The 2019 Florist Valentine’s Day Survey Results Are In!

A big thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Valentine’s Day survey. Once again we received a strong response from our readers and members.

Results were based on the 347 retail surveyed by Floranext between February 15th through February 17th.

Were 2019 Valentine’s Day Sales Better Than Last Year?

• Lower – 20.8%
• Same – 17.9%
• Higher – 61.3%

Were Valentine’s Day In-Store Retail sales greater than last year?

• Yes – $65%
• No – 35%

Aside From Red Roses, What Were Your Top-Selling Products This Valentine’s Day?

• Arranged Flowers – 71.4%
• Hand-Tied Bouquets – 11.4%
• Other Roses – 16.6%
• Other – 0.6%

What Did you Charge For  Dozen Long Stem Roses Arranged

• $88.00 (average total from participants)

Did You Sell Short Stemmed Roses?

• Yes – 42.2%
• No – 57.8%

How Many Extra Temporary Drivers Did You Hire This Valentine’s Season?

• 0 – 9.7%
• 1 – 14.3%
• 2 – 25.1%
• 3 – 21.1%
• 4 or more – 29.7%

How Many Extra Temporary Shop Staff Did You Hire This Valentine’s Season?

• 0 – 16.7%
• 1 – 23%
• 2 – 25.3%
• 3 – 14.9%
• 4 or more – 20.1%

Did You Use/Rent Delivery Vehicles / Trucks This Valentine’s Holiday?

• 0 – 61.3%
• 1 – 6.1%
• 2 – 16%
• 3 – 5.5%
• 4 or more – 11%

When Did Your Floral Business Start Receiving Valentine’s Day Orders?

• First Half Of January – 6.9%
• Second Half Of January – 32.6%
• First Week Of February – 45.7%
• Valentine’s Day Week – 14.9%

What, If Anything, Would You Do Differently Next Valentine’s Day?

List of a few randomly selected comments:

• “More budget friendly walk-in options.”
• “Have more staff and grab & go items ready.”
• “Order less colored roses. Make even more premade arrangements.”
• “Pre-make more arrangements.”
• “Get more drivers to deliver early.”
•  “Keep marketing as much as possible, locally & with technology.”
• “Order less being that it will be a Friday next year.”
• “Hire an Additional Designer.”
• “Not panic that you did not receive very many pre-orders. This year I wrote it down when the guys started to order.”

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Florists, was this Valentine’s season successful and resulted in more sales? What would you consider to implement that next year? Do you have any feedback on your 2019 Valentine’s Day sales season? Your fellow florists would love to hear about it—please feel free to share in the comment section 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.

With the overwhelming amount of orders and questions that build up before Valentine’s Day, this time of year can be quite stressful for florists. Sometimes we just have to stop and smell the roses before continuing to work hard and provide the best quality service we can to our customers.

Sometimes you just need to read something that is inspirational or just to put a smile on your face. Remember, laughter is the best medicine.

We wanted to give you a little stress reliever and offer some inspirational quotes and funny puns to keep you entertained during this Valentine’s Day. Who knows, maybe you can provide these as suggestions to your customers as a card message!

Inspirational Flower Quotes

• “Where flowers bloom, so does hope” –Lady Bird Johnson
• “The rose is the flower and handmaiden of love—the lily, her fair associate, is the emblem of beauty and purity.” –Dorothea Dix
• “Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities in the world.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.” –Luther Burbank
• “If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden.” –Claudia Adrienne Grandi
• “Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.” –Helen Keller

• “Minds are like flowers; they open only when the time is right.” –Stephen Richards
• “Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities in the world.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “A rose can never be a sunflower, and a sunflower can never be a rose. All flowers are beautiful in their own way, and that’s like women too.” –Miranda Kerr
• “Love is flower like; Friendship is like a sheltering tree.” –Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” –Max  
• “Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” –Victor Hugo

• “Earth laughs in flowers.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Flowers don’t tell, they show.” –Stephanie Skeem
• The butterfly is a flying flower, the flower, a tethered butterfly.” –Ecouchard Le Brun
• “Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.” –Jim Carrey
• “The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.” –Robert Leighton
• “Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Funny Flower Puns

• I hope thistle show you how much I love you!
• Hey bud, how’s it growing?
• You’re my best bud!
• I will love you till the end of thyme.
• I love you mum, you’re the best!
• You had me at aloe.

• We should put our tulips together this Valentine’s day.
• What’s up, buttercup?
• I love you tulip much!
• I really lilac you.
• We’re mint to be.
• Not a daisy goes by where I don’t think about you.

• I can’t wait to see our love grow and grow and grow.
• Just wanted to say aloe!
• I love you a lily more each day.
• My love for you blossoms every day.
• Life would succ without you.
• Don’t stop beleafing.

Florists, what are some inspirational quotes or funny flower puns that make you feel inspired or laugh? Please share your comments 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.

A 4,000-year-old trend is making its rounds again!

That’s right—preserving or drying flowers date back 4,000 years ago to the Egyptians. These dried flowers were presented in funeral ceremonies, with each flower being chosen for a symbolic meaning within their religion.

From Ancient Egypt to Victorian England, dried flowers are making their way back in 2019. The growing DIY movement and popularity of natural products is allowing dried florals to see a new light.

This is a great opportunity to let customers know after receiving or purchasing a fresh arrangement, they can hang and dry their flowers to give them more time to appreciate the arrangement.

So where can we expect to see these dried florals in 2019?

2019 Dried Floral Trends

image via pexels.com

Preserved Stems and Greens: Preserving larger stems and greens like eucalyptus is a great way to add to a vase and make it a focal point in a room such as a living room or bathroom.

Pressed Flowers and Greens: Beside floral arrangements, pressed flowers and greens are preserved in frames or shadow boxes. If you love the idea of having dried flowers a part of your decor but do not have space, this is a perfect solution for you.

Not only can you keep pressed flowers in a frame or shadow box, there are now clear phone cases that can display pressed flowers, putting a modern spin on the trend. This is becoming especially popular among Millennials.

Image via @tarrnationflowers at photoramium.com

Wreaths: Ideally these wreaths are for indoors, as the flowers need to be stored or kept in dry place. Try adding simple dried flowers that have a fragrance, like lavender or oregano.

Types of Preservation of Flowers

Drying and Hanging: This is one of the earliest-known methods of preserving flowers. The simplest way to dry most flowers is to remove all leaves, tie them in small bundles and hang them upside down, out of direct sunlight and in a warm and well-ventilated place.

Each bunch should only contain one type of flower with larger bloomed flowers are to be dried individually by the stem. Stems may need to be re-tied during the process as they tend to shrink. The drying process can take anywhere from one week to several weeks depending on the flower, humidity, and where the flower is being store.

Silica Gel Drying: Ever wonder what those little packets are that come in shoe boxes? That’s a small amount of silica gel, a substance that helps remove moisture in the box so the shoes’ leather and foam stay in crisp good condition. It is white, but some types contain blue crystals that act as an indicator of the amount of moisture that has been absorbed.

Silica gel dries florals very quickly. To dry flowers using silica gel, spread on open pans a layer ½ to ¾ inch thick, place the flowers on top and bake in the oven. Once crystals show moisture removed, flowers must be placed in airtight containers.

image via @wildlinggirl via Instagram

Pressed: This floral preservation method started in the Victorian era. Pressing flowers involves using one of many different types of presses, depending on the flower type. The art is then framed in a flat frame, to hang on the wall.

Other Methods: Of course, there are other methods of preserving methods like freeze drying, but we recommend choosing the best and cost-effective method for you and your floral business.

Image via Pexels.com

With most customers viewing social media and online for inspiration and references, We can guarantee customers will start asking about dried florals in your flower shop.

Florists, do you sell or use dried florals in your business? If so what are other ways you incorporate dried florals? Please share your comments 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.

Florists, are you marketing to the younger generations?

These days it may seem as though flowers are becoming a vintage luxury that only older generations seem to care about or can afford.

Currently, the trend among Millennials seems to be houseplants. Their charm is that they require little maintenance to thrive, a tempting proposition for people who live busy and fast-paced lives. 

The virtual spaces that we now inhabit changes the landscape of living, requiring businesses of all kinds to quickly adapt their products and marketing strategies. If you haven’t, it’s time to begin thinking of ways for your business to reach young people.

Image via Shutterstock

Keep an Online Presence

The touchstone of the Millennial generation is the Internet, enabling people to be connected wherever they may be in the world. This makes the Internet one of the best tools of communication, and of course, marketing. Knowing how to fully utilize the Internet to make an impact with your brand is fundamental to letting yourself be known to your target audience.

Image via Shutterstock

Engage With Social Media

Social media platforms are by far the most visited websites and tools in today’s society, and florists should take advantage of that traffic to bring attention to their brand. Although it is good to have an account with all the large social media platforms, the most critical are Instagram and Facebook. Their impressive support for images (which you should rely heavily on) and extensive ad programs make them the go-to for almost any business.

Your shop’s Facebook page is going to be the face of your business, so take your time tailoring the page’s picture and cover photo. For any other day, you can use a default design, but you can also utilize these photos when running campaigns or promos. Usually, the profile photo can be your logo.

The content of these profiles will be the most important. Whether it be on Facebook or Instagram, your posts should endeavor to tell a story. Millennials are loyal to brands they trust, and they trust brands that tell their stories.

Image via Shutterstock

Share Your Floral Knowledge

Millennials are DIYers and reliant on gathering information on the Internet, thus you should take this opportunity to consider putting up a blog, where you can teach people how to take care of flowers, content about which flowers can be useful for specific occasions, how-to/DIY guides, and much more. Putting up content is both a service to your customers and a boost to their loyalty to your brand (besides being good for your search engine ranking!). Once they find your content helpful and useful, they can learn to trust you over time.

A trend that you can also ride on nowadays is the do-it-yourself trend. People believe that when they can do it themselves, not only can they have potential savings, but they can also have the satisfaction of having done it themselves. In order for you to fully utilize this trend, you should have good DIY content, where you teach people how to set up flowers and maybe even teach them a few tricks in floral arrangements. For people who might be apprehensive in the DIY approach, give them a flexible option that lets you do it but still gives them control over the flowers. The key here is customization: give people a way to express themselves through the flowers, and try to give them more options to give more customization!

Build Florist-Customer Relationships

After gathering a following, you should engage with them! You should excel in customer support: dealing with errors in orders and delivering, helping provide information on the flowers, and even helping them out pick the right flowers for specific events. Going over and beyond, you should also learn to engage with your customers in the social media platforms. People appreciate replies to questions they ask about your service or product. 

Part of relating to them is talking with them when they share their own experiences. By encouraging people to share their own stories, then commending them and appreciating their effort, they are more likely to interact with your brand more, earning yourself a potential customer. Don’t force people to do so, though; let them come to you naturally so you can ensure that they will stay.

Through these interactions, you can also get feedback as to how to improve your products further. Letting them voice their opinions and recognizing them can be great in knowing how to make your service better for them.

Emphasize Convenience

Convenience is one of the millennials main focus when choosing or purchasing a product. Anything that could cause any brief delay will detour this generation in finding a competitor.

Just like in other industries, you might be also interested in setting up subscriptions and or loyalty programs. Subscriptions are perfect for the floral industry and can entice newcomers since they will be bound to be changed every so often. You can feature flowers every month and have them sent to everyone who subscribed, with complimentary brochures on how to take care of them, information on the flowers or advertisement of your upcoming events or classes.

Loyalty programs can be less effective than subscription, but they can help add more incentives to customers who frequent your place, which will keep them returning.

Marketing to Millennials and the younger generation may seem too much work, a pain, or even frustrating. However, simply following some of the recommended marketing tactics above can help increase a younger clientele and will help increase profits and allow your business to bloom in the future!

Florists, what are you doing to reach young people? Please share your comments below!

Image via mrflowerfantastic on Instagram

Have you considered using flowers not just in design, but as an art medium?

Image via mrflowerfantastic on Instagram

As florists, we use flowers for designing arrangements for customers’ everyday events and milestones, but have you thought about designing as a floral artist and creating beautiful artwork?

One artist who uses flowers as an art medium is Mr. Flower Fantastic. His floral art can be seen in magazines, art galleries, on Instagram, and more.

image via mrflowerfantastic via Instagram

Meet the Floral Artist

Mr. Flower Fantastic wears a mask and gloves, but not to hide his identity—it’s essential for his health. He is highly allergic to flower pollen, which goes to show that if you have a passion for something, nothing should stand in your way. Mr. Flower Fantastic’s hidden identity allows us, viewers, to focus more on the art piece rather than the artist, a technique used by other artists like Banksy and Daft Punk, going all the way back to Homer.

image via mrflowerfantastic via Instagram

Flowers as a Visual Art Medium

All of the flowers used in Mr. Flower Fantastic’s art pieces are real flowers found locally, nationally or internationally. All the flowers used in each art piece are natural pigment.

When it comes to flowers as an art medium, Mr. Fantastic has an idea of what flowers he wants to use for his designs before heading to the local flower market. However, depending on the season some flowers may not be available and he has to rework is original plan on what is available at the market or another flower may stand out more compared to his original vision.

In an interview with Solecollector, Mr. Flower Fantastic has stated “I have a spiritual connection with florals—I can’t make flowers, only God can make flowers. All I have done is taken what he has already made and position them differently. I’m not really the real artist here, I’m just kind of messing with his work. I kind of always want the focus to be on that. It’s not about me. It’s not about what I look like, or what I don’t look like. It’s about the florals.”

image via mrflowerfantastic via Instagram

Floral Art Pieces

Mr. Flower Fantastic made waves a few years back when he turned Serena Williams’ Air Max 97 into a floral showstopper during the  U.S. Open. Since then he has been creating shoe masterpieces out of flowers.  Not only does he do designer shoes but also floral art of our favorite logos, and icons working out of his New York Space.

Mr. Flower Fantastic flower arrangements are rare, however, keep an eye out on his Instagram page and prints of the art masterpieces he has created can be purchased online at mrflowerfantastic.art

Not only does Mr. Fantastic share his beautiful work online, he sometimes leaves his arrangements in random locations in New York and other cities by creating kind of a treasure hunt for his Instagram fans, offering clues through his Instagram stories.

Florists, what fresh and innovative ways are you taking on with the classic flower arrangement? Leave us a comment 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.

Florists, now is the time to start preparing for Valentine’s Day!

It is important to be ahead of the Valentine’s Day flower rush! Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest and possibly the most profitable holiday of the year next to Mother’s Day.

Read on for a step-by-step checklist to help you maintain organization, increase your flower shop profits, and have a smooth, successful Valentine’s Day.

Image via pexels.com

Flower Shop Appearance

Valentine’s Day Decor: Mid-January is the time to start decorating! Customers respond to festive seasonal and holiday decor, so go ahead and add your special touches. If feasible, a beautiful and eye-catching window display will attract more walk-ins. The key is to create an inviting atmosphere and remind customers Valentine’s Day is approaching.

Image via pexels.com

 Flowers and Supplies

Order Flowers: Here again, it’s best to get started on your quantities in mid-January. Ask for price breaks from your suppliers and be sure to order all you need, but be careful not to overdo it. Be smart, buy smart!

Try a Flower Auction: Due to the large quantities you must buy in order to get a great deal, flower auctions are perfect for holidays like Valentine’s Day roses. Once again, ordering early is key.

Order Supplies: Make sure you have good tools, and all the prep supplies you need: wire, tape, oasis, flower food, etc. Besides your tools and prep supplies, you will need vases and containers. Order your standard vases and shop at home decor stores for unique finds.

Order Add-Ons: Do not forget to order new plush, candies, chocolate, balloons and candles. Anything can be an add-on! Cross-selling creates huge profits and these items will generally last from one year to the next. If you can, invest in quality products and watch them sell.

Image via pexels.com

Floral Website

Ideally, it is best to have your floral eCommerce all set and ready for Valentine’s Day before February 1st. However, it is never too late to make a few tweaks to your website to attract customers. Remember to implement some Valentine’s Day keywords for your SEO.

Website Products: Start with your Valentine’s Day product images. These should be displayed prominently throughout the website. You might consider adding Valentine’s Day products to your Bestsellers and Birthday pages, and any other pages you like. We recommend peppering your pages with Valentine’s products, while also using a dedicated Valentine’s Day page.

Call to Action: One great practice is to have a call to action on your floral eCommerce. Add an invitation to “Shop Now for Valentine’s Day Flowers” which will direct customers where they need to go. Make sure Valentine’s Day is clearly shown on your site’s navigation bar so customers have easy access to the page.

Clear Valentine’s Day Policy: If your policy for deliveries isn’t front and center on your website, now is the time to correct this. Remind your customers that you can’t guarantee delivery at a specific time. Encourage them to pick a range of time (ie. “Valentine’s Day Delivery Guaranteed between 9:00am and 5:00pm).

Promotions: We encourage you to add an early bird special. Unlike other holidays, Valentine’s Day is one day which can get very busy. Having customers select a different delivery date spreads the holiday throughout the week. Offer a free delivery or percentage off for anyone who opts for delivery before February 14.

Pricing: If you are charging more for Valentine’s Day flowers, make sure your floral eCommerce has holiday pricing enabled.

Image via pexels.com

Employee Management

Employee Scheduling: By February 1st, discuss what will be required of your employees. Most flower shop employees understand the importance of this holiday, but it pays to have instill a clear understanding of days and times they must work.

Cross-Selling and Upgrades: Valentine’s Day is a such a busy holiday in a flower shop that sometimes cross-selling or upgrading can slip your mind. We encourage you to make upgrading and cross-selling a priority in your flower shop. Every employee should offer a customer more with every sale.

Extra Help: Hire any extra help you need for Valentine’s week: front counter help, designers, and delivery drivers included. Make sure to go over all that is required, including scheduling.

Image via pexels.com

Valentine’s Day Prep Checklist

Prep Your Flowers: When your flower supply arrives (around the start of February), be sure to quickly prep all your flowers and do not cut corners. Prepping is the key in selling beautiful long lasting flowers. How to flower prep.

Supplies: Cut your ribbon ahead of time for easy access. Stage your containers and make sure you have enough—the same goes for pins, plush, candies, and so on.

Get to Greening: Practiced by many florists, green vases before the holiday. Greens are very long lasting, and doing this ahead of time will save you some valuable time (be sure to keep all pre-greened containers and vases in your cooler).

Image via pexels.com

Valentine’s Day Week Checklist

Get Your Display On: The week of Valentine’s Day, create bundle deals and display them throughout the shop. Add special offers for roses purchased with plush, candies, or any combination. Make sure these are visible for easy purchase for walk-in customers.

Single Roses: A big seller from many florists has been the single wrapped rose. Pre-make tons of these and place them at your front counter. These sell quickly and most customers will almost always purchase an add -on to go along with the single wrapped rose. Be sure to display them close together.

Tip: Wrap single colored roses as well. Customers love these, with the color pink trailing right behind red. 

Delivery Route: Look over the orders you currently have and make a set plan with your drivers on what areas they are delivering to. Remember more orders trickle in the day before Valentine’s Day and day of, so be as organized as possible, with the delivery routing for each driver.

Tip: If you can, we advise having a standby driver at the shop, this driver will handle all new orders that come in on Valentine’s Day.

Attire: Why a section on attire? We want you to be comfortable! Please wear proper shoes. Do Not allow employees to wear open toe shoes, this can be an insurance liability. Be comfortable and wear closed toe shoes.

Don’t Be Wasteful: With the orders piling up it is so easy to be wasteful, make sure to use what you need. Amazing how many flowers and supplies are simply thrown on the floor and then thrown out. Discuss the importance with your employees on not wasting products, this all cuts into your bottom line profits.

Watch Your Finances: We know you’re exhausted, but don’t forget to check your daily sales for each day leading up to Valentine’s Day. Keep clear reports on all accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Image via pexels.com

Valentine’s Day Checklist

All the preparations have paid off! Valentine’s Day is here!

Everything Will Be Great: Florists by nature tend to be perfectionists. Our advice is everything will come together. The day will fly by so enjoy it, focus on your task at hand rather than feel like you have to be doing everything.

Keep Up the Sense of Humor: Do not sweat the small stuff. Things can happen and they are all part of the Valentine’s Day flower shop process.

Treat Employees to Lunch: This is great for the fellowship in the flower shop and also keeps employees from venturing out for lunch.

Delivery Confirmations: If you participate with a floral wire service, be sure to confirm all your delivered orders. Doing so will keep you from being charged high non-delivery confirmation fees. Most floral wire services have a time that they need to be confirmed by, so please do this accordingly.

Florists, have any great Valentine’s Day tip to share with our readers? Please post your feedback below, as it is so important to us! We would like to wish all florists a very lucrative and successful Valentine’s Day!

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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.

What is SEO, why is it important, and why should florists care?

Search Engine Optimization or SEO refers to the process used to improve a website’s position on search engine results pages (SERPs) on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing. Having an SEO strategy for your floral business can help draw customers to your website and grow sales and revenue.

Working on SEO can sound like a headache, and there are a lot of myths about SEO, but once you understand the basics you will be on your way to starting your own SEO strategy. Let’s take a minute to review the basics of SEO and understand how search engines like Google rank your business website.

What Are Search Engines?

Web search engines are the software systems we and our customers use to surf the Internet. The top search engines are Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Google commands the largest share among the three, with consistently over 90% market share globally in 2018.

The goal of a search engine is to provide the information you or your customers are looking for and ranking them in order of quality and relevance. There are hundreds of factors that are involved when search engines rank websites in an organic search.

Image via Shutterstock

SEO Components to use on my Floral Website

Here are some important components to use on your floral website that will help rank your website higher on search engines.

• H1 Tags: These are the larger headers that should contain your targeted keywords, ones that closely relate to the page title and are relevant to your content.
• H2 Tags: This is a subheading and should contain similar keywords as the H1 Tags.
• Keyword Density: This is the number of times that the keyword your customers are searching for that appear on your website.
• Meta Description: This is the description you provide search engines in your <meta> HTML tags. The meta description you use for your website should also include the keywords you want your target audience to search for.
• Backlinks: This is when other websites link back to your website by providing your website URL. The more backlinks you have, the better your opportunities are to be higher ranked in your keywords.
• Software Provider SEO Tools – Tools that can help increase SEO rankings like Local Pages, testimonial/review pages, partner pages, etc.

How Does My Floral Website Get Ranked

First off, as with all search engines like Google, they implement a web crawler/algorithm, that goes around the web. It “crawls” around the web, catching keywords to determine the topic and understanding the content of the page and seeks out links in the page, then checking if that linked page is a “reliable” one. 

It can be concluded that if a page links to a reliable page, it has a reliable source and is thus relatively reliable too. It gives a score to this page from that linking. The crawler then goes through all the links in that page and does that scoring until all links are exhausted. After that, the algorithm gives the page its PageRank in that specific keyword. The higher the PageRank, the more likely it is for the page to appear in the first parts of the search engine results pages.

on a side note, Google search results may show some variances depending on browsers and devices.

Image via Shutterstock

When Can My Floral Website be #1

Getting placed on the first page of a Google search doesn’t happen overnight or in a few days, but you can passively accrue traffic to your website by being present in the top 5 searches for your keywords. Your SEO strategy needs to be a continuous process by staying on top of your SEO strategy and make sure that it is up to date.

Your SEO strategy Not only needs to be focused on your current customer base, but potential Customers will be able to find you and your business easily when looking up relevant information that pertains to your business. A good rule of thumb to keep on top of your SEO strategy is to research the tactics used by your competitors.

Florists, Do you have a SEO strategy in place? What do you do to increase your SEO? Please share in the comments 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.

Photo by Amina Filkins from Pexels

For most florists, planning ahead is second nature. With 2021 here, now is the perfect time to look to the new year’s holidays and slow times.

Image via pexels.com

January can be a slow month in the floral industry, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still plenty to get done. Focus this month on your shop’s marketing and organization.

• Start a blog: This is a great way to increase your SEO, write a post every now and then to boost your search engine visibility, and keep the buzz going by sharing photos and updates on your social media.
  • Tip: “How to” blogs are the most-searched!

• Review 2020 Valentine’s sales: Start ordering your flowers for Valentine’s Day—the earlier you order, the more you save. Don’t forget to order add-ons either: plush, chocolate, candy, etc. are all high-margin items that sell reliably well.
  • Tip: If this is your first Valentine’s day, don’t order too much. Calibrating the size of your order can be tricky, but when in doubt, start small. You can always re-up in a pinch.

• Decorate store and website for Valentine’s: Starting the second week of January (after the official end of Christmas season), make a spectacular Valentine’s display in your store, and also make sure your eCommerce site is ready for early bird sales.

• Sign up for wedding sites: If you’re a wedding florist, make sure you have profiles on The Knot, Wedding Wire, and My Wedding.

Image via pexels.com

February is a short month and can be slow early on, but Valentine’s Day demand will create an explosion of activity in the middle two weeks of the month. It’s important to have everything ready before this rush.

• Employee management: Hire and train your holiday help, then go over all employee scheduling and responsibilities by the end of the first week of February.
  • Tip: This is also a good time to also rent extra delivery vans if needed.

• Promotions: Come up with some sales promotions you can offer to attract earlier Valentine’s Day orders. Maybe you can encourage customers to choose delivery dates before the 14th. Share these promotions on your social media and on your flower shop website. Make sure they expire a few days before Valentine’s.

• Take care of yourself: During this busy month, it is important to rest and take time for yourself. Encourage your employees to do the same and wear comfortable clothes, comfy shoes, and make time to eat! Being organized will alleviate most of Valentine’s day pressure, but it’s important to be well-nourished and comfortable.
• Start a holiday journal: It may sound corny or frivolous, but there’s so much even an established shop can learn by keeping some written records. You have your gross receipts, but what about mishaps or funny incidents not included in the data? It helps to reread notes from past holidays to refresh yourself.

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March can be one of the most rewarding months in the floral industry. Nestled between the Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day holidays, March allows florists time to relax and get ready for new beginnings with the coming of spring.

• Finance review: With the first quarter almost over, now is a good time to get a grasp on your profit and loss for January and February. Add notes about what you may do differently next year, maybe using your shop journal.

• Spring cleaning: Customers eagerly anticipate spring, especially if you’re located in an area with cold, snowy winters. Refresh your flower shop decor and get ready for spring!

• March Sales Madness: As florists, we know march can be hit or miss with sales, so start a new marketing campaign to drive more sales.

• Order your Easter flowers and plants: Easter can fall anywhere between late March and late April, and it may vary widely from one year to the next. Start order for your Easter flowers and plants, remember that ordering early means savings for you from your suppliers, and you’ll have the best selection.

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It’s April, and Mother’s Day will be here before you know it! Use April to prepare.

• Order Mother’s Day flowers and supplies: Make sure to place your order for Mother’s Day plants, and flowers, and containers with your supplier. The best time to order is early April.

• Showcase your plants: If you’re selling flowering plants, now is a good time to showcase them! This creates a welcoming atmosphere for customers. If you’re able to move some outdoors, this could help with curb appeal.

• Promotions and marketing: Start promoting early bird Mother’s Day sales after Easter. Post on your social media and website (this will improve your SEO to boot). One great marketing tip is to offer a giveaway, maybe a gift basket, or free flowers for a few months, and have customers provide their contact information when they make a purchase.

• Employee management: It’s time again to make sure you have all your seasonal help lined up. Make sure all current employees understand their schedule and duties.
  • Tip: If you or any of your employees are new to the floral industry, remember that Mother’s Day is the #1 floral business holiday. Customers order for deliveries throughout the week rather than one day. Be prepared with help, lots of flowers, and beautiful containers. 

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May is a great month for the floral industry! Between Mother’s Day and proms, it’s best to be well-prepared so you aren’t caught off guard.

• Take a look around: Take an honest look—does your flower shop look appealing to you? Make sure you use a critical eye and take it all in, the appearance, the sounds, and even the smells. Customers are drawn to a beautiful environment that makes them feel relaxed and comfortable.

• Employee training: The first week of May is a good time to discuss employee customer service, cross-selling, and up-selling products. Make sure your employees are polite and offer customers upgrades and add-ons with their purchase. This is an easy way to almost triple your profits.

• Offer prom promotions: Proms are a way sure to make sales. Build relationships with future long time patrons. Offer a referral discount.

• Examine your finances: After the Mother’s Day rush, now is a good time to sit down and see whether or not you made a profit, be sure to calculate all costs and include any spoilage or waste. Keep notes on what you would do differently next year.

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June is a lovely month. The start of summer offers a chance to organize your floral business needs. June is the most popular month for weddings, with September and October close behind. Florists are pleasantly surprised by how busy June can get with weddings and graduations.

• Refresh your floral website: Update your flower shop for some summer specials, make sure you’re wedding galleries are up to date with pertinent content and keywords.

• Offer promotions: Teacher gifts and graduation discounts are a great way to bring in traffic. Be sure to promote these on your floral website and social media.

• Order retail products: This is a great time to order some fresh new stock to get customers to flock to your flower shop. There is nothing you cannot sell, so think outside the box! What’s popular? Candles, skincare, plush, home decor, makeup, even unique greeting cards. Brand your flower shop!

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We think of July as a month of organization. July can be on the slower side, so it’s very important to have your shop looking its best.

• Write a blog: With the free time that July affords you, we especially recommend writing a blog post or three. Write a how-to or write about anything that inspires you. Think about things you search for, read, and watch, and connect them to flowers.

• Social media: Take some time to focus on revamping your social media communities. Add content and images, and don’t forget hashtags where appropriate.

• Tidy up your flower shop: Time to clean, scrub, wash, organize, label, etc. Freshen up your floral space!
• Browse your floral supply stores: July is a great month to look at products in your floral supply store, for example, you can often find great deals on holiday items. It’s a great time to stock up.

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August can be one of the slowest months in the floral industry. If that’s the case for you, try implementing new ways to market in your flower shop.

• Newsletter: Email, snail mail, or both! Send out a newsletter to your customers offering special savings.

• Start a workshop or floral party! Get busy with hosting a floral workshop, kid’s floral birthday parties, and much more. This can lead to great profits and new patrons at your flower shop.

• Start preparing for fall! Get your flower shop ready for the most popular season. Create beautiful displays, order new inventory, and go for it! We recommend starting this the second-to-last week of August. Don’t forget your fall marketing!

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Flowers sales in September pick up rapidly by the middle of the month. Customers are now back to their normal routines with the kids back in school and a new flush of weddings.

• Order fall flowers and Plants: Stock up on your seasonal flowers and plants.

• Revamp your floral website: Add the seasonal touch to your floral website with fresh new content and images. Use proper keywords, specific to the floral industry for SEO advantage.

• Launch an Adwords Campaign: If your budget allows, try launching an Adwords campaign for more clicks to your eCommerce store. Be sure to set a budget and stick to it as this can get expensive. adwords.google.com

• Keep up with your blog: Now that you are a blogging pro, how about writing a seasonal blog or fall wedding blog? We cannot emphasize this enough, regular blog posts have a powerful influence on your search engine ranking.

Tip: Canadian florists, September is a good time to start ordering flowers and supplies for Thanksgiving.

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October offers some great sales. Now is a good time to start orders on any extra stock supplies and get them at a discount for future use.

• Prepare for the holidays: The holidays are just around the corner! Shop around for the best deals on all your flowers, and supplies for the holidays. Also, shop around for holiday products to sell at your shop.

• Employee management: Go over employee scheduling and see if you will need extra help for the holiday season.

• Host an open house: Host a holiday open house to show off your latest products and floral designs.

• Floral Expo: Take some time to visit a flower expo in your area and take your employees. This is a good way to stay current with the new trends and get first dibs on new products.

Tip: October is a very popular wedding month since most wedding proposals are made in December. Consider advertising a wedding package special on your website.

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This is the season for flower sales! November will be a great month for you as customers get into the giving mood.

• Market the holidays! Add promotions to your floral website and social media!

• Start greening: Green those Thanksgiving centerpieces ahead of time, add any taper or candles and put them in the cooler for a quick way to add flowers as Thanksgiving sales roll in.

• Decorate the shop for the holidays: Time for Christmas cheer. Create eye-appealing displays and make sure your flower shop is festive. If you can make a beautiful Christmas window display or storefront display to bring in curious shoppers.

• Offer incentives: Offer Black Friday or Small Business Saturday deals. “Buy ones get ones” are great offers, even if it’s just a couple of hours that day. Having a great deal with a cut off time is a good way of creating hype and traffic into your flower shop.

Tip: Don’t forget to revamp your eCommerce site in advance of Christmas and update your social media!

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With a number of winter holidays converging in December, many florists enjoy a huge uptick in sales in December, especially for Christmas. This can vary from place to place, but December is overall the third best month for floral retail sales after May and February, which is really saying something.

• Employee management: Set expectations for your employees—remind them to discuss upgrades and add-ons for each customer’s order. Remember to review the days you will be closed and work out a firm schedule, you don’t want to be caught shorthanded. You may also consider bringing in extra seasonal help around the holidays to keep things running smoothly.

• Christmas greens: Many customers will come to you looking to buy Christmas greenery. Be sure to place your order early so you have a sufficient stock of wreaths, garlands, etc.

• Plan your discounts: Sometimes offering a discount too early for Christmas can become forgetful to customers who may not be ready. Post Christmas discounts during this month and make sure to have an expiration time or date. Great discounts are gifts for parents, teachers, corporate and the person, who has everything. Flowers still remain the perfect gift.

Tip: Don’t forget to market to businesses! holiday parties and corporate decorating can be huge, so offer incentives to entice them to book with you for their flower needs. 

With all that said, florists, if you have any tips or thoughts on yearly or monthly planning, please leave them in the comments below!

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When will your flower shop be ready for the holidays? What month do you start preparing for the holidays? Which holiday is best for sales (hint, it’s Christmas). See the items most florists sell during the holidays and most-sought decorations and decorating services. Does your shop run an end-of-year sale?