From Text to Traffic: Using SMS to Drive Retail Sales
For Garden Retail
Text message marketing isn’t just for big-box retailers anymore. Garden centers across the country are using Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) to increase foot traffic, boost event attendance, move inventory faster, and strengthen relationships with both customers and staff.
In this candid panel discussion, garden retailers will share real-world case studies on how they’re using text message marketing in their businesses. You’ll hear what prompted them to start, how they introduced it to customers, what types of messages perform best, and the measurable results they’ve seen.
Joining the conversation will be Sara Castillo, co-founder of TapOnIt and a longtime advocate for small business marketing. Having worked with hundreds of independent retailers, including many garden centers, Sara will contribute practical insights from what she’s seen across the industry.
She’ll help provide context around things like list building, compliance, segmentation strategies, and message timing while keeping the focus on what’s working for retailers in the real world.
Whether you’re exploring SMS/MMS for the first time or looking to refine your strategy, this session will give you practical, peer-driven insights you can apply immediately.
Included with AmericanHort membership; $49 for non-members.
Our Moderator
Sarah Castillo
Tap On It
Our Panel
Bobby Lewis
Vice President of Marketing
Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscape
Bobby is Vice President of Marketing at Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscape, where he brings a lifelong connection to the nursery business and deep operational experience to the role. Founded in 1960 by his uncle, Bill “The Farmer” Meadows, the family company has been part of Bobby’s life since childhood; he has worked in the business since the age of six. Bobby assumed leadership of the marketing department in 2011 and is actively involved across all areas of the organization. His passion for the green industry and the family enterprise has helped guide Meadows Farms’ growth into a leading independent garden center operation, now encompassing 16 retail locations, a landscape division, Mosquito Shield franchise operations, grounds maintenance services, and more.
Jake Scott
General Manager
Piedmont Feed & Garden
Jake Scott is a leader in independent garden retail and serves as General Manager of Piedmont Feed & Garden Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. With deep roots in the horticulture and green industry, Jake brings a blend of hands-on retail experience, collaborative team leadership, and a strong customer-first mindset to garden center operations. He focuses on fostering a culture of continuous learning for both staff and customers, supported by thoughtful merchandising, strong supplier relationships, and authentic community engagement. Jake’s leadership has earned national recognition, including being named a 2024 Green Profit / The Garden Center Group Young Retailer National Finalist and helping his team receive a 2023 Lawn & Garden Retailer Innovator Award.
Kate Terrell
Owner
Wallaces Garden Center
Kate Terrell is the second generation owner of Wallaces Garden Center, a 10 acre retail grower producing annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. She holds a B.S. in Horticulture from Iowa State University and spent four years as a perennial manager for an upscale Chicago area garden center before returning to the family business. After working in multiple roles, Kate assumed ownership in 2021. She is a frequent lecturer on gardening topics and a regular guest on Quad Cities Live. Her leadership has earned numerous honors, including Iowa’s Horticulture Industry Leadership Award, Top 40 Under 40, and selection as a Women Impacting ISU honoree.