Three marketing experts shared their best tips for more effective email, text and social media marketing.
Ready to take your digital marketing to the next level? At the Society of American Florists’ annual convention Sept. 6-9 in Phoenix, three marketing gurus shared best practices to create compelling emails, reach customers through text messaging, and engage communities through social media. Here are their tips.
Email Marketing
Catch their attention. If an email’s subject line isn’t compelling, many people will delete it without opening it. To ensure the message is read, Erin Bruno, AAF, of McNamara Florist, says the Indianapolis shop uses Headline Analyzer to help write email subject lines. The free online tool scores text and provides tips for improvement.
Know your community. LaToya Ferguson, owner of Sweet Psalms Florist, says her Conyers, Georgia shop services a large Hispanic community. She researched which holidays and flowers were important to them and sends targeted email blasts, resulting in increased sales. She encourages florists to research their community and tailor marketing to the community’s needs.
Close the sale. Brennen Rigler, owner of Albuquerque Florist in New Mexico and Arizona Family Florist in Phoenix, says his companies use email to follow up with customers who left items in their online shopping carts. If they email customers an hour after they abandoned their carts, they see about a 6 percent conversion rate, he says.
Text Message Marketing
Get texting. Progressive businesses are increasingly marketing via text message. Customers can opt in or subscribe to the service, enabling businesses to send text and images to generate sales. Several companies offer mass-texting services for a monthly fee based on how many phone numbers are on the list. For example, Ferguson uses Text-Em-All, which offers plans starting at $10.
Create consistent reasons to shop. Ferguson often designs weekly bouquets to move whatever is in her cooler and sends a text with a photo the night before her busiest day. Because the bouquets are ever-changing, customers line up to snag one. “Within the first two hours of opening, we start to see people say, ‘Hey, I got your text message,’” says Ferguson.
Be quick. Many customers prefer texting because it’s quick and easy, and rapid responses can lead to higher sales because it prevents customers from losing interest or shopping elsewhere. Ferguson’s customers have learned that they can message her with questions, or even send a picture of an arrangement they want her to create, and they know she will respond immediately.
Social Media Marketing
Get personal. Including people, such as employees and customers, in the photos and videos provides a personal touch that prompts greater customer engagement, Rigler says.
Keep up with trends. Social media trends can change swiftly. Bruno recommends subscribing to social media newsletters, staying active on several different platforms, and asking customers what platforms and types of content influence their decision-making.
Think outside the box. While most social media outlets are global, there are some that are hyper-local. Bruno posts weekly on Nextdoor, which connects people and businesses within a neighborhood. “It’s a great way to reach that very close-to-your shop community,” says Bruno. Other community groups are available on platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and Meetup.
Laurie Herrera is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
