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Summer Marketing
Summer Marketing |
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Written by Brian Minter
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When the economy is reasonably strong and sales in our industry reflect that strength, we become a little complacent about the future. From all the information I see coming from the U.S., we should to be very concerned about our industry.
 When the economy is reasonably strong and sales in our industry reflect that strength, we become a little complacent about the future. From all the information I see coming from the U.S., we should to be very concerned about our industry. The Sealy Commission, which looks at the strengths and weaknesses of American industries, found that all commercial plants growing in America are flat for the first time, in spite of all the vastly expanded retail opportunities for consumers. The latest data from the American Nursery and Landscape Association indicates a four per cent drop in consumer spending in the gardening sector, which includes floral sales. The latest statistics from the Garden Writers’ Association also indicate that young folks are somewhat ambivalent towards flowers and plants.
I’ve mentioned some of these stats before, and it’s obvious we need to work together as an industry to promote the value of plants and flowers in people’s lives, but that’s a long shot. I firmly believe the old adage that any journey begins with the first step, and frankly, it’s up to each of us to step up. This summer is the ideal time to do just that.
I believe it’s time to target the younger Gen X market. Generation Xer’s are 28 to 38 years old and account for 19 per cent of the Canadian population. They have a global outlook, especially towards the environment, and are very technology oriented. These folks value friendships and a good quality of life; are cynical about the future; are street smart; and are distrustful of things ‘big’. Their shopping behaviour is quality over quantity. They are pragmatic, price conscious, Internet buyers and credit card users. In other words, they don’t necessarily shop price, but they know a quality deal when they see one. These folks are not our traditional walk-in market – we have to move into their world. We need to promote in their magazines and on their radio stations, using an approach and products to which they can relate. A quality single flower, uniquely presented, is just as important as a whole bouquet. They are very much into the value-add of ‘bling bling’ and off-the-wall stuff. They love funk.
Canadians of all ages are berserk for shopping – especially tweens and teenagers.
• Kids between the ages of nine and 13 spent $4.9 million a day of their own money in 2003 in the nation’s shopping malls. This army of 2.1 million tweens influences another $52 million in household purchases every day.
• Number one factor that drives teens to stores – size availability.
• Number one source where teens get their money – allowance from parents.
• Number one item purchased by or for a teen – clothing.
• Average amount of money teen report spending per week – about $50.
• Today’s teens are spending much of their money at value-based stores such as mass merchants, like Wal-Mart, instead of trendy mall retailers.
• It is estimated that 2,096,400 tweens will be age 10-14 in 2006.
• Word of mouth and in-school ‘hall talk’ between tweens are powerful makers and breakers of new fads, trends, and brands.
• Tweens have yet to acknowledge their impressionability to advertising.
• 63 per cent of tweens heard about cool new products and brand names from friends or at school.
(Sources: The NDP Group. The National Post, Stats Canada)
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When Earl’s Restaurant asked us to supply plants for a beach party, my first reaction was why would we even bother with their younger market. Thinking it through, however, I realized it was a great opportunity to touch these folks with our products. We’re going to do funky stuff like banana trees and outdoor palms in wild pots and tropical flowers in a wide array of unique containers and displays. Earl’s offered to price and sell the product for us and I will be curious to see the results both during and after the event. These types of events are wonderful door openers to a potential market that has slipped under our radar.
Summer promotion does not necessarily mean spending money, it means providing the right product in exchange for ‘free ink’ and promotion in a new marketplace. We need to reposition our product into the mix of cell phones, technology, hip clothing, cars, specialty drinks, vacations and other ‘feel good stuff’. It takes folks with some long-term vision to start this process, and knowing the great people in our industry, we are up to the challenge. Just maybe, we can do individually what we can’t collectively.
Brian Minter and his wife, Faye, own and operate two major garden centers, a greenhouse range, two flowers shops and a 27-acre, world-class show garden in Chilliwack, B.C.
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