speed, guaranteed delivery and convenience. Just like florists. On the face
of it you sell flowers and plants. In reality you sell emotion; be it joy, sympathy, love... The trouble is, so do other retailers, most notably gift and card shops not to mention the plethora of other flower sellers out there. And this is why differentiation is more important than ever these days. Says Richardson, “The key
is making people think of your shop first when they think about gift flowers because of something you do or offer that sets you apart from everyone else in your industry.” And to do this, he recommends
getting personal. As a bespoke florist you are offering a personal service so you should be very personal in your promotion, rather than relying on adverts or the internet. Top of Richardson’s list of
ways to get personal is by giving presentations to local groups and professional organisations in the area. “Groups are always looking
for new and interesting speakers and whilst it may cost a little in flower and props, the chances are you access a nest of prime buyers in your area.”
It doesn’t have to be
complicated, these are amateurs, not fellow florists so you don’t have to come up with award-winning design. What you need to show are different flowers - hanging Heliconia may not sell but it will be remembered! Talk about where they come from, most people have no idea we source flowers from around the globe, and how to look after them - start spouting about vascular cell structures and water take up and suddenly it becomes very grown-up! Show a range of design
ideas to suit all budgets and occasions, although think about your target audience; if it’s men then you might consider skipping the wedding flowers and focusing instead on how to make their loved ones happy! And, most importantly, make sure you get everyone’s details so you can follow up with a newsletter or hand out a discount voucher to encourage them to come to your shop.
Keep communicating It’s important to keep the contact going so schedule a regular mailing programme of flyers and newsletters,
both of which can be easily made up on a computer using Microsoft templates. And don’t just include offer details, like a special Halloween gift or discount for early Christmas ordering, make it personal. Tell them about the team, any big events you’ve been involved in, any special weddings and wherever possible include testimonials from other happy customers… they are worth their weight in gold.
Say thank you In a world where the internet is becoming dominant, the use of the phone is actually becoming a rarity as are handwritten notes. The very fact you are making it personal by either calling people to follow up on a delivery to check it’s OK or sending a handwritten thank you for an order immediately sets you apart from the crowd. Be prepared to go out and visit
potential customers, especially in the corporate world. They expect you to go to them, not the other way round so make appointments and take a design with you as a gift. It may not always work but it’s a lot more effective than just showing them pictures.
>> F&wb Spring 2013 23
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