Nadia A. Yi-Hsin C. Emily C. Ishmael B. The Online Botanical Gardens

Online Botanical Gardens Basics Virtual Tours - NYBG, PHIPPS, FAIRCHILD, DBG Community Links- Missouri, Longwood Educational Experience –Wide range of educational offerings, for adults, children, students, etc. –Example: Splitting a Persimmon seed to forecast winter (NYBG) Functions –Corporate Cocktails – NYBG, Minter Botanical –Weddings, Automobile shows

A Sample Front Page

Players in Online Botanical Gardens GardenLocationType Fairchild Tropical GardensFloridaTropical Desert Botanical GardensArizonaDesert Phipps ConservatoryPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaHorticulture and Art Minter GardensVancouverTheme Garden Longwood GardensPennsylvaniaWoodlands and Meadows Missouri Botanical Gardens MissouriEducational/Research New York Botanical Gardens New YorkGeneral

Website Comparisons Phipps Conservatory Desert Gardens

Customer Base Student Corporations Wildlife adventurers Retirees People who are Regular visitors to botanical gardens Love gardening but don’t have time Need to search for information about plants

Fundraising Donations –Non-members (Desert Botanical Gardens) Sponsorship –Corporate (NYBG) Membership General and Corporate (sample from Missouri BG) –Contributing Plus Member($100) –Sustaining Member($175) –Sponsoring Member($250) –Director’s associate($500) –Garden Fellows($2,500) –Garden Ambassador($5,000)

How They Attract Customers Link to other botanical gardens websites(majority) Memberships(majority) Visitor information(majority) Online research resources Volunteer opportunities to get people involved Special events and activities Shoppers at Garden Shop Garden Clinics Tourist Bureaus

Value Added The basic value added is the memberships –10% discount at Garden Shop –Special member rates for educational courses –Special member-only parties, sales and events Opening night previews of flower shows –Trips designed especially for members Weekend bus trips from city to garden (NYBG) Opportunities to participate in special events – cocktails, dinners, guest speakers, etc.

Strategies to Lock-in Customers Paycheck contribution –Deduction from paycheck through corporate participants Give rewards to the contributor –Discounts for family ceremonies –Plant adoption programs –Personalization of garden section by families through the adoption of a small plot.

Strategies to Increase Traffic Partnership with other botanical gardens Improve the contents of the websites –Interactive game with the children Public announcements on related websites or other media. Partnership with travel agencies, example Expedia, etc. Add a Virtual Tour feature.

What Can They Do? Missouri BG – delayed online registration Peapod – instant online registration

Suggestions Improve site conditions. Some sites were having technical difficulties –unable to process credit card transactions for online shopping & membership fees Utilize targeted marketing: –Send to members about upcoming events of interest. Create an online community for information exchange, compared to just communicating via . Creative e-cards with garden snapshots to be sent to friends and loved ones.