Do You Have Harmony in Your Workplace?

Harmony is the key ingredient to reach profitability. Does your business embrace it?

In retail floral sales, the key is to sell what you have. That's why communication between the sales team and design team is paramount.

One simple but effective strategy is to identify which products you have available on your website so that you can suggest those items when your customers ask what "specials" you have today.

It is also a great idea to suggest items which you have the ingredients to make or have already made for your cooler. Since those items are already designed, you can explain that the delivery could occur much sooner if a customer chooses a product you already have designed versus something you have to custom design. That could make a huge difference if time is a factor (and it usually is) and it also helps you move inventory

Every profession I work with has ways to create Harmony between departments that usually are not happening until this issue is identified. Do you have harmony in your workplace?

How Do We Know Our Google Pay Per Click Results Are Accurate?

One of our clients in the Midwest recently asked to have reports of results on their Google Pay Per Click campaign. This is a very simple request and easy to gather directly from Google.

When you look at the results, it’s important to keep in mind the industry does recognize that an average of 3 to 5 people will order over the telephone for every order placed online. With that being said, this particular shop was able to make a nice dent in business using a very nice website from Bloomnation. Her conversion rate – online alone - is 12.56%.

It takes time to find where the best conversions occur and when. With that in mind, here is what we produced for the first 3 quarters:

The phone calls are on top of the equation. In this case, they showed a conversion rate of 12.56% for online-only orders. The phone calls in this example were calls using a tracking phone number from Google of people that clicked on the ad - and called from the ad – with the duration of the phone call lasting over one minute. Although Google likes to think this could equal orders, I can't justify that, so I would say it is all a part of the extras.

What I will say, and also guarantee, is that from January 1 through September 30, they had a minimum of 766 orders total (383 online-only) with an average of $100 each for a total of $76,600.

Google is your ticket to go as far as you can imagine online. The key is to make sure it is set up correctly and monitor it daily or even hourly if possible.

-Art

If you would like help setting up a Google pay per click marketing campaign, Bloomerang Solutions is your secret weapon in the industry! With over two decades worth of experience with Google pay per click marketing, we are the experts you need to set yourself up for success. If you’re new to Google pay per click marketing and don’t know where to start, drop us a line below or give us a call at 941-806-1911. Together we can make your business bloom!

Join Art in Amelia Island Next Month for the 135th SAF Convention

The Society of American Florists is set to host its 135th annual convention next month, and this is one you certainly won’t want to miss! The convention takes place on September 18-21 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in beautiful Amelia Island, Florida and I can’t wait to see you all there!

This year’s event will feature over 450 attendees and vendors from across the country and includes over 50 educational sessions and events – there truly is something for everyone and a great time will be had by all. The highlight of the event is the Sylvia Cup Design Competition featuring some of the world’s top floral designers – something you have to see to believe!

I will be there all four days taking in the convention, meeting with clients, and visiting with old friends in the industry. If you plan on attending SAF Amelia Island 2019, please let me know because I would love to say “hello” and visit for a while.

Better yet, just drop me a line below or give me a call at (941) 313-8025 and we can set up an appointment to meet whenever you’d like! I can work around your schedule, so you don’t miss any of the action.

 Whether you’re a third-generation florist or a new florist that just opened your doors, I hope you will consider attending the SAF Convention in Amelia Island. It’s an investment in your future and the information you will take away is something you won’t find anywhere else. Be sure to let me know your plans, I can’t wait to see you there!

A Handwritten Card: Paying Attention to Detail Gives You the Advantage

Thanks to online retailers, we can all reach in our pocket at any hour of the day, pull out our phone, and order almost anything we can imagine - and it will show up on our doorstep a few days later. With that kind of efficiency, it’s no wonder why brick and mortar stores are closing left and right – they don’t offer any advantage to simply ordering online.

Fortunately for retail florists, we do offer things that online retailers just aren’t able to provide – yet. One of the biggest advantages we have as florists is same-day-delivery. We’ve been doing it for years and it’s a strength that online-only florists and retailers are not yet able to compete with. We need to be sure our customers are aware of this, and we need to constantly remind them that we offer the ability to take care of their orders no matter where in the country they are going.

But same-day delivery isn’t the only advantage that brick-and-mortar retailers have over online only retailers. We also have the advantage of offering personalized service to our customers and providing them with finishing touches that go above and beyond to make their gifts even more special.

One easy way to increase sales with no additional expense is by offering customers the ability to personalize their gifts with a handwritten card. For $4.95 (plus the cost of the card) you can offer to have one of your employees (ideally one with outstanding penmanship) transcribe the sender’s message by hand to include with the delivery.

In a world of cookie-cutter choices and limited options, it’s a nice alternative to be able to offer your customers something that no one else can. It’s little touches like these that make a big difference to your customers. Many people shop for the lowest price, but there are still people out there who appreciate quality and customer service and won’t hesitate to pay a little more for an outstanding experience.

Do you need help with your retail marketing? Bloomerang has the solutions for you! From social media to PPC advertising and everything in between, we can help your business bloom! Give us a call today, or drop us a line below and let’s get started!

All Ships Rise Together When the Tide is UP

I genuinely enjoy nearly every aspect of my job, but without a doubt, the most satisfying part is helping fellow business owners reach their goals and live their dreams. Not only does it take a lot of hard work to get there but it helps tremendously to have good support.

One thing that almost every successful small business owner I’ve ever met has in common is a tremendously strong work ethic. It goes with the territory because running a business isn’t an easy endeavor. We all work hard, but what are our actual efforts producing? If your website sales are not up, I would like to hear from you!

Many agencies like to talk about how much everyone is gaining traffic and sales on their website but the truth is that everyone’s website traffic and sales are increasing every month. The question is, how much of that growth is from your efforts and how much of it is from Google Pay Per Click?

As long as you have standard SEO maintenance, you should expect to be up strong. Google PPC should be analyzed separately so you can actually see what you spend and convert. This will help direct your attention to what your actual efforts are producing in 2019 and it will also show where you could use some help.

In today’s digital marketplace, if you’re not advertising on Google, then you’re likely suffering from a lack of exposure in your local market. Word of mouth is fantastic, but its offline reach is limited and even one bad experience could turn a longtime loyal customer into one that says, “they’ve gone downhill, they’re not as good as they used to be.”

Today’s consumers aren’t as loyal as the ones from a generation ago. They have less tolerance for errors and a world of alternative options ready at their fingertips the moment you lose their trust. They also tend to favor recent online ratings and reviews when choosing a business over how long it has been open or how entrenched it is in the community.

You are doing yourself a big disservice if you choose to ignore those customers, but the good news is that you can reach them instantly when you start advertising with Google. Not only will your shop be one of the first things they see when they search but they’ll be able to learn a lot about you in an instant including directions to your front door.

2019 is off to a great start, but it can end much better if we all work together! If you don’t have a presence on Google, now is the time to join us on the most visible advertising platform in the world.

-Art

If you would like to get started with Google Pay Per Click marketing, we're here to help! Our team of experienced agents will work with you - at any budget - to make sure you achieve the results you desire! If you're brand new to Google AdWords, or any other online marketing platforms, I'll be happy to talk with you at any time to explain how they work successfully. Please drop me a line here or call me anytime at (941) 806-1911.