Garden retailers will have the chance to find out how they can attract new customers to their stores in a keynote talk by American gardening guru Marshall Dirks at next week's HTA Garden Futures Conference...
Marshall from Proven Winners USA will attempt to show how UK garden centres can indentify and inspire future customers.
"The main problem with our industry is that it is run by men yet the majority of our customers are women," Marshall told GTN Xtra.
"The key to attracting new people into our stores is to understand their wants and needs. And because it is women making the buying decisions we need to listen to what they have to say about styles and colours. And we need to speak their kind of language."
Marshall, who will deliver his speech to the HTA Conference on Wednesday, said many garden centres were not set up for new customers.
"They are set up for existing customers who know what they want to buy. New customers need help and abvice in choosing plants and products, and more should be done to help satisfy their needs."
The HTA Garden Future Conference is a must-attend, business-to-buisness event for retailers, landscapers, growers and suppliers. The event is taking place at One Great George Street, Westminster, London.
The conference will start by ensuring a thorough understanding of the economic and environmental pressures that gardening faces with presentations from a leading economist.
The AGM of the HTA is also taking place during the conference – at 16.00 in the Lancaster Room at nearby St Ermin’s Hotel.
