As florists, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the best time of year. Sales are strong, orders are up and the energy is high. It would be great to keep that pace consistent throughout the entire year, but many customers treat flower shops the same way they treat going to church - maybe once or twice a year, and only on holidays.

Some may think it's a lost cause to try to keep those customers coming back the rest of the year, but I see tremendous opportunity to convert them into regular customers! But how do you do that? The secret is customer engagement. In fact, I truly believe that the difference between a good retailer and a great retailer is the effort they put into engaging their customers because that's how you grow your business.

It does take some work, though, because shopping habits have changed and brand loyalty is harder to earn. Long gone are the days when a simple “thank you” and a coupon for the next order would guarantee a return. Now if you want to see repeat business, you really have to work for it.

With the average American exposed to around 3,000 advertisements a day, standing apart from the crowd isn’t easy, but we have found that these simple tools not only keep customers engaged, but will also lead to increase sales:

Social Media: The average American spends approximately two hours of each day on social media sites, with 51 of those minutes on Facebook alone. If your shop is not present where your customer spends their time, how do you expect them to find you let alone know who you are?

Remarketing: Like online billboards for your business, these customized banners follow your customer all over the web for 30-60 days and keep your shop’s message in the front of their mind.

Reminder cards: From holidays like Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to birthdays and anniversaries, sending friendly reminders is a valuable relationship building tool. These cards remind customers not only of the specific event, but also let them know which product they ordered last year as well.

Feedback Forms/Surveys: Customers usually don’t provide much feedback unless they’re really happy, or really upset. In many cases, they’ll just shop elsewhere next time and you’ll never know why they left. Feedback forms and surveys let you know exactly what they think of your shop and provide you with valuable information to help you better run your business.

Engagement isn't always easy, but the effort it takes is well worth it in the long run. If you’re unsure where to start, or would like to enhance your customers’ shopping experience, give your Bloomerang Solutions team a call at (941) 806-1911 or email us here. We’re here to help you customize a marketing plan and figure out what will work for your customers.