Greetings from a gen Xer. Yeah, I’m one of those, supposedly. You know, someone who’s not interested in gardening -- only outdoor decorating. One of those do-it-for-me-types. A gal more interested in my iPod than Ipomoea.
Pop! Hear that? It’s the sound of a bubble bursting. Don’t get me wrong, I put a lot of stock into marketing analyses of generation X. But there are exceptions to every rule. The general descriptions you read don’t cover every facet of gen X existence. (Just like the broad portrait we paint of baby boomers has a lot of fuzzy spots.)
Yes, as retailers you need to make changes to attract gen Xers. But, for crying out loud, don’t dumb it down. Keep in mind that we’re products of the Information Age. We’re used to plowing through the lengthy manuals that come with our myriad electronic gadgets. What scares us more is lack of information. Tell us the common and Latin names of plants. Tell us where to plant and when. Post signs explaining what full sun and part sun actually mean. We’ll eat it up, trust me!
I’ve read quite a few things saying gen Xers don’t have time to work in their yards, which is why they gladly farm out garden chores. I disagree. What we don’t have time for is wading through misinformation and garbled instructions. We don’t have time to survey five different people and digest differing strategies for growing strawberries. Clearly tell us how, when and where to plant and we’ll snatch up the goods!
We might start out as outdoor decorators but, given the right tools, we can be converted into true gardeners.
Oh yeah, the photo! That’s the new flower bed my husband and I created in our front yard. It’s a work in progress, but we’re pleased with it. See? Gen Xers do get their hands dirty!
--Sarah
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