Flowers every day, every way

Flower expert, TV personality, garden center owner and fourth-generation florist J Schwanke is bringing flowers back into everyday life. Sharing research from Rutgers, Harvard, Texas A&M and the University of Florida, Schwanke explained how adding flowers helps improve the lives of those who surround themselves with them.

Here are some of the benefits he shared:

• Homes with flowers have fewer arguments.
• Patients who receive flowers in the hospital recover faster.
• Flowers help lessen depression.
• They help increase creativity.
• Flowers can help you enlarge your circle of friends, especially as you get older.
• Having flowers around increases happy thoughts overall.
• Floral arrangements generally help you feel better about yourself and others.

Generational differences

Baby Boomers – Boomers generally want to have a stable environment, and flowers are part of creating that. They’re more likely than any other generation to purchase flowers once every week or two.

Gen X – This generation is more likely to purchase flowers for others than for themselves. However, they’re more likely to buy themselves flowers if they’re surrounded by call-to-action messaging and decorating hints like “Treat yourself” or “Brighten up your home.”

“They need that permission slip,” Schwanke said.

Millennials – Nearly half of Millennial shoppers spend less than $50 on flowers annually, but unlike Gen Xers, they’re more likely to buy flowers to celebrate their own special occasions. They’re also more likely to purchase flowers if they’re bundled in smaller bouquets at cheaper prices because they prefer to pick and choose to make their own bouquets.

The other thing they’re interested in is the shelf life of the flowers.

Gen Z – The latest generation is less brand-conscious than Millennials, “which is a huge benefit to us as an independent garden center,” Schwanke said. However, like Millennials, they’re concerned about the environment and want transparency.

Attracting Millennials

This generation wants to communicate visually, Schwanke said. They’re very experience-oriented, rather than product-oriented. So one option would be a kids club for flowers where parents can bring their children to spend some time together. Plus, it captures the next generation of customers.

“That’s how we train those people to become purchasers going forward,” Schwanke said.

• Price matters.
• They want to engage on social media.
• They love buy one, get one free deals, online coupons and social media incentives.
• Provide them with good, better and best options for artistic arrangements.
• They love loyalty programs that will offer them free products with no expiration dates.
• They prefer to use emails and phone numbers to keep track of their loyalty programs.

The whole goals is to bring flowers back into people’s everyday lives – decorating with flowers, celebrating with flowers and keeping flowers at the forefront.

“It doesn’t just have to be cut flowers,” Schwanke said. “Offer classes on flower arranging and terrariums, teach people how to take care of orchids and succulents. What we’re talking about is creating a flower lifestyle.”