Join Us Tuesday, April 30 at 2:00 p.m. EDT for a Special Mother's Day Conference Call

Hello Friends,

Mother's Day is upon us, and there is still a lot of work to be done as we prepare for one of our busiest days of the year! Hopefully, your prep work is going well and you're busy training new employees, hiring extra drivers and making sure your inventory is well stocked for the big day which is just a weeks away - yikes!

Never fear - you have a friend in the business and we're here to help! That is why I will be hosting a free Mother's Day conference call on Tuesday, April 30 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

I will begin the call by giving some of my thoughts as well as some time-tested tips on making the most of your Mother's Day holiday - and then I will open things up for a roundtable discussion where you can pick the brains of fellow florists and find out what is working - and what's not - at other shops around the country. We hope this call will be a valuable service for you and we think you'll learn a lot from some of the leaders of the industry.

There is no cost associated with this call, but the information you can take away will be invaluable - be sure to have some good questions prepared, and be ready for an active discussion. All are welcome, and the more participants we have, the better!

For more details on this call, and access information, please click here and let us know you're interested. Then we will supply you with an access code and number so you can join.

I'm excited to talk to everyone on Tuesday! Have a great weekend!

-Art

When it Makes Sense to Accept a $39.95 Order

Too often we notice florists getting frustrated when they receive an incoming order for a total of $39.95. This could mean $25-$30 PLUS delivery (hopefully your delivery is no more than $14.95).

In many cases, there is not enough revenue left to create and deliver a bouquet that is profitable and perceives good value.

The answer? Put the margin into the artistic (finishing) touches. When I owned Beneva Flowers, I always used to ask when a designer created a bouquet, "what makes it look Beneva?" Finishing touches are what made a regular design look “Beneva.”

Below you will see an image created by Bloomerang for our florists featuring two Gerber daisies (which you can name whatever you like) next to Springtime Treasures which has the name secured so you cannot customize it and you ride the coat tails of 1-800-Flowers.

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We created a bouquet with just two inserts a bud vase, a few greens, and wire. Yet, I actually heard a florist say that they want $50 because that is their minimum and that's it. When I asked why, they answered, "I don't know, it just is."

The truth is, you can show an overstuffed $50 bouquet too. We need to focus on two elements - either a uniquely-designed bouquet, or a florist choice, this is where they can clear out the cooler. Now the shop can work with whatever they have the most available, and who wouldn't like that?

If we continue to argue and reject $39.95 orders, you can't fault FTD, Pro Flowers, and 1-800 for sending flowers in a box.

People who want the price point will not argue unless you over-promise because the filling florist ends up under-delivering trying to watch the $$$ on the order.

Assuming you paid $2 each for the Gerbers, (which is the highest wholesale price I’ve ever seen for Gerbers) you have $4 in product. When you add up the cost of the vase, wire, greens and minimal labor, it costs maybe $10 on top of that.

Professional Admin day is next Wednesday (April 24), you need to consider a lower priced option with a favorable margin. This secures the florist-to-florist order with hopes a customer doesn't have to select flowers in a box.

Retail Florists....we need to step it up and secure those transactions. Anyone can say no, how can you say yes? Please comment below, I would love to hear your feedback! -Art

Last Minute Marketing for Administrative Professional’s Day

The big Easter weekend is upon us, but there won’t be much time to rest because Administrative Professionals’ Day takes place just three days later on Wednesday, April 24. If you haven’t had a chance to promote this holiday there is still time. Here are few last minute marketing tips to ensure this week is a success.
 

  1. Send out a reminder email: According to Express Pigeon’s blog, 91% of modern consumers check their email at least once a day and emailing is the most popular activity for smartphone users.

  2. Post reminders to your social media sites: Create a fun image reminding your fans that this week is Administrative Professional’s week then encourage them to “Post, Pin, or Tweet” the image.  Be sure to boost your posts on Facebook so they will be seen by “non-fans” in your area.

  3. Be present: Guerrilla marketing is still alive and well. Do something unexpected like offering corsages to customer service reps at stores close to your shop with a gift card to redeem later. As they wear the corsages throughout the day they will share with their customers where they got it.

  4. Offer a surprise to the recipient: The value of this holiday really comes from the recipient because this person is most likely the one ordering flowers for the company for the rest of the year. Consider adding a little extra gift for the like a gift card they must redeem in your store.

We’ve always said Administrative Professional’s Week is like a mini Valentine’s Day, but with long term benefits, so get out there and have some fun promoting your shop this week!

Did you try one or more of these tactics? Let us know the results by commenting below.

Want to Increase Your Summer Sales? Join Us Monday, April 29 at 3:00 p.m. EDT for a Special Mother's Day Conference Call

Hello Friends,

Would you like to increase your summer sales? With Mother's Day rapidly approaching, now is the time to set the course for a profitable summer season with the help of a smart springtime strategy. There is still a lot of work to be done as we prepare for one of our busiest days of the year, hopefully, your prep work is going well and you're busy training new employees, hiring extra drivers and making sure your inventory is well stocked for the big day which is less than two weeks away - yikes!

Never fear - you have a friend in the business and we're here to help! That is why I will be hosting a free Mother's Day conference call on Monday, April 29 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. 

I will begin the call and begin by giving some of my thoughts on the state of the industry as well as some time-tested tips on making the most of your Mother's Day holiday. I will also give an FTD update and will discuss some website improvements that should help boost traffic this summer. After all that, I will open things up for a roundtable discussion where you can pick the brains of fellow florists and find out what is working - and what's not - at other shops around the country. We hope this call will be a valuable service for you and we think you'll learn a lot from some of the leaders of the industry.

There is no cost associated with this call, but the information you can take away will be priceless - be sure to have some good questions prepared, and be ready for an active discussion. All are welcome, and the more participants we have, the better!

For more details on this call, and access information, please click here and let us know you're interested. Then we will supply you with an access code and number so you can join.

I'm excited to talk to everyone on April 29! Have a great week!

-Art

Your Goals, Our Strategy = The Path to Success!

Succeeding on the internet is like anything else you ever wanted to achieve, it requires a plan and a path. The good news is, WE HAVE THE PATH. We only change the names to insure the results are all yours! Even better, everyone doesn't have the same goals so every strategy is truly unique and customized just for you.

 So here it is,
Your Goals, Our Strategy = SUCCESS

You see, your success is our future. We understand exactly what you need and GUARANTEE your satisfaction.

WHY TAKE ANY CHANCES? There are the strategies:

#1 Long Term Success. We set up your digital verticals to ensure sustained, long-term success.

Your brand is what separates you from your competition but what does your brand represent to your customers? Is it inviting? Does it instill confidence? Is it approachable? Do you appear to be a friendly neighborhood shop or a national online ‘best price’ operation?

Before you build out your reputation, it's best to know where you are and who you are. Modern businesses rely on social verticals to run ads using YouTube and release statements and information to consumers using blogs and then tie them all together using Facebook where anyone goes as far as even selling a few products along the way.

This is a solid, surefire way to establish yourself online and grow your brand and verticals to compliment your business. We even run a survey after reading your reviews to ensure we are reaching your clients and giving them what they want. This is all a calculated strategy with checkpoints along the way.

 #2 Local reputation management. We make sure clients know who you are and what you represent.

From Facebook to Instagram, the social channels are the way to reach people who are trying to find you. It is non-intrusive and inviting with steady results. We make sure that all your information is organized and consistent across a variety of different search engines and social media platforms so potential customers can find exactly what they’re looking for when they search for a shop in your area. Consistent listings will also work wonders for improving your Google ranking.

 #3 Retargeting. We will keep your shop’s name and logo in front of potential customers – no matter where they go after they visit your site.

You have seen it before when you visit a website and then everywhere you go around the internet - from local new websites to CNN, ESPN, you name it - you will magically appear. All that for just $10. Ask us!

#4 Instant Gratification - GOOGLE ADS!

The instant way to make the phones ring! If you want them to continue in the future and get repeat customers, a plan must be put in place. This is our specialty. We will do it all for you.

#5 Custom Websites. A website is more than just a page on the internet, it's where all your content should live!

These days, social is driving clients to you VIA WEBSITE. In the next 5 years, what will it be? Whatever it is, I can assure you a properly-built modern website will be there at that time too. Remember, longevity is everything. To build website with the proper linking and content structure will yield you a lifetime of favorable returns that only get better every passing day.

Bloomerang employees some of the best website developers, writers and photographers who can create videos, develop a custom website and even write code for your solutions. No matter what you need, big or small, Bloomerang can do it all. Let's schedule a time to discuss what solution will best suit your needs. Give us a call anytime at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line here.