With one month to go, you’re no doubt in full-on Valentine’s Day mode. Your customers, though, are still coming down from the Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hannukah/New Year’s high. Their inboxes and social media feeds have been bombarded with sales messages for the various holidays. Hit them with a hard sell now (save the occasional email offering a discount for ordering early) and you risk alienating them.
Hold off until the end of the month and focus on these strategies for now.
Line up local press. Take it from a reporter: Although we’re accustomed to tight deadlines (such is a necessity with “breaking news”), we prefer having advanced notice. We also love topical pitches. Reach out to both print and broadcast journalists, looking for those who cover “community” or “lifestyle” beats. (You should be able to find their email addresses on the company website, but Twitter can also help.)
Some suggestions:
- invite them in for some behind-the-scenes footage, whether it’s capturing your team assembling red rose arrangements or tagging along with a delivery driver to see recipients’ happy reactions
- share different floral styles for different personalities, either with photos and descriptions (for print) or offer to appear on air with some examples
- open up about the meaning of individual flowers, offering tips on how to create a very personal arrangement
Brainstorm daily deals. Red roses practically sell themselves for Valentine’s Day. Plush products and tchotchkes need a little help. Try a 12 Days of Christmas-like approach, creating daily deals that launch February 1, to move product and engage with customers in a non repetitive way.
Channel your inner comic. Don’t forget about your shop’s marquis! People respond to humor so it pays to have a funny sign. Last month, for example, Tampa florist Bloomingdays had me chuckling with “Flowers: Better Results Than Mistletoe.” Crowdsource your staff for potential slogans. You might even turn it into a contest to see who can come up with the funniest Valentine’s phrase.