August 15, 2010
It’s time to think about Awards of Excellence
Taking great photos is important in order to showcase the creative talent required to produce each winning entry.
As a member of LO, your company is able to market itself as professional, and LO’s Awards of Excellence program provides that opportunity. As an award recipient, you can showcase your company’s professional talents. Our industry is filled with creative, skilled and enthusiastic people, and the awards program proves that each and every year. It’s a time to showcase the best of our best.
LO manages several awards programs, including Retail Garden Centre with 14 categories, Growers (see page 12 in this issue) with 11 categories, and Construction, Maintenance and Design with an astounding 39 categories.
Each year the winning entries are seen by thousands of consumers and those in the trade. Award winning projects have been featured on HGTV, in Garden Inspiration magazine, dozens of newspapers and publications and at Canada Blooms and Congress. As well, there have been numerous articles on websites and in newspapers, such as The Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, London Free Press, Toronto Sun, and many more, not to mention trade publications including Landscape Trades and Horticulture Review.
Many LO members, with the help of Landscape Ontario’s public relations staff, have press releases printed by their local media. The positive marketing from such articles results in priceless public relations opportunity within the member’s community.
Photos are important
Taking great photos is important in order to showcase the creative talent required to produce each winning entry. As a bit of advice, landscape photographers should look for an overcast day to create a vivid landscape shot. A bright sunny day does not capture the hues and deeper shades in a landscape. Also keep shadows in mind, as they can detract from the image. Always take more shots than you need. Better to have more choices when it comes time to put your entry together.For more information on the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence programs, contact Kathleen Pugliese at kathleenp@landscapeontario.com, or visit www.loawards.com.