Pond Profits

Super Buying Group for Landscape Contractors and Pond Pros

2006-12-04T11:54:00.001-08:00

For Immediate Release For Further Information Call
Eric Triplett at 630-495-3445, or email him at eric@ila411.com

A Super Buying Group For Landscape Contractors and Pond Professionals Announces Its Official Launch

Redlands, CA - It took almost three months of weekly meetings and homework to polish off all the rough edges, but Chief Marketing Officer Eric Triplett, (Exotic Aquatics, Redlands, CA) announced that The International Landscape Alliance (ILA), a super buying group for pond installers and landscape contractors will begin accepting members on November 15th.

Widest Product Selections and Best Prices
“It’s taken way more time and effort than I thought it would,” Triplett said. “But this fragmented industry is really in need of change. My fellow ILA board members and I agree that a well conceived buying group designed to provide members with the widest selection of products, at the best prices on the market, will constitute an awesome step in the right direction.”

Lots More Than Selection and Prices
In the words of Chief Business Development Officer Freddie Combas, (Florida Water Gardens, Orlando, FL) “Wide selections and incredible prices are only the tip of the iceberg. We’ll be working with members who want to increase their Internet presence and take advantage of 21st century marketing techniques to improve their overall efficiency. Members will also have access to better advertising rates, better equipment purchase and rental rates, better insurance rates, best business practices, as well as educational programs that benefit them,” Combas said.

Precedent Setting
According to CFO Aaron Powers, (Aquatic Art Forms, Wheaton, IL) “Nothing like this has ever been attempted in our industry before, so significant precedents are going to be set. With the tools that we offer, our members will to be able to compete profitably with anyone in the market. I know the rumors have been flying ever since Pondapalooza, but we’ve kept a low profile in order to get our ducks in a row. At this point I’m confident the ILA is destined to be at least one of the industry’s major stories in 2007,” Powers added. For more information on the official ILA launch, call Eric Triplett at 630-495-3445 now.

The ILA Board of Directors Include:
• Chief Executive Officer Rick Osbourne of Deep Discount Pond Supply in Oak Lawn, IL (Rick@ILA411.com) 630-495-3445
• Chief Marketing Officer Eric Triplett of Exotic Aquatics in Redlands, CA (Eric@ILA411.com) 951-538-4537
• Chief Operating Officer John Olson of Graystone Creations in Sunset, (John@ILA411.com) FL 954-540-4321
• Chief Communications Officer Mike Garcia of Enviroscape in LA, (Mike@ILA411.com) 310-420-8507
• Chief Business Development Officer Freddie Combas of Florida Water Gardens, in Winter Park, FL, (Freddie@ILA411.com) 407-679-7787
• Chief Financial Officer Aaron Powers of Aquatic Art Forms in Wheaton, IL (Aaron@ILA411.com) 630-400-2135
• Chief Information Officer Kenny Floyd of Aquatic Construction in New Orleans, LA (Kenny@ILA411.com) 504-813-4894

###

Super Buying Group for Landscape Contractors and Pond Pros

2006-12-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release For Further Information Call
Eric Triplett at 630-495-3445, or email him at eric@ila411.com
A Super Buying Group For Landscape Contractors and Pond Professionals Announces Its Official Launch

Redlands, CA - It took almost three months of weekly meetings and homework to polish off all the rough edges, but Chief Marketing Officer Eric Triplett, (Exotic Aquatics, Redlands, CA) announced that The International Landscape Alliance (ILA), a super buying group for pond installers and landscape contractors will begin accepting members on November 15th.

Widest Product Selections and Best Prices
“It’s taken way more time and effort than I thought it would,” Triplett said. “But this fragmented industry is really in need of change. My fellow ILA board members and I agree that a well conceived buying group designed to provide members with the widest selection of products, at the best prices on the market, will constitute an awesome step in the right direction.”

Lots More Than Selection and Prices
In the words of Chief Business Development Officer Freddie Combas, (Florida Water Gardens, Orlando, FL) “Wide selections and incredible prices are only the tip of the iceberg. We’ll be working with members who want to increase their Internet presence and take advantage of 21st century marketing techniques to improve their overall efficiency. Members will also have access to better advertising rates, better equipment purchase and rental rates, better insurance rates, best business practices, as well as educational programs that benefit them,” Combas said.

Precedent Setting
According to CFO Aaron Powers, (Aquatic Art Forms, Wheaton, IL) “Nothing like this has ever been attempted in our industry before, so significant precedents are going to be set. With the tools that we offer, our members will to be able to compete profitably with anyone in the market. I know the rumors have been flying ever since Pondapalooza, but we’ve kept a low profile in order to get our ducks in a row. At this point I’m confident the ILA is destined to be at least one of the industry’s major stories in 2007,” Powers added. For more information on the official ILA launch, call Eric Triplett at 630-495-3445 now.

The ILA Board of Directors Include:
• Chief Executive Officer Rick Osbourne of Deep Discount Pond Supply in Oak Lawn, IL (Rick@ILA411.com) 630-495-3445
• Chief Marketing Officer Eric Triplett of Exotic Aquatics in Redlands, CA (Eric@ILA411.com) 951-538-4537
• Chief Operating Officer John Olson of Graystone Creations in Sunset, (John@ILA411.com) FL 954-540-4321
• Chief Communications Officer Mike Garcia of Enviroscape in LA, (Mike@ILA411.com) 310-420-8507
• Chief Business Development Officer Freddie Combas of Florida Water Gardens, in Winter Park, FL, (Freddie@ILA411.com) 407-679-7787
• Chief Financial Officer Aaron Powers of Aquatic Art Forms in Wheaton, IL (Aaron@ILA411.com) 630-400-2135
• Chief Information Officer Kenny Floyd of Aquatic Construction in New Orleans, LA (Kenny@ILA411.com) 504-813-4894

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Ten Tips for Preparing Your Water Garden and Fish for Fall

2006-09-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Consider these helpful hints this month to get the most out of your pond,
while preparing your fish for fall.

September is a very beautiful month, my favorite by far. The sun hangs a
bit lower in the sky, softening its brilliance. The dog days of summer are
over, the climate becomes milder, and the evenings express hints of the
crisp fall weather that is yet to come. Meanwhile, the pennant race begins
to heat up!
Throughout this month your tropical water lilies will continue blasting
fragrant flowers well into October, while your hardy water lilies will start
to slow down, saving energy in preparation for their winter slumber.

Many of your marginal aquatic plants will get a second wind when we get
past the intense summer heat, while several of the cooler weather aquatic
plants such as golden buttons and water cress may show signs of awakening.

This time of year your water gardens will maintain water temperatures in
the high 60's to low 70's. Use this temperate weather to your advantage to
touch up your summer tan naturally and pump up your fish with the last of
your high protein summer food to prepare them for their winter slumber.

I'm a firm believer that you get tenfold what you give; therefore, get
100 percent out of your pond in September by performing these 10 simple, yet
affordable tasks this month to reap the all the rewards your pond has to
offer:

1. Stock Up on Wheat Germ Food

This month you will want to use up the last of your high protein growth
formula fish food, and stock up on carbohydrate-based, wheat germ fish food,
unless you have some left over in your freezer from spring.

As the water temperature drops into the low 60's, you will want to feed
a quality fish food with the main ingredient of wheat germ for easy
digestion.

2. Use a Pond Thermometer

If you don't have a pond thermometer, get one! If you have one, clean
it up, and get into the routine of regularly checking your pond's water
temperature.

You will want to know when your pond's temperature drops below 60
degrees. As the water temperature cools, you will want to accordingly
adjust your fish feeding regime.

When the water temperature drops and holds to below 55 degrees,
discontinue feeding your fish, both Koi and goldfish, until next spring when
it maintains 55 degrees or above.

This concept is difficult to grasp; however, if you maintain your water
quality, and your fish have been fed properly over the summer, your finny
friends will welcome the winter slumber, especially because we have such
mild winter weather in our area.

3. Check Your Scarecrow Motion Sensor Devise

Egrets and blue herons, which I refer to as the T. rex of water gardens,
may have not bothered your fish recently, but that may be because the water
temperatures and fish metabolisms have been at their peaks for months due to
the summer heat.

As the water temperature cools, so will the metabolism of your fish.
This means their reflex movements will become slower, making them easier
prey for their predators.

To help protect these pets, which provide so much tranquility to you
year round, be sure you have a working Scarecrow motion sensor devise for
every 100 square feet of surface area in your water feature. Install fresh
nine volt batteries in your Scarecrows.

4. Trim Trees

One of the most overlooked, proactive and preventative actions you can
take to maintain a healthy pond is to prune deciduous trees in close
proximity to your water feature.

Consult horticulture books, plant nurseries, Master Gardeners or members
of the Redlands Horticultural & Improvement Society to determine the best
pruning time and method. Do not top your ornamental trees; only fruit trees
can handle being topped without damaging the tree's integrity and structural
well-being.

Keeping leaves out of your water feature will help control nutrients in
your pond, and save you time and money spent maintaining your pond.

5. Add Beneficial Bacteria

At this time of the year, when your pond's beneficial bacteria starts to
slow down, it always is a good idea to super charge your pond with a mighty
dose of beneficial pond bacteria.

Dose your pond with up to 10 times your regular dose to consume as much
organic debris as possible in your pond and filtration systems. Be liberal
with your inoculations this month, as you can't overdose your pond with
beneficial bacteria.

6. Prepare for String Algae

Established ecosystem ponds, which are properly maintained over the
summer, are absolutely, undeniably carefree with little to no string algae
problems. However, as the water temperature cools and nutrient levels are
high, conditions for string algae are at their peak.

This is the time to stock up on your preferred water treatment product
for controlling string algae in your pond. At the first signs of string
algae, if treated properly, the hairy nuisance should not be an issue.

7. Stop Fertilizing Water Lilies

Water lilies are the jewels of the most avid water gardeners' ponds.
From the common, hardy water lily to the rare, and usually expensive,
tropical water lily, you will find both fragrance and stunning beauty in the
blossoms that adorn our ponds.

The serious water lily addict will figure out that by fertilizing this
elegant aquatic plant you will be rewarded with more intense blooms more
frequently. Use aquatic fertilizer tablets designed for water gardens to
achieve the best results, throughout the summer months. However, September
is the month that fertilization should stop!

This month, your water lilies will come to the end of their growing
season and start to shut down, preparing for dormancy for the approaching
winter months. If you continue to fertilize now, the only thing that will
benefit from your efforts will be string algae! AURGH!

8. Consider Aeration

Aerators are the most overlooked, inexpensive way to benefit your water
feature year round. Not only does a good outdoor aerator add fantastic
water circulation from the pond's top to bottom, it also looks great with
the bubbles splashing at the water's surface.

During the winter, most pond owners reflect and record, in stone, the
data collected over the past year's pond season. When the new season
arrives, most pond owners refer to their notes and treat the new season just
like the previous one.

What most pond owners fail to consider is that their Koi at the
beginning of last year's pond season were substantially smaller. Of course,
larger fish tend to need more food, which places more strain on your water
quality.

An aerator easily can be installed into your existing pond and is well
worth the time and investment. When you have a quality aerator on your pond
everyone -- ranging from fish and plants to beneficial bacteria and you --
benefits.

9. Install Underwater Lighting

The days get shorter this month; therefore, much of the time you spend
at home will be after dark. With the investment of just a few hundred
dollars, you can double your enjoyment of your pond with the addition of
underwater lighting.

Pond owners, who already have a low voltage, underwater lighting system,
certainly agree with me that fish seem to kick things into overdrive in the
evening, performing a wonderful aquatic ballet in and out of the underwater
lighting system.

If you have such a system, then check the timer to ensure it is coming
on at the time that best fits your schedule. Make sure that any rapid growth
of aquatic plants over the summer haven't covered any lighting stations,
and, of course, replace any burnt out bulbs.

To see how underwater lighting enhances and illuminates water gardens,
attend the fifth annual "Moonlight Pond Tour for the Cure" charity event,
hosted by Exotic Aquatics, from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6 and
7 in Redlands and neighboring communities.

Proceeds from this self-guided tour will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation, along with other authorized non-profit organizations.
Non-profits interested in selling tour tickets to benefit from the proceeds
are welcome to contact Exotic Aquatics at 1-800-522-5043.

Tickets are $10 per person, with no charge for youth, ages 10 and
younger. Tickets will be on sale, starting at month's end, in Redlands at:
Exotic Aquatics' headquarters, 609 Amigos Drive, Unit One (week days); and
Daryl's Pet Shop, 860 W. Redlands Blvd. (daily).

10. Attend a Koi Fish Seminar

Koi hobbyists, retails, contractors, and veterinarians and other health
professionals are invited to a Koi health and disease seminar, hosted by
Exotic Aquatics, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Sept. 23 at its headquarters.

Experts will cover Koi health and nutrition, including what to look for
in buying and handling Koi, water quality and tank health, plus diagnose
problems and prescribe treatments.

Exotic Aquatics will host a Koi wet lab from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun.,
Sept. 24 at its headquarters. Guest speaker will be Vicki Vaughan, director
of Aquatic Services at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary
Medicine and Director of KOILAB, a complete diagnostic service for fish.

Participants will learn how to biopsy fish and identify parasites under
a microscope, administer anesthesia and inject antibiotics.

A microscope is highly recommended for the wet lab. You may bring your
own, or pre-order the Pond RX 400x magnification through Exotic Aquatics for
$139. Microscopes will be available the day of the wet lab for $189.

Seating is limited for either day of this annual weekend event sponsored
by Exotic Aquatics, which also is known as The Pond Diggers. For more
information, or to make a required reservation for either day, call
1-800-522-5043, or visit www.exoticwaterscapes.com.

Eric Triplett owns Exotic Aquatics, recognized nationwide as one of
the country's top pond and pondless waterfall construction companies.
Triplett is a Certified Professional Pond Contractor and an authorized
dealer for Russell Watergardens, specializing in the Hydro Vortex Biological
Waterfall filter and a "Dry Hands Cleaning" Hydro Clean Skimmer. To reach
The Pond Digger, call 1-800-522-5043; or visit the company's website at:
www.theponddigger.com or

Hawaiian Event Showcases Genuine Japanese Koi Now Being Bred In America

2006-09-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

As all water garden enthusiasts know, koi imported from Japan, are considered the crown jewels of ponds. Not to diminish the virtue of the domestics, but Japan’s unique culture, and temperate climate has historically proven to be the best breeding grounds for the Van Gough’s, the Monet’s, and the Renoir’s of koi…until now.

The Results of the Hawaiian Experiment
You see in 2001 several top Japanese koi breeders decided to test out Hawaii as a koi breeding ground. After all, the climate and culture of the Aloha state are very similar to Japan’s. So they formed a company called Kodama Koi Farm (KKF) and began their Hawaiian koi breeding experiment. Now, five years later, those koi breeders are ready to showcase the results of their experiment for the world.

The Big Event in Late October
In an unprecedented event scheduled for October 24th through 26th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Waikiki in Honolulu, HI, KKF will host koi hobbyists and dealers from across North America who are interested in the possibility of buying genuine Japanese koi without having to fight the customs, tariffs, and shipping battles that cause Japanese imports to be so incredibly expensive. After all, despite its cultural and climactic similarity to Japan, Hawaii is still a member of the United States and as such, Hawaiian companies can do things that Japanese companies can’t do.

Legendary Breeders on Hand
Several legendary Japanese breeders will be on hand to provide information and to answer questions for attendees. If you’re interested in attending this unique, precedent setting event, all reservations are being handled through Russell Water Gardens of Redmond, WA (www.russellwatergardens.com).

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

P.S. A Schedule of Events
Here’s a link that includes a schedule of events for anyone who’s interested in attending. Check it out and see for yourself.

http://mail.google.com/mail/?view=att&disp=vah&attid=0.1&th=10d69bcd146d752b

Pond Pro's Offerred FREE Access To All These Posts

2006-08-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hey pond professionals, if you're checking this blog site out for the first time I want you to know that if you like any one of these posts, I encourage you to cut and paste them (please don't edit them) into your own web site.

For that matter if you want to post the entire blog site on your web site our Internet address is www.pondprofits.blogspot.com. Either way, welcome aboard, and we'd like to hear all your comments and suggestions. The more of you who join in on this discussion, the more valuable it is to all of us.

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.

Pondapalooza 2006 Delivers a Winner!

2006-08-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Pondapalooza 2006 in Pittsburgh and I must confess that I was very impressed…not with the number of attendees, but with the quality of attendees, and the cutting edge thoughtfulness of the presentations that I saw.

An All-Star Team of Attendees
On the first count I spotted a number of key players in the water gardening industry including folks like Charles Thomas of Lilypons Water Gardens (Adamsville, MD), Eric Triplett of Exotic Aquatics (Redlands, CA), Freddie Combas of Florida Water Gardens (Orlando, FL), Mike Garcia of Enviroscapes (Los Angeles, CA), Kenny Floyd of Aquatic Construction (New Orleans, LA), Rolf and Anita Nelson of Nelson Water Gardens (Houston, TX), John Olson of Graystone Industries (Sunrise, FL), Gus Collier of Collier Companies (Richmond, VA), Craig Marciniak of Tranquil Water Gardens (Providence, RI) Gary Wittstock and Jeff Payton of Aquascape Designs (St. Charles, IL.)…just to mention a few.

Talk about a group of heavy hitters who have helped to build the water gardening industry into what it is today! I’m talking about a true all-star team of pond pros who came from all across the US to attend this year’s Pondapalooza. Whatever Roseanne Conrad did to attract this upper level, cream of the water gardening crop, she should continue doing it. Kudos to Rosanne and her Pondkeeper team for that. If quality is the secret to success, the Pondapalooza 2006 was a winner for sure.

Democracy In the Pond World
Speaking of well thought-out presentations let me start off with Rick Osbourne’s How David Can Compete Profitably With Goliath presentation. A self-professed political junkie, Osbourne could have been more eloquent, more animated, and more charismatic in his presentation. But what he lacked in showmanship, he made up for with his ability to connect with the Moms and Pops who made up his audience.

I endorse completely his take on democratizing the pond market. They were right on the mark. Monarchs and Monopolies in any industry are cancerous. That’s why we have anti-trust laws…not that we pay any attention to them these days. But as Osbourne pointed out in the first five minutes of his presentation, “In a democracy power flows from the bottom up. In a dictatorship it flows from the top down.” The dots are all out there, the job now is to connect, organize, and unify them. If the David’s of the pond world find a way unite, the Goliaths of the pond world will be forced to sit up and listen.

Internet Marketing…It’s About Time
John Olson’s presentation entitled Driving Customers and Profits to Your Business With Internet Marketing was another one that stood out. It was a highly informative and refreshing swing at bringing the pond world into the 21st century. When nobody else had the courage and foresight to talk about the true future of water gardening, Roseanne Conrad took a chance and introduced Olson in the Summer edition of Pondkeeper Magazine, and again at Pondapalooza. And Olson delivered in spades.

I wholeheartedly agree with Olson’s claim that Internet Marketing is a necessary part of a solid 21st century marketing plan, whether you’re a contractor or a retailer or both. It’s about time we pull our heads out of the sand on this issue. And those who fail to do so will be sucking their competition’s dust in the not too distant future.

Other First Class Presentations
Other stand out presentations included Stephen Blessing’s Water Garden Retail Ideas That Sell, Troy Zellers’ Exploring New Pump Technology, Gary Jones’ Selling Healthy Fish, and Kip Creel’s keynote address on Embracing Innovation. If you were looking to get a taste of all the different flavors in the water gardening rainbow, this year’s Pondapalooza event certainly delivered. Congratulations to Roseanne Conrad for her tireless perseverance. She’s made a believer out of me.

Make it an Adventure,
Henry Jones, Jr.

John Olson Presents at Pondapalooza in Pittsburgh

2006-07-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

Attention Pond contractors and retailers. If you're planning to attend Pondapalooza this year in Pittsburgh, make sure that you catch John Olson's two Internet Marketing presentations on August 1st and 2nd. And while you're at it, Rick Osbourne, one of our other founding members will be presenting on the same two days.

So if you plan on attending Pondapalooza this year stop in on both John and Rick, they'll be glad to see you. John may even autograph a copy of his recently published book, The Pond Pro's Guide to Internet Marketing.

Pittsburge promises to be an adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Welcoming Deep Discount Ponds to the American Ponds Team

2006-06-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

This one is short and sweet, but I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome Deep Discount Pond Supply (www.deepdiscountpondsupply.com) to the American Pond Supplies Family of distributors. Located in Chicago, the city of big shoulders and the geographical heart of the nation, they carry a full supply of...

pond kits,
pondless waterfall kits,
pumps that keep on ticking like a proverbial Timex watch,
pond liner,
and all kinds of other things that water gardening enthusiasts will take a liking to.
They also offer GREAT PRICES,
WONDERFUL WARRANTIES, and
FREE SHIPPING on all American Pond Supply products

So here's a toast to our newest distributor. Welcome aboard to Deep Discount Pond Supply!

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.

Walking the Walk Before Talking the Talk

2006-06-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

Selling a pond is a lot like selling a membership to the local health club. That is to say, if you walk into the local health club and you’re thinking seriously about buying a membership, you’ll expect to be greeted, and to be instructed by a person who not only talks the talk, but one who walks the walk too. If the sales person is as overweight and out of shape as you, why would you listen to their advice? That being the case, odds are no matter how good their pitch, the advice will fall on disbelieving ears.

First Hand Experience is Impossible to Beat
The experience of selling a pond has very similar characteristics. The buyer wants to get advice from someone who’s actually been there and done that…from someone who has wrestled with the alligator first hand, and who knows from personal experience what problems are likely to be encountered, and how to avoid them.

You Need to be Able to Say…
It is extremely helpful to be able to answer a question by saying, “Well Ted, in my pond I can hardly wait for the water hyacinth to start sucking up all the extra nutrition in the pond, because when they do, my water clears up like magic, no chemicals, no machines, treatments required.” It’s helpful to be able to say, “My wife couldn’t believe that the crew started with a green grass lawn at eight AM, and finished at four PM with a gorgeous pond and more water gushing over the falls than she’d ever imagined possible.” It’s helpful to be able to say, “My pond has a fish cave in which my koi can hide when and if a heron or a raccoon comes a calling. To be honest, we’ve never lost a fish.”

Your Customer Will Know…
If don’t actually have a pond and you’re unable to legitimately talk about what you do in and around your pond, it’s hard to be convincing to a person looking you right square in the eye. In other words if you’re BS’ing, the customer will intuitively know, and they’ll discount the advice that you offer. But when you can tell story after story about your own personal experiences with friends and family around your own pond, you become real believable real fast, just ask the sales person in the health club.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

The Top 10 Reasons People Prefer Doing Business With American Pond Supply

2006-06-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

One
Our pumps actually work. That is to say you can count on our pumps to continue pumping which enables you to avoid the embarrassment of equipment failure, and having to deal with yet another frustrated customer who’s going to sew more bad seeds in your all important, but highly vulnerable, word of mouth marketing.

Two
We charge NO DROP SHIPPING FEES. Our business is built around efficiency as opposed to luxury and excess, and drop shipping is central to the way we have organized our business. It’s just part of what people expect from American.

Three
We ship precisely what you order, to precisely the right place, at precisely the right time, which in turn makes you look competent instead of incompetent to those customers who have put their faith and trust in you.

Four
We don’t inflate our prices in order to accommodate excessive overhead that includes things like a huge new office complex, multimillion-dollar country estates, vacation homes, expensive foreign-born automobiles, or meetings in exotic places like Cabo San Lucas Mexico. If you want to support that kind of excess it’s up to you. But if you pride yourself in controlling costs, operating efficiently, and offering your customers the best value in the market, then maybe you should expect your supplier to do the same. And if you’re not getting that from your supplier, we’d be more than happy to talk with you.

Five
We focus on our ability to deliver TOP QUALITY at FAIR PRICES, so you’ll be more competitive in your market, your profit margins will be better, your business will be more stable, and you’ll sleep lots better at night.

Six
APS is basically a network of owners who treat customers like only an owner can. We get paid according to how well we do our respective jobs, not according to how much some boss likes us. Wouldn’t you prefer to do business directly with an owner rather than with an employee? That’s one of the factors that make American Ponds so much more efficient than our competition.

Seven
Our marketing strategy takes advantage of 21st century technology such as the Internet. Those people who choose to do business with American will be actively shown how to use the Internet to drive more and more customers into their stores for a fraction of what it costs them conventionally. In short, our customers will not fear the Internet because we’ll show them how to profit the Internet.

Eight
Oh, and one other thing, you can have state of the art marketing, but if your products fail to do the job time after time, then you’re your marketing is little more than empty political hype. As Abe Lincoln once said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time. But you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” In the end, the truth will win over spin.

Nine
We’re a water gardening company through and through. It’s our bread and butter, our meat and potatoes. However, not only will we encourage you to diversify beyond water gardens, but we’ll help you do it. We’re staunch believers in the old story about the one legged stool that fell over. If you want a business that’s built to last, you’d better have multiple legs on your business stool, and we’ll actively help you to get that job done profitably.

Ten
David Letterman prefers American Ponds over all the other pond suppliers.

The Top Ten Bases to Cover on Your Web Site

2006-06-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

Pay Per Click
Pay per click is the art of cost effectively buying your way onto the net, and if you can master Pay per click, you are destined to grow infinitely. The beauty of pay per click is its ability to focus your message on those who are interested in buying what you’re selling. The other beauty is its ability to avoid wasting money trying to attract those who could care less about what you’re selling. In other words, done right Internet marketing/advertising is uniquely efficient and if you learn to handle pay per click right, there will be no limits to your ability to grow.

Key Word Phrases
Be aware of, and use Key Word Phrases (KWPs) frequently and throughout your site. KWPs are one of the factors that search engines take into account when they’re evaluating your site. Using KWPs liberally will raise your ranking.

A Site Map
Having a Site Map sounds relatively simple, and it is. It’s also one of those things that keep the search engine roaming around in your web site and appreciating all the wonderful things that you offer.

About Us
About Us tells visitors who’s who in your web site business. People like to know who they’re doing business with, and an About Us section answers that question.

Fill Your Shelves, But Neatly
When you go into a retail store and find the shelves only half stocked, it makes you wonder about the viability of that business. The same is true of Internet stores. Your site must be user friendly, and it helps to carry a full product line.

FAQ's
FAQ’s or Frequently Asked Question allows you to automatically provide answers for those questions that are asked over and over again. Take advantage of FAQ’s and educate your customers as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Content is King
Content is king. Search engines aim to give surfers quick access to the most informative web sites available. Having plenty of good informative content is another sure way to help the search engines recognize the viability of your site.

Link UP
Get linked up. In a very real sense the Internet is word of mouth marketing for the 21st century, and the more sites (and people) you can develop a good relationship with, the more potent your message will become. In other words, become an active member of your Internet community and it will help your business a bunch.

Don't Forget the Blog
Get a blog and develop a platform. Blogging has become one of the best ways to become an active member of your Internet community. It’s easy from a technical standpoint. It’s inexpensive from a financial standpoint. And it’s the best way to let other members of your Internet community get to know who you are and what you stand for…all of which is called having a platform (an identity) within your Internet community.

The Conventional Media
Reach out to the conventional media. Although the Internet represents the grass roots of marketing/advertising these days, the conventional media (newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV) still carry significant clout. Not only that, but journalists are depending more and more the Internet, and particularly blogs, for their information. So develop a list of journalists who are influential in your field and make sure they hear from you on a regular basis. To the degree that you can successfully cultivate relationships with influential journalists, you’ll become a source for their stories, and you’ll, as they say…influence the influencers.

And Never Stop Learning…
Each one of these ten points can be expanded significantly, which is to say there’s plenty more to learn about each and every one of them. And this is just a starting point for you. As your understanding of this new and highly democratic vehicle develops, your business opportunities will expand along with them. Keep your eyes and ears open and grow your Internet knowledge along with your business.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

What Are You Paying For And Why?

2006-05-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

When you sell a pond kit to a customer at MSRP, what does the price include? The basic answer of course it that it covers the cost of manufacturing the hard goods, plus various levels of overhead and profit for the entities that handle the product from beginning to end. Those entities are called a supply chain, and in the pond market they generally include…
The manufacturer
The supplier
The distributor
The retailer/installer
And finally the end consumer

Of Overhead and Profit Margins
At every level of the chain, there must be margin enough to cover that level’s overhead, plus enough profit remaining to make it worth handling. And if each level works diligently at being efficient and keeping their overhead down, the product can be sold profitably, at very competitive prices. On the other hand, if one or more members fail to hold down their costs, and they allow overhead to get out of hand, the retail cost of the product to the consumer will be inflated and it will become less and less competitive in the market.

So What’s the Point?
Now what’s the point of this simplistic lesson in economics 101 you ask? My point is that all members of that supply chain should expect the other members to hold up their end of the bargain in terms of keeping costs/overhead under control. If any one of them gets careless and fails to control his costs, he’s letting all the other members of the supply chain down, including the end consumer whose loyalty is being jeopardized.

If Your Costs are Going Up and Up…
So, if you’re in the pond business and your cost for products keeps going up and up, but your competition’s prices are not, it’d be wise to check out the other members of your supply chain. If one of the members is wallowing in excess, then you know immediately why your costs are going up.

At this point you owe it to yourself and the future of your business to negotiate hard for the best prices your supply chain can offer. And if they can’t compete, you’d better make arrangements to change horses. If you don’t, your customers will belong to your competitor and you’ll be inhaling his dust. It’s about that simple.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Adding Big Value On Behalf of Consumers, Retailers, and Contractors

2006-05-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

I’m a firm believer in VALUE ADDED business. That’s why we not only restrict ourselves to handling only top quality, brand name products, but we support them with things like world class warranties, next day shipping, and boatloads of great water gardening information on line. We firmly subscribe to the notion that people who have wonderful, low maintenance experiences with their ponds generate a contagious word of mouth buzz that no Wall Street spinmeister can match. But that only happens when product lines are well supported and customers are very happy.

Supporting Retailers and Contractors
When it comes to supporting our retail and contractor customers we take the same value added position and we strive to distinguish our company by bringing something to the table that nobody else in the market brings. The unique thing that we bring to retailers and contractors is our ability and our willingness to help you optimize your Internet presence…because, like it or not, it’s the future of water gardening. In so doing we’ll show you how to cost effectively extend your market reach, increase your market share, and maximize your profit margin in a way that nobody else is showing you.

They’re Missing the Boat
Yes there are thousands of Internet pond supply businesses on the net these days, but to date, all of them are solo operations, competing individually for a piece of the rapidly growing pond market. But I contend that individualized, survival of the fittest style competition is not the key to the Internet pond supply bank.

Coordinating the Effort
Instead I suggest that a well organized, coordinated effort among fifty serious players (players with an eye to the future) will allow this group to take control of the first three pages of Google, Yahoo, and MSN search engines. In so doing they’ll not only maintain a very healthy profit margin, but they’ll also be able to deliver top quality at very competitive prices, increase their market share, their gross, and improve their overall profit margin simultaneously, ESPECIALLY if they’re a pond retailer or contractor!!!

If You Want to Learn More
As this battle plan evolves, we’ll inevitably squeeze the quick buck, fly by night operations out of existence. If you think about it, this strategy is very much like starving algae out of existence in your pond, but this time it’s the Internet pond market. If you’re interested in learning more, shoot me an email and I’ll fill in the details. But for now…

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones Jr.

Globalization and the Water Gardening Industry

2006-05-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

When you stand back and look at the big picture, water gardening is still a small industry in the grand scheme of things. But it’s getting bigger. At last count, it was a billion and a half dollar industry, and undoubtedly the most attractive newcomer in the lackluster green industry these days.

The Dilemma on the Horizon
The biggest player in the market, Aquascape Designs of Batavia, IL is reportedly a $60,000,000 enterprise and is growing by leaps and bounds via acquisition. They’re systematically gobbling up the smaller fish one at a time. The interesting thing is that within the past couple of years, they crossed the $50,000,000 threshold, which is said to be the point at which bigger players begin to show interest in a niche market.

Option Number One
Here’s where the dilemma comes in. When the bigger players walk in the door, they generally come fully prepared to play the game and win. In fact they expect to win. They’re used to winning, that’s why they’re so big. And the first order of business in such a scenario is to look over the market and to try to buy out the leading competitor. When that works, the big boys start out in first place, and work from there to drive remaining competitors out of business.

Option Number Two
When that doesn’t work they find another place to buy their way in, and ride on into the market without permission from the number one contender. Now when the bigger players arrive on the scene these days, they will come with a full load of international contacts to whom they can outsource all kinds of work at greatly reduced costs, rendering them dramatically more competitive than their American based counterparts with their relatively high overheads to cover.

Inflated Prices and Excess Overhead
And if that American based competitor has to charge inflated costs for his goods and services in order to cover its suddenly excessive overhead, the outsourcing competitor will have an absolute field day in this new market. The unprepared victim and his followers on the other hand, will be forced to unload product at below cost in order to move their remaining inventory, and to avoid throwing good money after bad.

An Ounce of Prevention VS a Pound of Cure
So how does America’s water gardening industry guard against this potential foreign invasion? It all boils down to efficiency. A lean and mean, low overhead machine that’s taking full advantage of 21st century technology, including the magical potential inherent in Internet marketing, is the company that’s best prepared to fend off these future challenges. On the other hand, a company that wallows in excess and ignores the Internet is highly vulnerable. The real question is, which side of the globalization coin do you want to be on, and what are you doing to get there?

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.

Dictators in the Pond Business

2006-05-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

When a manufacturer/supplier of pond supplies demands 100% customer loyalty (i.e. you must buy only my pond products) in order to get 100% support in return, it raises a few questions. For example, if I buy only some of your pond products…
How much less than 100% support should I expect to get from you?
Does that mean that some members of your product line can’t stand up to the competition’s products?
Does it mean that you think your customers are incapable of thinking for themselves and need your direction in order to succeed?
Does it mean that because you’re big enough, you’ll bully others around?
Does that mean you want my pond business to be totally dependent on yours?

How Would My Customers React?
Such a tactic would also cause me to turn the tables and ask, “What if I treated my customers in a dictatorial way? How would they like it? Would that fly? Or would that quickly drive them into the awaiting arms of my competition? And if that were the case, why would I want to treat my customers like that?

Dictators and Dictatorships
In the long haul, dictators and dictatorships tend to be unappreciated in a free market. In fact so far as I can tell, the only person who likes a dictatorship is the dictator himself. Everyone may go lock stepping along until the dictator turns his back, at which point the victim will leap out of line and find a non dictator to do business with.

The Sophisticated Supply Chain
And in the long run, a successful business entrepreneur must come to the realization that we’re all in this together. I mean the consumer needs the retailer or the landscape contractor in order to succeed (to have a beautiful pond). And the retailer and the landscape contractor need the distributor in order to succeed (to sell ponds to the consumer). And the distributor needs the manufacturer/supplier in order to succeed (to sell ponds at the wholesale level). In the lyrics to an old song, the hip-bone’s connected to the leg-bone, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, etc., etc.

That Way We All WinWhen they all work together in a climate of mutual respect, then everyone wins from the consumer to the manufacturer. But if one of these parties feels the need to dictate to the others, to treat them with less than 100% respect, then the supply chain breaks down and everyone loses. I personally will vote for the win. How about you?

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

One For All, And All For One

2006-04-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

If I fail to recruit at least fifty action oriented partners who understand what’s at stake, and who want to play a lead role in shaping the future of water gardening, I will fail to achieve my goal of organizing the dominant force in the water gardening market. And achieving my goals has never been something I take lightly.

Destiny’s Child
This being the case, I must have at least fifty partners who understand that the Internet is quadrupling in size every single year, and that water gardening in the near future (including retailing and contracting) is destined to revolve around the Internet. These partners must also understand that if somebody wants to play a lead role in this all-new game, they’ll have to become an active Internet player. It’s about that simple.

My Role and Larry Bird
My role is to first identify these players, and to distinguish them apart from the fly by night, quick buck artists that currently dominate the net. Then I must help develop these players, and do everything in my power to help optimize their presence on the net.

I feel kind of like Larry Bird, the former Boston Celtic’s great who always considered it his job to make all the rest of the guys on his team look great. When he did that, the whole was much greater than the sum of its parts and the Celtics were unstoppable. But if Bird had tried to do it all on his own, the Celtics would have been just another NBA team…which they most definitely were not.

Winning Is…
When we have the players (in the next 18 months) who are doing all the creative, and time consuming things required to have the search engines recognize and rank their web sites on the first two or three pages, we will effectively squeeze all the quick buck artists out of the market, and collectively we’ll at least rival any company in the market.

The one thing we must avoid, as Larry Bird would attest, is focusing on the growth of any one company alone, because I can’t achieve what I want to achieve without surrounding myself with winning partners. I have to make everyone on the team look great, and like the Celtics of old, we’ll become the dominant force in the game.
One for all, and all for one is the key. This is the age-old tale of the finite me VS the infinite we. If you’re interested in becoming a member of this team, let me know.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

The Quickest Way to Find Out Who's Interested in Ponds

2006-04-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

If you want to find out who the potential pond enthusiasts in your community are, the easiest way is to sponsor what’s known as a Build A Pond Day. What is a Build A Pond Day you ask? It’s when you and your crew build a pond, and invite the public to come, to observe, and if they what to get their hands dirty, you can even allow them to participate by helping you build the pond in one day.

BAPD events are often hosted in an easily accessible place (i.e. outside a local retail store, a popular restaurant, or a local church) that would benefit from having a beautiful water feature on their property. It’s also usually installed for the cost of the hard goods (no labor charges) so it a good deal for both the sponsor, and the host.

The Four Goals of a BAPD
The goal of a BAPD is first to encourage people in your community who are interested in ponds to raise their hands and identify themselves. The second goal of the BAPD show those interested people that if they’ll follow a few simple rules, building a pond is not all that intimidating. The third goal of the BAPD is to be able to spend a full day with these potential pond enthusiasts instructing them, answering their questions, and generally cultivating their desire to have a pond in their own back yard. And the final, end goal of a BAPD event is of course to sell pond kits and pond installations.

Key Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients if you want to host a successful BAPD. First you have to announce the event at least a month in advance. Announce it in your store, in other stores, in your newsletter, on your website, tell your friends and neighbors, and ask them to tell their friends and neighbors. With sufficient notice, you’ll have a nice crowd (10 to 20 people) who are interested, and curious about the whole pond thing.

Sales, Plus Word of Mouth Marketing
Done right, at the end of the day, you’ll have sold pond kits, pond installations, and you will have sent a group of people home who will naturally tell their friends and neighbors about how they spent the day, and how incredibly cool a backyard pond really is. In other words, you’ll be jump-starting word of mouth marketing all over your town.

Yes, You Should Charge Attendees
A couple of other quick tips here include the fact that you should charge attendees for attending. After all you’ll effectively be teaching a hands on class where attendees will learn valuable information from you about pond building. If you fail to charge them, it won’t be perceived as a valuable experience.

Secondly if you fail to charge them you’ll be unable to tell your attendees, “If you buy a pond kit or book an installation within the next week, we’ll use that $75.00 towards the purchase of your pond kit, which makes the BAPD event free for those who buy pond kits. The moral is, you’re a professional pond builder, so charge for your time.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Immigration and the Water Gardening Industry

2006-04-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

The US Congress has been wrestling with the issue of immigration recently, and now they find themselves skewered on the horns of a dilemma. On one hand, the let’s get tough crowd wants to round up all the illegal aliens, throw them in prison, or ship them back to their respective homeland.

On the other hand the let’s keep worker’s wages down crowd is totally dependent on the cheap labor that Hispanic workers currently bring to America’s overflowing table. And one industry that’s most heavily dependent on Hispanic labor is the landscaping industry, of which water gardening is but one segment.

The Pond Industry and Immigration
So where does the pond industry stand on the issue of immigration? Well like most of America you’ll find people on both sides of the fence, while others are stuck on the fence and can’t find a way to get off.

North VS South
But if Henry Jones, Jr. were advising Congress, I’d suggest they notice that the problem is not coming from north of the border where Canada is a developed nation with an economy that can support its people. Instead it comes from south of the border where Mexico, Central American, and South American economies are relatively undeveloped, are unable to support their masses of people, and where poverty runs rampant.

Dear President Bush…
The key then to resolving the immigration dilemma in America is to help the economies of Central and South America to develop to the point that they can support their own people. On the other hand, until those nation’s economies actually develop to that level, there will be little we can do to stem the tide of illegal immigrants coming into the United States.

If members of the US Congress fail to recognize these simple economic realities, then Alice in Wonderland solutions will continue to flow out of Washington, DC, and the immigration problem will continue unabated. And presuming you’re in the water gardening business, I suggest you weigh in on this issue, since it will directly affect you and the future of your business.

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.

Does Your Pond Company Speak Fluent Internet Marketing?

2006-04-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

I have news for you. Like it or not, the Internet is playing a bigger and bigger role in the pond market, and that trend is not about to reverse itself. You can drag your heels and resist all day long. You can whine and complain until you’re blue in the face. And you can spin the facts any way you want to spin ‘em, and it won’t change a thing.

They’re More Efficient
Regardless of your feelings about Internet marketers, the fact is, there are already thousands of web sites out there selling millions of dollars worth of pond products. Not only that, but they can inevitably sell for less, and still have a profit margin that would turn a conventional retailer or contractor green with envy. Why? Because they lack the overhead! They do lots more with lots less. They’re basically MORE EFFICIENT!

And in business efficiency is generally considered a good thing, not a bad thing. It means that for your customers, you’re delivering more bang for their buck. It means you’re doing your homework earning their trust, instead of sitting back on your laurels. It means you care about your customers and the future of your business.

Of Players and Non-Players
Ironically enough, some of the leading players in today’s pond market are NON PLAYERS ON TODAY’S INTERNET. A few of these leading companies swear by their conventional marketing, swear at Internet marketers, and in the process they leave themselves and their trusting customers wide open to attack from modern, highly efficient Internet marketers who are much smaller, much leaner, and much smarter than their conventional and sluggish counterparts.

The Real Question Is…
The question right now in 2006 is not whether you should get actively involved in marketing your company and your products over the Internet. The real question is, if you were to begin today are you too late to salvage your current position in the market? Can you move fast enough to avoid being left in the dust of those who already have a head start on you?

You have to recognize that developing a position on the Internet is not something that happens overnight. It takes many months of persistent work, and the longer you drag your heels and resist a serious commitment to the future, the worse your odds of survival become. Procrastination is your enemy.

Do They Speak Internet Marketing?
With all that said my question to you is this. Does the company you buy your pond equipment from speak fluent Internet marketing? Do they understand the Internet thoroughly, and are they encouraging you, even helping you to modernize your marketing strategies so that you don’t get caught with your pants down?

Or are they little more than cheerleaders for the status quo, whining and complaining about those destructive Internet marketers who have the audacity to commiditize (i.e. to change) the industry that they thought they were leading?

The Front or Back End
Here are the facts. This is the 21st century. The Internet is here to stay and it’s growing. The real question is, do you want to be on the front end or the back end of this inevitable change? If you prefer the front end then you should give some serious thought to aligning yourself with companies who are aligning themselves with the future, and to dropping those companies who are wallowing in the past. The choice is yours to make. Choose wisely.

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.

Ponds for Kids

2006-04-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

A Ponds for Kids event is both a wonderful way to give back to your community, and a sure fire way to generate great publicity for your company and the school you choose to work with. In case you’re unfamiliar with the Ponds for Kids concept, it’s basically a Build A Pond Day at a local school, where a pond builder oversees the project and the kids actually spend the day outside in the sun, having fun, building a pond.

The Benefits of a PFK Event
The benefits for the school include not only a beautified landscape, but also a brand new natural learning lab around which teachers can build lessons in subjects ranging from biology and botany, to ecology and entomology. It can even be used in art class for sketching and painting, or in English class to inspire a poem. And since the kids play a major role in the construction, they develop a sense of pride and ownership in the project that makes it all the more valuable to them.

The Media Can’t Resist
Now add all this up. You’ll see kids having a blast in the midst of a positive, hands-on, educational experience that’s going on alongside the school. The setting is great for a camera, and the teachers are free to talk with reporters from the local media.

All in all it’s great chemistry for some marvelous publicity for both school and installer, as long as you invite the media. That requires at least two, maybe three press releases, BEST DONE ON SCHOOL LETTERHEAD. Toss those in the mail and the newspapers, radio, and TV will all be hard pressed to avoid covering this incredible event that’s taking place in this local neighborhood.

Pond Clubs at School
One other quick thought I need to add here is that Pond Clubs have been popping up at schools that have ponds at their disposal. It allows the Tom Sawyers, the Huck Finns, and the Becky Thatchers in the school a release for their natural, Mississippi River style curiosity. Pond clubs have turned out to be very popular not only with students, but also with parents and teachers because they result in legitimate learning. Just go for it!

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Which Comes First The Chicken or the Egg?

2006-04-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

When I was a distributor of pond products, I was always so frustrated when a manufacturer or a supplier would say “You know Henry, if you’d sell more products, I could give you a better price.” My response was always, “That may be so Mr. Tyrant, but if you’d give me a better price (www.graystonecreations.com), I could sell lots more of your product.” In fact I became so frustrated over this issue that I promised myself, and others that, if I ever became a manufacturer/supplier myself, I would never ever do this to a customer of mine.

Suddenly I Am One
Well guess what, as of the spring of 2006 I am a manufacturer/supplier, and I am taking my own well-earned advice on this subject. I am working as hard as I can to give my own distributors (www.relaxingdecor.com) the best price that I can possibly give them, which in turn allows them to sell lots more of my products than they could otherwise sell. This way the people who make up my distributor network will all benefit…including myself.

What Goes Round…
I’ve heard this line of thinking referred to as enlightened self-interest. In other words, what’s good for my people is good for me, and what’s bad for my people is bad for me. It’s a one for all, all for one, win together, lose together orientation to business, so I call it an enlightened way of organizing a business (www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com).

Mutual Respect…
In my case, I’m a long time proponent of the golden rule…treat others the way that you would like to be treated. When you do that, you’ll not only sleep well at night, but you’ll have good business relationships loaded with mutual respect and steeped in loyalty and longevity. And if you can’t appreciate a win/win deal then you should be doing business with somebody else anyway.

Let’s See How the Cookie Crumbles
I mean if you stand back and take a look at the big picture, you’ll realize that the water gardening market is a big and rapidly growing market in which there are lots of ways to skin the cat. My intention is to treat my own customers the way I always wanted to be treated (www.deepdiscountpondsupply.com) when I was in their shoes. In other words, if you have to be a tyrant to win, then I’m destined to lose. On the other hand if people would prefer doing business with a company that’s going to treat them the way the way they want to be treated, then in the long run the tyrant is destined to lose. And I say…may the best man win.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

In Your Community, Who's Interested in Ponds?

2006-04-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

If you want to find out who the potential pond enthusiasts in your community are, the easiest way is to sponsor what’s known as a Build A Pond Day. What is a Build A Pond Day you ask? It’s when you and your crew build a pond, and invite the public to come, to observe (http://www.graystonecreations.com/build-a-pond-step-by-step-pond-kits.htm), and if they what to get their hands dirty, you can even allow them to participate by helping you build the pond in one day.

BAPD events are often hosted in an easily accessible place (i.e. outside a local retail store, a popular restaurant, or a local church) that would benefit from having a beautiful water feature on their property. It’s also usually installed for the cost of the hard goods (no labor charges) so it a good deal for both the sponsor, and the host.

The Four Goals of a BAPD
The goal of a BAPD (http://www.relaxingdecor.com/build_a_pond.htm) is first to encourage people in your community who are interested in ponds to raise their hands and identify themselves. The second goal of the BAPD show those interested people that if they’ll follow a few simple rules, building a pond is not all that intimidating. The third goal of the BAPD is to be able to spend a full day with these potential pond enthusiasts instructing them, answering their questions, and generally cultivating their desire to have a pond in their own back yard. And the final, end goal of a BAPD event is of course to sell pond kits and pond installations.

The Key Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients if you want to host a successful BAPD (http://www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com/pond-information/build-a-pond.htm). First you have to announce the event at least a month in advance. Announce it in your store, in other stores, in your newsletter, on your website, tell your friends and neighbors, and ask them to tell their friends and neighbors. With sufficient notice, you’ll have a nice crowd (10 to 20 people) who are interested, and curious about the whole pond thing.

Sales, Plus Word of Mouth Marketing
Done right, at the end of the day, you’ll have sold pond kits, pond installations, and you will have sent a group of people home who will naturally tell their friends and neighbors about how they spent the day, and how incredibly cool a backyard pond really is. In other words, you’ll be jump-starting word of mouth marketing all over your town.

Yes, You Should Charge Attendees
A couple of other quick tips here include the fact that you should charge attendees for attending. After all you’ll effectively be teaching a hands on class where attendees will learn valuable information from you about pond building. If you fail to charge them, it won’t be perceived as a valuable experience. Secondly if you fail to charge them you’ll be unable to tell your attendees, “If you buy a pond kit or book an installation within the next week, we’ll use that $75.00 towards the purchase of your pond kit, which makes the BAPD event free for those who buy pond kits. The moral is, you’re a professional pond builder, so charge for your time.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Diversification in the Pond Market

2006-03-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the story of the one legged stool? Well, here it is. The one legged stool fell over…end of story. The moral of the story is that you’d better have several legs on your stool if you plan to avoid falling over.

Now, what does this story have to do with the exploding new water gardening market you ask? Here’s my answer. Currently the pond market is the hottest thing in the otherwise flat green industry, and most manufacturers and suppliers of pond equipment are naturally encouraging their customers to take the plunge, to jump in with both feet, focusing on ponds at the expense of everything else…if possible. And as long as the pond market remains hot, that’s a pretty good piece of advice.

What Happens When the Winds Change
The problem with it is, what happens if and when the wind suddenly changes direction? What happens if there’s a drought or a major layoff in your area of the country this season? What happens of the so-called housing bubble bursts? What happens if the Avian Bird flu thing hits and causes people from LA to New York City to suddenly be leery about attracting birds and other wildlife into their backyard? The answer is, if you have several legs on your stool, (http://www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com/) you’ll probably be able to shift gears and stay in the game. But if you’re a one legged stool, you’ll have a major league problem to resolve.

How to Diversify Profitably
But diversification is always a challenge, especially for small, independently owned mom and pop businesses (http://www.relaxingdecor.com/). And the challenge is being able to afford legs #2, #3, and #4. There are lots of issues to consider including inventory, employee training, additional marketing and customer support that accompany an expansion of any kind. However, for the savvy business owner it’s not a question of whether or not to diversify. The question is how to do it most efficiently, cost effectively and profitably?

The Key to Cost Effectiveness
When you address cost effectiveness and profitability in the 21st century though, it’s hard to get too far away from the Internet. Through the modern miracles of drop shipping, shopping carts, keywords and keyword phrases, pay per click (on demand) advertising, various linking strategies (allowing you to address your world instead of just your town)…collectively known as web site optimization, you can add product lines, you can enter new markets, and you can multiply the number of legs on your business stool so that when that wind direction suddenly changes, you won’t be left out in the cold with all your eggs on one basket. Your business future will not depend on one market, one supplier, and on indoctrinated way of seeing your business that leaves you and your family vulnerable to changes in an often hard to predict market.

Adding Legs to Your Business Stool
I say get a number of legs on your business stool, including ponds (ponds are a great leg right now). If and when that wind does a rapid 180 degree turnaround you won’t be caught standing with your thumb in your mouth wondering what happened to your once healthy business. On last thing I’d like to mention here. If you check around you’ll find out which pond manufacturers/suppliers encourage diversification, and which ones will even hold your hand while you’re implementing these important changes. (http://www.graystonecreations.com/) In the mean time…

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Walking the Walk Before Talking the Talk

2006-03-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

Selling a pond is a lot like selling a membership to the local health club. That is to say, if you walk into the local health club and you’re thinking seriously about buying a membership, you’ll expect to be greeted, and to be instructed by a person who not only talks the talk, but one who walks the walk too (http://www.relaxingdecor.com/pond_design_ideas.htm). If the sales person is as overweight and out of shape as you, why would you listen to their advice? That being the case, odds are no matter how good their pitch, the advice will fall on disbelieving ears.

First Hand Experience is Impossible to Beat
The experience of selling a pond has very similar characteristics. The buyer wants to get advice from someone who’s actually been there and done that…from someone who has wrestled with the alligator first hand, and who knows from personal experience what problems are likely to be encountered, and how to avoid them.

You Need to be Able to Say…
It is extremely helpful to be able to answer a question by saying, “Well Ted, in my pond I can hardly wait for the water hyacinth to start sucking up all the extra nutrition in the pond, because when they do, my water clears up like magic, no chemicals, no machines, treatments required (www.graystonecreations.com).” It’s helpful to be able to say, “My wife couldn’t believe that the crew started with a green grass lawn at eight AM, and finished at four PM with a gorgeous pond and more water gushing over the falls than she’d ever imagined possible.” It’s helpful to be able to say, “My pond has a fish cave in which my koi can hide when and if a heron or a raccoon comes a calling. To be honest, we’ve never lost a fish.”

Your Customer Will Know…
If don’t actually have a pond and you’re unable to legitimately talk about what you do in and around your pond, it’s hard to be convincing to a person looking you right square in the eye. In other words if you’re BS’ing, the customer will intuitively know, and they’ll discount the advice that you offer. But when you can tell story after story about your own personal experiences with friends and family around your own pond, you become real believable real fast, just ask the sales person in the health club.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Dependable Pumps: The Heart of Any Pond Business

2006-03-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

Have you ever worked hard to build a beautiful water feature for a client, only to have the pump fail in its first week?* Let me ask you point blank, how embarrassed were you? I mean these nice people have put their faith and trust in you and your crew, and now the pond is causing problems almost immediately.

You spent an entire day, maybe even two or three days, working diligently(http://www.graystonecreations.com/build-a-pond-step-by-step-pond-kits.htm) to get everything just right. Your clients were blown away when the water begins welling up and spilling over the falls into the stream. Your crew cleaned up while the customer wrote a check for the balance of the job, as you reiterated a few details about how to care for the pond and its inhabitants. You drove away feeling really good about the job and the word of mouth advertising that would result from it.

Within the First Week…
Then within a week the phone rings. It’s your formerly happy customers telling you that their waterfall has stopped, and they need you to come out right away and fix it. You drop what you’re doing, jump in the truck thinking in terms of damage control. When you arrive, you see that the waterfall has indeed stopped, the fish are not being oxygenated, and your customers are no longer so happy.

You Did the Job Right
When you inspect the pump you discover that despite the fact that you installed the right one (http://www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com/pumps.htm), with the right technique, it’s still not working. You need to replace it with a new one, which you do. You plug it in, the falls kicks in, and your customers are again impressed with your quick and personal customer service.

But You’re Frustrated
But as you drive away, you can’t help being frustrated over the supplier who’d sold you the pump that made you look bad, and cost you time and money, even though you’d done everything right. The pump manufacturer/supplier was the source of the problem, but it’s your reputation in your community that gets tarnished, not the suppliers. You vow if that ever happens again you’ll immediately go find a new pump supplier.

You’re Not The Only One
Now on one hand, it may be comforting to know that you’re not the only contractor who’s experienced this problem. A pump after all, features the only moving parts in the pond, and as such, they can have problems that liner, BioFalls, skimmers, and rocks never experience. Regardless you can’t afford to have word getting around town that your pumps fail. One time is forgivable. A second time though, could be lethal. And it keeps you on pins and needles for the next several jobs.

Don’t be Intimidated by Suppliers
Now I won’t go further with this story, but if it sounds too familiar, I want you to know that whether you’re an installer or a retailer, having a pump supplier you can count on is no luxury…it’s a necessity (www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com). The pump is the heart of the pond’s circulatory system. When the heart stops, everything else stops too. It doesn’t help your business either.

There Are Quality Manufacturers
There are manufacturers on the market who are making quality pumps (http://www.relaxingdecor.com/pondpumps.htm) and if you check out the water garden message boards, and ask a few questions, you’ll be able to find out who they are.

Don't Be Intimidated
My final word of advice is, don’t ever be intimidated by suppliers, and don’t accept any excuses, especially when it comes to dependable pumps. Letting them get away with poor quality can cost you and your reputation dearly.

Make it an Adventure

Henry Jones, Jr.
* This story holds true whether you’re a contractor or a retailer. Pump problems are inexcusable and costly.

Relaxation Sells

2006-03-18T15:07:00.000-08:00

People in the 21st century are often overloaded, they’re under mountains of stress, being pulled in multiple directions, and they’re often in dire need of being able to relax. There are various ways to find that relaxation, but perhaps the most natural way is to get the job done is to sit down in a comfortable chair (www.relaxingdecor.com) alongside a beautiful, meandering mountain stream and listen to the soothing sounds of a waterfall, or a laughing brook. There’s just something relaxing about these sounds, and when you talk to anyone who has a pond it’s inevitably one of the first things they want to talk about.

The Aromatic Relaxation
But there’s lots more than just the sounds of the waterfall and stream. There’s the natural aroma of the aquatic plants in and around the pond. Close your eyes, take in a deep breath, and you’re automatically transported into a state of natural relaxation.

The Visual Relaxation
Then open your eyes and behold the beauty of the colorful plants all around the pond, the lily pads floating on the pond’s surface, the flower sitting on top of the lily pad, the water hyacinth, and the cattails alongside the pond. And at night the sight of moonlight reflecting off the surface of the pond is nothing short of romantic. Put on a recording of Bali Hai and you’re mentally transported to somewhere (www.graystonecreations.com) out in the South Pacific.

Show Them How to Relax
So when you have a customer who’s interested in buying a pond (www.pond-pump-and-fountain-supply.com), one of the best things you can do is to ask if they need to relax. Most people these days will answer in the affirmative. And when they do, you can lead them down the road to various natural forms of water gardening relaxation. In the process, they’ll begin to see the value of having a pond in their own back yard. And the more they relax, the better your odds of selling a pond kit become. So don’t forget to talk about relaxation with any customer who’s interested in knowing more about water gardening. When you do, everybody wins.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

2006-03-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Let the Good Times Roll: Facts Tell, Stories Sell

What do people most like to hear about when they’re thinking about buying a pond? Believe it or not they want to hear about all the good times that you, your friends, and your family have had around your naturally balanced water garden. They want to hear you tell stories about the amazing party you hosted last July when the whole group gathered around your pond and couldn’t help oohing and ahhing about the beautiful, colorful koi darting around the underwater world they’d never even seen before.

How You Were Blown Away
They want to hear about all the questions your guests came up with, and how you answered them. They want to hear about the tree standing right next to your pond, and how the pond handles the infinite numbers of leaves floating down in the fall. They want to hear all about the day when the crew started to work on your green grass backyard, and finished off the day with an incredibly beautiful water garden, complete with a waterfall welling up and spilling over into a babbling brook, and how completely amazed you were by the entire construction experience.

The Two Ducks
They want to hear about the two ducks that show up every spring, hang around for a couple weeks, paddling around the pond, diving unsuccessfully after the fish (who were hiding in the fish cave), and bathing themselves in your luxurious pond. They want to hear about the bonfire alongside the pond in the fall, the roasted weenies, the marshmallows on graham crackers, and the laughing and the relaxing times that always seem to occur when friends and family gather around the pond. They want to hear about how little maintenance work you do (http://www.relaxingdecor.com/), and why Mother Nature does most of it for you.

Facts Tell, Stories Sell

They want to hear about the time that your cocker spaniel decided to dive in after the fish, and how that quick little dog was simply no match for the speed of your water savvy koi. They want to hear about the hot summer afternoon when you decided to prop a lawn chair up in the middle of the pond and sit…just to cool off. In sales the old adage is “facts tell, but stories sell.” The moral of this story is…tell stories, and lots of them. When you do, you’ll sell ponds without even trying.

Make it an Adventure,

Henry Jones, Jr.

Pond Parts...

2006-03-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

Pond Parts are Important Only When They Fail

Pond parts are very much like car parts in that the only time their owner cares about them is when they fail to do their jobs, causing their owners a problem. In other words, when it comes to their car, most people never give a second thought to their transmission, their drive train, their alternator or even their brakes, as long as they’re working properly. During these times what people focus their attention on is the look, the feel, the ride, and even the aroma (new or old) of the car…anything but the car’s parts.

Ponds Are Precisely the Same
A pond or water garden is precisely the same. Most folks pay no attention whatsoever to the underlayment, the liner, the plumbing that connects the skimmer to the biofalls, or even the pump that sits hidden inside the skimmer. But if the pump fails, the liner or the plumbing leaks, or the bubbler stops working in the winter, that’s when people suddenly begin to care about pond parts. Up to that point they’ll focus on the beautiful waterfall, the aroma of the plants, the soothing sounds of the falls and the laughing stream, the sun or the moon reflecting off the surface of the pond, or the good times they’ve had with family and friends…anything but pond parts.

Know Your Customer’s Interests
The moral of this little story is, if you want to sell ponds, avoid talking to your customers about pond parts. They don’t care about pond parts any more than they care about car parts. Talk to them about the ponding experience itself. Talk to them about the beauty, the relaxation, the escape from stress, the wonderful times they’ll have with friends and family, the steaming hot cups of coffee in the morning, the wine and cheese in the evening. Talk about the romance of ponds, not the mechanics of ponds. When you do you’ll increase your odds of selling a pond ten-fold, if not twenty-fold. When the customer becomes concerned with pond parts, you’re no longer selling ponds.

2006-02-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Pond Profits, the blogger whose main goal is to keep a close eye on all the 21st century water gardening trends. If you need to have your finger on the pulse of water gardening in the USA, then you've come to the right place. Check in on a regular basis, learn what others are doing to win, lose, or draw. And while you're visiting, add your own two cents worth at the same time. Knowledge is the key, and we're poised to keep you in tune with the important issues in this highly adventurous, and exploding new market place.

See you soon,

Henry Jones, JR.