The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a hammer blow to daily life, disrupting everything from the workplace to home life — but the floral industry is uniquely positioned to gain market share and build stronger relationships with consumers now for one simple reason: “Flowers are palliative and can help restore health to stressed consumers,” said retail expert Jim Dion of Dionco Inc. in his opening keynote July 27 during the Society of American Florists’ Reinvention Summit. “Flowers soothe. They’re beautiful and calming and can help ground consumers. The destruction of routine has been stressful for every consumer and getting back to normal is even more stressful because everything is different now.”

What’s more, leaning into empathy could help engage customers during these challenging times, said Dion. “In many cases, customers may even behave irrationally simply due to the overwhelming stress they’re experiencing. The way to get them to step back and breathe is by identifying with them with genuine concern,” Dion said. “Say things like, ‘This must be frightening for you. I know it’s frightening for us.’ Or ‘It’s awful what you’re going through.’ Concern in your voice will deflate the balloon of their stress—and it will make you feel good, too.”

Dion is one of five keynote speakers featured this week during SAF’s Reinvention Summit, a five-day virtual event which also includes industry panel debrief and participant roundtable discussions. The event kicked off July 27 and runs through July 31; registered participants have access to all recorded programming through Sept. 1. (Find out more here.)

New Rules for a ‘New’ World

During his keynote on July 27, Dion also delved into some best practices for the current time.

To capture market share, for instance, Dion recommended advertising. It may sound counter-intuitive when budgets are tighter, but in times of market turmoil, retailers can gain two to three times the results compared to a pre-pandemic marketplace. “Your competitors are struggling — and maybe not even open. Any advertising you do won’t be lost in a whole flurry of competitive ads,” he said. “You’ll encourage existing customers to continue to buy and fuel new customers.” Tug at heartstrings with ads that focus on the joy of receiving flowers and how flowers make a human connection. (SAF has new seasonal shareables that help communicate this message via social media.

Capitalize on the we’re-in-it-together mantra by forming strategic partnerships with other local businesses. “Real estate agents, schools, hair salons, restaurants, bars — is there a business you can share customers with? You can speak to their customers and vice-versa,” Dion said. “Sponsor charitable work and come up with ways you can help parents with their children who are at home. Many parents need help.” Helping is the word of the hour. If you can help your customers, you will win their business.

Dion also stressed that technology will continue to play a key role in sales. “The online purchase journey is more important then ever,” he said. “The click-and-collect boom is here to stay.” Having a website, app, livestreaming events — all of these things will continue to fuel sales post-pandemic. The bottom line? “Be prepared to deal with the customer any way that the customer wants to deal with you,” Dion said.

Practical Advice, Delivered

A panel of industry leaders dug into what Dion shared, using examples from their own business experiences to offer ways for retailers to build sales after the pandemic.

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  Anna Ball, Ball Horticultural

  Give customers choices. One of the great casualties in everyday life has been control over daily decisions. Restrictions and shortages stripped consumers’ ability to control even what kind of toilet paper they buy. Lindsay Squires of Tagawa Gardens in Centennial, Colorado, recognized that as “an opportunity to meet our guests exactly where they are. Through products and services we offer, our customers have a chance to make a choice they have control over — and it makes a difference in their lives and in the lives of those they cherish. The sense of value that can come from those small choices can be really important.”

• Market flowers as connection. What people crave right now is connecting with those they love. “Flowers are a way to sense human connection and a reminder of the love and togetherness we’re all missing,” said Sarah Bagle, creative director at Accent Decor, headquartered outside of Atlanta. “Flowers send a virtual hug—and it’s a hug that lasts several weeks.”
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  Sarah Bagle, Accent Decor

  Embrace e-commerce. The slow march toward ecommerce became a sprint during the pandemic. “In June U.S. e-commerce sales were up 70 percent, roughly a 75-25 split, e-commerce to brick and mortar. I suspect those numbers will approach 50-50 post-pandemic,” said FTD CEO Charlie Cole. Ball agreed. “Workers in Germany are done with the virus. They say e-commerce went way up and now it’s down some, but still higher than pre-covid, though.”

An easy way for florists to cash in on this trend is through social media. “Instagram stories sell locally,” said Bagle. “Plant and flower shops post quicky Insta stories saying this is what we have in stock using simple iphone images. It’s a quick, cheap way to convert sales.”

• Keep new customers. Anna Ball, president & CEO of Ball Horticultural, headquartered in West Chicago, Illinois, quoted Scotts Miracle-Gro figures of some 16 million new plant or flower buyers this spring. “How do we keep those people coming back?” she said. “They went shopping for mental and physical well-being — and when it comes to bedding plants, they were buying for themselves.”

Squires points out the “enthusiasm of new gardeners is a gift to our industry coming out of this adversity. We’re trying to learn and understand how to recapture the interest of that new consumer. We’re using things like personal shopping, garden coaching, bundling products and online shopping to engage with customers.”

• Start a wellness conversation. COVID has sparked a new awareness of wellness. “The general public isn’t informed about the health benefits of flowers,” said Bagle. “The current wellness pattern typically includes food, exercise and meditation. We need to find a way to tap into that — maybe by partnering with a local wellness shop or spa.” (Find out more about SAF research on the health benefits, and how you can leverage the research to reach customers.)

Cole sees the biggest opportunity for flower sellers is building sales for self-consumption. “Whether it’s in the context of wellness or beauty in the home, making flowers part of someone’s day to day routine gives us all a more stable business model.”

• Be authentic. “Customers tend to be forgiving now if you’re being vulnerable and transparent. It’s a great time to try something new,” said SAF President Chris Drummond. Ball agreed. “People are tired of negativity and hearing about Covid. They want you to be authentic and re-open. Consumers care where they buy, and there’s a lot you can talk about that’s authentic and important to people. You can say you’re a local sustainable family business. More important, customers still want great products at a good price with good service. That is not going to change.”

Look for more coverage of the Reinvention Summit in upcoming SAF publications.

Julie Martens Forney is a contributing writer to the Society of American Florists.