"Communicating your messages to existing and potential customers and encouraging them to visit - and buy - is one of the single most important challenges for garden centre management," says Graham Paskett, Managing Director at Paskett Public Relations.

Graham has been working in gardening pr for over 30 years and when talking to new clients he always emphasises the importance and success effective communication can bring.

Garden centres, often the very specialist ones are part of a chain or are totally independent, operate within a comparatively identifiable geographic catchment area. "For the purpose of these series of columns, I shall focus on local and regional media including radio and, where appropriate television. We will deal specifically with ‘new media' later in the year," says Graham.

The three most effective ways of reaching your local media are either directly by telephone, an email or use a press release. But there is a vital checklist to follow. Before we identify this - and at the risk of offending skilled pr professionals - there is a basic fact you must address before ringing or writing.

Check List:

1. Read or listen to the media - you want to target your story to the correct people
2. Ring up and ask whether anyone specialises on writing or reporting on gardening topics
3. Identify the deadline for receiving stories.  (In the next column we look at the importance of timing)
4. Keep your story precise, straight to the point and inclusive of contact details

A key point to remember with local and regional press is that a good photograph can play a huge part in how much coverage you can receive.

On a final note, before submitting anything to the media, ask yourself this question: "Is this newsworthy or are we selling something?" Pr is all about finding a news angle that does not rely on pushing your product overtly. It is about something "new and unique", which will grab people's attention and consequently with this idea in mind you can begin to see your company's name in lights.