The Rural Voice, 2004-11, Page 27what was growing in their own back
yard," she recalls. She was working
out of a corner of the Perth Garlic
office when the pivotal moment
came.
"We had a customer come in the
door who had a shop in Woodstock.
He asked `How much is this
wholesale? 1 want to get it into my
store.' I turned around and sat gat my
desk and figured out what could be a
wholesale price and threw something
together and he bought it: $300. That
changed the business right there and
then."
The growth of the catalogue had
been slow and was going to require a
huge input of money to get it beyond
the original small mailing list.
Suddenly, in a l0 -minute visit by a
retailer, she saw a new opportunity to
sell fewer customers who would buy
large quantities.
"We signed up with the Canadian
Gift and Tableware Association and
started doing trade shows and that
really iswhat changed the course of
the business."
The catalogue was discontinued
but she now uses the company
website to carry on the
mandate of educating people about
the benefits of garlic and provide
recipes for use of its garlic products,
as well as telling people about The
Garlic Box's lines and where they
can find retailers who stock them.
"Our website is one of those
hidden assets," she explains, even
though it doesn't sell products. "We
use it as a selling tool for our retailers
and we reference it on all of our
products for recipes so we can stay in
contact (with consumers). We get
correspondence through our website
directly from the consumer. They can
ask us any questions."
The website also lists times and
locations of upcoming demonstra-
tions. The company will soon hold a
contest among retailers for the best
display of Garlic Box products with
the winners posted on the website,
giving publicity to the retailers. The
idea is to promote both products and
retailers. Retailers are always looking
for help from wholesalers to increase
sales, she says.
"Our responsibility doesn't end
with the sale. We've got to go the
distance with supporting (food)
demonstrations, supporting in house
displays and helping to create
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