Like most people, when I see something I like on Facebook, I press the “like” button. I must have run across the Friends School of Minnesota Plant Sale group on a friend’s profile, followed the link, and liked it, too.

This morning I received a message from Pat Thompson, a plant sale organizer, wanting to know what kind of plants I’d like to see at the sale. I’m emphasizing the “I” because I’m really only one of many Minnesotans who’ve joined the Plant Sale Facebook Group, but the message felt so personal. That’s one of the beauties of social media marketing–you can communicate directly with your customers and engage them.

I was not thinking about buying plants this morning when I logged on to Facebook. I just bought a cute house with a tiny garden that’s already landscaped. I’ve still got loads of boxes to unpack! Suddenly, I was thinking about tearing out the beautiful, but toxic Foxglove (Digitalis) from my garden and planting sweet potato vines to cascade from my window boxes.

Of course I replied!

What impressed me most was not that they have a Facebook page, a great website, or a frequently updated blog.  I’m impressed because the organizers are reaching out via the web–about a garden event 7 months away–just as all of Minnesota is putting their gardens to rest. And it’s working.

More later on their fabulous website.