Marketing Flowers To Millennials: Four Key Points

Studies show that fewer flowers are being purchased by younger customers. This age group, currently 20-38 years old and known as Millennials, have very different thoughts and attitudes towards flower buying than previous generations.

The The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF), established in 2008 by volunteers of the American Floral Endowment Board of Trustees, was created to help florists tackle just this type of problem. They commissioned a study called “Marketing Tactics to Increase Millennial Floral Purchases”. It examined marketing strategies and tactics that can help retail florists better target Millennials.

Florists wanting to attract this age group need to be aware of the these four things:

 

You Need To Work A Little Differently To Market Flowers To Millennials Vs Other Age Groups

Millennials perceive flowers as traditional and not trendy, so purchasing flowers as a gift or for an occasion may not come automatically to them. Florists should offer millennials options that fit their lifestyle (think in-store events such as flower-arranging classes), give them opportunities to customize or personalize their purchases (including discounts), and educate them about the benefits of floral products (e.g. the research behind flowers and plants improving health and happiness).

 

Social Media Strategy And Online Presence Are An Absolute Must

Its no surprise that social media is crucial to successfully engaging millennials. Florists can use social media to promote in-store events, share testimonials, educate them on what and when to buy, and provide timely responses to customers. Having a shop Facebook page is not enough - florists will need to use other social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram to reach this group.

Because convenience is very important to millennials, florists should find ways to make purchasing flowers easier for this group (e.g. having a mobile-friendly website, offering online ordering with in-store pick up, etc). Accurate information of what they are purchasing is essential so keep your website photos, pricing and care information up to date. Remember- if what they order and what they receive are not the same, it will likely be shared on social media.

 

Millennials Are Interested In Loyalty Programs

Millennials value loyalty programs that are easy to use, don’t expire and offer flexibility (points that can be redeemed at other stores, free gift on birthdays, etc). Subscription boxes are also increasing in popularity with this group - consider a subscription program that offers a free trial and is easy to cancel as a way to introduce millennials to the benefits of giving and receiving flowers on a regular basis.

 

Millennials Value Having More Information When Making A Floral Purchase

Providing more information about the flowers they are considering purchasing is a good way to reach millennials. Because flowers are perceived to be expensive to this group, providing information about how to care for flowers, how to increase the longevity of the arrangement, the meaning behind the flowers they are purchasing, and any socially- conscious information as well (sustainable products, reduced chemical usage, fair treatment of workers, etc) is a good value-added service.

 

Source: Marketing Tactics to Increase Millennial Floral Purchases, by the American Floral Endowment and the Floral Marketing Research Fund, 2016.