Plan the work and work the plan this coming Valentine’s Day
Plan the work and work the plan this coming Valentine’s Day
It’s never too early to begin thinking about Valentine’s Day. Unlike fall and Christmas, where we plan and merchandise for seasons, Valentine’s Day is more of a one- or two-day event, despite our efforts to create a weeklong celebration.
The upside of the narrower calendar is that you can create a “V-Day Minus” plan for each aspect of your floral operation and this plan can be updated and fine-tuned every year. The plan would detail how many days prior to Valentine’s Day each major function would need to occur. For example:
• Schedule of fresh flower deliveries.
• Schedule of plant deliveries.
• Bring in vases and containers.
• Make sure preservative is on hand.
• Verify that enough cooler and display buckets are on hand.
• Ensure that up-sell items such as balloons and plush are in stock.
• Order all other needs — enclosure cards, ribbon, cellophane, sleeves etc.
Once you have listed all of the functions that need to occur, you can line them up in chronological order and indicate the number of days prior to Valentine’s Day that each of them needs to occur.
As the holiday progresses and once it is over, you can make adjustments to the schedule and have it ready for next year. Do it while it is fresh in your mind — waiting even a week or so will result in pertinent information slipping away.
As for Valentine’s Day 2016, the key is to start your preparations right after the new year. Too often, we all get a bit of the Christmas season hangover and may take a couple days to collect ourselves after what can be a grueling last six weeks of the year. By maintaining the holiday pace and starting your planning right away, you will be much better prepared.
Best practices would dictate that all of your hardgoods needs should be identified and addressed by Feb. 1, leaving the two weeks prior to the holiday for the fresh product.
Start the process by ensuring that you have all of your “not for sale” items covered — preservatives, cooler buckets, foam, sleeves, cellophane, etc. As you get closer, project out and order your needs for containers, cards, plush, balloons, etc. Of course, your rose orders will be the stars of the show and the overall planning should really revolve around their timing and delivery.
As the old adage says, if you plan the work and then work the plan, you will have a smooth and profitable Valentine’s Day.
Nick Fronduto is chief operating officer at Jacobson Floral Supply in Boston. He can be contacted at [email protected].
