Comments on: Florist needs ideas, events to promote shop online and offline

By: Letitia @ black roses

Letitia @ black roses — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:21:45 +0000

Hello:

Social book marking is good; however the key to marketing on the internet is making sure that you have a variety of ways to rank your site so that google can place you on page one and people in your area looking for you will find your website or blog and your sales will increase. Google is like a huge catalog to give people what they want. Knowing how to appear on the first page will help your sales. My first advice to you would be to chage your flower website to a word press site. The reason being there are many plug ins that you could take advantage of. You already know this because this platform is made using wordpress. I would highly recommend a program that may help you. There is a forum with this program that you can become apart of if you choose. You will also learn different tactics that will help you rank better on google and increase your sales. go to http://frominternetmakemoney.com/
All I have to say is that I am happy that I blundered upon this program it has helped me alot.

Wishing you all the best.

Letitia

By: Berg

Berg — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:38:28 +0000

How about tying up with wedding/event planners, churches and businesses (gifts for staff birthdays, special occasions).

I hope this helps.

By: Christine Buffaloe

Christine Buffaloe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:07:44 +0000

I agree with C.M.Mayo.
I would really like to see what is being sent. There are many times that I send flowers and I don’t know exactly what it is that has been sent.

Also, I noticed on your website that there are no connections to any SN sites, such as Facebook or Twitter. You could really expand your business base by having a SN presance.

I just did a quick search on Facebook and found this one in particular:
http://tinyurl.com/yjgl83g

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:22:27 +0000

Check out the Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau. If you know what conventions are coming to town, you can market your services directly to those organizations, and even the vendors that will have booths, or corporate entertainment suites during the show. You can also send press releases to the affiliate trade magazines…

By: Debra Arrato

Debra Arrato — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:25:38 +0000

I love “niche” marketing and value its benefits. Start branding your business. How about a new tag line like,
“CarmelRose – we SEND what’s in your heart.” Use the tag line
on everything. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and then
join a leads group within the Chamber. It’s worth every penny. The leads groups usually meet once a week or twice
a month and they only allow one of each industry/business.
You are able to form great relationships with these people and
the business will flow. Also, along the niche line, personally visit large corporate offices (the management office) and bring along a small flower gift for the secretary
as an ice breaker/thank you gift for his/her time. Offer to create gorgeous arrangements for the entrance/vestibule areas on a weekly basis. The incentive to them to try you is that they only have to pay you for three of the four arrangements for the first month (basically buy 3, get 1 free). Here’s the best part. Companies LOVE to see their name in lights.
Purchase a used imprinting machine and offer to imprint their
company name on the ribbon of the arrangements -for FREE for the 1st month. It’s so easy to do and the companies really do love it. Never give up. Believe…and you can do it.

By: Brisbane Australia

Brisbane Australia — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:49:42 +0000

I think this is a good opportunity to align yourself with various charitable organisations. A good strategy is to be a key sponsor for an event that a charitable organisation will hold every year in your local area. You will get links from their site and also from the publicity that an event will receive.

By: Cheryl Pickett

Cheryl Pickett — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:05:32 +0000

I’m guessing one reason people do the “in lieu of” is because they know flowers just die in a few days no matter how beautiful they are to begin with. Linda touched on this in her comment, but if you can show you are more “green” than the typical florist, I’d think you could have an edge.

Maybe you could offer a specific group of arrangements that use recycled containers, include seed packets or make it clear what part of the arrangement could be re-potted and kept by the recipient. For example, my husband had a plant (I think some call it elephant ear) that started out 6 inches tall in his father’s funeral arrangement. It grew for over 10 years and ended up as tall as the ceiling would allow. It was a nice reminder of happy memories all those years.

Once you have something like that, you’d have a unique story with good visuals to pitch to TV and print media.

By: Linda Swisher

Linda Swisher — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:37:01 +0000

Partnerships for weddings/proms: bridal and tux shops, photographers, limo companies, reception venues, bakeries, salons/spas, gift shops, caterers, wedding planners, stationers.
Partnerships for funerals: funeral homes, cemeteries, funeral luncheon venues.
Partnerships for decor or entertaining: interior designers, local furniture stores, adult classes through park districts or colleges, real estate stagers, model home builders, gift basket shops, bakeries or specialty/imported food shops.

Ideas for articles or classes:
— Flower power: flowers and their meaning; how to keep flowers fresher longer.
— Prom 101: what’s new in dresses & tuxes; hairstyles using flowers; how to select corsages.
— Green decorating: how to decorate using grasses, bulbs, herbs or potted plants; how to dry flowers for use in decorating, sachets, etc.
— Holiday decorating: how to make a centerpiece; how to use swags or wreaths; how to decorate a holiday table

Miscellaneous opportunities:
— Bouquets presented to actors in community theater
— Graduation bouquets
— Wreaths or arrangements for fraternal or veterans groups that conduct ceremonies or services

By: bruce jones

bruce jones — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:21:47 +0000

Run a small how to classes around your expertise.
I just did a quick search on floral shop classes and came up with this link http://www.longwoodgardens.org/FloralDesignClasses.html.
There were quite a few on this top. Good way to get customers in the store seeing you shop as the place to come. Base it around different holidays. You could start with just a basic sign in the window and test the market. You could also video tape the lectures and use them on your web site. But getting folks in the shop is best

By: Sonia Singh

Sonia Singh — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:13:25 +0000

You can teach classes to individuals- how to put together a cornucopia for the Thanksgiving dinner you’re hosting, creative ways to feature mistletoe and poinsettia for December, incorporate clipped flowers into decorating fancy baked goods, etc. You could even partner with craft stores for a venue and to reach their clientele.

I know a few crafters that follow blogs to get ideas. You could connect with these other blogs and maybe guest post for them to build an audience. Content could include “did you know” factoids about flowers in season, how to make arrangements last longer, and of course any promotions you might have.

For larger events, some nonprofits are still holding their annual fundraising events. Try to find a local nonprofit association to partner with, or even better, build connections with nonprofit-focused event planners.