By guest columnist @Joe Guggia AIFD
Can’t you feel the momentum building for the holiday season?! All your hard goods are here: liners, wire service containers, embellishments. Soon, evergreens will fill your cooler, awaiting your creative ways to show them off.
Of course, none of this is inexpensive by any means, so let’s it go as far as possible.
Most of your labor goes into greening all those containers. If you’re using all holiday greens, this is costly, and boring as well. So why not mix it up using other greens, such as those you already use on a daily basis? Not only will they give your designs a great look, these friends will keep the budget right on track.
Those two weeks before Christmas are always the most grueling. All the decorating fun is out of the way and your future and current delivery orders are stacking up. Here are a few ideas that might just give you some breathing room while keeping your COGS (Cost of Goods) and labor right on track.
1. Whenever you have a break, get your containers pre foamed and greened. The evergreens are in your cooler anyway, so why not put them into their respective designs?
2. Place the more expensive evergreen products around the four sides of the container. Noble fir, Douglas Fir, and Cedar are perfect for this. These will give the grace and length you’re looking for. Then insert your daily, longer lasting greens (pittosporum, scotch broom, myrtle, boxwood, lemon, huckleberry) to lend interest and depth to these designs. Spray the unit with leaf shine for a shelf life that will last for weeks. Now fit in any non-perishable items: ornaments, pinecones, birch logs, pods, etc. with pan glue and wood wired picks.
3. Keeping your designs hydrated will be key. Tag the pre designs with orders as they come in. Once you’re closer to the delivery date, add your fresh flowers to finish off the designs. How about lining these samples in the sales area of the cooler to show your walk in clients various price points to choose from? This will help so much with their selection, and save you valuable time as well.
Holidays are a great moneymaking opportunity for all of us. Keeping our holiday COGS and labor at a minimum is the key for keeping that profit as high as possible. And how about having a fun time while we’re doing all of this? Remember: preparation and organization give you more time to spend with your family and at holiday celebrations!
Can’t you feel the momentum building for the holiday season?! All your hard goods are here: liners, wire service containers, embellishments. Soon, evergreens will fill your cooler, awaiting your creative ways to show them off.
Of course, none of this is inexpensive by any means, so let’s it go as far as possible.
Most of your labor goes into greening all those containers. If you’re using all holiday greens, this is costly, and boring as well. So why not mix it up using other greens, such as those you already use on a daily basis? Not only will they give your designs a great look, these friends will keep the budget right on track.
Those two weeks before Christmas are always the most grueling. All the decorating fun is out of the way and your future and current delivery orders are stacking up. Here are a few ideas that might just give you some breathing room while keeping your COGS (Cost of Goods) and labor right on track.
1. Whenever you have a break, get your containers pre foamed and greened. The evergreens are in your cooler anyway, so why not put them into their respective designs?
2. Place the more expensive evergreen products around the four sides of the container. Noble fir, Douglas Fir, and Cedar are perfect for this. These will give the grace and length you’re looking for. Then insert your daily, longer lasting greens (pittosporum, scotch broom, myrtle, boxwood, lemon, huckleberry) to lend interest and depth to these designs. Spray the unit with leaf shine for a shelf life that will last for weeks. Now fit in any non-perishable items: ornaments, pinecones, birch logs, pods, etc. with pan glue and wood wired picks.
3. Keeping your designs hydrated will be key. Tag the pre designs with orders as they come in. Once you’re closer to the delivery date, add your fresh flowers to finish off the designs. How about lining these samples in the sales area of the cooler to show your walk in clients various price points to choose from? This will help so much with their selection, and save you valuable time as well.
Holidays are a great moneymaking opportunity for all of us. Keeping our holiday COGS and labor at a minimum is the key for keeping that profit as high as possible. And how about having a fun time while we’re doing all of this? Remember: preparation and organization give you more time to spend with your family and at holiday celebrations!
