GREENVILLE – This year marks Flory Landscaping’s 34th year of having a display at the Darke County Fair. With their display, they advertise their services and represent the newest in the industry regarding landscaping design.
A team of four starts building their display two weeks before the fair starts. They plan for the display year-round.
“From the time we are at the fair this year, we are already thinking about next year,” Kevin Flory said. “I write down ideas and get suggestions from customers.”
Their display at the fair is the most significant part of Flory Landscaping’s advertising budget. They and many other vendors like them spend anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000. This is for the materials they use, the labor setting it up, the labor maintaining the display, and the labor tearing it down at the end of the fair.
“People don’t realize the amount of time and energy taken by Flory and the other landscaping companies at the fair,” Brian Rismiller of the Fairboard said.
While they do not get the number of leads direct from the fair that they used to, that doesn’t stop them from putting their display up. They use the fair as a great way to get their name out to the public and build a foundation for the company’s future growth.
“I think it’s important that the community knows that we are here, that we support the fair, and that the business has been around a long time,” Flory said. “Maybe you aren’t a homeowner yet, but if you go to the fair and see my name each year when you get older and become a homeowner, you’d recognize our company as one that’s trusted and been around a long time.”
Their consistent efforts at making great displays at the fair pays off. They build their name and their brand for people to see and remember.
“The people that are buying mulch, gravel, and doing landscape quotes for are the kids that I was buying livestock animals off of 20 -25 years ago,” Flory said. “It takes a long time for the investment to come back around, but my clientele base is a lot of kids that I’ve supported for years and years.”
There is always excitement to see how the landscaping displays have changed from the previous year. This year is no different.
