Consumers need to experience flowers A business consultant to Fortune 500 companies, a psychology professor and a consumer marketing consultant told attendees at this year's 19th annual Seeley Conference at Cornell University that the floral industry has a great product. No surprise there. That's why so many people are in this business -- they love the product. So why do we as an industry have such a hard time convincing other people that they should want to be around our product as much as we do? Maybe we just haven't tried hard enough -- as an industry. Did you ever think that many people don't feel competent enough to take care of flowers even though they may evoke a positive response when people think about or see them? Consumers make experiential and material purchases, the psychology professor told Seeley attendees. Research has shown that experiences tend to make Americans happier than possessions. The professor said the more experiential a business can make its products, the happier these purchases make consumers. One reason for this difference in happiness is that material purchases are something that occur "out there," while experiences tend to be part of one's identity. The professor said that experiences also have greater social value. People enjoy telling and hearing stories about experiences. Based on research of consumer purchases, floral products could be marketed as both material and experiential. The impulsive purchase of a cut flower bouquet or 4-inch pot plant could be promoted as a quick, easy-to-handle sale. The obstacle to overcome with this type of purchase, especially with cut flowers, is that flowers are going to eventually die. But cut flowers could be sold like a romantic dinner or another memorable experience. Another way to relate flowers to an experiential experience would be to focus on the feelings associated with taking care of plants or gardening with one's children or grandchildren. Going ga-ga over gifting The traditional four P's of marketing are product, price, promotion and placement. But a fifth P is missing: people. Like the psychology professor, the marketing consultant told Seeley attendees that companies sell things, but consumers buy experiences, feelings, ideas and happiness. The new paradigm is enhancing the quality of life. Consumers are making purchases to enhance the quality of their lives. The marketing consultant said that the cocooning trend is being replaced by the new age of connecting. Most baby boomers have finished the cocooning stage and are entering the empty-nest stage. The consultant said boomers are trying to link up and reconnect. This, the consultant said, is causing consumers to turn away from overt materialistic and focus more on connecting with others through many different forms and methods of personal communication. Floral products can play a key role in helping people connect with each other emotionally. People are buying more gifts, spending more on gifts and adding more names to their gift lists. But for floral products to be considered by consumers for gifting purchases, the consultant said, everything has to be right -- the right gift for the right person on the right occasion at the right price. If we expect to sell more flowers, our products have to be relevant for new market opportunities. If our industry and ultimately our products are to connect with more consumers, then we as an industry have to be involved with consumers rather than waiting for them to be involved with us. Send this article to a friend Enter your e-mail address: Enter your friend's e-mail address: Click the image below to send: © 2004 Branch-Smith Publishing