As we gear up for the holiday season, pre-packaged gifts become ubiquitous in every retail store. Admit it, we have all been swayed to purchase that pair of pajamas tied up with a beautiful bow, or the set of chocolates or coffee in the attractive gift package. This same “make-it-a-gift” selling technique works for Valentine’s Day and floral too. Consumers love bows and are quite frankly in awe of people (that’s you floral designers) that can hand-tie a bow. Use your bow-tying ability to create a bigger sale.

• Tie a bow around a vase or wrapped arrangement. This tried-and-true usage always adds value and makes the floral purchase more “giftable.” Consumers appreciate, and will pay for, the extra touch. For about 25 cents to 50 cents worth of ribbon, you can increase the perceived value of the arrangement or potted plant by $1-$2.

• Put ribbon inside the vase. Get creative with this upscale look without contaminating the water (which can decrease flower life). Some ribbons, such as Tru Life Leaves, are designed to wrap around the inside of the vase, creating a natural look while doing double duty to hide the stems.

• Just a little goes a long way — narrow ribbon adds a touch of fun when you weave it through the arrangement. This look can also be achieved with wire, providing a modern and sophisticated design and is popular for bouquets.

• Plan ahead. Your time is valuable and everyone knows how crazy it can get during Valentine’s season. During downtime prior to the holiday, tie bows and secure to picks for quick and easy value adds to arrangements and potted plants. Alternatively, there are many pre-made pick options available that can be used as time-savers as well.

• Create a theme. Many times the bakery department borrows ribbon from the floral department to jazz up their products. Why not take it a step further and create a coordinated look (same themed or colored ribbon) that drives the consumer to purchase both? You can cross-merchandise and suggestively sell the “set” in both departments.

• Big bows pack a punch. Nothing screams “look at me” like a big bow. Use them for display at the front of the store to attract attention to the floral department. Also, consider selling the bows themselves.

Valentine’s Day on a Saturday this year is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on those weekend grocery shoppers — steer them to the floral department and captivate them with your design and bow-tying talent.

Marla O’Dell is vice president of sales and marketing at Berwick Offray/Hampshire Paper/Lion Ribbon in Kokomo, IN. She can be contacted at marla.o’[email protected].