**5. Conclusions**

This study offers several theoretical implications for Excellence in Public Relations theory and how garden centers approach PR in the digital sphere. Grunig [26] identified a two-way symmetrical model of communication as the most effective means of communication between stakeholders. Since social-media is an effective avenue for conducting research and communicating to customers [24,28], this study adds to the body of literature and theory by suggesting that engagement and interaction on social-media could diminish when businesses are not actively participating in two-way symmetrical communication online and do not understand the value it offers beyond direct sales. New-media marketing could garner additional business over time by building a loyal customer base.

Garden center owners and employees should consider implementing principles of two-way symmetrical communication in new-media marketing, and approach it not as a sales tool but, as Constandinindes and Fountain [13] describe, a medium for communicating and engaging directly with potential customers in order to build relationships. In doing so, stakeholders may harness the power of new-media to generate deep involvement with customers. Because customer interaction on social-media can be profitable [40] and WOM can reach an enhanced volume of potential customers for minimal costs [21], using new-media channels could help garden centers that are hindered by resources or geography to reach new target audiences.

Participants also identified using MCM, which included new-media, to reach their target audience. However, the bulk of their efforts focused on traditional marketing that included radio, television, newspapers, and direct mail. Although new-media marketing was used, it was often an afterthought. The popular response for why the stakeholders emphasized traditional media was a mixture of tradition and feeling like they could quantify traditional media. However, stakeholders were not using any form of analysis to determine the effectiveness or efficiency of their marketing efforts. Although stakeholders may be reaching a large number of their target audience via direct mail, radio, and television campaigns; they could be neglecting a very important demographic by ignoring the potential of new-media marketing, which is becoming more vital as traditional forms of media become increasingly segmented. Therefore, this paper recommends that garden center owners and employees implement measurement programs to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing efforts and not rely on traditional or intra-organizational culture to make marketing decisions. Communicators should work to reach this market of garden centers to educate stakeholders on the value of new-media marketing.

This study recommends that future research focus on consumers' perceptions and preferences toward new-media marketing. Since educational and relevant content is paramount to consumers, we recommend identifying content that garden center customers desire as well as which aspects of relationship marketing resonate most. Future research should also identify which new-media platforms are yielding the greatest ROI in regards to increased sales, increased reputation, and increased relationships. Lastly, studies should focus on strategies that are being implemented by garden center stakeholders, how customers perceive those strategies, and how such activities can improve customer loyalty and foster meaningful relationships.

**Acknowledgments:** This research was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Marketing Service—Federal State Marketing Improvement Program (number 11402984), James L. Whitten Building 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20250, USA. Contribution no. 17-198-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The authors wish to thank Janis Crow (Department of Marketing, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA) for her guidance and contribution to the graduate committee.

**Author Contributions:** Scott Stebner planned, executed, and analyzed the study, which involved coordinating with garden center stakeholders, traveling to conduct interviews, transcribing interviews, and determining themes within analysis software and writing. Cheryl Boyer, Lauri Baker, and Hikaru Peterson obtained funding, helped design the study, gave guidance on analysis, and assisted with manuscript writing.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.


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