This is my last T Ching entry, so I wanted to leave a word of advice to all the tea industry entrepreneurs: Don’t ignore the young people!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into (and quickly out of) a natural health store or teashop and been outright ignored or just barely given a meager nod by the salesperson to acknowledge my existence.  It’s almost as if I’m loitering and wasting their time, wandering the mall with an empty wallet.  Do they assume I know nothing about Fair Trade or phytonutrients and don’t care about the world outside of my Facebook home page?  Where do these assumptions come from?

I’m a single, educated, 24-year-old female living on my own in Los Angeles.  I have no children, my student loans and car are paid off, and I don’t have a mortgage.  What does this all mean?  I have expendable income. I also don’t drink coffee or soda because I care about my health and prefer not to support large multinational corporations, so…why aren’t you selling to me??

And I’m not alone. Millions of twenty-somethings are becoming increasingly health/eco-conscious and getting away from coffee or HFCS-drenched concoctions.  This is where the tea industry needs to step in! Let us know there’s a good-for-us, good-for-the-planet alternative!

I could rant about this all day, so I’ll end with a few demographic/marketing tidbits to keep in mind:

*  For college students, black tea is a great alternative to sugary energy drinks or quadruple espresso shots.  They’ll be glad to know they can get their caffeine fix without jittery side-effects.

*  Green tea has something for everyone; its benefits are so numerous and should make it an easy sell to any young shopper.  Probably the most effective would be its stress-reducing, weight-balancing, and attention-focusing properties.

*  With so many tea varieties out there, staff recommendations are ideal. Talk about Fair Trade, herbal vs. caffeinated options, and point out your gift options (what mom doesn’t love a surprise gift of tea?).  The personal touch makes all the difference!

*  That brings us to customer service, which is HUGE.  Greet the customer, give a genuine smile, and NEVER assume they don’t want to be bothered.  I always shop alone, but I’m too introverted to start a conversation.  On the rare occasions that a salesperson actually comes to talk to me, there’s a 99% chance that I’ll buy what they recommend, and then some.  I highly value customer service, and if I receive outstanding assistance, I’ll find something to buy.

We’re young, we care about our health, and we have money.  Take advantage!  Make tea part of our daily routine!  Convince us to become regulars to your teashop!  And really, it’s not difficult; a friendly face and some light chitchat go a long way…