MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE

Just as it seems we just finished with one major holiday, it is time to be preparing for another. While a revisit to red, white and pink may not be the journey you want to revisit at the moment, the good news is that it is going to be a very strong opportunity to serve your existing customers as well as introduce your designs and high level of service to potential new customers as well.
While many holidays are multi-day or extended weeks, Valentine’s Day is pretty much a single day holiday. Being on Monday this year has its advantages and disadvantages. By placing your order with Florabundance for early delivery the week before, it allows you time to get your product in early and begin to get the product hydrated properly. Keep in mind flowers such as Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Miniature Carnations, Lilies and Alstroemeria all require a little extra time to mature and hydrate properly. Other shorter shelf life flowers such as Iris, Roses, and Tulips can be scheduled for mid to later in the week delivery and still be incorporated into the design work.
While there are those clients who will always be comfortable with purchasing a dozen roses arranged in a vase, there are plenty of other flowers that also make a romantic statement. Now is the time to get your prototypes made and posted on your web site to get the temperature of your customer’s interest. Perhaps it might be a good time to think about Earlybird Ordering. Offering a discount or incentive for your customers placing their order early allows for you to get a read on the direction that the holiday is going to take. It is still early enough to strike a slow mover and replace it with a stronger performer. Do keep in mind that not all customers are satisfied with the same menu of offerings. Just like in a restaurant, the menu is varied and selections broad. Offering a design in multiple price points is also a great way to silently up sell the arrangement. Think of it as ‘Supersizing’. When doing so, remember to have enough of a distinctive look so your customer does not have to play “Find the 3 Additional Carnations” game. A $10.00 to $15.00 dollar increment is a comfortable jump for your customers to take as long as the perceived value is there. Additional flowers, distinctive fillers and upgraded containers are effective examples of how the prices may be increased.
Keep in mind that many customers will want their floral design to be delivered to work locations. This is important for several reasons. Some designs will be better suited in proportion to the desk or office environment. Smaller, more compact designs arranged in cubes are an excellent choice for this situation. By contrast, offer the Valentine’s Day Hero Bouquet. Two dozen roses arranged in a vase with beautiful filler and upscale foliages is sure to make an impact when it is brought through the office for that special someone. Now everyone is coming by to see what was delivered. Don’t forget to have your shop name on the design and wrapping presentation as it becomes a silent salesman. In keeping with these early morning deliveries, it will be important to have adequate delivery staff persons ready for the early morning drops. Getting deliveries to places of employment gives your product more ‘face time’ to be seen by co-workers and invites additional orders.
Having Valentine’s Day on Monday also allows for an ‘extra’ day of design and prep on Sunday. While most shops are traditionally not open on Sunday, most customers will assume the same is true and therefore it will allow you to be open for those customers who make contact while allowing less interruptions and more design time. Make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to have lots of selections available for grab and tag orders and those walk in clients. Excellent customer service is what customers remember long after the flowers have been enjoyed. Ramp up the customer service training to accommodate the extra demand. Also contact your Account Manager to place your order early to avoid disappointment of product not being available and increased pricing. Valentine’s Day is all about making a list and checking it twice!