our staff to touch on these subjects in this issue of Buylines as they relate to their areas of focus. Th e 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. Th e role of the BWI sales force is changing from selling products to helping our customer base ‘sell more’. Th at fundamental change does not happen by snapping our fi ngers 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. Th e 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

Mark Fomby VP Sales

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 3

Securely attaches to Large Rabbit Hutch and Chick-N-Hutch

Expands pet’s living space

Comes complete with wind guard design and adjustable perch

Waterproof shingle roof

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

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

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

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

Expands pet’s living space

WaWaterproroof shishinglngle re roofoof

To learn more about our products visit us atwww.waremfginc.comor call us at 602-257-8803

Chicken & Critter HutchesTop Sell ing Designs!

SPRING SPECIALSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Easy access egg door

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.

4 GALLON DELUXE BACKPACK SPRAYER

Perfect for large spraying jobs. Comfortable straps let you lug 4 gallons of solution around

with little exertion.48” hose lengthwide mouth makes refilling

easy In-tank fillers help prevent

clogging

CHAPIN, THE WAY TO SPRAY SINCE 1884

Page 6: 2011 Spring Buylines

With 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 hun-ker down and hold on to every dime you make or have in reserve. How-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 con-sider 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 peo-ple who can drive sales and improve effi ciencies in your business. After all, people are the most important asset in

any business.

• Invest in processes that will auto-mate your business, thus improving effi ciencies 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 mil-lions of people for very minimal cost i.e. Facebook, Twitter, website, Linked- In, blogs, etc.

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

• Invest in fi xed 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 bor-row money at historically low interest rates. He suggested borrowing money to improve effi ciencies in your busi-ness at a fi xed rate and then pay back the loan with infl ated dollars. Both

economists said infl ation is on the way.

I want to be perfectly clear that I don’t endorse bor-rowing money for non revenue generating or luxury items that do not improve your business’ overall ef-fi ciency. I am of the opinion that pru-dent investments in your business will provide a great return on investment.BWI eats its own cooking. We are investing in

our company for the future. Some ex-amples are:• Substantial investment in training of

both new and seasoned sales person-nel, and training programs for our warehouse managers and team mem-bers.

• 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 Technol-ogy (IT) department - new laptops for sales team, new software for lap-tops, 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. Th is 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 busi-ness. 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 econo-mists shared that I would like to share with you (Th ese are not guaranteed):

Jim BunchCo-President/CEO

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM4

Is Now the Time to Invest in Your Business?

Page 7: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 5

FRUIT, CITRUS& VEGETABLE INSECT

CONTROL

Season-Long Protection Without Spraying

Kills Insects and Prevents New Infestations

Rain-Proof Protection That Won’t Wash Off

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Kills aphids, Japanese beetles, cutworms and other listed pests

Concentrate or ready to spray

• 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 infl ation not due to quanta-tive easing but based on federal rates at basically zero versus gross domestic product growth at over 3%. Might take some time but infl ation is on the way.

• Stay out of long term fi xed 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 gen-eration. 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

KILLERBRANDS

ONESOURCE

Page 8: 2011 Spring Buylines

BWI Upgrading our Fleet to Improve Customer Service

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM6

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 features include lightweight and smooth interior white 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 Barenbrug Fafard/Syngenta Monsanto Myers Lawn & Garden Nursery Supplies Pickseed Scotts (Osmocote) T.O. Plastics VPG (Fertilome)

-Robert Bunch

Robert BunchCo-President/CEO

Page 9: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 7

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.

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

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

Only Extinguish®

PlusGives `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.

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

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.

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.

Page 10: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM8

New vs. Old

Jana SwansonMarketing Coordinator

Growing 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 news-paper front to back. It was the best way to fi nd out what was going on in the community, and to fi nd vendors for specifi c products or services. Now that news stories are available on-line and updated in real time, newspapers are having a hard time keeping up with the new media outlets available. Th e 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 mar-keting tasks in the comfort and privacy of your own home or offi ce.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 inex-pensive platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. Key factors that ensure its success are its sig-nifi cance 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• Diffi cult 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 relation-

ship and trust• Content is king, and stays online, with no end to the

campaignNew Tools• Websites• Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn)• Microblogs (Twitter)• Videos (YouTube)

For some small businesses it is diffi cult to take advantage of the benefi ts of Marketing 2.0 because of resistance to change and fear of the unknown. Many also think their aging cus-tomer base is living in the past. Th ink 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 benefi ted or not. Th e best marketing strategy may also be a mix of both traditional and online marketing that best suits your needs.

-Jana Swanson

Join Today!Marketing 2.0

Page 11: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 9

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

Celsius.® A higher degree of weed control.

Celsius.®

Weeds vanish without a trace.

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.

Page 12: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM10

Use Preen once to prevent weeds

all season■ Stop weeds before they start!TM

■ Lasts up to 4 months

■ Formulated for southern gardens

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

www.preen.com

$5Preen consumer rebate offerexclusively for BWI dealers

$5Preen consumer rebate offerexclusively 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

Page 13: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 11

Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center on Lake Grapevine

September 26-28, 2011

2011EXPO2011EXPO2011EXPO

Monday, September 26Seminars .................. 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 27EXPO Open .............. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.Post EXPO Events ... 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 28EXPO Open .............. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Hot Buys ................... 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

COMING IN MAY!

www.bwicompanies.com

Click on EVENTS!

Page 14: 2011 Spring Buylines

Imagine walking into your favorite store and see-ing the same products day after day, month after

month, year after year. Would you feel that fl urry of excitement in your stomach? Would you want to open your wallet? One way to keep custom-ers excited and coming back is to off er “trendy” products in addition to the “tried and true.” Many people think “trendy” is the same as the current “fad”. But the key diff erence is that many times trendy will make it to the tried and true category and fads will just fade out of our minds like a bad dream. In the lawn and garden industry many times a “fad” will last 2 seasons at most. But we have seen “trends” establish their place in the market. For example, organic gardening became trendy several years ago, but now has an established following and does not look to be slowing down. Trendy products do not need to be off ered all year, just those fi rst few months when demand is high. Th e key to success is to move product in and out as quickly as possible. If there is still much demand, you can always reorder. Th ere is always a slight risk involved when off ering the latest trend since diff er-ent areas of the country might do great with one product while in another it might not make it off the shelf. Th e latest trend that is making its way to the tried and true category is organic gardening. Many people are becoming more environmentally conscious and are converting to organic products. We have seen this category grow tremendously the last few years with no signs of slowing down and it is slowly making its way to the “tried and true”. Another trend gaining popularity is using your garden space as an extension of your home. Th is is in part due to the economy forcing families to stay at home. Outdoor kitchens are very popular and in turn people want to “pretty” up their yard by purchas-ing pottery, fountains, statuary and other products. Whether this trend will continue as the economy rebounds, who knows? In the meantime the lawn and garden industry is benefi ting from this trend.Every year we see new innovative ideas for growing a small garden, from containers to small raised garden kits to vertical gardens. Th ose that live in metropolitan areas with

small or no yards have seen the benefi ts to grow-ing their own produce. Th ere is nothing like fresh herbs or tomatoes right out of the soil. I would say this is still a trend for urban areas, but it might make it to the “tried and true” category. Th is trend has also boosted sales for the tried and true such as garden seeders, spreaders, hoses, fertilizers and much more.As with any business, it is important to have a basic selection of products available in order for customers to know where to go when certain things are needed. Long-term relationships are formed when customers know they can depend

on you to have what they need every year and do not have to run all over town to fi nd a can of wasp spray when they discover a nest in their garage or a new water hose to water their garden. Trendy products may be exciting and new but just like that pair of old house shoes tried and true products are reliable. We know what time of year customer’s start looking for what they need to plant their gardens and landscape their yards. We also know what happens with insects when the weather warms. Mulch, fertilizer, seed, insect granules and sprays are just some examples of products that we can count on to sustain our busi-ness. It is important to have a variety of products from ‘trendy” to “tried and true”. Th e tried and true will off er reliability and stability to customers and businesses alike. But “trendy” off ers excitement and new opportunities to all.

-Felicia Beaird

Trendy vs. Tried and True

INTRODUCING A NEW BAMBOO GLOVE

Bamboo With Rubber PalmMechanically,

not chemically, processed.

naturally antibacterial, UV

protective, odor free, cool, and durable.

Seamless knit bamboo liner keeps

hands cool and comfortable.

Textured natural rubber palm-coating protects hands and

enhances grip.

Felicia BeairdMarketing Associate

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM12

Page 15: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 13

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

Water the Money Tree II

TMwhere growing begins.

As a professional retail store in the lawn and garden industry, you want to feel confident that the soil your customertakes home will give them healthy, fruitful plants and flowers. As a professional grower, you know that you mustrely 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 newfacilities 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

Dealer - Grower & RetailRebate Program 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 atbaccto.com/moneytree.pdf

Water the Money Tree II program has no cash value. The rebate program applies to new orders only. The program isnot 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

Professional Turf andLandscape Supplies

turfBWI COMPANIES, INC.

2011-2012

www.bwicompanies.com

Professional Growerli s

growerBWI COMPANIES, INC.

2011-2012www.bwicompanies.com

BWI COMPANIEwww.bwicompanies.com

201Retail Consumer Prodretail

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

pleased to assist you in any

Page 16: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM14

GREENHOUSE SOLUTIONSFROM A NAME YOU KNOW

AND TRUST...

GF

Greenhouse Construction New Construction Remodeling Repairs Bench Installation Recovering and Re-glazing

Irrigation Design Drip Systems Sprinkler Systems Injection Systems Filtration Systems Watering Booms and Basket Systems Total System Design

Automation andEquipment Conveyors Flat Fillers Bale Processors Mixers Potting Machines Seeders Total System Design

KILLS CRABGRASSDesigned to rid your lawn of crabgrass, clover, plantain, chickweed and otherbroadleaf and grassy weeds and sedges.Image Kills Crabgrass contains 3 packets of concentrated granules. Each packet mixes with one gallon of water and covers500 sq. ft.

Corinthian Bells

By Festival Windchimes

MADE IN THE USA!

The best chimes on the market

now in our NEW Ruby Splash!

Order yours now for spring!

Page 17: 2011 Spring Buylines

So much of life,

in one form or another, is aff ected by the idea of short term versus long term think-ing. Are we willing to tolerate some “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 se-cure fi nancial 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 fi rst time so that we are able to enjoy the end product later without problems or complications that inevitably would have come from possi-bly 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 driv-ing 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 defi ning attributes has to be where he stands re-garding this tension between short term versus long term thinking. If there is a willingness to endure some diffi culties 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 busi-ness changes and many of the decisions

that fl ow 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 fi nd a balance.Decisions Made Based On Up Front Cost Rather than Return on Invest-ment – It is possible for greenhouse owners to become fi xated on the up front cost of a capital purchase that they come to the false conclusion that they can’t aff ord 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 effi ciencies 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 - Th is is one of the most common examples I have seen of short term thinking ruling the day. We all know there is a direct re-lationship between price and quality. It is generally understood that as quality in-creases, 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

person convinces them that all products of that particular fl avor (greenhouses, equipment, etc.) are all the same and the only diff erence 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 – Th e urgent things in busi-ness are typically the things that scream the loudest and demand our attention. Th e problem is they generally are not the most important things. Th is 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. Th ey allowed cir-cumstances to infl uence 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 infl uenced more by short term thinking than long term. Yes, some-times that means enduring some pain or diffi culty in the short term. But in the end it’s worth it.-Clay Wilkerson

Clay WilkersonGrower Technical Sales Manager

SPOT ON® FLEA & TICKCONTROL FOR DOGS

Fast Acting, Long Lasting

Booth# 1901

Introducing

Starts Killing Fleas & Ticks within 15 Minutes

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

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 15

SHORTTERMPAIN FO

R LONGTERMGAIN

Page 18: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM16

Trusted for consistent quality and performance for over 30 years.

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

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Page 19: 2011 Spring Buylines

In 1995 BWI outside sales people began carrying Th inkPad laptops

and used a software package from Access International called OrderWriter to enter their customer orders electronically. OrderWriter was a proprietary data base program that served BWI and our customers very well through multiple versions of its software. In 2010 Access International released new software that was a non 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 based on its ability to be customized for BWI. Th is 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 fi rst POET and OrderWriter were both active allowing our sales force to continue entering orders with the familiar OrderWriter while learning the new system, POET, without negatively aff ecting customer service. In July of 2010 OrderWriter was turned off and BWI became 100% POET. Some simple features POET off ers are the ability to copy and paste from one program to another, sort based on any column in a customer’s history, or move columns to any order the sales person desires. Th is allows sales people to select parts of their open order reports, backorder reports, A/R reports, and print or email just the selection for their customer. Pictures were added and now a picture can be viewed of most items. If a customer needs a copy of the order they just placed, it can be exported to an excel fi le 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. Soon we hope to add Bluetooth scanners to

the system so it will cut down time searching for the product that is sitting on the shelf in front of you, or quickly work up an order on a busy spring day. POET has proven to be very dynamic and a great addition to bring better customer service. Of course there have been some hiccups along the way. We truly appreciate our customers patience while we learned and brought POET up to its current status. We at BWI truly believe POET will serve us and our customers for many years with the most up to date inventory and order entry.-Ralph Waits

Sales Force Solutions

Ralph WaitsCorporate Training Coordinator

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 17

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1. Remove all packaging material before planting.

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.

1. Always carry the plant by 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.

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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PLANTING MADE EASYPlanting , 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.

*This planting technique is 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.

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Page 20: 2011 Spring Buylines

Volume vs. Profit

Randy TownsendMarketing Manager

As retailing trends are continuously

changing, driven most by mass mer-chants and national accounts, so should the independent re-tailers strategy to go to market. One of the most common trends we see in these mass and national retailers 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. Th is is a struggle that most face and the end result is not favorable upon the bottom line. Simply put the strategy of pricing products off ered for sale at retail deter-mines how long the doors will stay open.To eff ectively price merchandise, one must understand the diff erences in markup versus margin. Th ese 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 ad-verse eff ect to the business. Most retailers talk markup when pric-ing their products. Markup is simply the diff erence between the sales price of a product and the cost of that prod-uct. For example, if an item sells for $15 and it costs $10, the markup is $5. Th e 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 diff erence of profi t and sales price. So in our example above, the markup of $5 would be our profi t, sales price of $15, and margin would be 33.3% (5/15X100). Th is mar-gin percentage is usually referred to as profi tability and used to analyze income statements. So if it has been determined that you must have a profi tability 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 profi t goals since you will only earn a 33.3% gross margin.Th ese examples are simple to help un-derstand the diff erences in markup and

margin. But in actuality, a business should not simply determine what the profi t margin should be, fi nd their mark-up calculator and start pricing every item the same. At retail, there are many fac-tors that determine what the market will pay for certain items. Th ere must be a more complex strategy to price items rather than one size fi ts all. Commod-ity items driven by national retailers, promotional items, high ticket products, and more may require a lesser markup to make a sale. On the fl ip 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 multi-tude of items and categories they off er for sale. Th en the challenge is to have the diff erent markup schematics result in the total margin needed to meet profi t goals. Th at is really when your pricing strategy comes into play. We know that we must have profi t to remain a viable business. And to get that profi t 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 profi t are both keys to suc-cess in business. I don’t think you can be successful with only one. Th ey go hand in hand. Your pricing strategies should address how to drive volume in some items while garnering the most profi t on

others. Th e mixture results hopefully in a profi table margin somewhere in the middle that meets the needs of your income statements.

Volume items are usually commodity items that ev-eryone off ers at some low price. Th e national retailers are usually the ones driving the pricing on these items. Rather than just not off er 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

diffi cult 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

off er much profi t, develop your strategy

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM18

Page 21: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 19

so that you can sell multiples creating larger ticket and more profi t per trans-action. 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. Th is approach can also be used with other products across categories. Small pack-ages of fertilizer come in many variations and most of us carry several that can be mixed and matched to off er a volume program. Off ering 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. Th ere are many diff erent ways and diff erent 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 deter-mine 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 eff ective at moving product or you could be leaving too much profi t on the table.Sometimes an item needs to be off ered at relatively zero profi t. Th ese “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. Merchan-dising eff orts with targeted categories drawing attention to off shelf placement, fl oor stacks, and displays can help drive sales as well. Depending on the product mix, you may or may not have to off er anything else such as discounts to in-crease 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. off ered 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 fl oor space not dedicated to permanent fi xtures 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. Th ese types of programs can drive volume in certain items and categories. Another approach is to use this area for “in and out” displays mov-ing one out when it is sold through and moving another in. Th is 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. Th ey key here is to sell out and replace with another display and not to fi ll 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, refi lling it and having left over in-ventory 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 be-tween volume and profi t, we fi rst must know how to determine what our profi t needs to be to remain viable. Th en make sure we are using pricing strategies and schematics that meet the needs of our profi tability 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 profi t 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 profi t are diff erent but you can’t have one without the other. Th ey work closely together giving us the life-blood of any business; a healthy bottom line.

-Randy Townsend

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Page 22: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM20

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Page 23: 2011 Spring Buylines

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BWI Branch of the YearTh e Branch of the Year for 2010 was BWI Apopka. Th is was Apopka’s fi rst time to win the award. Out of the 11 criteria that determines branch of the year, Apopka scored 4 fi rst 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.

BWI Employee of the YearDamon 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. Th rough their strong daily support of their operating teams, sales staff s and local customers, each of these employees exemplifi es the core values that make BWI rich in tradition.

Department Manager of the YearChris 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.

Congratulations!

BWI Apopka • BWI Branch of the Year

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 21

Chris Huff

Damon FulmerVictoria Halstead

Page 24: 2011 Spring Buylines

BWI EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Ralph WaitsRalph WaitsCORPORATE TRAINING COORDINATORHow 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®, and sales techniques to benefi t 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 offi ce 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 fi eld positions. I have developed relationships with the people I have trained that have benefi ted 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.

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM22

WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COMWWW.BWICOMPANIES.COMVisit 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 effi cient 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.

Page 25: 2011 Spring Buylines

Can there be a balance b e t w e e n product and services, or is one more important than the other? If you are a golf course s u p e r i n -tendent or

sports turf manager, you are always striv-ing to use the best product to provide the optimal golf course or fi eld conditions for your players. An LCO company has the same desire in using the best prod-uct, 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 clien-tele what they are getting.

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. Th ese 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 me-chanical 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 ser-vice 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 po-tential client, you are selling something that doesn’t yet exist. Promoting your credentials, industry involvement and providing pictures become valuable mar-keting tools to help get more value for your service. Getting more value for your service creates more gross profi t dollars in the end. I think we would all agree that selling service value and not products is vital in all market types.

BWI is no diff erent 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 phi-losophy 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 en-hanced our 2011 Expo with more turf and landscape vendors. In addition, we continue to provide quality speakers specifi c for the Turf and Landscape end-user.

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

-Kolby Keeling

Product vs. Services

Kolby KeelingRegional Turf Sales Coordinator

Ralph Waits

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 23

Page 26: 2011 Spring Buylines

The awareness of risk in business has increased drastically over the

past few years as we currently live in a less stable economical environment. Diffi cult economic conditions and reductions in consumer spending have severely impacted our industry. While no one can consistently predict where the overall economy is going, if we understand some of the risks (interest rates, infl ation, unemployment, competition, credit, and inventory values) associated with it, we can at least make sound

decisions about how to manage our business going forward. Th e problem dealing with risk is that most businesses have trouble fi nding the time, budget, or people necessary to explore their options. If we decide to never take on some degree of risk, we can lose our competitiveness in the market place. If we do decide to take on some degree of risk, we can position ourselves to better compete in the market place. Nothing is more fundamental to a businesses’ success than a little risk. Every business encounters risks, some of which are predictable and under management’s control, and others are unpredictable and uncontrollable. A business can’t control interest rates but it can take advantage of them when they are down. Infl ation 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 eff ect loaning money interest free and reducing the return on your investment. We must be proactive rather than reactive in this process. We are at the mercy of our distributors and manufacturers when it comes to inventory values, 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 to bringing in new items or services. You need to ask yourself how much room you have to store it, cost, and how soon do I have to pay for it? Anytime you deal with risk you must always minimize, monitor, and try to control the impact of each opportunity that you have. If it were easy to avoid risk and its potential negative impact, everyone would do it! Consistency is critical for sales and business success. Every individual business is as unique as the person whom controls it. Consumers tend

to search out businesses that are predictable in providing consistent customer service each and every time they visit that location. Consistency, reliability, predictability, and product knowledge are the cornerstones of creating long term relationships with consumers. McDonald’s revolutionized this concept in the fast food business. No matter where you go to a McDonald’s in the world, you can just about bet that they will be as consistent as the last one that you patronized.If you want to be set apart from your competition, you must be consistent with your customers. You must develop sales and business standards and stick to them. People will judge you on your worst day, so consistency is the key to success. Get your message across the same way each and every time because the message received by your customer is the only one that matters. Lack of consistency can destroy a budding business. A business that is successful knows the value of a constant product or service. In conclusion, when a customer has no idea what to expect from your business, you are asking them to take a risk. In today’s society, there aren’t many risk taking consumers anymore. Keeping consistent business practices takes the risk out of the customer’s hands, instilling a sense of security associated with your business. I believe that it is more important to be consistent than risky. Consistency is the best solution for building the best customer loyalty and achieving long term successful sales!

-Ronnie Britt

Ronnie BrittSales Manager BWI Jackson

Risk vs. Consistency

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM24

Consistency and Quality in Soil Conditioners for over 25 Years!

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xx/xx/xx

called Hydro-Pel

Flex Corn, 37.1 lb

Type Month

Type store information here or any other information you feel that is important.

XX/XX

Specials

xx/xx/xxxx - xx/xx/xxxx

Fertilome For All SeasonsLawn Food Plus Crabgrass & Weed Preventer, 20 lb

Type Month

Type store information here or any other information you feel that is important. $XX.XXBuy 2 bags and get 1 bag of weed preventer FREE!

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Ironite Mineral Supplement, 40 lb

SpecialsType Month

Type store information here or any other information you feel that is important.

$XX.XXPurchase 2 bags and save $5.00!

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX

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pecialsSGreenlawn 2-gallon Tank Sprayer

Type Month

Type store information here or any other information you feel that is important. $XX.XXIn-store set-up

available!

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX

Specials12 Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed, 40 oz

Type Month

$XX.XXType store information here or any other information you feel that is important. FREE sprinkler can with purchase!

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXXSpecialsBonide Fog Rx Insect Fogger

Type Month

T t information here or any other $XX.XX$10 00

Specials

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Crystal Blue, 1 gallon

Type Month

Type store information here or any other

information you feel that is important.$XX.XX

Buy 2 gallons and save $5.00

per jug!

XX/XX/XX - XX/XX/XX

SpecialsE-ContactHave 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.

InstructionsView/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.

Page 28: 2011 Spring Buylines

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM26

“What’s the price?” is often the immediate response from a customer when presented with a product. A very important question, no doubt; but more importantly what do you get for that price? BWI has been very persistent about requiring customer service be fi rst on their employee’s mind, therefore creating a value that is diffi cult to put a price tag on. Th is being the case, I cannot help thinking about this in my personal life. Just this week I made a trip to a local fast food restaurant, which I had no business going to in the fi rst place but I did, and I couldn’t believe the response. I ordered at the digital screen and paid at the next window and then waited in line to get my food at the next window all the time thinking I’m pretty hungry and should have ordered fries. As I approached the last window, I politely asked if it was against the rules to add an order of fries. Th e lady responded “We are not supposed to.” I took that to mean that she was going to let this one slide, but I quickly realized that I was wrong when she refused to fi ll my request even if I overpaid. Lunch was less than fi ve bucks, so what should I expect? I should expect that they provide a service of selling food and profi t from that service, so it would make sense that they would want to sell as much food as possible while making their customers feel satisfi ed and important. If they would’ve had

two hundred indecisive customers like me that day, they would have missed out on over four hundred dollars in business. It is common in our business today that suppliers promote themselves as always being the lowest cost provider. If it was just cost that could make or break this industry, then I wouldn’t have anything to write about but the variables after the price are what suppliers are always graded on. Timely delivery, in stock products, no additional freight to that low price and fi eld staff that understand your needs are just a few of these additional variables that come to mind. Th e lack

of follow thru after the price often costs customers so much more than the two dollars more a quart that they searched to avoid. BWI realizes that ease of business is an important part of doing business with a distributor and that while these values are not completely apparent between the $ sign and the decimal they are ultimately what result in a satisfi ed customer. Although we do not distribute french-fries, I can assure you that we would have not issues adding them to your order and making sure that they were still hot when you received them.-Brad Meador

Brad MeadorMarketing Manager

NEW Products CorralRound Up Some of Control Solutions Inc. NEW Products This Season and

Ensure Quality Pest Control!

A Makhteshim-Agan Company

BONANZA FLY BAIT

CYZMIC CS Controlled Release Insecticide

DOMINION FRUIT TREE & VEGETABLE Insecticide Concentrate

VECTOR-BAN PLUS Multipurpose Insecticide

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Price vs. Value

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APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM 27

The Best

Wobbler TechnologySenninger 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®

from 0.78 - 6.97 gpm (177 - 1583 L/hr).

The mini-Wobbler®

0.42 - 2.18 gpm (95 - 495 L/hr). Several models to choose from.

Pressure RegulatorsMaintaining a constant preset outlet pressure regardless of variations in inlet pressure helps assure optimum system performance. Senninger introduced the

Several models to choose from.

MADE IN USAwww.senninger.com

Irrigation Solutions!

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Everyone at BWI takes great pride in knowing that our company off ers

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 fulfi ll your needs and make your business successful. We take this responsibility very seriously.

In our eff orts 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 diff erent off erings? 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 profi table for you to produce it in quantities that justify the time and space necessary. You make a diffi cult decision but in the long run it is the correct one because it allows you to have more of the new product and fulfi ll your customer’s needs which in turn make your business more successful.

Th e same is true for BWI. If we are to properly service our customers we have to make hard decisions about which products we off er to you.

Our goal is to off er you products that are high quality at aff ordable 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 off er meet your needs and are available in the quantity to satisfy your needs. For us to be successful in this eff ort it is necessary that we occasionally discontinue an old product in favor of a newer better item. Th e 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 fi eld we operate in it is important to make decisions about how we off er our products. Th e 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 off erings 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 suffi cient quantities to satisfy the demand should be our goal. With your help and continued patronage BWI strives to meet that goal.

-Paul Toler

R

Does Your Customer’s PondLook Like This?

YOU CAN HELP!

Does Your Customer’s PondLook Like This?

YOU CAN HELP!

Prevent Algae with Crystal Blue and Natural Pond Cleaner, Treat Existing Algae with Crystal Plex!

Call Your BWI Representative Today For Great In Season Savings!

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uralll PPPo ddnd CCClllean

Paul TolerKey Account Manager

CONSOLIDATIONDIVERSITY

vs.

APRIL 2011 / WWW.BWICOMPANIES.COM28

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

+ 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

Osmocote® Pro with Fusion Technology™

5-6 month

COMING SOON 8-9 month

Page 32: 2011 Spring Buylines

P.O. Box 5968Texarkana, TX 75505

“the ferti-lome people”

Time to Line your Shelves with Brands you Can Trust.Triple Action Plus II - Contains Neem and PyrethrinsBougainvillea & Flowering Vine Food - Enhances size, color & quantity of BloomsBroadleaf Weed Control - Stops Broadleaf Weeds Before They StartDouble Play RTU - Dual Action Formula - Pre and Post Emergent Weed & Grass Control HydroStretch - Cuts Watering Time up to 1/3

UltimateSoilAmendment

Controlspurple &yellowNutsedge TM

New & Ready for Shipment Now

®

Neem - 3 in 1 Multi Purpose Product Fungicide/Insecticide/MiticideLawn Shield Insect Repellent - Creates an irritant scent barrier keeping insects awayCompost Maker - Releases Nitrogen for plant and soil micro-organismsGrub Control - Grubs are controlled within DaysTop Dressing - Use as part of your total fertilization program

Bug Blaster w/2.4% Bifenthrin - 4 months Control of Cockroaches Vegetable & Ornamental Insect Granules - Works above & below the GroundBug Blaster II - Controls TicksNutsedge Control- Absorbed into leaf within 24 to 48 hours

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCARTHAGE, TXPERMIT NO. 80