Corrine Heck, Details Flowers CEO shares 5 key drivers to save you during the holidays!

With Valentine’s Day behind us, most florists are starting to prepare for the next big floral holiday: Mother’s Day! If you’re still in Valentine’s recovery mode and not started on Mother’s Day preparation, you may already be missing out on some key revenue drivers that will make the difference in your next holiday. These simple suggestions will certainly make your next holiday a big winner.  

1) Keep good records

As soon as a holiday wraps up, the first line of business should be to dig into the numbers. We love good records, and finding key data metrics that you can track year after year will always pay off. Some of the biggest data decision makers are tracking what blooms are bestsellers, knowing your clients and their demographics, logging sales of add-ons (chocolates, stuffed animals, etc.), and tracking purchase orders for things you sell. Having these numbers at your fingertips will allow you to make quick and impactful buying decisions.  

We also suggest duplicating your current holiday and adjusting what worked well and what didn’t. Track data while the holiday is still top of mind, as you may forget the finer ‘details’ by next year. Payroll is often overlooked, and it's important to note how many freelancers, drivers, or other staff were paid to help with the holiday. Ask yourself these important questions: How many hours was the staff putting together all of the orders? How much time did delivery drivers spend on the road and how many miles were driven? All of these key data metrics will provide answers when the time comes to plan for 2023- which is now!  

2) Pre-schedule posts & digital media

While you have downtime between holidays and events, it is best to create social media posts and design your promotional advertisements! Did you know that Facebook and Instagram will allow for scheduling your posts 3 months in advance? We find that the most successful florists take a day or two (out of each month) to create all of their social media content and posts. Some of the best content ideas are #behindthescenes or sneak peeks at the products you'll be selling during the holidays.  

If you are submitting an advertisement to a publication, it is best to have your adverts created at least a month in advance. This will allow you time to share with your entire team and make sure everyone is on the same page. We suggest hiring a photographer or snapping some quality images of these offerings and linking back to your website.  

3) Deal or No Deal?

Looking to increase sales and pre-orders? Of course, new business is always welcome, but the best way to hit your goals is to encourage those in your network for orders. Be sure to send clients a thank you for their past order, and let them know that you can help with the current holiday. Be sure to link your hours, key dates, and a few specials to let them know you have them covered. Special promotions will help lure in potential buyers! A few examples are:

• Order your Mother's Day arrangement before May 3rd and receive a free box of chocolates!
• Flash Sale: Order today and receive 30% off your order for Valentine's Day for your sweetheart!
• Purchase a bundle by November 12th to receive priority Thanksgiving delivery!

These will grab the attention of customers that have been on the fence about ordering and will encourage those advanced orders and pre-sales.   

4) Thoughtfully Crafted Recipes

Start generating your recipes once you've set all of your holiday design offerings. You'll save a lot of time if you have a clear breakdown of planned flowers for each design. Print out these recipes and use the photos you took to create stations for your team! Details provides recipe documents that show a photo of the finished arrangement with the exact amount of blooms in an easy step-by-step design guide. If you establish which designer will be tackling the different offerings and responsibilities, there will be no confusion in the workroom.   

5) Prepwork 

We all know that there are customers that won’t pre-plan and will walk in expecting their needs to be met. Be their hero by offering a few classic designs that are easily made for the cash & carry buyer. Offer add-ons that they simply cannot refuse. However, be mindful of your pricing, and don’t give away all your profits. Non-perishables like cards, stuffed animals, and candles should have a premium price point, as there isn’t an expiration date. These last-minute final purchases can easily make or break your holiday, so do not heavily resort to discounts as you can potentially sell these items on the next holiday. 

Learn more at DetailsFlowers.com.