Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/506883
The Irrigation Association launched Smart Irrigation Month in July 2005 to increase public awareness of the value of water-use efficiency and water-saving products, practices and services. The initiative is designed to: Educate homeowners, businesses, growers and other users about simple ways to save money and water. Encourage industry firms and professionals to promote smart irrigation practices and technologies to customers. Help water providers minimize peak water use and reduce demands on infrastructure in their communities. Reinforce the role efficient irrigation plays in providing real solutions to today's water challenges. Participating in Smart Irrigation Month can help you position your company as an expert in water conservation, raise your profile among customers and potential customers and retain customers who value your expertise and performance. Don't know where to start? Take a look at how IA members have worked to promote Smart Irrigation Month to their custom- ers and employees. CPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. CPS Distributors, Inc., Westminster, Colo., has been a longtime supporter of the Smart Irrigation Month initiative. "We strongly feel that Smart Irrigation Month is a great way to help educate our customers and promote smart watering tech- nologies," said James Martin, advertising manager at CPS. CPS started its 2014 campaign by aggressively promoting the initiative at every CPS event in Colorado and Wyoming. For the third year in a row, CPS leadership helped obtain an official procla- mation from the state of Colorado declaring July Smart Irrigation Month. CPS was also instrumental in getting proclamations from the city and county of Denver for the second consecutive year. CPS continued its Get Smart/Water Smart initiative, imple- mented in 2012. The campaign promotes Smart Irrigation Month at CPS branch locations in Colorado and Wyoming through point- of-sale displays, digital media messaging and social media postings. The company also worked with state associations to promote the initiative. With the help of the Associated Landscape Contrac- tors of Colorado (ALCC), CPS created a YouTube video featur- ing Gov. John Hickenlooper proclaiming July as Smart Irrigation Month. ALCC also created smart irrigation segments for Channel 9 News in Denver, an NBC affiliate, as well as a number of educa- tional videos specifically for contractors. DIG CORPORATION DIG Corporation, Vista, Calif., launched its "Switch2Drip" cam- paign to educate a wide variety of audiences on the benefits of using a drip irrigation system. These efforts targeted irrigation professionals, as well as homeowners and children. DIG created a customized landing page with information and resources relevant to each of these distinct audiences. DIG promoted the Switch2Drip campaign through social me- dia, print and digital marketing materials, targeted e-mail blasts and press releases. The company saw high levels of engagement on its social media platforms as part of the Switch2Drip contest. Participants had to upload a photo of their future landscape proj- ect to one of DIG's social media networks and explain what they would do with the space. The winner received $300 worth of DIG products. The company created several one-page fact sheets and info- graphics available for download on its website, including: Checklist for Drip Specifications Drip Layout Examples Drip Starter Kit Five W's of Drip Sprinkler vs. Drip: Water Savings & Value Comparison Benefits of Being IA Certified DIG also targeted parents, creating resources with tips to help children develop good water-saving habits. The company also cre- July Is Smart Irrigation Month: How Can You Get Involved? IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION 34 May/June 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com