Why Should You Join the Mailorder Gardening Association?

Here's what current Mailorder Gardening Association (MGA) members say about the many benefits of joining and participating in the MGA.

"I joined the Mailorder Gardening Association as part of an effort to expand sales of my vegetable gardening slide chart product. The chart is sold in bulk to retail garden stores, on the internet and through mailorder catalogs.
"I found MGA meetings to be both educational and entertaining. The MGA helped me most in focusing on the marketing elements of my business. Attending MGA conferences also gave me the opportunity to show the slide chart to representatives from several large mailorder gardening firms. As a result, Clyde's Garden Planner is now carried by some of the best-known gardening catalogs."

Clyde Majerus, President
Clyde's Garden Planner
(417) 588-2494

"Park Seed has been a member of MGA since the 1960s when the organization was called the Mailorder Association of Nurserymen. We have been active in the association for so long because we have found our membership to be very valuable, both for the education and training in direct marketing that we receive and for keeping current in the changes in the gardening industry.
"One of the most enjoyable as well as educational benefits of MGA membership is networking with the other members, sharing ideas, experiences, and even advice on business matters. The MGA is a remarkably open and friendly group. Anyone in the direct marketing segment of the gardening industry would benefit from active participation in this wonderful organization!"

Karen Park Jennings, President
Park Seed
(864) 941-4204

"Since joining the MGA a mere three years ago, our firm has forged business relationships which have aided in the substantial growth of our mailorder business. Through partnership arrangements and the free flow of information amongst members, our participation in the organization is a major contributing factor to the success we enjoy today."

John I. Barrett, Director of Sales, Marketing & Development
Veseys Seeds Ltd.
(902) 368-7333

"We have been growing onion plants since 1913, but due to the oil crisis of the late 1980s we saw that the distribution system was breaking down. There were no longer the peddlers out there buying our product and delivering it to feed stores and small lawn and garden centers. So our mailorder company was started to deal directly with the customers that didn't mind paying a little more for a superior product.
"I attended my first MGA meeting in the summer of 1993, and I was anxious to make my pitch to all the catalogers that were there. I quickly realized that this was not the crowd to give a hard sell. Then, Friday night we all went country-western dancing and roping calves. After making a complete fool out of myself but having my usual great time, the next morning I had four companies come up to me at breakfast and tell me they wanted to carry my product in their catalog.
"I had no idea what to do in the mailorder business, but the MGA provided me with all the experts and friendly associates that anyone would need to get going. The rest is history."

Bruce Frasier, President
Dixondale Farms
(877) 367-1015 

"In the five years that we've been members, the Mailorder Gardening Association has helped us in a wide variety of ways. The MGA Green Thumb Awards program gives you a chance to show the industry and the gardening public that you're introducing innovative new plants and products. I'm proud to say that we won an MGA Green Thumb Award in each of the first four years of the program, and that recognition has helped create a national reputation for High Country Gardens.
"We're still a small company, so our MGA membership has also helped us in several practical ways. For example, we get quite a bit of traffic to our website as a direct result of the link from the MGA's website. The "Secret Shopper" program helped us measure the effectiveness of our catalog request fulfillment time. We are also exploring the MGA's group rates for long distance services, which could potentially save us thousands of dollars. "The MGA has enabled us to stay ahead of the curve in many areas. It's been one of the best investments we've ever made."

Ava Salman, Marketing Director
High Country Gardens
(505) 428-7374

"I've been a member of the Mailorder Gardening Association while being associated with several catalog businesses over the years (versus just one). While my career and responsibilities have changed greatly, the MGA's programs and networking opportunities have always been valuable-both in terms of doing my job and from a personal career-advancement standpoint. I think that speaks to the breadth of the MGA's offerings, and how there truly is something for everyone associated with horticultural direct mail and e-commerce."

Nan Pritchard, Marketing
Jackson & Perkins
(541) 864-2152

"The Mailorder Gardening Association is a group of professional marketers who are eager to continue learning and who are willing to share information with each other. I personally benefit from both the professional speakers that we have at our meetings and from the good relationships I have with fellow members."

Bob Bell, President
Mantis
(215) 355-9700

"At my first meeting, I found the members of Mailorder Gardening Association congenial and informative. They were willing to share ideas and anecdotes about the their businesses and the industry as a whole that were invaluable. I have been able to dramatically increase my business contacts as direct result of my association with the MGA. Whether you are new to the industry or have been around a long time, MGA is an excellent source of information and fellowship."

Mike Helle, Manager of Sales and Marketing
Sunshine Gardenhouse
(503) 635-5873

"When we started our gardening business 18 years ago, the mailorder gardening market was very different in terms of companies, trends, customer demographics, and sales and marketing opportunities. Some parts of the market have grown, some contracted, but change and the need to adjust to it has been a primary market challenge over these past two decades. And I expect this reality will be even more present in the decade ahead. Throughout these changes and going forward into the future, I can rely on the MGA-through its meetings, members and publications-to help give Gardener's Supply Company the needed perspective to successfully change and adapt."

Will Raap, Founder and CEO
Gardener's Supply Company
(802) 660-3500