Inspire the kid in every customer

Give them a sign

IPM Essen, an annual trade show in Germany serving the global horticulture industry, is a veritable treasure trove of inspiration for retailers. This year, when it came to kid-friendly products and ideas, there was plenty of inspiration. Here are nine tips for upping your store’s kid-friendly factor, as seen at IPM Essen.

• Include kids in your signage to make sure they know which products are specifically for them.

• Give kids their own carts to let them be a part of the shopping experience.

• Catch kids’ eyes with brightly colored, funky displays and use unusual-looking plants like tillandsias to decorate differently.

Grow your own — with a twist

• Allow kids to “let down their hair” with these creative plant kits that are reminiscent of Chia Pets, with a more modern touch, and others that include carnivorous and water plants.

• Offer kids a new kind of Halloween treat that’s part growing experience, part decoration.

• Make herb growing even more fun with outlandish, but eye-catching, pot sleeves and merchandising displays.

Introduce new friends

• Choose creative pots and add-ons that everyone’s inner child will appreciate.

• Take a lesson from other industries and use cute critters to draw in young customers, like Die Maus (The Mouse), who invites kids to “Discover Gardening.”

• Show kids how they can support the bees with pollinator-friendly plants.