Using Google My Business is one of the best ways to improve your floral business website’s visibility.   Google My Business (formerly called Google Places) is the number one platform for listing your flower shop on Google searches, and Google Maps! Google My Business allows you to improve your business’s credibility and visibility, by showing you are verified on one of the most trusted platforms on the Internet.     Signing Up for Google for Business If you are just starting your floral business, whether or not you have a floral website set up or not, start your application here. Click Manage Now and enter your Business Name.   Next, you will be asked if you want to add a location that customers can visit, such as a store or an office. …

Flower-infused drinks have been around for centuries, but they're enjoying new popularity today! Over the last couple years you may have seen flower-infused drinks popping up more frequently at bars and restaurants, and on television, social media and more. Flowers like rose, lavender, hibiscus, and daisy are leaving their mark on the shelves, but is this beneficial for florists? With Spring just now arriving, why not learn how to floral infuse not only food but beverages as well!   Floral Drinks—Is it Possible? Infusing floral notes into any beverage can be a simple process depending on the method you choose. Not only can you infuse flowers into drinks, but florals can use them as garnishes or rim dressing on glasses. Oils that give flowers, herbs, and spices their ar…

Upselling isn't just a sales tactic—it's a way to improve your customer's experience. The objective of customer service is to satisfy the needs and wants of your customers. With that principle as your guide, no sale will feel forced but will make you feel accomplished that you have pleased your customers by providing what they actually need. The key is to successfully identify the needs and wants for each person that purchases through your flower shop. One of the ways you can deliver a quality sales experience is with upselling.    What is Upselling? Upselling is a sales technique aimed at getting a customer to spend more by upgrading their arrangement, or by adding another item to their order. A good example is when you offer the customer a custom-arranged b…

Flowers can be tasteful to the palate, not just the eyes! Anyone in the food industry recognizes that the human palate is an ever-changing thing, and we are always more than ready to take a bite out of anything remotely edible. Delicious food is more than just delicious on the tongue, it can be tasty to the eye. Restaurant-quality food is more than the taste, the way it's presented is part of the experience. Now, the flower industry has something food fanatics might consider to enhance that experience: edible flowers.   Edible Flower Trend Ripped from the pages of the Great British Bake Off recipe books—which once featured a botanicals week—and Michelin five-star chefs, edible flowers have gained a lot of traction because they still do what they do best even when pai…

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  …

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 busy time of year. 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…

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 Stunning Dried Arrangements/Bouquet…

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. Keep an Online Presence The touchstone of the Millennial generation is the Internet, enabling people to be connected wherever they may be …

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

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. 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.   …