July / August 2009

Publishers’ Perspective

POND Trade Magazine enters the scene

That’s right, we have a new name – POND Trade Magazine. Why, you are probably asking yourself. Well first, in deference to our friends at pondbiz.com, we accepted, in retrospect, that our names were just too similar to avoid possible confusion. On the up side, this gave us a chance to reflect on our mission and role in this community. We took a look at the big picture and found that we could better express who we are with a new name. Where POND BIZ Magazine worked acceptably as the name for a trade magazine, it occasionally required some explaining. Our hope is that the name POND Trade tells the story of what we are about immediately.

The word trade was carefully selected, to reflect the craftsmanship and personal touch you bring to every project. Whether as a pond builder or a manufacturer, we are still a small enough niche that products we use were created by passionate craftsmen (no gender implied). The same is true for aquatic plant growers, and koi and goldfish breeders. There is no assembly line mentality here. We sometimes describe ourselves as the garden pond industry, or the koi and water garden industry, but the word industry was just too impersonal for us in this case. The name just had to be Trade. I hope you like it as much as we do.

Speaking of the creation of new products, I was recently asked if there was a Product of the Year awarded by anyone.

I said that I did not think so, but there certainly should be. So, here it is. POND Trade Magazine is now accepting nominations for the first Product of the Year for the Pond Trade. Nominations are open to everyone and must be in writing. Be sure to include the name and contact information of the manufacturer, the name of the nominated product, and a brief statement about why you believe it should be Product of the Year 2009. Please include your contact info, and only enter once. Entries can be emailed to product2009@pondtrademag.com, faxed to 760/451-1692 or mailed to PO Box 1985, Fallbrook, CA, 92088-1985. Entries must be postmarked or received no later than October 31, 2009. The winner will be announced in our March/April 2010 issue. Additional details can be found at pondtrademag.com/productoftheyear. Please write us and tell us about what product has impressed you and why today.

As we make this transition, I must also say thank you to our great advertisers, without whom this magazine could not exist. The advertisers you see on these pages have made a genuine commitment to supporting us in this trade and deserve our patronage and our thanks. Please be sure to tell them, “I saw your ad in POND Trade Magazine.” It makes a big difference, really.

Thanks for your continued support,
Tom Graham

Download the July / August 2009 PDF

Article List

Ponds Business Retailing the UK Way
Shaun Kelly
Successful professional retailers in the UK share their knowledge and passion for the water garden / pond industry including the way they handle displays and the products they stock.

Pond Design Information for a Two-pond Filtration System
Jamie Beyer
Jamie advices you on a pond design that uses a second pond to filter water. Filters that are simple and easy to maintain are the best design solution.

Water Garden Pests and Water Lily Diseases
Paula Biles
Pests or diseases seldom afflict water lilies. Here Paula explores issues with Terrestrial Animals, Aquatic Fauna, Insects and Diseases. Then shares her insights on preventing problems before they start.

Keeping Fish Ponds Beautiful in the Summer
Curt Nuenighoff
Summer Pond Care - Expert advice about summer pond care, offering up tips on how-to advise your clients on managing algae growth, plant growth and maintenance, fish spawns and feeding.

Language of Koi – Kikokuryu (Kee ko ku roo)
Joe Pawlak
Find the answer of what a great Kikokuryu should look like. Joe shares his knowledge of this koi variety, along with great pictures. And yes, water quality does make a difference.

New Age Pond Advertising the Social Marketing Way
Pam Greiner
Learn how any size business can use the new "Social Media" tools to market and grow their businesses. Tips on ten critical steps you can take to reap the full benefits.

How–to Disappearing Fountain Installation
Anita Nelson
A 14-step guide on how to install a Disappearing Fountain. Included are tips and how to care for the fountain. Learn from the experts and avoid some of those first time mistakes; good add-on feature.

Improve your Pond Business with an Effective Call to Action
Peter Prestipino
Okay you have traffic to your website, now what? Professional suggestions to help you make your website work better and close more sales.

10 Benefits of Rising Early and How to Do It
Leo Babauta
Leo gives you 10 tips about the benefits of rising early and then makes it easy to do by giving you practical steps to achieving your goal.

Ewing Installs Rain Capture Pondless Waterfall
Tom Graham
Aquascapes, Inc. and Ewing Irrigation join forces to install and promote rain water harvesting, a pondless water feature, and drip irrigation. See how these three different technologies can all work together.

Strategic Banners as Powerful Pond Business Advertisements
Cindy Graham
Banners to increase your business - how to use them and tips on how to make them ie your message, location, colors, fonts and graphics.