Seventy-five percent of respondents to a Society of American Florists’ survey on open houses said the events helped jumpstart sales and build relationships with customers while exposing those customers to the brand. Read the July issue of Floral Management for some of their best practices.
Every year by mid-July, Christmas has arrived at Palmer Flowers in Fort Collins, Colorado. By then, the year’s holiday displays already are appearing — albeit in the back of the 2,220-square-foot showroom, far from the eyes of customers on the hunt for late-summer and fall-themed items, people who just aren’t quite ready for Christmas.
But, let’s be honest: Halloween? Thanksgiving? For the vast majority of florists, those holidays aren’t big floral events — at least not compared to an active wedding season, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. (How many cornucopias did you sell last year?)
Christmas, however, is still when florists can shine and profit as they fight off competition from Wal-Marts and Home Depots teeming with poinsettias and national companies offering free delivery on every gift imaginable.
Enter your open house. This is where you show customers just how merry and into the holidays they can get and how your products and talent can keep them deep into the spirit (and tinsel).
That’s why, at Palmer Flowers, Tim Jordan and his team start talking Christmas in January, when stray strands of tinsel from the previous year’s celebration are still hiding in corners. By July 15, they’ve started setting up the eight to 10 holiday display vignettes specific to that year.
This month, Floral Management magazine editors turned to florists like Jordan with long-running, successful open houses and asked them to assume the role of Santa’s elves, putting together some practical tips, advice and inspiration on how to create a memorable, sales-generating event. Read all about it.
