In Longview, Texas, Casa Flora Flower Shop had “an amazing time again with Petal It Forward,” said Danielle Prekker. “One of the best stories was of a man who was actually next to a funeral home, and it turned out he had just picked up a death certificate for a family member. He was in good spirits, but he truly felt like this random act of kindness was a sign from his loved one! He was so happy and grateful.”
Thousands of consumers were reminded last week of the mood-boosting, smile-making power of flowers after more than 650 Petal It Forward floral teams in 50 states, along with Canada, Colombia and Puerto Rico, gave out stems and bouquets in their local communities.
The Society of American Florists-led feel-good initiative generated plenty of positive vibes, and it also created more tangible benefits: media coverage, customer leads and increased engagement on social media. Many of the tactics floral professionals used to promote their Petal It Forward efforts have year-round application — especially in the final sprint to the year’s end.
Here are five marketing takeaways from Petal It Forward ready for you to implement in your business.
In Dallas, McShan Florist also teamed up with the local police department to hand out flowers and plants.
Partner Up. Many Petal It Forward teams looked to other community groups and businesses for help with their giveaways. In Yardley, Pennsylvania, local police officers once again joined with staff from Ye Olde Yardley Florist. The longtime partnership — the police department has participated since the start of Petal It Forward five years ago — helped score the shop some excellent coverage on social media and great press in the Bucks County Courier Times, said shop manager Noreen Gorka. “Any time we can meet with people in a non-enforcement role, we seize those opportunities to establish trust and build relationships with the people who live and work here,” Yardley Police Chief Joseph Kelly said in the news story.
Why It Works: Working with other local businesses and groups makes a lot of sense for day-of logistics in any experience-based marketing effort — and it’s a tactic that local florists have used for years to help share costs and responsibilities. In the age of social media, partnering with another team has the added benefit of giving you a boost online. In Dallas, McShan Florist also teamed up with the local police department. After the event, the department posted a wrap-up video of the day to its own social media spaces, including a charming 2-minute video on YouTube.
Urban Stems highlighted bike couriers and flowers in their social media posts.
Show Faces. Petal It Forward is all about the emotions that flowers create, and many participants used those smiles, tears and hugs to their advantage on social media, with bright, candid shots of happy participants — including recipients and team members handing out flowers. In Washington, D.C., Urban Stems made sure to capture a feature of their business model that makes them unique and personal —bike couriers making deliveries — on Instagram. (Complete with warm, welcoming captions such as: “If you see us in your city, make sure you stop by and say hey!”)
Why It Works. Beautiful as the flowers from your business are — the people behind the stems also matter…a lot! According to research from Georgia Institute of Technology and Yahoo labs, social media photos that contain faces have as much as 38 percent more chance to receive likes compared to the photos without faces. Additionally, they are 32 percent more likely to receive comments. Floral pros participating in Petal It Forward also took advantage of popular hash tags, using phrases such as #petalitforward and encouraging recipients to do the same. (Still not convinced of the importance of timely, relevant hashtags? Read more here.)
First time participants George’s Flowers in Roanoke, Virginia, handed out 2,000 bouquets and generated an impressive level of media coverage.
Tell Your Story — and Be the Expert. Here’s something we don’t need to tell you: Customers have — um — a lot of options when it comes to buying plants, flowers and gifts. Petal It Forward provided participants with an opportunity to share their own local story with media and directly with customers, which is something you can do throughout the year. In Roanoke, Virginia, first-time participant George’s Flowers made a major community splash with their efforts, appearing on local ABC, FOX, CBS and NBC affiliates, among other programs, including several live segments on the morning of Oct. 23. Owner George Clement was the ideal spokesman for the business, sharing details about the operation seamlessly alongside the Petal It Forward goals: “Flowers brighten perspective on the day,” he explained to the NBC reporter before detailing the shop’s plans for the day and positioning himself as a flower expert with care and handling tips and other flower-related advice. https://www.wsls.com/daytime-blue-ridge/petal-it-forward-program-is-a-movement-to-spread-the-joy-of-giving-and-receiving-flowers In Springdale, Pennsylvania, Springdale Floral also used Petal It Forward as a way to highlight 40 years in the community, said Andrea Rohay. “This was an awesome day for everyone,” she said.
Why It Works. People — your current and potential customers — love stories. “Nothing inspires like a story,” writes Marie Rosecrans, SVP of Essentials and SMB Marketing at Salesforce. “People have been captivated by stories since the beginning of time, so it makes sense that brands have started to use storytelling in their marketing efforts with great success. Every company has a story to tell.”
In Bloom Florist in Orlando handed out 6,000 stems at three busy area sites
Lean into Video. Video was a very popular tool for Petal It Forward participants this year — before, during and after the big day. Another first-time participant, In Bloom Florist in Orlando handed out 6,000 stems at three busy area sites and then created a compilation video of the day that trumpeted the emotions and good feelings and the shop’s enthusiasm at the chance to “give back to the communities we love,” said Dani Gill, the marketing director. The Team at Allan’s Flowers in Prescott, Arizona (which partnered with Mayesh Wholesale for the giveaway) also created a top-notch wrap-up video and in Greenville, South Carolina, the All Stars at Expressions Unlimited used the day to test out their Facebook Live skills with real-time (highly adorable) videos posted throughout the day.
Why it Works: Videos can create HUGE returns in the marketing world. According to research from Diode Digital, 5 million people in the U.S. watch online videos every day and Internet video now accounts for an estimated 80 percent of all consumer traffic online. Social media video tools (such as Facebook Live) can help ensure your customers actually see your posts — rather than getting buried by the platforms’ algorithm.
The Dümmen Orange outfitted its team with T-shirts made from an SAF template.
Leverage SAF Resources. Petal It Forward participants again this year had access to a bevy of marketing tools to help them attract attention (and drive business) in their local markets: T-shirt and flower card templates; media advisory and press release language; social media sample posts and stories of other participants’ success stories from the past five years. Beyond Petal It Forward, SAF has tools, tips and resources to help you grow your business year-round. (Some tools that you might like right about now: Holiday social media graphics, perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
Why It Works: Most SAF resources are FREE to SAF members and they’ve been developed with feedback from our volunteer leaders, some of the most forward-thinking floral professionals in business today!
Looking to keep your Petal It Forward momentum going? Check out post-event tips today and get started.
You can still share your Petal It Forward stories with SAF. We love hearing them! Email mwestbrook@safnow.org.
Mary Westbrook is the editor in chief of Floral Management magazine.
