View hotels, restaurants and spas as allies not competitors to score business for Valentine’s Day customers keen on “experiences” as gifts.
It’s an unfortunate reality for retailers that, the closer Valentine’s Day falls to the weekend, the more likely people will celebrate it with an experience rather than a traditional gift, like flowers.
With clever partnerships, however, you can turn competitors, such as hotels, restaurants and spas into allies who will share customers and split marketing costs.
“People who want ‘an experience’ for Valentine’s Day are all about the big picture, and flowers make whatever they plan to do better,” said Art Conforti, PFCI, of Bloomerang Solutions. During his long tenure as owner of Beneva Flowers in Sarasota, Florida, he pushed a “roses and reservations” package that he arranged with several of the city’s high-end restaurants.
Patti DeBlass, owner of Schmidt’s Flowers & Accessories, capitalizes on the many tourists who flock to Williamsburg, Virginia, for a romantic weekend. She reaches out to hotels and restaurants who offer their clients a few designed specials to upgrade their stay or meal. They use the customer’s credit card on file to pay Schmidt’s.
In addition to increasing your reach and minimizing your marketing efforts, working with other businesses consolidates your deliveries, further cutting your costs.
Katie Hendrick Vincent is the senior contributing editor of the Society of American Florists.
