Summer Success

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer for most of the US. Schools are winding down, graduations are happening for most schools and summer vacation plans are being firmed up. For flower shops, the summer often is viewed with dread and despair as historically there is little activity for the summer UNLESS, you make positive plans to accomplish that list of tasks that seem to never get the attention during the busy season.
There are ways to keep your business moving forward in a positive direction with a bit of creative marketing. Keeping your name in front of your customers is paramount so they don’t forget your product and services. Plan some weekly featured bouquets and do E-mail blasts for your customers. With summer being a time of plenty for many flower varieties, this is a great time to share the wealth.
Another idea using your existing customer base is to set up a flower of the week program. Perhaps having a BYGO ( Buy One,Get One) is an idea that will boost your customer traffic. This is a good way to introduce your customers to new and unique varieties that they may not be as familiar with. Same is true with unique foliages. Showcase a ‘Going Green’ program for a couple of weeks to emphasize new and different foliages.
Summer is the time for many of your customers to clean out the basement and garage. This can help you by organizing a repurpose vase program. You can benefit by having your customers bring back their over stock of containers and then offer to buy them with flowers. It is good that they come into your store to see your products and it keeps fresh flowers in the fore front of their thinking. You might be surprised just how many containers you end up with that are unique, different than your regular selection, and who knows, you might just get a treasure along the way. Get ready Antique Road Show!
Although summer may be a slower time that what we would like, it can still be a profitable time when used correctly. Make some customer calls that you have been avoiding. Write some personal thank you notes to show just how much you appreciate their business. Plan a schedule for your window displays for the coming year so you can start accumulating the necessary props. Take a class, workshop or attend AIFD Symposium to strengthen your education of the industry. No one is more important than you, so invest in your future by learning something new.
These are but a few ideas to get you moving in appositive direction. Brainstorm with your staff to see what ideas they would like to see happen and then set up an action plan to make it happen. In just a short amount of time, you will be looking back and asking yourself where the summer went and you’ll be able to look back with pride at all the positive things you accomplished because you made your plan and then worked the plan!