DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO, MILLENNIALS AND YOUNGER generations can make up anywhere from 25 to 80 percent of their customer base. While no generation is a monolith and people shouldn’t be stereotyped based on their age, it is important to understand what matters to younger generations as they become a larger section of your customer base.
According to the National Association
of Realtors, millennials represent 43 per- cent of homebuyers, the highest share of any generation. One-quarter of that group is aged 32 to 41, while 18 percent are younger millennials aged 23 to 31. “We know that new homebuyers
are especially interested in lawn and landscape services, so acknowledging how to sell to them is very important,” says Beth Berry, vice president of turf and ornamental sales with Advanced Turf Solutions. “Unlike other generations, mil- lennials are the most likely to outsource for convenience of home services. Our customers have found that millenni- als create high demand for lawn care service, but do typically buy a mid-range bundle. They don’t want to get an HOA letter for not caring for the lawn, but they would prefer not to do it themselves. Our turf and ornamental business owners still see baby boomers or Gen X buying the larger bundle, higher number services per program and higher ticket add-on services such as aeration and overseed- ing.”
WHAT MATTERS TO YOUNGER GENER- ATIONS With this demographic being too big to ignore, it’s important to speak their language and focus on what matters to them. When you’re trying to attract these younger generations to work with your landscape company in the first place, visuals are critical. “Be present on Instagram, lean into new media (TikTok, YouTube, etc.) since that is where younger generations spend their time,” says Jeff Wraley, founder and CEO of Groundwork. “Once you have their attention, make it easy for them to work with you and purchase your services. Invest in your online presence
to build trust. They may want to under- stand more about your company, how you work, etc. - but they certainly don’t want to have a conversation around their dining room table on those topics.” James Hopper, training officer with
Yard Solutions, based in Groveport, Ohio, and Triston Parsons, owner of La Vida Landscapes, based in Birmingham, Alabama, agree having a social media presence is the main way they market to younger generations. “Marketing isn’t a line item in your expenses,” adds Monique Allen, owner of The Garden Continuum, based in Med- field, Massachusetts. “It’s an investment in your mission and business development. You must be relentless in your messag- ing. You must be clear on your audience.” However, a focus on social media
marketing doesn’t mean word of mouth will go out the window. Ivy Fischer, gardening account manager with Rocky Mountain Custom Landscapes, based in Eagle, Colorado, says millennials are often looking to see who their neighbors are using year after year. Joe Stark, marketing director for
Ground Works Land Design, based in Cleveland, Ohio, says they approach all of their brands as a fun, consumer lifestyle brand. Being hyperlocal with a younger owner also helps build traction with these clients. “I think they feel comfortable relating
to most of our sales reps who are also within that age versus talking to some- one that’s been in the industry for forty years that’s 30 years older than them,” Stark says. Aspects that matter when selling will
vary from person to person and some- times what region of the country they are located. However, some common themes younger generations care about
“Younger generations have become accustomed to immediate satisfaction: Amazon packages delivered overnight, food ordered and delivered to your door in minutes, etc. This group of consumers has grown up with technology in their pockets. They want their experience with service providers to be quick and easy.” - Jeff Wraley, founder and CEO of Groundwork
include the cost, the speed of com- pletion, whether it is environmentally friendly and how convenient it is. The price of projects is always a concern for any customer, but Hopper and Stark note their younger clients are focused on how fast a project can be finished. “The millennials, I hate to stereotype because I’m one of them, but they’re just very buttoned up and they want to know when the project’s done, what’s all involved and then just get started,” Stark says. Younger generations are also more
aware of the environmental impact of their landscaping. Allen notes the challenge here is educating clients to understand being sustainable is not a product you buy or a service you hire once but a commitment. “The pro’s job is to teach the reality of contract work and how the systems of nature operate,” Allen says. “The buzz of environmentally friendly is great until they learn it takes time and costs upfront. Low maintenance is earned, not purchased. I teach this to every single lead. Speed comes with a cost that is far-reaching and needs to be addressed upfront.” Berry adds millennials buy on con-
venience, so you have to create a value proposition for them. Allen says many prefer to find a turnkey, one-stop shop solution. “Younger generations have become
accustomed to immediate satisfaction: Amazon packages delivered overnight, food ordered and delivered to your door in minutes, etc.,” Wraley says. “This group of consumers has grown up with tech- nology in their pockets. They want their experience with service providers to be quick and easy.”
National Association of Landscape Professionals 29
Photo: City Green Services
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