Five Tips & Tricks to Sell to Millennials
Millennials are digitally obsessed and socially charged and they’re the fastest growing group of garden consumers in the country.
The Millennial generation, those born after 1980 and ranging in age from 14 to 33, have enormous buying power. Now, they’re flocking to the lawn and garden market with Instagram filters, a love of “selfies” and an enthusiasm for green hobbies.
The rise of Millennials has been swift, but predictable. The Baby Boomer generation was huge, so it stands to reason that their offspring would be reasonably large, too. But Millennials are even bigger than Boomers they make up an estimated 25 percent of the U.S. population.
Millennials are even more valuable than their significant purchasing power would indicate because they have the ability to influence potential consumers. The Millennial lifestyle revolves around being plugged in, and they are engaged with brands, consumers and social networks for up to 18 hours per day across multiple platforms.
While they aren’t your “average” gardener, Millennials are exceptional influencers that can make a big difference in the success of your business. They have broad power now, and their purchasing potential is only budding.
As a youthful generation, Millennials desire to go “green,” and your business should capitalize on this interest by making the leap into the unfamiliar world of plants a little bit easier. To help you get started, here are five tips and tricks to help your brand appeal to and capture the Millennial demographic:
1. Individualize Merchandise
Offer multiple options so Millennials can show off their individual style! Millennials are always on the lookout for ways to stand out. They want to show off what makes them different from the crowd. Mass is no longer appealing.
Tip: Carry as many colors, patterns and design variations of a product as you can. To take it to the next level, offer affordable, modular pieces that can be replaced depending on the owner’s mood.
2. Streamline Purchasing
Mobile made easy for buying. 41 percent of Millennials have already made purchases with their smartphones and that number continues to grow. Since Millennials always have their phones with them, buying is only a click away. Talk about easy and perfect for those looking for instant gratification!
Tip: Optimize your site to provide the best mobile experience possible. Everything that can be done on your desktop site should still be available on your mobile site. Then, add a one-click purchase feature similar to the one Amazon.com offers, or some other form of e-commerce.
3. Share Your Knowledge
Millennials are just learning how to garden and are hungry for information. Now’s the time to establish yourself as the gardening expert and become their trusted friend. Make your knowledge and tips easily accessible. Since Millennials are used to learning and having information at their fingertips, they are big DIY-ers.
Tip: Get a content marketing plan in line. Answer questions Millennials are asking about gardening online. Start a blog, teach simple tips in Instagram videos and answer all questions asked of your brand on all of your social media channels.
4. Rope in Mom & Dad
Appeal to parents. A record 36 percent of Millennials move back home after college, partly because of the economy and partly because it’s now cool to be friends with Mom and Dad. Leverage this relationship to get Millennials in the garden.
Tip: Host digital or in-person workshops geared toward parents and their 20-something Millennials who may still live at home. Make it fun, practical and straight to the point. Also, market to parents to make sure when they recommend a garden brand, it’s yours.
5. Focus on the Future
Get serious and talk about the future. Unlike past generations, having a trusted, long-term brand isn’t enough to win over Millennials. This generation is much more interested in what you can offer now, and how you can make the future greener and cleaner.
Tip: Tweak your Millennial messaging to focus on long-term goals. Answer these questions about your brand with Millennials in mind: “Why is this important to me right now?” and “What can this product do for me?”
Everyone in the garden industry is asking: “How do we reach Millennials?” Already there are more Millennials than Baby Boomers, and this generation has the power to spend more than $200 billion a year. Learn how to connect with them and build long-term brand relationships by downloading Garden Media Group’s “Guide on How to Reach Millennials.” Visit www.gardenmediagroup.com for more information.
Click here for five of Garden Media Group’s best millennial marketing tips.
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