Posts by josh

Wedding Floral Survey 2022 – The Results!

August 3rd, 2022 Posted by Florist Marketing, Florist Profits 1 thought on “Wedding Floral Survey 2022 – The Results!”

 

Floranext would like to say thank you to all the respondents who participated in our annual wedding floral survey. As always, this questionnaire provided us with illuminating results that allowed us to learn about current trends that florists should be aware of.

If you’re just starting out or trying to grow your floral business, you are probably setting your sights on weddings as your main business source. But how do your marketing efforts stack up against successful florists?

We polled a group of successful flower shop owners on their marketing efforts for weddings in 2022. The majority already have marketing strategies implemented to attract more couples who are getting married. 

Here’s everything we learned from them that might be helpful as you grow your business.

 

Key Floral Trends – Wedding Floral 2022

Here are the top key floral trends of wedding florals:

Stay active on social media 

According to a survey we recently conducted, almost 72% of florists said they use social media as one of their strategies for marketing their services, specifically for weddings

The more popular social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook used to be the primary spot for florists to go – but Tik Tok is becoming a hot spot for flower arrangement videos and floral professionals.

Target for fall weddings

Summer has been the prime-time wedding season for decades, with winter and spring always coming in last. But the enticing colors of fall are causing “peak wedding season” to shift. 

40% of florists noted fall as their most active season for weddings, compared to summer, which only 36% of florists named as their busiest time of year. 

Spreading the word all the time

69% of florists said having a good reputation and referral trend is how they get business for weddings

There is so much power in relying on previously satisfied customers giving your name to their friends who are getting married next. Some even specifically noted that they successfully use referral programs. Others mentioned they get most of their business through being a preferred vendor for venues.

Most florists don’t spend big on wedding marketing

With social media offering low-cost advertising options and many florists relying on referrals and word of mouth, it’s very possible to keep your marketing costs down all year long. 

84% of florists indicated that they don’t spend more than $3,000 on marketing for weddings per year, while only 8% spent more than $5,000. Moreover, the majority spent under $1,000. 

 

Florist Wedding Floral Survey Results 

What Type Of Florist Are You?

 

Average number of weddings

 

What season is favorite

 

Marketing efforts

Marketing most helpful

Marketing Spent

 

wedding packages

 

Couples spend

Comments

Thank you for reading the Floranext Wedding Floral Survey for 2022. We are committed to bringing flower shops the best information and tips to run their floral business. Click here to learn more about our florist software and how you can upgrade your florist website or floral point of sale

Survey based on data from 137 florists (75% in the United States, 8% in Canada, 17% International). 

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Floranext offers great florist software, florist POS, florist websites and florist wedding proposal software. Our florist technology products are built by florists, for florists. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Florist Marketing Guide – Get Ready to Plan Your Year!

July 20th, 2022 Posted by Blog, Floral Holiday Tips, Floral Supplies, Florist Marketing, Florist Operations, Florist Profits, Florist Resources, Opening a Flower Shop 0 thoughts on “Florist Marketing Guide – Get Ready to Plan Your Year!”

Believe it or not, we’ve entered the last half of 2022. As fast as time went on this year, the second half will go just as quickly. For florists, the first few months and the last few months of the year can be hectic. With holidays just around the corner, you will want a plan to generate more business and beat the competition. 

Here are some tips you should consider when thinking ahead to the rest of 2022 and the start of 2023. 

 

Florist Reviewing year end

 

Evaluate what worked and what didn’t in early 2022

It’s important to look back on a few things to see what worked and  what could be improved.

Marketing – What marketing strategies worked. Think about successful campaigns or events you put on. Consider how you can bring that into the 2022 holiday season and whether any season promotions or events you did this year could be successful for next year.

Finance Review – This would also be a good time to get a grasp on your profit and loss so far for the year. Make any notes about what you may do differently next year.

Employees – Take a look at previous sales numbers and employees to see if you need to hire or increase or decrease hours for the remainder of the year. Summer is also a great time to review policies, procedures and other training. 

Flowers, Products, & Supplies – Review previous sales to determine what flowers, products, and supplies are needed for the end and beginning of the year and what did not sell well or what you can do without. 

Yearly Plan – Its always a good idea to have a yearly plan in place, always take notes on items that worked, didn’t work, and any new potential ideas for the following year. 

 

Florist Social Media

Stay active on social media

One of the best things you can do for your flower business year-round is to stay consistent on social media. Post new arrangements or seasonal flowers, talk about events you’ve been to recently, take a video of a “day in the life of a flower shop owner” – anything that shows that you’re keeping busy will keep you on the minds of prospective customers. 

If you haven’t already, try singing up for additional social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok

florist with customer

 

Continue to build relationships with current customers

Whether on social media or by sending promotional emails, you should continue to nurture relationships with the customers you’ve already worked with. This can be done simply by sending frequent reminders that you’re there – just an email or a social media post will do! For returning customers, you could also offer loyalty perks like a discount on future orders or a referral program. Whatever you do, staying top-of-mind for already dedicated customers is a great strategy. If they love you, they will recommend you to other people! 

Don’t forget to ask customers to leave a review for you on Google! The more positive customer reviews helps produce more revenue but also increase your ranking on google search engine. 

 

fall-flowers

 

Get people thinking ahead 

It’s never too late to get people excited about fall flowers and holiday bouquets! Start dropping hints on social media and in other marketing efforts that you’re ready to start taking orders for the holidays. It’s also important to think about off-season events that are still happening – more people than ever are getting married in the wedding off-season, and a lot of college graduations have been postponed due to the pandemic. Let audiences know you’re ready to handle any off-season event.

florist-partner-holiday

Reach out to more potential partners

Wedding venues are not the only places that need flowers. Businesses and local storefronts love to decorate for the fall and the holiday season. Reach out to some local shops or offices just to remind them that you’re there to help them make their spaces look beautiful. Continuously collaborating with businesses is a great way to build your own shop’s business. 

 

florist-seo-website

Strengthen your online orders

It’s just a fact that people want to buy everything they need online these days. More than 55% of US consumers prefer to shop online. That number is expected to grow in the coming years. With pivoting for the pandemic, your shop has most likely shifted to selling online, but it doesn’t hurt to re-evaluate where you could be stronger with a digital storefront. 

If you are looking to revamp your website, now is the time to edit prices, product images, add galleries and more. 

 

What are you doing to keep your sales going for the rest of the year? Let us know in the comments below! 

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Floranext Logo

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

florist-social-media-main

Top 5 Ways To Use Social Media To Drive Sales as a Florist

July 14th, 2022 Posted by Blog, Floral Instagram, Florist Marketing, Florist Resources, florist technology 0 thoughts on “Top 5 Ways To Use Social Media To Drive Sales as a Florist”

social-media-for-florists

Photo by Carrie Beth Williams on Unsplash

Posting gorgeous pictures of flower arrangements and gardens to social media is one of the best ways to get your unique flowers out there. But curating a picturesque social media page is about more than getting likes – it should be helping you drive sales.

florist-social-media-2

Photo by Marisa Morton on Unsplash

What to Know Before You Start Posting on Social Media

A beautiful bouquet on Facebook might look great, but it likely isn’t getting you paying customers – just friendly likes. As florists, we need to know a few things about our target audience before building a social media presence.

What channel does your audience use?

Think about the customer you’re trying to reach – for florists, that audience is likely brides, wedding planners, and decorators. A few years ago, Instagram and Pinterest were the go-to wedding planning channels, but Tik Tok has changed the game. According to Adage, #WeddingTok has over 2.4 billion views, and florists are going virtual all the time to create wedding bouquets and flower arrangements. 

What kind of content works?

The TikTok channel @acflowerstudio recently went viral for creating Disney-inspired bouquets – and there are more just like them all the time! You might post an amazing video of your flower shop storefront with a line outside or show off a cool event your team attended – but no matter the quality, it won’t work if it’s not showing off what you do. Look at what other florists are doing on social media. Think about how you can re-create that in a unique way that is specific to what you do. 

 

florist-social-media-3

Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash

How to Use Social Media to Get More Business

Now that you understand what channel you should use and what content you should create, you can start posting and getting more business! Here are five ways to get business from social media for your flower shop. 

1. Always post new content and stay consistent

Successful flower shops on social media are always posting content. Whether it’s new flowers in season, creative arrangements, or happenings at your flower shop, you should constantly post new content. When you’re first starting, your content doesn’t have to be over the top and perfect. The most important thing is that you start building a presence. 

2. Make it easy to get in touch with you on social

Accessibility to your shop is key – 33% of people want to contact brands using social media rather than over the phone or email. While building a social media presence, you have to make sure people know how to get a hold of you, and it should be as easy as possible. Put your website and other contact information in your social bio, including your business address if you have a brick-and-mortar flower shop. It’s also helpful to encourage people to get in touch with you through the chat features on your social channels – just make sure you have someone answering!

 

florist-social-media-4

Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

3. Share customer stories and get them to talk about you on their social

According to Stackla, 79 percent of people say user-generated content highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Seeing happy customers at their weddings or special events surrounded by your gorgeous flower arrangements is one of the best ways to build your reputation as a florist. It’s important that you post yourself in action as much as possible. You even ask happy customers to post about their experience working with you on their social media. 

4. Use unique (but relevant!) hashtags

You won’t rank on Wedding Tik Tok or Instagram if you’re not using the right hashtags. When making a post, it’s important to use relevant hashtags that your audience will find you but unique enough that they understand your business. Local hashtags like “#flowershopLA” or “floristsofNYC” are great ways to get a local following going. You can also create unique hashtags that are specific to your business and encourage customers to use them when posting pictures of your flowers. 

5. Stick to your story and brand

Don’t just copy what other florists are doing. It’s okay to look to successful flower social media influencers or shops for inspiration, but what will really bring the customers in is authenticity. Post about what makes your flower shop unique. Make sure that you post consistently and that your aesthetic comes across. Share your story and stay true to your brand. 

 

Florists – you’re passionate about what you do. Bring it to social media! You might be surprised by the results.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Shocked Florist

Top 10 Of The World’s Weirdest Flowers

June 24th, 2022 Posted by Blog, Florist Resources, Florists' Thoughts, Flower Fun, Flower History 2 thoughts on “Top 10 Of The World’s Weirdest Flowers”

Being florists, we are surrounded by beauty each and everyday. However, as Edgar Allen Poe once said, “There is no beauty without some strangeness.” Believe it or not among the beautiful blossoms in the world, there are some flowers that maybe considered a bit weird. We have compiled a list of out Top 10 Weirdest flowers out of thousands, we hope you enjoy!

 

Shocked Florist

 

Top 10 Of The World’s Weirdest Flowers

 

Corpse-flower-rainforest

Image via The World Of Flowering Plants

10. The Corpse Flower (Rafflesia arnoldii)

Coming in at number 10 is the Rafflesia arnoldii flower, or, the Corpse flower. The Corpse flower is is very rare and can only be found in the rainforests of Indonesia. There is much debate if the Corpse flower is even considered a flower at all as it is a parasitic organism that has no visible leaves, roots or stems. This Flower gets its name from the putrid smell that fills the air. 

There is some debate on whether this is considered the true corpse flower as the Titan Arum, our next flower on the list, is also trying to claim the title. 

 

Amorphophallus-titanum-Titan-Arum4

Image via The World Of Flowering Plants

9.  The Voodoo Lily / The Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum (Titan Arum))

As mentioned with our top ten flower, the Titan Arum is also competing for the title of The Corpse Flower. Out of the two, this is the most famous of the flowers as it has been showcased in local and global headlines and had a starring role in the Dennis the Menace movie. 

This flower is also very rare and can only be found in Indonesia. Growing up to 12 feet tall and weighing nearly 200 lbs, this flower can be quite intimidating, especially if you take a whiff of its smell. 

 

Lithops Weberi

Image via Gardner’s World

 

8. Lithops Weberi / Flowering Stones (Lithops Comtonii)

In at number eight is the flowering stones, we recently mentioned its cousin in our plant blog a few weeks ago. No your eyes are not deceiving you, these little succulents do look like stones. These stone like succulents are only native to South Africa, where they have adapted to drought-like environments.  When the Lithops blooms, it showcases a white or yellow type daisy. 

 

Lobster Claw

Image via Gardenia

7. Lobster Claw (Heliconia Rostrata)

The Lobster Claw, also known as the False Bird of Paradise and Wild Plantain, is a bold color flower that emerges from clumps of leaves that look like bananas. The captivating reddish flower-like bracts actually hide the plant’s true flowers, which require birds with specialized beaks for pollination.  The Lobster Claw can grow up to three and a half feet tall and they bloom several times each year. 

 

Dancing-Girls-Impatiens-Bequaertii-17-Flowers-That-Look-Like-Something-ElseImage via Pouted

6. Dancing Girls (Impatiens bequaertii)

One of the rarest of flowers, these dainty beauties are nicknamed for their resemblance to dancing ladies in dresses. Native to east Africa, the blooms come in white and light pink and growing about one foot across and bearing blooms that are a half inch long. 

 

swaddled babies
Image via Pouted

5. Swaddled Babies (Anguloa Unifflora)

These tulip orchids, nicknamed Swaddled Babies, were discovered in the Colombia. During certain times of the blooming stage, the flowers’ blossoms resembles babies all wrapped up in swaddling. Their alluring scent attracts insects to the lip of the petal where  pollen then attaches itself to the insect, increasing pollination.

 

parrot flowerImage via Martha Stewart

4. Parrot Flower (Impatiens psittacina)

A Thailand native, the Parrot Flower is classified as endangered and cannot leave the country. The beauty of this strange flower is when you see the bloom from the side, it looks like a parrot! This flower also gained internet fame when images of the flower started to appear, many thinking it was digitally altered.

 

flying duck orchid

Image via Pouted

3. Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major)

In at number three is this stunning orchid that is native to Australia, the flying Duck Orchid. The unique shape of this orchid helps increase its pollination from sawflies. This flower is hard to find as it grows in the wild and due to its reddish brown color that blends right into the Australian bush. 

 

protea pinwheel

Image via Jen R (cc)

2. Protea Pinwheel (Leucospermum catherinae)

Also known as the Catherine-wheel Pincushion, this bloom is part of the “firework pincushion” family. The interesting fact about this flower is how it is associated with Fire. Un the wild, these flowers are suited for harsh climates. The perfect time for the proteas to bloom is after a fire. These pinwheels also produce fruit that is collected and eaten by ants. The ants do not eat the seeds, so the seeds remain under the ground till the next fire, which triggers germination.

 

Devils hands

Image via regenerag

1.Devils Hand (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon)

The Last flower in our top ten is the Devils Hand or Monkey Hand/Monkey Paw. The Devil’s Hand is native to Mexico and the Ancient Aztecs held it in high religious regard. This blooming plant also produces fruit that has an early taste and has been used in medicine to treat heart disease and heart conditions. 

Florists, what is your favorite weird flower, or is there a flower that we did not list? Post your comments below!

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Top 10 Ways to Make a Profit Owning a Flower Shop

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 

 

 

 

flower-subscriptions

The Power of Subscription Flowers

April 8th, 2022 Posted by Blog, Floral Design, Floral Supplies, Florist Deliveries, Florist Delivery, Florist Operations, Florist Profits, florist technology 12 thoughts on “The Power of Subscription Flowers”

flower-subscriptions

 

Subscription flowers, or floral subscriptions, include a variety of services where customers can have flowers delivered to a place of their choice schedule. Depending on the service, customers may choose bouquets that are sent or receive a random bouquet of seasonal flowers.

Some services also allow flowers to be sent on specific dates or on holidays (eg. Mother’s Day or Anniversaries). While it’s common for customers to send flowers to mark a special occasion, the general reason floral subscriptions are gaining traction today is a growing appreciation for having everyday flowers nearby.

The natural beauty everyday flowers bring to homes and offices invigorates and calms the area. Plus, the convenience of having flowers sent frequently without the hassle of ordering them beforehand is a major selling point.

 

subscription-flowers-home

 

Who is Offering Subscription Flowers?

It should be noted that not only are florists offering subscription services but cut flower specialists too. Floral subscriptions are a growing market and can also help with your inventory.

These advance orders let you plan ahead and place orders for unique flowers and stock only what’s needed while cutting down on waste. You can even use surplus flowers from other orders as part of the bouquets, managing your waste even more. Floranext website customers can add Floral Subscriptions to their website. To get started with Floral Subscriptions, Click Here!

 

sub-flowers-vase

Benefits of Floral subscriptions

As a bonus, flower subscription services may allow you to provide better flowers to the customer as well. Using seasonal blooms keeps your bouquets of higher quality, which your customers will definitely appreciate.

Of course, with the nature of subscriptions, you get to develop long-term relationships with your customers. You can learn about your customers’ preferences as you interact with them in each delivery, and you can customize their future bouquets to match those preferences. This can definitely let you gain their favor and ultimately improve your relationship.

 

 

There are so many advantages to floral subscriptions that it may feel like you’re missing out on an entire industry not riding the trend. If that describes you, try offering a subscription plan and see how they work! Want to add floral subscriptions to your website, Try Floranext Floral Subscriptions today

 

Florists, are you offering floral subscriptions to customers? What are some things that work or didn’t work for you? Please share your comments down below!

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

valentines-day-2022-florist-0survey-results

Florist Valentine’s Day | 2022 Trends

February 24th, 2022 Posted by Blog, florals for Valentines, Florist Resources, Opening a Flower Shop, Survey, Valentine's Day 2 thoughts on “Florist Valentine’s Day | 2022 Trends”

Floranext would like to say thank you for the overwhelming responses to those who participated in our annual florist Valentine’s Day survey, which shows some definite changes for 2022. Based on florist feedback, It looks like 2022 was a very busy holiday for the retail floral industry. 

 

valentines-day-2022-florist-0survey-results

 

Key Floral Trends – Valentine’s Day 2022

  • Valentine’s Day sales were very strong: Despite the flower shortage and Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday.
  • 38% of florists stated they had better Valentine’s Day sales compared to last year’s Valentines Day, that’s an increase of 8.4% from 2021.
  • Website orders increased significantly: 40% of florists reported more web orders this year, while 37% reported they stayed the same.  
  • Dozen roses prices were up a lot:  Average prices were almost $105. 
  • Many florist experiences flower shortages:  34% saw shortages, with roses being the most common.

 

Were Valentine’s Day 2022 sales better than last year?

overall-sales-valentines-2022-florist-survey

 

 

Not surprisingly, Walk-In-Orders were higher this year, with an increase of 28.3% compared to last year’s results. Phone orders stayed about the same with shops reporting 2.6% fewer phone orders, however, florists reporting higher website orders for 2022 were down by 11.3%. Could it be that customers are tired of being cooped up at home and are out shopping versus shopping online?

 

web-orders-2022-florsit-valentines-day-survey                    walk-in-orders-2022-florist-survey-valentines-day.                        phone-orders-2022-florist-valentines-day-survey

 

With the shortage of flowers and quality of roses, A Dozen Rose’s price range was very wide, the average in the United States was around $104.58. This was an increase of $13.08 or 14.30% compared to last year’s prices.

 

main-average-cost-roses-valentines-day

With the shortage and quality of roses, arranged flowers were overwhelmingly the next most popular item this year. Candy and chocolates once again were the number one choice for an add-on this Valentine’s Day.

 

2022-valentines-day-survey-besides-roses-add-ons

 

Temporary staffing continues to be an increase year after for flower shops during the busiest holidays of the year. About 74% of shops added new staff, a decrease of 1% compared to 2020. This year 81.9% shops added additional drivers, an increase of 5% compared to last year.  Most shops did not rent vans for the holiday specifically, likely choosing to use driver vehicles.  

 

v-day-staff0ng-survey-florists

 

Valentine’s Day orders started coming in early for many shops, with 49% getting holiday orders in January, an increase of 9% compared to 2020 – This just shows that it is important to keep your floral websites up to date and start marketing customers for major holiday and events weeks in advance.

 

time-frame-vday-orders-2020-survey

Since the pandemic there has been a shortage of flowers, especially during the holidays. This year 34% of florists were unable to get specific flowers from their wholesaler, flower market, and or flower farm. Listed are the flowers that were reported that were hard to receive. 

FlowerShortage-survey (1)

What (if anything) would you do differently next Valentine’s Day?

Floral Ordering:  “More mixed bouquets using the same flowers!”, “Order fewer flowers so we sell out.” and “Fewer dozen roses and more mixed flowers”

Preparations: “prepare more arrangements”, “limit customer selections and keep cooler filled”, “More things for Galentine’s day – seems to become more popular”, and “green more vases and don’t order Euc till closer to day.”

Hiring: Secure more employee help”, “Hire faster and efficient drivers”, “More drivers and customer service staff”, and “Extra help on the day of holiday”

Deliveries:Start deliveries earlier in the day,” “Delivery coordinator,” “Be more organized with routing my deliveries”, and “hire additional drivers and rent additional vehicles”

Marketing: “More social media posts”, “Start marketing in January for Valentines Day”, “More advertising,” and “Market bigger!”

 

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Thank you florists for participating in our annual floral Valentine’s Survey – we see some definite changes for the floral industry. Wishing you well for 2022 from Floranext – where we continue to help independent florists succeed!

Results were based on the 337 retail florists surveyed by Floranext between February 16th through February 21st. Florists were based in the US (72%), Canada (10%), international (16%), and no response (2%).

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Floranext Logo

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 

Google-My-Business-Florist-Guide

Florists Guide | Google Business & Local Search Ranking

January 27th, 2022 Posted by Blog, floral system, floral systems, Florist Ecommerce, Florist Marketing, Florist Operations, Florist Profits, Florist Resources, florist technology, Florist Websites, florist-software, Search Engine Optimization, seo 3 thoughts on “Florists Guide | Google Business & Local Search Ranking”

Google-My-Business-Florist-Guide

Using Google Business is one of the best ways to improve your floral business website’s visibility.

As small business owners, we know that florists are always on the lookout for simple and direct ways to stay in touch with customers along with ways to reach new customers with ease. Google Business Profiles – formerly known as Google My Business – is a great way to reach people in a direct and efficient manner.

This platform is easy to use and requires little time investment, yet it can provide your business with wonderful rewards in the form of new customers. Learn more about Google Business Profiles and how you can use it to your advantage.

 

florist-google-buisness-profile

Image of Stem Swag Florist Profile via google.com

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google is one of the first places that potential customers look when they want to find information about florists in their area. More than that, they likely use this search engine to learn more about your business in particular: the products you offer along with other experiences people have had when shopping with you.

You may be wondering – why should I spend my time on this? Google Business is important because of: 

Improved Search Visibility: Local Serch Results

Maps Your Floral Business Location: This allows the customer to find and navigate to your brick-and-mortar store and website more easily.

Allows for Customer Interaction: Allows for customers to interact with your business by leaving reviews and uploading their own photos. Every review counts, and every photo upload counts! 

The proof is in the numbers! ​​An interesting statistic is that customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider your business reputable if you have a complete Google Business Profile. In addition to that, seeing a Google Business Profile will make them an astounding  70 percent more likely to actually visit your location.

 

florist-google-business-manage

Image via business.google.com

Getting Started With Google Business

Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Manager

To sign up make sure you have a Google account. If you have one and are logged in, you will automatically be logged into the Google Business Manager. 

 

florist-business-google-business

Image via business.google.com

Step 2: Add Your Floral Business

Enter your Floral Business name.

If it does not appear in the drop-down menu, Click Add Your Business to Google.

Next enter and select Florist as the appropriate category for your business and click Next.

 

florist-google-business-profile-location

Image via business.google.com

Step 3: Enter Your Floral Business Location

Select Yes that you have a physical location that customers can visit your location.

Next, enter your Floral Business Address. Google may require you to place a marker on the location on a map.

Then click Next.

Note: If you don’t enter a physical address, Google will ask you to specify which region you’re based in. 

 

florist-google-business-website-information

Image via business.google.com

 

Step 4: Contact Information For Your Floral Business

Next, Enter your contact information, Business Phone number, and website.

Check over your information and click Next.

 

florist-google-business-verify-information

Image via business.google.com

 

Step 5: Verify Your Floral Business

Enter your real Floral Business physical address, not a post office box.

This information is only to verify your business and is not displayed on your Google Business Profile or shared with the public.

Check over your information and click Next to verify your account. 

Note: Physical location businesses will get a postcard by mail to verify their location, Service-area businesses can be verified through an email address. Once you receive your five-digit code, go back to Google Business Manager to verify.

 

Florist-Google-Business-Dashboard

 

Optimize For Local Search Rankings

Now it’s time to optimize your Google Business Profile to get the most value out of it. Remember that Google determines local search ranking based on three key factors:

  • Relevance: How well your Google Business listing matches a search
  • Distance: How far your location is from the search or searcher
  • Prominence: How well-known your business is (based on factors like links, number of reviews, review score, and SEO)

With that being said, below are a few tips for optimizing your page to increase the likelihood that you appear in a search for florists in your area.

 

florist-google-business-dashboard

Image via business.google.com

Google Business Profile Manager

Now that you have completed and verified with Google Business, let’s take a look at the various sections of the Profile Manager that will require some attention.

This will be your Main Hub for your Google Business Profil, here you can do a little bit of everything. Google Business is constantly adding new features, and many businesses, small and large, fail to take advantage of them! The next section is going to examine some of the important features you can access on your Google Business Profile Manager

 

Google Business Profile Information

This is one of the most important pages for your Business Listing. Everything that is in the main column, under the Business Name, should be filled out ASAP. All of this information can be shown with your Google Listing.

This includes:

  • Business Name
  • Categories
  • Business Location
  • Service Areas
  • Hours and Special Hours
  • Phone Number
  • Website URL
  • Payment Methods Accepted
  • Short Description
  • Opening Date
  • Photos 

We’d like to quickly highlight a few functions from this page that are not utilized as much we think they should be:

Photos: Upload your Photos! This is extremely important. Businesses that don’t have many, or ANY photos will find that they have a harder time ranking highly in the Local Search Results. You should have the following photos that you upload yourself:

  • Logo – Your Business Logo
  • Cover Image – This is the grand feature photo and should correspond to the services you offer.
  • Product – Upload photos of the arrangements that you yourself have created for customers. You can also upload photos of the products as seen in your store.

 

Service Areas: Previously Google prompted Businesses to choose a Radius on their map to indicate how wide their service area could be. Now GMB seems to prompt you to choose from Delivery Areas such as Cities and Zip Codes. It is advantageous to type in as many as are applicable to your business. Be honest, of course. But don’t short sell your business’s reach by only including your primary area.

Opening Date: This one is applicable to up-and-coming businesses, that are still getting their ducks in a row. Our advice to you, start this as soon as you are able! Your Local SEO Ranking can be influenced by how much people engage with your Google Listing. If you start building this momentum before your business is even open, you may find that people in your area become aware of your business and ask you questions before it is even open!

 

florist-google-business-post

Image via business.google.com

Google Business Posts

Google Business Profile is the perfect place to run an offer or promotion for your floral shop – particularly around holidays. Now would be a great chance to try it to promote Valentine’s Day sale! When you add an offer to your profile, anyone who Googles your shop will see this on the search engine page, further enticing them to take advantage of your sale or promo. Here are the steps to add your offers to your profile:

  • Click Posts in the left-hand column
  • Click the Offer tab in the popup
  • Upload your image – this makes the offer more eye-grabbing!
  • In Offer details write a brief description or summary of the offer
  • In Offer title write a title that will grab the attention of your audience
  • Add a Start Date and End Date for the offer
  • Add a Coupon Code (if applicable)
  • Add a URL the customer will need to use to redeem the offer (if applicable)
  • Add the text of any terms and conditions applicable to the offer

Note: Keep in mind, a post made here will only last for 7 days maximum, and can only be 1500 characters MAX. So it is important to be concise, and to have good timing with your posts! 

 

google-verified-reviews

Google Business Reviews 

Encourage and answer reviews and questions on your Google page for further effectiveness. Good reviews are very helpful in allowing new customers to trust your business. Reviews also improve your Google ranking. Remember to ask your customers for reviews. This can be done on email receipts or on other forms of social media.

To share your review request link, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the button that says Share review form.
  2. Copy and paste the link into a message to customers, or into your autoresponder and online receipts.

You should also take the time to reply to reviews on your Google profile. This makes your overall brand and business seem more trustworthy to those visiting your page. Make sure to respond in a professional manner and in your brand voice. Especially when replying to a negative review, be honest and upfront. Always offer an apology and method of contact when needed. You can view and respond to reviews by clicking the Reviews tab in the left menu of your Business Profile Manager.

google-messaging

Google Business Messaging

Customers can now send messages to your Business directly from the Search page. This is a legitimate way to directly communicate with potential customers! You may find that people reach out to you directly through this Messaging function, make sure to pay attention to your Homepage, to see when you get new messages directly from customers searching online.

 

florist-google-business-dashboard-insights

Image via cloud.google.com

Google Business Insights

From this page, you can quickly get a view into how people engage with your Business Listing on Google Search, and also Google Maps.

When people see your listing from Search or Maps:

  • Do they call you directly?
  • Do they click on your Website button?
  • Do they ask for directions?

Having this information can be helpful while you are getting to know your customers, and learning how people find your business.

 

Florists, how has Google My Business helped your floral business in the past years? Please share your feedback in the comment section below.  If you’re getting ready to create yours, let us know any questions you have about the process in the comments section and we’ll do our best to help!

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Is Wedding Floral Changing? 2021 Florist Survey Results

August 10th, 2021 Posted by Blog, Survey, wedding trends, weddings 3 thoughts on “Is Wedding Floral Changing? 2021 Florist Survey Results”

Now with weddings starting to resume, is the wedding floral industry changing? Floranext surveyed 216 florists to get a sense of changes in wedding floral and how they may be affecting business. Here are the top 4 things you need to know!

  • Florists are passionate about weddings! – 77% of florists love working in wedding floral services.
  • With industry price increases, florists are raising their prices. – Over 82% of florists are reporting that they have increased their prices for wedding floral services.
  • Even with the price increases, customers are still spending money on wedding foral services.– 41% of florists have stated that customers are spending about the same, with 21% of customers are spending more.
  • Micro-Weddings are a huge trend! – Over half of the florists surveyed are providing wedding floral services for Micro-Weddings.

Do you provide wedding floral services?


Do you enjoy working on wedding floral?


Are customers spending more or less on wedding floral?


Have you had to increase your pricing on your wedding floral services this year?


What wedding floral trend are you currently experiencing?


What are STILL the most popular themes & color choices for weddings?


What are some NEW themes & color choices for weddings?


Are you able to order specific flowers or order only by color choice?


Any other comments you would like to share about the Wedding Industry?


Any comments on why you do not or have stopped providing wedding floral services?


Survey based on data from 216 florists (74% in the United States, 7% in Canada, 19% International). 

Thank you for reading the Floranext wedding floral Insight for 2021. We are committed to bringing flower shops the best information and tips to run their floral business. Click here to learn more about our florist software and how you can upgrade your florist website or floral point of sale

Floral Industry Insight

Are Floral Industry Prices Increasing? – 2021 Florist Survey Results

July 22nd, 2021 Posted by Blog, Florist Operations, Florist Resources, Florist Stories, Survey 2 thoughts on “Are Floral Industry Prices Increasing? – 2021 Florist Survey Results”

Have prices increased for floral business? Floranext surveyed 311 florists to get a sense if industry prices are increasing and affecting business. Here are the top 4 things things you need to know!

  • Florists have seen flower prices increase over the past 6 months – Over 98% of florists are reporting flower price have increased.
  • With flower supply chain hiccups, florists have seen hardgood Prices increase over the past 6 months – Over 94% of florists are reporting that hardrgood prices have increased.

  • Even with the price increases, Some florists are still unable to get flowers and supplies from their wholesaler – 51% of florists surveyed stated they are unable to get certain flowers and supplies.

  • The increase of demand of flowers, some florists are having a harder time hiring staff – 52% or little over half the florists reporting are having some difficulty in hiring new staff members.

For more detailed answers to each question on our survey, see the charts below:

Have day-to-day (non-holiday) costs for FLOWERS changed this year?

Florist -Survey-industry-insight-flowers


Have day-to-day (non-holiday) costs for HARDGOODS changed this year?

Florist -Survey-industry-insight-hardgoods


Have day-to-day (non-holiday) costs for GASOLINE changed this year?

Florist -Survey-industry-insight-Gasoline

Have day-to-day (non-holiday) costs for SALARIES changed this year ?


Have you been able to hire?


Are you able to get the flowers/supplies you need from your wholesaler?


Have you had to find a new wholesaler for flowers/supplies?


Additonal Comments From Florists

Survey based on data from 311 florists (83% in the United States, 8% in Canada, 9% International). 


Thank you for reading the Floranext Floral Industry Insight for 2021. We are committed to bringing flower shops the best information and tips to run their floral business. Click here to learn more about our florist software and how you can upgrade your florist website or floral point of sale