GreenTree Furniture Expands Promotional Efforts

Recently, Don and Jenifer Green, owners of GreenTree Home Furniture & Accessories, completed a project to improve sales and marketing of their signature line of hardwood furniture. The project was funded, in part, through a matching grant from the Watershed Agricultural Council’s (WAC) Forestry Program.

“One of the main goals of the grants program is to provide incentives that help local wood-using businesses manufacture regionally harvested material into value-added products,” states Collin Miller, Wood Utilization & Marketing Specialist at the WAC.

“We had come to the realization that in order to grow and connect to a larger client base, we needed to branch out and investigate other options for marketing.” states Jen Green who deals with sales and promotion for GreenTree.

Over the past year, GreenTree exhibited their products at tradeshows in Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City. As part of their marketing plan, the team also built an online showcase of furniture and home accents on their website www.greentreehome.com by recruiting photography and design services from other Delaware County businesses, Galene Studios and Aleph & Co. Like many small American furniture companies, GreenTree’s strategy aims to attract high-end furniture buyers and interior designers.

“National advertising is the great divider,” states Green. “It legitimizes a business, by branding it.”

From the company’s studio in Treadwell, Don Green – co-founder and principal designer ­ builds each piece by hand using solid woods and veneers to make tables, sideboards, seating, jewelry boxes, home accessories and other limited run pieces. Prices range from about $280 for a set of picture frames to thousands of dollars for larger home furnishings.

Don Green sees real promise in the added marketing effort. “We’d love to see more of our business develop locally,” Don says, “but competing on a national level is where we need to be.”

The Greens felt that the major key to the execution and ultimate success of their marketing plan was funding. “We are a small business with a limited budget. The grant funds were crucial in getting the plan off its feet.”

Though funds for the program have dwindled, Miller is encouraged by the interest in other economic intiatives at WAC and hopes that they will aid local forest product manufacturers remain competetive in challenging economic times.

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