A panel of seasoned and successful retailers shared their best event ideas, tips and some possible pitfalls. On Tuesday at 2 p.m., this was one of the last sessions at Short Course and in my humble opinion, it was hands down the best. So, if you're looking to get into events or just improve on the ones you already host, check out the following notes I jotted down.

Tina Bemis, Bemis Farms Nursery, Spencer, Mass.

• "We were tired of people coming to our Easter Egg Hunt and then turn around and go home without buying anything," Tina says. That's why she explains the importance of soft-selling one or two items. "Find the right price point...get something in their hands and get them to the register." From there, Tina can get event attendees, who might be new to the garden center, into their POS system.
• Tina also reminded us that anywhere you stage an area for photos, be sure to work your sign or company name into the backdrop. "It will be a part of a memory they'll always have," Bemis says.

Linda Zoerb, La Crosse Floral, La Crosse, Wisc.

• La Crosse hosts a "Winter Is A Bear" event in January, whichs aims to fill the holes and empty spaced left by poinsettias and Christmas trees. La Crosse uses a warm greenhouse (scented with suntan oils) as an escape for its customers from the cold Wisconsin winters, Zoerb says. Big sellers at this event are tropical plants and teddy bears.
• When getting other businesses involved to help with an event, Zoerb mentioned to consider offering gift certificates to those businesses instead of cash.

Ray Greenstreet, Greenstreet Gardens, Lothian, Md.

• Ray raised a good point during the session about those customers not attending the event. "You have to watch for those customers that come in for mulch or fertilizer and don't really care about your event," he says. Your employees need to be trained to treat all customers the same and not give preferential treatment to those there for your event, Greenstreet adds. This retailer, located in a rural area, says it's important to spread the wealth when bringing in and teaming up with area businesses. Greenstreet Gardens doesn't go the cheap route when catering an event, and when food is involved he rotates caterers.