Ah, Valentine's Day! A day for love, admiration, and lots of work for us florists! Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and planning ahead is never a bad idea. What should we do to be ready for one of the most important floral holidays? We've compiled a list of six suggestions to help you!
1. Past Numbers Tell All
Looking at your previous year's stats can give you a good idea of what you should order this year. Keeping track of the number of fully prepared arrangements, single variety bouquets, and add-on products (chocolates, stuffed animals, gift cards, and so on) might help you decide what to get this year and be able to order products early. Establish what worked well for you last year and what you could have done differently. Did you create a gift basket that did not sell so well last year? Take time before it becomes too busy to create a list of best sellers and what is on-trend.
Details has the capability to request quotes from suppliers right on the software on our Cost Page. With just a few clicks you can send your event blooms and save so much time in the preparation process by getting orders in early. Your wholesaler will appreciate the early orders as well, as they are also very busy during this time!
This is also a great way to track how much was paid for staffing and labor. How many hours was the staff putting together all of the orders? How much time did delivery drivers spend on the road? All of this will need to be accounted for in the new budget.
2. Start Scheduling Social Media Posts & Advertisements NOW
While you have time to compile everything you will be needing, now is the time to create those social media posts and advertisements! Undoubtedly, this will take the back seat when February comes around. Facebook and Instagram let you schedule posts 3 months in advance. Take a day to create all of your content for your social media before you really get busy.
Need a few ideas for content? Re-post a couple of your previous Valentine's Day bouquets! Give your audience a sneak peek at a handful of the products you'll be selling this year. Request images from previous customers to include in a social post.
If you are submitting for an advertisement in a local newspaper or online publication, having your payment and ad together a month in advance is usually standard. If you are looking to be in your newspaper in February, now is the time to make those arrangements!
Photograph your offerings early to have everything set and ready for your website. It is always a good practice to have your website the way you'd like it for the holidays before you start promotions.
3. Offer a Deal
Looking to increase sales? Want to secure more pre-orders? Create a special promotion to lure in those potential buyers! Pre-orders help establish exactly how much product you will be needing to order from your supplier. Offer a deal to your customers for them to take before a certain cut-off date. A few examples could be:
Everyone loves a good deal! These will really grab the attention of those customers that have been on the fence with ordering ahead.
4. Reach Out to Your Current Customers
New Business is always welcomed, but the best way to really get those orders in is to reach out to all of your current and past customers. Send out an email blast to let them know you are here to help with their Valentine's Day needs. This would be the perfect place to add a deal for frequent buyers! Tell them your holiday hours and a few offerings that will be available for this year.
Let them know that Mother's Day is the next big floral holiday and that they should keep you in mind for that as well!
5. Have Pre-Made Arrangements Ready
This is another instance where looking into your past numbers will help guide you. There will always be folks that will depend on day-of purchases. Become their hero! Offer a few varieties of pre-made arrangements or even a Valentine's Day Florist Choice special with a few extra blooms you have on hand. Have one of each design available in the cooler so your walk-ins can see your holiday arrangements. Offer bundles with additional goods like cards, chocolates, and candles—your buyers will of course want to be in good graces when they arrive home!
6. It's Never Too Early To Prepare
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Start generating your recipes once you've set all of your Valentine's Day design offerings. You'll save a lot of time if you have a clear breakdown of flowers for each design. Print out the recipes and use the photos you took ahead of time to create stations or guidelines for your team! Details has Recipe PDFs that show a photo of the finished arrangement with the exact amount of blooms. It is an easy step-by-step guide for all designers! Establish early which team members will be tackling the different offerings. This way, when it comes to assembly, there will be no confusion.
Make certain you prep the flowers and hard products as soon as they arrive. Keeping all of your materials in one place where everyone can see them is a surefire method to ensure an efficient assembly. Color-coding your arrangements is a good way to keep all of your orders organized. The fewer tasks that must be completed on production days, the better!
Before the holiday, make sure you have all of your contingency plans in place. In the event of a last-minute change, everyone on staff knows how to approach it and make it a success. A few plans to keep in mind would be an inclement weather plan for deliveries, last-minute walk-ins, and inventory shortages. Having set Contract Terms for your busy holiday season can help save yourself from those unforeseen circumstances. Details can help create and store your holiday contract terms for easy reference and peace of mind.
Preparing for one of the busiest months in the floral industry will help you avoid stress, under/overbuying, and actually maximize your profits. Interested in how Details can help you stay organized for these big retail holidays? Check out this article!