Jul 24, 2019

IGC Show Keynote to Address Ways to Reach Millennial Shoppers

Millennials and the mysteries surrounding this sometimes-elusive target consumer for garden centers are the focus of Mark Belling’s upcoming Thursday morning keynote at the IGC Show — one of three free keynotes at next month’s must-attend event.

Belling will share what he’s learned through the years about this intriguing generation during his keynote, “Cracking the Millennial Code: A Look at the Generation Who at Times Makes Us Laugh … And Tear Our Hair Out!” at 9 a.m. on August 15 on the IGC Show Center Stage, located right at the show entrance. 

Belling is one of the best-known local talk show hosts in America. For years, he has guest-hosted “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” He’s a longtime A-lister in TALKERS magazine’s “Heavy Hundred” most important talk shows in America.
His radio show during afternoon drive-time on 1130 WISN-AM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is one of the highest-rated local talk programs in the country, routinely winning its time slot.

Belling has been honored with the National Association of Broadcasters’ prestigious Marconi Radio Award for Medium Market Personality of the Year. His show is a mixture of principled conservatism, lifestyle issues and, as he describes it, anything else “I feel like talking about.” 

 

Every retailer, big and small, is changing their retail environment to appeal to them. Every employer is changing company policies to work with them. It won’t be long before half the employees in the workplace are millennials.

 

There are so many things about this generation that are different than what we’ve seen before. Generally, millennials are reluctant to engage in homeownership. They’re getting married much later in life. They tend not to have as many one-on-one relationships, and go out in groups.

In the workplace, they love collaboration, working together and being part of teams. Rather than working independently, they’re often far more effective in a group setting and with a lot of direction and feedback. 

 

Retailers’ employment benefits and enticements have been directly impacted by the cultural shifts in the workforce. Key incentives garden center employers once used to recruit and retain their top employees have now become so standard that employees in even the most basic entry-level jobs demand them. 

 

Come and hear Belling’s insightful, entertaining message, one that will send you back to your store inspired with new ideas on how to sell to this dynamic generation of consumers who don’t really want to be “sold to” yet represent a gold mine to garden center retailers who successfully crack their code.

For more information, please visit www.igcshow.com.