In 2022, an estimated 53% of U.S. workforce will be working from a hybrid remote set-up. With more time at home due to a remote workforce, gardening has become not only a fun way to pass time, but also a sustainable and environmentally friendly hobby. In 2020 more than 20 million people began gardening, skyrocketing the number of American gardeners to 63 million.

The rise of gardening and an increase of remote workers has allowed the creation of a new type of workspace. Individuals have been taking their home office to the outdoors by creating privacy with dense plants to muffle the noise and block out neighbors.  Research has shown that spending time in green spaces improves mood, attention, and promotes physical activity.  An outdoor office provides a change of scenery, as well as quiet, peace, and a refreshing breeze.

How to market an outdoor home office:

1. Identify your target audience. An estimate 1 in 4 Americans are working from home, and this number is expected to increase through 2025. The average corporate worker beings in the 20s and goes well beyond 40s. The target audience for an outdoor home office is wider than ever, leaving more opportunities for marketing.
2. Reaching your target audience. With a larger target audience, there’s more channels than ever to leverage your marketing. Social media is a powerful marketing tool for Gen Z and millennials. Advertising and marketing on social media can reach millions, even billions of users daily. Marketing the outdoor home office on social media will help you reach your target audience by creating unique content. You can share the highlights of an outdoor home office as well as some of the unique trends of gardening, all while promoting your business. A creative individual, someone who is likely to want to create a outdoor home office, may turn to applications like Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest. When it comes to marketing to Gen X, social media may still be applicable, but channels like email and video marketing, direct mail, and your website are also effective.
3. Highlight the benefits of an outdoor home office. Time in green spaces can improve your overall mood. By breaking your normal routine remote workers are more inspired and attentive in their new outdoor home office. Working outside can help relieve stress, as well as rest your eyes and brain. Gardening is also a sustainable and creative hobby which can boost your mood and fill your time at home. There are numerous new trends in gardening.
4. Personalize your message. Working remotely can be a challenge. Currently, more people than ever are in remote and hybrid work situations. By identifying how your audience may be feeling, they’ll be more engaged with your content. Making you message unique and engaging will also be helpful in engaging your audience with content on social media, as well as in video and email marketing.

A great way for your garden center to market an outdoor office is by highlighting this year’s top gardening trends. Trends like container gardening make gardening more accessible. Container gardening is when plants are grown in containers such as pots rather than into the ground. Container gardening is great option for renters who still want to have their home garden, their mobile, space efficient, and sustainable. Another trend you can consider for your outdoor office is planting lush and colorful plants.  Hanging ferns, tropical plants, and bold flowers can level up your outdoor space and boost your mood while working from home. While many individuals work from home, an increasing amount are also renters. Due to the housing shortage and rise in home prices, many rent longer than usual. The median age of a first-time home buyer is 34, leaving many without the space for a garden. These unique options like container gardening make an outdoor home office more accessible across generations.

When it comes to marketing an outdoor home office, Oster and Associates is an experienced, full-service marketing agency that has been helping garden centers and growers for over 35 years now. Please schedule a free consultation with us for assistance in growing your name in the gardening industry!