At Bloomerang Solutions, we specialize in marketing strategies for florists and other small business owners. We focus on what is current as well as what’s “up and coming.” For most retailers, and especially retail florists, these next two months are critical to insure success and profitability. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you with a smooth and successful holiday season.

Preparation for the holidays; why market when you’re busy?

The biggest mistake many florists make is thinking they will have all the business they need during the holidays, so they don’t see the value of marketing. Unfortunately, that way of thinking does more harm than good.

You need to view this time of year as your time to shine! The world is sending flowers, so how will they find you? SEO (search engine optimization)? Sure. Combine PPC (Pay Per Click) marketing and you can increase sales as much as possibly imaginable! Statistically, only a small percentage of these customers will send flowers again in the summer and beyond, so the more orders you secure now, the better your chances are of organic home-grown business. The second order doesn't cost you and reduces the real value of the first order if you paid to secure it.

Offer what you have on hand

Now, more than ever, it’s critical to watch your offerings. The floral industry has changed DRASTICALLY in the past 5-7 years. There are very few "fill to value" orders out there anymore because everyone is looking at a picture SOMEWHERE. Fortunately, the deceptive gatherer Wesley Berry is gone and we are one step closer to an honest industry where what you see will be close to what you get with the understanding you have a product of nature and minor substitutions and variety's may occur.

Use discipline in what you place on your home page - that is where you secure interest. Be sure you have products you can create and DON'T make them so local that sending out of town may not be available. Be neutral on most offerings so your customers call you for all their orders. You would be surprised how many customers call local shops for local deliveries and a 1-800 number for out of town requests.

Over stuffing, a profit killer

Secure your profits. There is no question you believe in your designers to produce a quality product, the question is - are they adding a flower or two to make it "just a little nicer?"

Double checkout is your answer. I always used a double checkout system that was as simple as this: When a design is completed, have someone else double check it for consistency and value.

Why is this so important? Just $5 of overstuffing in a shop with 50 deliveries a day could cost you $250 A DAY if not more - this adds up quick. This system also helps to eliminate other mistakes that we may have missed. We all work so hard to offer add –ons, so we definitely don’t want to forget them on the delivery.

Rewards

Always start your day with the question, "Why should anyone shop with you?" More than just to buy flowers, but what is the hook? Just about every company today offers some sort of rewards program. From Dominos on up to Saks and Neiman Marcus, they all have incentives. You are not too big or too small to get in the game. Companies like Profit Point has systems and cards in place you can have set up to reward your customers and keep them coming back.

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, are you ready?

Plan ahead! The weekend after Thanksgiving is exhausting from the promotion angle. We have all our promos set for florists to be ready for, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and then Cyber Monday where we make app-only dea.

Turn 2

LAST, but certainly not least, don't just take one order when you can TURN 2. Most customers that order for Thanksgiving will most likely order for the holidays at some point. While finishing up the order, just suggest an incentive if a second order is placed. Contact us if you would like the script or click below for in instructional video.

#1) The Sales Call

#2) Turn 2 and Increase Revenue with Every Order

The Holiday season is truly one of the best times of the year, but it can also be stressful - that’s why we're here to help! We know you're busy this week and we're here to assist you in any way we can! Unfortunately, we can't be there to answer your phones or help make deliveries, but we can help with any issues you may run into on your website or social media. Drop us a line below or give us a call at (941) 806-1911. Good luck from Bloomerang Solutions and we hope you have a prosperous season!