Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Friday, January 29, 2016

5Ways to get people into your Flower Shop

5 Ways to Get People Into Your Flower Shop

Getting people into your Flower Shop can take time and creativity, especially with the many options available for your customer’s attention online and with other store front businesses.  Here’s 5 ways to help you increase foot traffic to your flower shop.

5 ways to get people into your flower shop

1. Leverage Existing Flower Shop Customers

If you don’t have existing customers that love you, you’re going to have trouble getting new people into your flower shop. Cultivating walk-in traffic means going above and beyond— truly surprising and delighting the customers you’ve got.

Ideas include:

  • Establishing a personal connection with each customer. Be honest and sincere.
  • Send a handwritten note or personal phone callthanking the customer for their order.
  • Have an “early-bird” sale just for existing customers before it’s announced to the general public.
  • Use your POS system on your computer to find out your customers’ birthdays, and then send out Happy Birthday emails or cards with a birthday surprise or percentage off when they come into the shop during their Birthday month.

Flower shop window

2. Start from the outside and look into your Flower Shop

If you are in a pedestrianized area, get to know who passes by your store. Literally, sit outside or close by your window and assess the demographic of who comes and goes. Do they window shop? Have they come from another store close by first? Do they stop and look at your windows?

Next, take an objective look at your signage and window display–does it appeal to your target demographic or buyer? Note when the busiest time of the week in front of your shop is?  Then think of ways to optimize your merchandise and window display to attract more customers at that time.   This could be as simple as standing outside and handing out coupons or promoting your latest offers or workshops using sidewalk signage, maybe put out some flower buckets if it’s a nice day.

Ideas include:

  • Put a large Calendar Date on your outside window like June 6 – and say if your birthday is that day, come in for a Free Gift! Put a different date up often to generate interest and surprise.
  • Decorate your outside with flowers. Pots overflowing with beautiful flowers and decorations should be outside your doors in all seasons.  Make customers excited to stop in to see what’s in the inside of the shop as well.  You are a flower shop, let everyone who walks by know it by your outside.

3. Give them a reason to stop into your flower shop.

Sometimes you just need to work on different approaches to get people into your store.  Brainstorm ideas with your staff and ask what draws them into different shops.

Ideas include:

  • Free gift like teddy bear or chocolates with the purchase of a bud vase or arrangement when you come in and get it
  • Promote new items that just arrived that customers just have to come in and see to appreciate.
  • Have a raffle where customers must stop in to enter. This could be a raffle for an arrangement a month for six months or something similar that is large enough for people to want to stop in to add their name.  Free giveaways are a way to help engage your customers and create a sense of connection to your shop.  It also instills a feeling of indebtedness from the consumer.
  • Tie in with a non-holiday day. For example, February 17th is “Random Act of Kindness” Day, or March 3rd is “I want you to be happy” day.  Pick a day, decide a way to work with it to get more customers involved and then promote it!  Think of 7 Eleven who gives away Free Slurpee’s on National Slurpee Day – 7/11.  On that day in 2013, their in-house sales increased by 38%.

Florist giving flowers to customer

4. Use Social Media to bring more Flower business 

Do you have any in-store promotions going on? Got an event coming up? Keep your customers posted via email and social media.

Ideas include:

  • Have exclusive offers that can only redeem on-site.
  • Always ask for your customers’ emails from orders, raffles and a sign-up sheet. And then stay in touch sending out regular updates about new product lines, company news and events.
  • Connect on social media. Make sure your customers know where to find you on social media and then give them a reason to follow and like you.  Engage with them on a more personal level.  Show your staff working, show the beautiful flowers this week, design a “pick-up only” design and call it “Friday Flowers” and then post photos of customers picking up their Friday Flowers designs.  You can say there is a limited amount of these designs available so hurry in.

5. Hold Events at your Florist Shop

Hosting events is one of the best ways to get people to head over to your store because events are experiences attendees can’t find online or in other shops.  And of course, publicize your event—in-store, online, via press releases and advertising.

Ideas include:

  • Invite local scout groups to come in to the shop to take a tour, talk about the impact of flowers in people’s lives and make a small flower arrangement or give a goodie bag.Spring Workshop Flyer
  • Have workshops in the evenings or during the day on spring designs, summer container gardening or fall and Christmas wreaths to get shoppers into the store. These elated new flower “designers” will be excited to share what they made and where on social media and word of mouth.
  • Partner with like-minded stores, experts, artists and organizations to host events in your store. It could be a designer showcase, a talk by a local artisan, or a fundraiser. This allows you the opportunity to draw in more traffic by offering your customers something unique, bring in an audience of like-minded people to grow your own fan-base and grow your relationships with individuals and organizations in your community.

With all these different ways to bring in more walk in traffic,  remember that the main reason many consumers frequent small businesses over larger chains is for the personal relationships. A smile, great service, product knowledge and enthusiasm will help bring customers through your door and keep them coming back.

Mayesh Tablescape design winners

We have an answer to the question, “what happens when you combine our creative customers, Mayesh’s awesome people, tablescapes, competition, charity and romance?” We were given 16 romantic tablescapes perfect for Valentine’s Day, which were put up for a vote to name the top 3 designs! Thank you to all who participated in our contest, from ideas, designing to voting - we are lucky to have such a passionate community! Without further delay, this year’s contest winners are as follows:

1st place: Miami; $3000 for Feeding Children Everywhere

2nd place: Chandler; $2000 for Arizona Humane Society

3rd place: Portland; $1000 for Community Transition Program

Congratulations!!!! Below are the details for each of the tablescapes along with beautiful pictures.

MIAMI
Concept: Hanging door with ropes from ceiling while bringing the outdoors inside tablescape. 

Sponsors: Design: Rodri StudioAnthology Floristry & Event DesignEver After Event & Floral Design; Photos: Leo Montero

Miami Tablescapehanging door tablescape


blush and pink tablescape with candles

Red, pink and blush tablescape
 
green raspberry tablesetting
  
romantic valentine's day tablescape

CHANDLER
Concept: Valentine's Day engagement table, “I DO”

Sponsors: ZuZu’s Petals Floral StudioHoot & HollerBlooming Expressions Flowers,Fox & Company, and Tremaine Ranch

Mayesh Chandler Tablescape


 

PORTLAND
Concept: Industrial Garden

SponsorsBella Bloom FloralsOregon RosesOregon Flowers, and Westcoast Event Productions

Mayesh Portland Tablescape


steampunk place setting

steampunk tablescape

About The Author

Yvonne Ashton - (Miami, Florida)


I plan on bringing our readers all things flora and fun, mixed with some serious posts about business. I like to think of myself as pretty well-rounded - having passion for design (flowers, web, decor, etc.), marketing, photography, tech, and business. I'm huge believer in continual education, so I'm always looking for new ideas and hope to share that journey with you!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Oasis Idea Weekly Valentines Day with Flowers


Smithers-Oasis North America Design Director Sharon McGukin, AIFD, AAF, PFCI, is a speaker and author known for her "edutaining" floral design tips and Southern charm. She has four decades of design experience, is past president of AIFD and lives in Carrollton, Georgia. 
Impress your clientele this Valentine's Day with flower arrangements designed in the trendy new look of Impressionism Art. Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir and other artists of the period painted beautiful still lifes of flower arrangements. 

Inspired by their work, the upscale Impressionism Art style appeals to floral customers of an artistic nature.

Floral Impressionism
Soft forms, blended colors and textural detail marked much of the floral artwork created during Impressionism. Impressionist painters often portrayed the art of growing, picking or arranging flowers in their work. These floral paintings enabled patrons to bring a colorful microcosm of their garden indoors.

How can we translate this on-trend look into our floral designs? By using the Impressionism design elements of unexpected form, eye-catching color and textural interest to help your flower arrangements speak the language of love for your customers.
Unexpected form
Playfulness in form was a hallmark of Floral Impressionism. In the purple and white design in the clear vase, the straight line of liatris is softened by the dramatic curved lines of the tulips and lily grass. The flourish of decorative Flat Wire hearts help to express our Valentine's Day motif in an unexpected way.

Eye-catching color
A thoughtful blend of light and dark hues give life to Impressionist paintings. This same technique can be applied to fresh flower designs. The arrangement with soft pinks and deep reds in the gray container has a definite Valentine feel.

Use decorative wire such as these pink Diamond Wire swirling hearts to add a touch of metallic color to your designs.
Click image for floral arrangement recipe

Textural interest
Grouping flowers by variety creates a natural 'gardeny' feel. Each type of flower has its own textural qualities that are noticeable even when presented in a monochromatic design like in this green palette design.

Use texture to your advantage. It adds to the richness and visual value of a design. Notice how the shiny circular forms of bear grass juxtaposed against the flowing lines of the velvety amaranths, over the smooth finish of the ECOssential container add textural interest to this design.
Looking for creative ways to impress your customers?
Hear what OASIS Floral Design director Sandy Schroeck has to say about creatin Impressionism Art-inspired arrangements in this Valentine's floral design video.

You can also check out inspirational ideas for artistic Valentine's Day floral designs on our Pinterest pages and in the Ideas section of our website. 

"How can you use Impressionism Art to create on-trend designs?"
Sharon McGukin
Every OASIS Floral product, completely described
Oasisfloralproducts.com has the complete information you need, including sizes and colors, on every OASIS Floral product available. You can create a list and order where you prefer, including from the site. Just shop as you normally would, adding items to your cart. When you're ready to check out, transfer your cart to the participating distributor you select. The distributor will process your order, ship and bill you directly. It's that easy!
If you have questions, ideas or concerns, please contact Customer Service at 1-800-321-8286 or support@oasisfloral.us.
See what's happening on our social sites
Forward this email



This email was sent to flowerclassroom@gmail.com by jsirlouis@smithersoasis.com   

Smithers-Oasis | 919 Marvin Ave. | Kent | OH | 44240

Unsure how to view the class schedule or how to sign up for a class.....email me at: flowerclassroom@gmail.com I will be glad to answer any question at: 913-708-2988 thanks! Christina Burton-Fox AIFD

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Florists' Review e extra ~~ Valentines & Trends


  
www.floristsreview.com                    January 2016                                 800-367-4708
SPICY CANDY VASES

Create these charming Valentine’s Day designs that incorporate both flowers and candy — gifts that younger consumers, especially, are sure to love.

Click here to find out how to make this fun-loving creation.
PROBLEM SOLVED

A reader asks about the proper way to remove foliage and thorns from rose stems.

Click here to discover what Florists’ Review’s floral design coordinator Lori Zirkle McNorton suggests.
SEVEN SMALL-BUSINESS GOALS FOR 2016
By Rhonda Abrams

Are you stuck in a small-business rut? January is a great time to make specific goals to improve your business and get revved up for a successful 2016.

Click here to read the rest of the story.
NEW TRENDS FORECAST FOR FLORISTS

“The American Floral Trends Forecast 2016-2017,Florists’ Review’s biennial trend report, has been published in our January 2016 issue to provide insight on trending flowers, floral design styles, colors, décor and accessories, and more, specifically for floral professionals. 
Click here to read more.

2016 "RETAIL FLORIST OF THE YEAR" CONTEST: ENTER NOW!


Are you one of the best florists in the U.S. or Canada? If so, enter the 2016 “Retail Florist of the Year” contest. Fill out an entry form online, and submit it by Jan. 29.

Click here to get more information about the contest.
STYLE ME PRETTY WEDDINGS: Inspirations & Ideas for an Unforgettable Celebration
by Abby Larson

The images in this idea-filled book are selected from more than 5,000 recent weddings and include hundreds of original ideas from the world’s best designers and artists. This book is all about the details, and flowers are incorporated on almost every spread.
Hardcover.  256 pages.  $30.

Click here to order or to learn more about this inspirational book.







This email was sent to flowerclassroom@gmail.com

Florists Review Enterprises · 3300 SW Van Buren St. · Topeka, KS 66611 · USA


Unsure how to view the class schedule or how to sign up for a class.....email me at: flowerclassroom@gmail.com I will be glad to answer any question at: 913-708-2988 thanks! Christina Burton-Fox AIFD

Flowers to Wear Workshop February 23, 2016




       Flowers to wear     Workshop

Tuesday ~ February 23, 2016
2 hour sessions        8 students each session
       10am-12pm{flower crowns}                 2pm-4pm {rings & wristlets}    
6pm-8pm {necklace}

$40 ~ pick your session
2 sessions $80
all 3 for $100

All flowers, wire, wristlets & cold adhesive, etc…will be provided for each designer
Come into the classroom…flex your fingers…learn new techniques


To register:


A Pay Pal invoice will be sent for payment  


Design Inspiration....



























Unsure how to view the class schedule or how to sign up for a class.....email me at: flowerclassroom@gmail.com I will be glad to answer any question at: 913-708-2988 thanks! Christina Burton-Fox AIFD