Increase your CIQ! Facts about today's home gardener.

1. Increase your CIQ
(Customer Intelligence Quota)
BALL UNIVERSITY 2014 @ LSU HAMMOND
Bill Calkins, IGC Business Manager

2. The cold hard facts:
Flower gardening is down 30%
Percent of households participating in the activity; NGA data 2011

3. It’s not all about lack of interest…

4. The new folks….
How many people turn 35 each year?
Current
Age
43 - 66
Current
Age
32 - 42
Current
Age
14 - 33
The total pool….
# of people aged 35-55?

5. Average Age of
Marriage
Buying a home soon? Not
likely….
I’m laden with debt
I’m underemployed
My parents take care of me
Great prices…no loans
A bit more doom and gloom….

6. Here comes our
future customer
Of people aged 35 – 55 (our core gardening demo):
•In 2005, 25% are Gen X (the rest are boomers)
•In 2010, 47% are Gen X (the rest are boomers)
•In 2015, 75% are Gen X and Gen Y (split 50/50)
Gen Y’s
share of the
Workforce:
2009 2014
25%
47%

7. What do we know about
these ‘kids’?
• The generation of great multi-taskers.
(it’s a myth)
• Information is everywhere.
(they’re just super fast)
• Highly confident, upbeat and positive
(despite the outlook)
• Yearn for the ‘meaning’ of it all
(yet surprisingly uncommitted)
• Are ‘groupers’
(txt enabled)

8. It’s an experience.
• They live for the experience
• With friends.
The Gen Y target is far more likely to garden in
their community then garden in their backyard.

9. Gardening is absent from the list for the
Gen Y group (at least so far…)
Generat ionY Generat ionX Babyboomers
(born1978-1995) (born1965-1977) (born1946-1964)
1 Whirlpool bath 1 State-of-the-art kitchen 1 State-of-the-art kitchen
2 Swimming pool 2 Large walk-in closets 2 Large walk-in closets
3 Game/billiard room 2 Fireplace 3 Whirlpool bath
3 Large walk-in closets 4 Whirlpool bath 4 Fireplace
5 Fireplace 5 Swimming pool 5 Swimming pool
6 State-of-the-art kitchen 6
Patios, porches and
decks
6 Workshop/hobby studio
7 Sauna/steam room 7 Game/billiard room 7
Patios, porches and
decks
7 Gym/fitness room 8 Garden 7 Garden
9
High-tech entertainment
center
9 Gym/fitness room 9 Game/billiard room
10 Patios, porches and decks 10 Workshop/hobby studio 9
High-tech entertainment
center
Top dream-home amenities vary in importance by generation:
Rank Rank Rank

10. Some things Gen Y told us about
gardening…
I don’t
know how
I don’t
have time
I’m afraid I
will fail –
and that’s a
waste of
money
Sure…it
improves my
home value,
but only if I am
successful

11. ..it’s just not part of their language

12. We must add value to our products
and to gardening in general.
The primary motivation shifts with age….and
experience
Generation X Generation Y Baby Boomers
Improves Value
Increases Curb Appeal
Relaxing
Stress Reducing
Add beauty and richness
To my life

13. This is even more pronounced when we
talk to the ‘non gardening’ group….
13
Gardeners and non-gardeners seem to generally agree on the EXTRINISIC
(aesthetic and functional) value of gardening around the home.
Non-Gardener
Gardener

14. 14
Gardening attitudes (Gardeners vs. Non)
But non-gardeners fail to see the INTRINSIC value of the activity.
Non-Gardener
Gardener

15. 15
Gardening attitudes (Gardeners vs. Non)
Therefore, they over-value the investment in time and money.
Non-Gardener
Gardener

16. But it isn’t any
good if you don’t
tell them what it
‘does’!!

17. It’s not just about color and decorating
The need for multi-function.

18. Current Solutions:
The function of plants

19. Future Solutions:
The function ‘double down’
Exercise
Family
Outdoors
Environmental
Together
Food
Border
Shade
Privacy
Oxygen
&

20. Focus on the practical
• It’s all about the project
– What’s the color
– What’s the texture
– What’s the function?

21. Who is winning with this sort of
messaging?
Independent
Garden Center

22. Purchase locations
Lowe’s
Home Depot
IGC
Lowe’s
Home Depot
IGC
Lowe’s
Home Depot
IGC

23. Think you have a winning message
that is sure to break through???
All content created
since the beginning
of time until 2003
The amount of
content created in
just 48 hours

24. But the good news – YOU don’t have to do
all of the work!
• Yelp, Like, Foursquare….share!
• Shhhh……you have to listen….
• Crispy, bite-sized nuggets
• Be relevant.
The number of votes
for Burpee Grow
Anywhere Tour stops!
1,000,000+
1,000,000+

25. Summary:
Messaging the added benefit
• The practical application of plants
• The goodness of gardening
• The information for success
• The group experience

26. Type of Gardener – By Age
Q17. Which of the following best describes your gardening activities?
BASE: Gardeners

27. Casual vs. Enthusiastic
27
CASUAL GARDENER
AGE:
Years of experience:
Main Drivers:
Three motivators:
•
•
•
Garden by myself
Dollars Spent:
ENTHUSIASTIC GARDENER
AGE:
Years of experience:
Main Drivers:
Three motivators:
•
•
•
Gardening is a family activity
Dollars Spent:

28. Casual vs. Enthusiastic
28
CASUAL GARDENER
AGE: ~42
Years of experience: 5-10
Main Drivers: Extrinsic
Three motivators:
•Add beauty
• Add curb appeal
• Reflection of me
Garden by myself
Dollars Spent: $88
ENTHUSIASTIC GARDENER
AGE: ~50
Years of experience: 10-20
Main Drivers: Intrinsic
Three motivators:
• Relaxing; reduce stress
• Connection to nature
• Express my creativity
Gardening is a family activity
Dollars Spent: $118

29. YOUNG MEN IN THE DIRT

30. THE NUMBERS
•18-34 age group biggest increase in
dollars spent over last year
•Young men spend $100 more than the
average on L&G - $441 annually
•These young males prefer to shop at
hardware stores - this is their comfort
zone
• NGA 2013 Survey

31. YOUNG MALE LARGEST SPEND
CATEGORIES:
Do you see the trend??
% increase over last year Group that spends most in this category
Fruit trees up 43%` Male 18-34 21% of total sales
Vegetable gardening up 9% Male 55 and over 20% of total sales (Male 18-
34 second with 14%)
Growing berries up 42% Male 18-34 26% of total sales
Herb gardening up 43% Male 18-34 23% of total sales

32. GARDENING IS NOT THE HOBBY
THE HOBBY COMES AFTER HARVEST
•Drink you yard
• Fermentation Gardens - Grapes and
hops are COOL! They are into
making their own wine and craft
beer (pop-up hops class at your
garden center??)
• Groothies - make green smoothies
from your own harvest
• Mixology - Herbs for cocktails like
mojitos (mixology cart program with
recipe cards??)

33. So…it’s easy….
• Reach that younger generation
– By adding value to the gardening experience
– By talking about function and purpose
– By providing community platforms
– Through their digitally-enabled touchpoints
• Build success, build confidence
– Brands with ‘meaning’; heritage
– Consistency in your message

34. Conclusions
• It’s only doom and gloom if you don’t re-invent
yourself
• Metamorphosis for Gen Y (or die)
– Focus on function, purpose and experience
– Provide information – digitally, socially
• Build confidence to build dollars
Bill Calkins
Ball Seed
630-588-3249
bcalkins@ballhort.com