Recently, Federal, State, and Local agencies have been hacked. Is your flower shop next?

Over the past weeks, cybercriminals have attacked computers in Baltimore and other US cities, freezing computers, shutting down email, and interrupting real estate sales, water bills, health alerts and many other services.

We have collected some helpful tips so that your flower business won’t be the next victim of similar kinds of hack attempts!

How Can Hacking Affect My Floral Shop?

Without having the most recent PC operating systems, like Windows 8.1 or 10, or up to date security patches, your floral business is at a high risk to be hacked. Many businesses who do not have up-to-date operating systems or security patches can experience the following:

• Frozen or locked out of your PC
• Stolen passwords and personal data
• Stolen business/customer data
• Viruses installed
• Your computer can be used to attack others
• Lost time and productivity

How Can I Secure My Flower Shop From Hackers?

1. Apply the latest patches: Make sure you have all your security patches up-to-date on your PC’s operating system. On Microsoft, here are some helpful hints for checking if you need a security update. If you’re on Mac, this article has instructions.

2. Don’t use outdated software: Use the recent operating system that Microsoft offers (Windows 8.1 or Windows 10). Windows 7 will no longer be supported by Microsoft starting January 14th, 2020! Older operating systems like Windows XP no longer receive security patches and are a huge security risk.

3. Download a Password Manager: Passwords are easier to guess than you think! Don’t use the same password for different sites. Use a password storage tool so save and protect passwords. If one of your passwords is compromised, other sites will not be compromised as well. We like 1Password.

4. Use two-factor authentication: Add an additional layer of security for at least your most critical services like banking, accounting, and email. When you log in with two-factor authentication (2FA), you will be sent a text message or verification code from an service like Authy or Google Authenticator.

 

We hope this information is helpful and allows you to run a successful and secured flower shop. Florists, please feel free to post any questions or comments below!

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delivering Flowers Faster. Easier.

Floranext’s New Florist Delivery Manager is the new solution to let your floral delivery blossom! 

Try Floranext’s New Delivery Manager Today!

 

 

Route With Map – Speed up Florist Route Creation

 Easily re-route delivery stops by choosing which stops should come first before any others.

Click here to learn more >>

 

Delivery Driver App – For Faster Floral Deliveries

Your flower shop’s delivery drivers can use a smartphone to use the benefits of the delivery routing features like live status updates, turn by turn directions, and more. 

Click here to learn more >>

 

 

Instant-Address Search – Faster Floral Order Taking

Enter in the business/home address and the field will begin to populate with information.

Click here to learn more >>

 

 

Try Floranext’s New Delivery Manager Today!

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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.

Running a flower shop is no small task – what can you do to cut corners and make life a bit easier? Here are a few indispensable iPhone and Android apps that will increase your flower business productivity, save you time, and help you grow your sales.

All of these apps are free and available on iOS and Android. Happy downloading! 

Here is our list of some of the top apps to help your business get down to business. What other apps do you use – let us know!

Faster Flower Deliveries – Waze 

Want your florist deliveries to get there faster? Waze shows you traffic in real time, instantly re-routes you, and even tells you were to get the cheapest gas.  And if you’re into really fast driving, the app gives you a head’s up on police speed traps. Super easy to use even while driving.

The Easiest Flower Shop To-Dos – Wunderlist

Need to remember your bridal follow ups, the flowers you need to buy for the week, or the list of gift items you need to procure for the upcoming holiday? Wunderlist is a beautiful, super-simple app for creating lists – it syncs between your devices and there is a web version as well.

You can also use it to set reminders for yourself and even to collaborate with others on a project. Have other employees working on that wedding also – get them to use the app too!

 

Track Your Flower Shop Online Reviews and Competition – Perch

Missed that two-star review on Yelp? Didn’t see that less-than-glowing review on Google? Perch is a great app to track your business reviews so you can proactively address any negative comments. And you can keep an eye on your local competitors as well to see how well they are doing with their own social media marketing.

Take Better Florist Website Photos- PicsArt

PicsArt gives you the same creativity and versatility as Photoshop right on your phone. You can add stickers and artistic text. You can import photos from Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Picasa, Google or Dropbox, and you can use those pictures to create collages, among other things. But it’s the logical and responsive interface that gives this app the edge over the competition.

Florist Point of Sale iPad App – Floranext

Floranext’s florist point of sale app gives you all you need to run your flower business on the go with a the Floranext iPad app.  You can take floral walk-in and delivery orders. It’s a great way to run your business or an easy way to add instant florist registers for busy holidays. You can also create and manage floral proposals from our florist app.

 

Like Floranext’s list of 5 great apps for florists? Let us know what apps you are using to make your flower shop run more smoothly.

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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!

 

 Opening a flower shop is a great career opportunity. You get to be creative and work with flowers all day, right?

Well, yes. However, there are so many other facets when it comes to opening a flower shop business. The floral industry does require much more than just designing flowers. Remember, you are selling, designing, delivering, marketing and much more!

We asked florist’s all around the world to share their most crucial advice/tips on opening a flower business. If you are thinking or just starting a floral business this will help you get answers to some of your questions.

 

Which is most important when opening a flower shop?

1. Location (111%)
2. Creativity (55%)
3. Revenue (52%)
4. I just like flowers (7%)
5. All of the above (63%)
6. Other (30%)

 With an overwhelming 111%, Florists have stated that location is key when opening a flower shop. So remember Location, Location, Location.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Is there a need in your community for “Your” idea of a flower shop?” – Wild By Nature

• “Knowledge of business in general. KNOWING how to design already!” – Victorias Floral Design 

• “Driven work ethic.” – Tilted Tulip Florist

• “Social media, marketing and internet presence” – anonymous

• “A working knowledge of flower care and preparation methods and reliable suppliers.” –  The Enchanted Florist

 

What would you say surprised you when you opened your flower shop?

Long hours was the #1 answer by most florist’s for this question, however, there were many great responses that we believe are important to keep in mind when opening a floral business.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “How much yelp reviews really grew my business. After the first year, people calling the shop always mentioned: “I found you on Yelp”. I had more business from that then the local community that soon followed.” – Ace of Vase

• “All the prep work” – anonymous

• “The overwhelming bookkeeping if you are no prepared or don’t have enough financial experience.” – Flower Bomb

• “That many of the people who buy flowers know a lot of things about them.” – anonymous

• “How much you worry about it all and never get a true break from it. Even when on holiday, you don’t ever stop! ” – Beco Flowers

• “It’s hard work.” –  anonymous

• “How quickly the local people embraced us.” – Maureen’s Designs

• “How much of a percent wire service take for orders.” –  anonymous

• “How complicated the process was from start to finish- all the different ways something could go wrong from the weather to the shipping issues, flower care, and handling, order taking, design and delivery.” – The Flower Bar

• “How much fun it is!” – anonymous

• “The physical aspect – from collecting and packing flowers at the market to the lifting, cleaning and moving of heavy buckets.”  – Petals

 

 How much money do you say is needed to start your own brick and mortar flower business?

1. $1,000 to $5,000 (10%)
2. $5,001 – $10,000 (22%)
3. $10,001 – $15,000 (60%)
4. Other (102%)

Other was the #1 answer for this question with the winning budget amount $25,000.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Depends on style location. Could be as little as $300. or as much as $250,000.” – Kelly Mayo

• “$40,000 ” – anonymous

• “Up to $50,000. You need refrigeration, insurance, vehicles. You also need to buy flowers and supplies c o d for at least 6 months before people trust you. Salaries and advertising are big unexpected hits in the first 6 months.” – Gloria’s Florist

• “I began with 15k. I would have been wiser to double that.”  – anonymous

• “The worst thing is to be undercapitalized” – anonymous

• “Purchase a shop already in operation if possible, would be what I recommend. “-  anonymous

 

 If you could open your flower shop today, what is the one thing you would do differently?

Do not join a wire service was the #1 answer if florists could do one thing differently. Trailing behind and almost taking over the number one sport was “Choose a better location,” with having an eCommerce website in third.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “The decor and the location to be more accessible.”-  anonymous

• “Design myself and eliminate payroll” – anonymous

• “Not take wire orders, EVER.” – anonymous

• “Web strategy and online marketing”  – Menifee Florist

• “I would go to flower school first and then open my flower shop.” – anonymous

• “I would have done more advertising to let people know I was there. Put decals on my van sooner. ” –  Mugfords Flower Shoppe

• “Coolers flush to the floor and better processing area.” – The University Florist

• “MORE WEB EXPOSURE.” – anonymous

• “Change business name” – anonymous

 

 What is the best part of opening a flower shop?

1. Customer Interaction (50%)
2. Money, Money, Money (3%)
3. Being Creative (45%)
4. Being Your Own Boss (62%)
5. Flowers Galore (9%)
6. Other (22%)

Florists have chosen Being Your Own Boss as the best part of opening a flower shop. Though percentages were very close, coming in at 2nd place is Customer Interaction.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Creating something bigger than myself.” – Studio Vincca

• “Being my own boss and being able to bring my children to work with me.” – anonymous

• “Satisfying a deep desire to own my own business, and put my big business and academic knowledge to work.” – anonymous

• “Bringing smiles to people’s faces thru my creativity.” – anonymous

• “Being able to go to a job you love every single day of your life! ” – anonymous

• “Rewarding to know you could do it, pleasing customers with your products.” – anonymous

 

What would be your most valuable tip to someone who wants to open a flower shop?

Working in a flower shop was the most valuable tip given to someone who wants to open a flower shop. This gives new prospects the understanding and functionality of how a flower shop is operated.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Go for it! You must always try! Do not cut yourself short with the funds when borrowing $$.” – anonymous

• “You have to be passionate about flowers and ready for hard working for many hours to open a flower shop!!!”-  anonymous

• “Service from the heart.” – Yousef

• “Control labor and cost of goods sold.”-  anonymous

• “Keep your focus on quality and customer service.” – anonymous

• “Forget the idea there is no money to be made anymore and stay way from wire services.”-  anonymous

• “Be creative, make a difference.” – Floral Factory

 

What is the worst part of owning a flower shop?

1. Customer Interaction (4%)
2. Long Hours (64%)
3. Demanding Work Load (49%)
4. Having To Be Creative All The Time (2%)
5. Nothing (13%)
6. Other (54%)

Long hours took the top with florists on the worst part of owning a flower shop. The long hours and the demanding workload is something each florist will experience when opening and running a flower shop.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “All of it. Long hours, Staff, Customers, Physical Demand.” – Musgrove Florist

• “Having to make all the decisions and be the boss.” – anonymous

• “You pretty much need to eat, drink & sleep it unless you have a well paid very skilled staff.” – Flower Bomb

 

Would you recommend someone join a floral wire service when opening a flower shop? Tell us yes or no and why.

Overwhelmingly the #1 answer to this question was no, there was a tremendous response to this question with many great florist advice.

• “No! They undersell the florist and steal their business.” – anonymous

• “You don’t have to belong to a wire service at first. Many shops are moving to a direct call system where they call other shops and offer reciprocating discounts for the shop to shop orders. A wire service is helpful when you have the high volume out of town orders or if you have inexperienced employees.” – Beco Flowers

• “No. But I’m trying to get away from them. You have to buy their software/equipment and it is over priced. In the end you really only get around 70% of the order amount. Once you take out your costs & labor there’s not much profit there.” – Tilted Tulip Florist

• “Depends on the area- But I say no in this day and age.” – anonymous

• “Nope, No longer can make money with them.” – anonymous

• “Maybe for the first year to get your name out, but negotiate the terms. Otherwise no” – anonymous

• “Yes and No. They steal your hard earn income but it is more difficult to get orders and new clients without them. They have completely cornered the floral market.” – Amazing Occasion

• “Maybe but be selective and shop around.” – anonymous

 

According to design, what makes the most revenue?

1. Everyday Arrangements (40%)
2. Parties & Events (17%)
3. Sympathy (84%)
4. Weddings (35%)
5. Other (16%)

Sympathy is the biggest revenue generator for florists with everyday arrangements coming in second.

 

What are the standard flowers, filler, and greens you order on a weekly basis for your flower shop?

• “Baby breath, wax flowers and leather leaf.” – anonymous

• “Roses! Carnations, Mums, Alstromeria Lilies & Pomps/Daisies because they last… I like when people tell me and others how long their flowers lasted. Filler flowers – Baby’s Breath for sure and one or two others. Then some feature flowers for interest…Stock, Iris, Tulips etc. depending on the season.” – anonymous

• ” We stay away from the typical standards (carnations/mums) and buy the more unique blooms. Weekly purchases include mini cymbidium sprays (so many ways to use them!), hydrangeas and seasonal flowers such as tulips in spring, sunflowers in late summer, etc.” – anonymous

 

What popular florist holiday makes your business the most revenue?

1. Valentine’s Day (66%)
2. Easter (0%)
3. Mother’s Day (86%)
4. Memorial Day (1%)
5. Halloween (0%)
6. Thanksgiving (1%)
7. Christmas (20%)
8. None (4%)
9. Other (14%)

Step back Valentine’s Day, With a whopping 86% Mother’s Day won the top spot with the most revenue made for a flower shop.

 

What are the must have florist tools when opening a flower shop?

A knife was #1 tool recommended as a must have when opening a flower shop, with Secateurs taking 2nd place. For those of you who are not familiar with Secateurs, they are pruning clippers. Good scissors were also very close to 2nd place.

“Floral tape, wet foam, containers, knives, wrap paper, cellophane, deferent wires gauge, scissors, ribbon, bows, moist and shine spray”  – anonymous

“FloraNext! A cooler is also an important investment.” – Petals Flower Company

“Knife, wire nips, pruning shears…great accounting system, telephone, the internet….and the list goes on!!!” – anonymous

“A cooler, buckets, cutting tools, containers.” – anonymous

“Computer, phones, functional front of store, good size fridge” – Carls Flower Company

“A good POS system and Website.” – anonymous

“Knives, Scissors. Clippers” – anonymous

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Florist’s we are very appreciative of your participation in our surveys. We had an overwhelming response to “tips on opening a flower shop survey”. We plan to continue surveys as your expert tips and advice is so helpful to our readers and for new and upcoming florists who are considering or opening a flower shop.

Please share any feedback you may have on Opening A Flower Shop in our 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.

 

Mother’s Day (or should we say Mother’s Day week) is the busiest and potentially the most profitable holiday for the floral business owner.

Having a strategy in place to make the most profit is essential in reaping all the benefits of this busy flower purchasing holiday. In this blog, we will go over a checklist to help you through Mother’s Day and make sure you dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

#1 Employee Scheduling & Duties:

• Gather your employees and provide what is expected of them for Mother’s Day week.
• Make sure everyone knows their set times and days to work.
• Hire extra help and offer them a day to come in. (This should be done before Mother’s Day week to go over their job descriptions.)
• Make sure to reiterate how important it is that everyone show up to work during Mother’s Day week.
• If you are hiring extra drivers, discuss with them whether you require them to use their own vehicle.

#2 Flowers & Supplies:

• Start looking around for supplies, containers, baskets, vases and so on. Visit your local flower shop supplier. However, do not forget to also visit discount home stores and dollar stores. You can find some great unique items there!
• Order you Mother’s Day Flowers early from your supplier to get the best value. Keep in mind, if you are new to the floral industry, Mother’s Day spans for a week – not a day. So order enough flowers!
• If you are comfortable, get your flowers through a floral auction. These offer great discounts when purchased in large quantities.
• Make sure to order flowering plants, orchids and dish gardens. These are great sellers and require very little work.

Flower Must-Haves For Mother’s Day:

1. Alstroemeria
2. Carnations
3. Daisies and Poms
4. Dahlias (if possible)
5. Freesia
6. Roses
7. Garden Roses
8. Sunflowers
9. Gerbera Daisies
10. Tulips
11. Lilies
12. Orchids
13. Hydrangeas
14. Delphinium
15. Calla Lilly
16. Lisianthus (if possible)
17. Stock

Filler Flower Must-Have For Mother’s Day:

1. Baby’s Breath
2. Limonium
3. Queen Anne’s Lace (if possible)
4. Statice
5. Thistle
6. Wax Flower
7. Lilac
8. Buttons/ Pom
9. Matsumoto
10. Monte Casino – Aster
11. Trachelium

 

3# Floral Website:

Much like any flower industry holiday, it is important to have your floral website ready and reflecting Mother’s Day in early April. If you have great Easter sales, it is OK to do this right after Easter.

• Make sure you have a clear Mother’s Day Policy and shop hours on your floral website. Clear return and substitution policy is also a must!
• Mother’s Day products should be displayed throughout your website. Add these wherever possible.
• Have an easy way for customers to order Mother’s Day products. Use a “Call To Action” (example: a “Shop Now” Button) or clear image/banner/button that says Mother’s Day Flowers.
• List special Promotions. This is a great way to encourage customers to shop early before Mother’s Day week.
• Make sure you update your product pricing to compensate for your costs.

#4 Prepping & Showcasing

Prepping in a flower shop can be fun! Okay, not so much. However, prepping is most important in ensuring long lasting arrangements so please be vigilant about prepping your flowers correctly.

• Prep your flowers when they arrive. How to Prep Flowers 
• Get ahead of the crowd and cut any ribbon needed. Gather up your gifts and display them neatly.
• Green any vases, baskets or containers you can ahead of time.
• Make sure your flower shop is clean and displays an inviting atmosphere with beautiful decor and lots of great impulse gifts to add on to flower arrangements.

#5 Week Of Mother’s Day:

• Work a day ahead. Fill any orders for next day the day before. Working a day or two ahead will allow you flexibility just in case there are many last minute orders.
• Make sections for Delivery drivers by areas and add finished flower arrangements to this area with the date of delivery that is bold and clear.
• No wastefulness! We do say this a lot. With the abundant supplies and flowers in the shop, it is easy to get sidetracked and be super wasteful. This is a “No No.” Everything thrown on the floor that can be used should be. Wasting or throwing out even a good pin or wire is considered money out of your pocket. Please be sure to express this to your employees.
• Check you sales totals daily not at the end of the week.
• Make sure you re-stock your impulse buys on your front counter to sell in addition to flower arrangements.

Mother’s Day Checklist Tips:

1. If you can, keep a standby driver at the shop to handle new orders for delivery.
2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. It’s best not to wear open toe shoes. This can also be an insurance liability in some areas.
3. Make sure you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do not skip meals.
4. Do not sweat the small stuff. Regardless of how hard you try, there may be a complaint here or there. Do not let this get you down. It’s the nature of the business.
5. Try to enjoy Mother’s Day week by keeping a journal of all the funny things that happen or mishaps that take place to reflect on for next year.

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We would like to wish all florist a very lucrative and successful Mother’s Day holiday!

Florists, do you have any great Mother’s Days tips to share with our readers? Please post any of your Mother’s Day tips or feedback 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.

 

 

 Are you one of many florists who does not understand the concept of blogging? Don’t worry, you are not alone!

The word “blog” actually was constructed of two words ” web and log” and called weblog. A few years later it was shortened by Peter Merholz who referred to weblog as blog.

Writing a florist blog is a more informal way of writing that should be updated regularly on a web page. It is up to the writer to blog about the content and topics that resonate most with them or their industry.

 Why is florist industry specific blogging so important?

Because it is the most cost effective marketing tool for your floral business.

• Helps drive traffic to your floral websites.
• Increase the value of your floral website.
• Helps your flower shop create a following.
• Helps your flower shop become a leader in the floral industry.
• Increases your SEO (search engine optimization).

Tip: Google loves blogs, especially with specific industry keywords. Use florist, flower shop, floral, wedding bouquets, and birthday arrangements, you get the idea.

 

What Florists Should Blog About

Florists, you may actually blog about anything and everything. The most important thing here is that you’re blogging about the floral business or anything related to increase your brand value.

Think about blogs you have read lately, and what lured you to click on them. If you are still experiencing writer’s block, below are a few proven captivating titles to grabs readers attention.

“How To  Guides or A Way To Master…” – Any blog offering instructions or “how to” are very well received. These blogs offer readers a solution to what they are looking to accomplish.

“Tip And Tricks” – Another way to title a “how to guide “.

“Secrets Revealed ” – We all love secrets and these blogs get some of the most clicks.

“Trend Blog”-  Write about upcoming trends or wedding trends. These are also well received, make  sure to add captivating images to this one.

 

How To Write A Florist Blog

1. Your current florist website provider should have a platform for you to add a blog. We want to keep the blog on your actual floral website so that you can turn visits into potential sales.
2. Think of a topic (floral specific) that you are passionate or knowledgeable about.
3. Pick a gravitating title, remember this is what entice’s readers to click on your blog.
4. Make it personal if you can use “I” or “my” which is read well on social media sites.
5. Start your florist blog with an introduction.
6. List out the main key functions of your florist blog with readable titles and outlines.
7. Add a closing and do not forget to ask for readers participation and allowing for comments to be added to your blog.
8. Add images to your blog, images make blogs more user-friendly and interesting.
9. Link your blog on all social media platforms. Do not forget to pin to your board on Pinterest!
10. If you can, write a 1000 word blog at least, which gives you a better chance of improving your rankings on search engines.

Tip: Take a good look at this blog and notice how often the keywords florist, floral and flowers are used, this is not a coincidence but rather added strategically for SEO. 

 

Florists have you posted a blog that has had huge success or do you have a question on blogging? Post your comments and questions 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.

 

 An easy way to get the most out of your eCommerce sales.

No question that in this day and age every florist who offers everyday retail must have an eCommerce (commercial transactions conducted electronically on the Internet) website.

In this blog, let’s talk about floral websites best practices, ways of improving SEO (search engine optimization), content, user friendliness, and some other vital information on maximizing your eCommerce website.

 

Domain Name 

If you already have a domain name that has been on the internet or continues to be, please DO NOT change it! Domain names carry valuable SEO, so changing your domain name will have you starting from scratch in building up your SEO.

For those of you who do not yet have a domain name here are important tips on selecting the right domain.

• Use proper keywords in your domain, if you are a flower business, then without a doubt, you must use a keyword specific to your business. For example, flowers, floral, and florist.

• Once you have picked your domain name (flowershop.com) please make sure this is a vital domain name which was never linked to any unpromising business practices in the past. You may check this on domainhistory.net.
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Floral Website Appearance

We understand the sensitivity of this topic, however, it is a very important to go over your florist website appearance.  Regardless if your SEO is top ranking, if your floral website is not appealing to a multitude of customers you will lose valuable sales.

• Design: Be very careful when selecting colors and backgrounds, especially trendy backgrounds with patterns. These can turn off potential customers from shopping on your eCommerce.

• Products: Pay special attention to your product images, they should all look consistent, not overly large, or mismatched.

• Logo: Your logo should be big enough to read but not so big it takes half your home page. A clean simple logo always works best than a specific style that may not be appealing to a large demographic of visitors.

Best Practices for Floral Website Appearance

• Neutral background –  (white or black) Check out some other eCommerce websites and you will see a trend in white backgrounds with some black. These companies can spend millions on the appearance of their eCommerce websites and still choose to keep it simple with a neutral background.

• Fonts – All fonts should all be consistent and not overly mismatched. Fonts should also be large enough to read and understand.

• Mobile Friendly website –  A responsive website will allow customers who are on any other devices (tablet, iPad or mobile) a better shopping experience.  Besides this very important reason, Google search engines as of April 2015, is using websites who are mobile friendly as a ranking signal.

• Specific florist content – Having lots of specific content on your website allows for more keywords.  Keywords are high for indexing and ranking your florist website by increasing your SEO. Write a hefty “About Us” and wording for each page.

• Contact information – Your address should be clear and visible on the homepage, we like to see it listed on top (header) of the home page and also below (footer). You should still have a “Contact Us ” page with your address, business phone number, map, and email options.

• No rotating images or videos on your homepage – Reframe from using quick rotating banners, images or videos on your home page. This can be really confusing to your shopper and actually altogether make them click out of your floral website. While researching floral eCommerce, we found out that the websites who had no moving images, banners or videos on the home page had a tremendously better bounce rate and higher sales.
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Floral Website Content, SEO & Tags

If you are working with a floral website hosting company then most of these important functions should be already implemented on your eCommerce website.  In the chance that they are not, we want you to be super informed on these floral websites must haves for SEO.

• Add-Ons & Upgrades: All products should offer customers upgrading options and add-ons. Adding these two simple elements to your floral website can have a huge impact on your profits.

• Header Tags: Headers tags (H1 ) highest level of tags are valuable in SEO, as it sums up what your website is about. Writing a correct H1 tag is essential and should be done by your website provider.  H1 tags greatly improve your search engine rankings.

• Wedding /Event Gallery: If you do wedding and event flowers, it is a great idea to showcase your beautiful work in an image gallery on your website. These are very successful with customers, spending loads of time admiring your selections, which also increases your SEO.
  • Make sure customers can clearly see an option to contact you for a consolation.
  • Write a short bio on your Wedding/Event flowers page. It is perfectly OK to be conceded.(be sure to include specific keywords such as wedding, event, locations and so on)

• Website Footer: Your floral website footer is very important! The footer contains loads of information and valuable keywords which rank really well for your overall SEO. Make sure your floral eCommerce has a footer with a clear title descriptions and locations where services are provided.  Below are footer website must haves.
  • Terms of Service, Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Business Address
  • Local Pages

• Local Pages: Offering great placement for SEO, local pages allows you to add multiple locations and businesses you provide services to on a designated page on your website. Rather than just placing high for your location, you may add various locations to also rank for those areas. You can also add hospitals, funeral homes, venues, schools, and many more to rank for these business keywords.
•  

Floral Website Marketing

There are countless ways of marketing for your florist website, below we will explore some options that have proven successful getting customers to purchase on your eCommerce site.

• Offer Promotions & Coupons:  Shoppers love deals, offer coupon codes periodically on your floral website for percentages off a total shopping cart. Set an amount that customers must spend in order to get the percentage off, free delivery is also a great selling option. Promotions are great to offer on specific items, for instances a percentage off on roses.

• Give It For Free: If you are new to the eCommerce website a great way to have customers buzzing about your floral website is to offer something for Free. We understand you cannot give it all for free, how about a raffle or the first customers who email you from your website can get a free arrangement.
  • This keeps customers clicking on your website, building your SEO.
  • You can post the winner on your social media, which creates conversations and likes, which also increases your visibility.

 

These are some easy ways to get the most out of your eCommerce site. Florists,  let’s hear your feedback! Do you have any important website design functions that have been successful? Please share all your feedback, tips or any floral website related questions you would like addressed 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 Florist Guide to Planning Your Year

The floral industry, a fast-paced business, that’s ahead of seasons & holidays.

To most florist’s, planning the year is second nature, however, it always helps to have a set plan to organize everyone’s duties. In this blog, we present an easy guide for all your floral yearly planning.

 

January can be a slower month in the floral industry, however, there are loads to do. This is a great month to focus on your flower shops organization and marketing planning.

• Start a blog: This is a great way to increase your SEO, a simple how to blog will do wonders for your search engine visibility and keep the buzz going on your social media.

• Tip: “How to” blogs are the most searched, so anything with tips and tricks will be well received.

• Review your last years Valentine’s Sales: Start ordering your flowers for Valentine’s day. Ordering early equals savings, so make sure to order enough, and everything you need. Do not forget to order your add-ons, these are money makers, plush, chocolate, candy, and anything you wish to sell.

• Tip: If this is your first Valentine’s day, do not over order, this may be tricky, but set up a set amount you will order and see how your sales go. You can always get more in a pinch.

• Decorate Store & website for Valentines: Start the 2nd week of January, make a spectacular Valentines display in your store and also make sure your eCommerce store is ready for the early bird sales.

• Sign up for wedding sites:  If you are already signed up great, if not, now is a good time to sign up for wedding sites to promote your wedding floral business. Here are few you should consider, The Knot, Wedding Wire, My Wedding.

Buckle down for this short fast paced month! Although slow to start,  it is a good idea to have everything in order before the rush.

• Employee Management: Go over all employee scheduling and duties in the first week of February. Make sure you have hired all your new holiday help and that everyone understands their tasks for Valentine’s day.

• Tip: Good time to also rent extra delivery vans if needed.

• Promotions: Offer pre-Valentine’s day delivery promotions.  The idea here is to spread the wealth of this Valentine’s day and not be constricted to just delivering on February 14. Offer generous promotions on your flower shop website, post on social media and of course make sure they expire a few days before Valentines.

• 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 eat please, it’s amazing how many florists do not eat when they are busy. Being organized will alleviate most of the Valentines day pressure, so make sure to be well nourished and comfortable.

• Tip: Start a flower shop with a holiday diary. We know sounds corny, however it’s amazing what can be learned from holidays by just writing it down. Yes, you have your gross receipts, but how about mishaps, or comical happenings that are not noted, these are all so important and good read before the holidays.  

 

March can be the most rewarding month in the floral industry, it gives florist time to relax and get ready for new beginnings with the coming of spring.

• Finance Review: With the first quarter almost through, 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, a  good thing if you have started the flower shop diary.

• Spring Cleaning:  The #1 season that is most anticipated by customers is spring, especially if you live in the colder weathered areas, it is never too early to start bringing out this season. Start refreshing your flower shop and get ready for spring with beautiful decor and showcasing.

• March Sales Madness: As florists, we know march can be hit or miss with sales, so start a campaign and sell your products customers love, try a Free with purchase or half-off sales. make this a yearly ritual if this works for your business.

• Order your Easter flowers & plants! It’s always good to get ahead, start an order for your easter flowers and plants. Again ordering early equals savings from your suppliers and you also have the best selections.

 

Ready or not Mother’s Day will be here before you know it! Take April as a month to prepare for the #1 florist holiday.

• Order Mother’s Flowers & Supplies:  Make sure to order those beautiful containers and Mother’s day flowers with your supplier. Good time to order is early April.

• Showcase your plants: If you are selling plants, now is a good time to showcase your flowering plants, this creates such a welcoming inviting atmosphere for customers. If you can move some outdoors, this is great for some curb appeal.

• Promotions & Marketing: We recommend you start promoting after Easter to generate some early bird sales for Mother’s day. Post on your social media and website, this will help boost your SEO. A great marketing tip is to offer a giveaway, maybe a gift basket, or free flowers for a few months, and have customers fill out their information when they make a purchase.

• Employee Management: It’s that time again to make sure to hire the extra help you will need for Mother’s Day. Make sure all current employees understand their schedule and duties.

• Tip: If you are new to the floral industry, then a good to know tip is that Mother’s Day is the #1 floral business holiday, customers order throughout the week rather than one day. Be prepared with help, lots of flowers, and beautiful containers. 

 

May, what a great month for the floral industry! With one of the top selling holidays, this month starts off slow and quickly picks up in a super-charged way, so always good to be ready.

• Take a look around: Do a quick glance, does your flower shop look appealing to you? Make sure you use a critical eye and take it all in, the sound and if possible even the way it smells. Customers are drawn to a beautiful environment, it has proven to make them feel relaxed and comfortable, which will help increase those sales!

• Employee training:  The first week of May is a good time to discuss employee customer service, the cross-selling, and up-selling of 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 different next year.

 

Oh June, what a lovely month! For some, the commencement of summer and a chance to organize all your floral business needs. June is the most popular month for weddings with September and October in a close 2nd. Florists are pleasantly surprised on 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 great content and keywords.

• Offer promotions: Teacher gifts and graduation promotions are a great way to bring traffic into your flower shop. Be sure to post 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 is popular? Candles (certain brand), skin care, plush, home decor, makeup, even unique greeting cards. Brand your flower shop!

 

We like to call July,  “a month of organization.” This month can be on the slower side,  so it’s very important to get your flower shop in order with beautiful displays and heavy on the marketing.

• Write a blog: We know this is listed in other months above, however,  July can be a slower month.  If you have time to write a How To Blog, or anything that inspires you, think about things you search for, read,  and watch as your SEO sky-rockets through the roof.

• Social media: Take some time to focus and revamping your social media communities. Add content and images and don’t forget the hashtags #, Again all this for top placement in Social Media.

• Tidy up your flower shop: By tidy up we mean 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, you can find great deals on holiday items, it is a great time to stock up.

 

August can be one of the slowest months in the floral industry. we ask that if you are slow, to try implementing new ways to market in your flower shop.

• Newsletter: Email, 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, kids 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 doing this the second to the last week of August. Don’t forget your fall marketing!

 

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

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

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

• Launch and 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 pro, how about writing a seasonal blog or fall wedding blog? We cannot say this enough, blogs are so powerful with SEO.

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

 

October offers some great sales in the flower shop business, 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 your employee scheduling and see if you will need extra help for the holiday season.

• Open House: Host a holiday open house showing off your latest products and floral designs.

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

• Note: October is a very popular wedding month with most wedding proposals in December. Think of launching a Wedding Package special on your website during this month.

 

Tis the season for flower sales, November all in all is a great month for flower sales. Customers are getting into the giving mood.

• Market the holidays! Add promotions to your floral website and do not forget about your social media!

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

• Decorate 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 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: Do not forget to revamp your eCommerce for Christmas and update your social media

 

Many florists around the world enjoy huge flower sales during the Christmas holiday. Although in some parts of the United States, florists have seen a decline in their floral sales during Christmas, this month is quickly picking up and still trailing as the third best month for floral retail sales.

• Employee management: Set exceptions for your employees on selling upgrades and add-ons for each customer’s order. Review scheduling and days you are closed.

• Christmas Greens: Mentioned above, it is also a good idea to green your arrangements ahead of time for Christmas. Take time to do this early before the holiday rush.

• Offer 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. Flower still remain the perfect gift.

• Tip: Do not forget to market to businesses. holiday parties are huge, so offer incentives to have them book with you for their flower needs. 

 

These are just some examples and a helpful guide for florists to plan out their year. Florists do you have any tips or must do’s for a specific month? Please share in the comments below with our readers.

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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 let’s get into the nitty gritty on Florist Website Domain Names!

Before we do lets first explain what a domain name really is, a domain name is used to identify one or more IP addresses. Domains are also used in URLs to identify a particular web page.

For example in the URL https://www.Floranext.com the domain name is Floranext.com.

 

Creating A Florist Website Domain Name

Having a domain name that resonates and stands the test of time is key in maximizing your floral business.

Do’s

1.Domain names are for life, it is important to invest some time in picking the right domain name.

2. If your florist website caters to customers world-wide or mostly United States, using the .com is most recommend. However we are super excited on the new industry specific extension (TLD) such as .Florist, slightly pricey however worth every penny.

If your floral website targets business by country, for example a Canada website that only does business in Canada, then your best bet is a (.ca ),same rule applies for all other countries .

3. Use proper keywords in your domain, if you are a flower business then without a doubt you must use a keyword specific to your business, for example flowers – floral – florist.

Tip: If you are targeting a specific area adding your keyword and area is a great for SEO .

Don’ts

1. Don’t use Hyphens (-) or underscores (_).
2. Don’t be too clever, clever domain names without the proper keywords are harder for search engines and customers to understand. Be simple and to the point with your domain name.
3. Don’t use numbers to replace words, for example – florist4you, even though catchy, this is a major don’t with domain name’s.

Tip: Make sure your domain is spelled properly and avoid misspelling trends

Registering  Your Florist Website Domain Name 

With an abundance of domain managing providers it can be a daunting task when registering your florist website domain name. Following the simple do’s and don’ts below will make it a seamless process.

Do’s

1.  You should be the owner of your floral business domain name, so register it!
2. Remember to renew your domain name based on your agreement.
3. Try the new industry specific TLD’s such as .Florist.

Don’ts 

1. Do not allow a web hosting provider to offer to purchase your domain or set up you with a domain name.
2. Purchase unnecessary TLD’s (.net, .org, etc).
3. Do not purchase anything beside your domain name, such as advertising or marketing.

 

What to do if a Wire Service/Website Provider owns your domain

Obtaining your domain name from a website provider is crucial to the branding of your business. Regardless if you are staying with this website provider or leaving you MUST control your own domain name. There is valuable SEO with each domain name, the longer the business has been established the better the SEO.

Do’s

1. Request in writing to control your domain name.
2. Be persistent,with calls and emails, remember this is your business and this domain name must be released into your control.
3. Beware of cybersquatting –  cybersquatting is using your domain name with bad intentions by selling it back to you or using if for an order gather website. Unfortunately, once this happens there is nothing you can do, your customers will be ordering from an entirely different website thinking it is yours.

Don’t

1. Give up! Continue to pester your website provider for control of your domain.

Tip: please download our sample Domain Name request letters –

  FTDDomainTransferRequest.pdf (260 downloads) TelefloraDomainTransferRequest.pdf (252 downloads)

 

1.”I have had a Florist Website domain name for 20 years, however it’s not cool or trendy, should I change it?”

The answer to this is simply, NO – Regardless if your domain name is cool or trendy this not important. The most important thing is that your business is found on search engines and ranking high or on the first page. Changing your domain name will not make you visible on the first page of search engines, which means you will need to start over – it’s like opening a whole new business.

2.”Can I point other Florist Website domain names to my website?”

You absolutely can! – There are no positive or negative affects pointing multiple domain names. However, if  you have a shorter domain name, this could be easier to communicate to your customers. We would discourage pointing a .com to a .ca or country specific TLD however.

3.”What is a TLD?”

TLD stands for Top Level Domain name. TLD are part of the domain name to the right of the url – .com, .net or .org.

A ccTLD is a country code Top Level Domain name.

Florists, if you have any questions or tips regarding florist website domain names, please post 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.

 

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

 Floranext Mother’s Day 2016 Survey Results

Thank you to all the Flower Shops that participated – your feedback is valuable in helping other florists and new upcoming florists.

 

 

Overall the results were good – an up year for many florist! But many were closed on Mother’s Day and didn’t advertise?! Hope your flower shop was one of the many that had a booming Mother’s Day. 

Areas Surveyed

 

 

Compared to Mother’s Day 2015, were your sales higher or lower?

Higher
Same
Lower 



All Shops
59%
17%
24%

What category of Mother’s Day 2016 orders was most successful for you?

Phone
Walk-In
Website



All Shops
47%
22%
29%

Which category of Mother’s Day 2016 orders was the least successful

Walk-In
Phone
Website



All Shops
49%
34%
17%

Did you rent/use extra vehicles this Mother’s Day?

Yes
No




All Shops
55%
45%

How many unsatisfied customers did you have this Mother’s Day (if any)?

1-3
None
3-5
5+



All Shops
52%
39%
6%
2%

How many extra employees did you hire for this Mother’s Day?

None
3-4
1-2
5+



All Shops
52%
17%
16%
15%

Were you open on Mother’s Day Sunday?

Yes
No




All Shops
62%
38%

What were your main advertising methods for Mother’s Day?

Online
Email
None
Other
Local News
Coupons



All Shops
29%
22%
21%
17%
13%
1%

Was the weather a factor in Sales this Mother’s Day?

No 
Yes - it Helped
Yes - it Hurt



All Shops
63%
26%
9%

If you could give ONE Mother’s Day tip to another florist what would it be?

(Write in choice – Top 7)

1. “Plan ahead work ahead.”

2. “Narrow selections- make it easier for customers to choose.”

3. “Make sure you have enough staff to handle all the orders & deliveries.”

4. “Create Mother’s Day Specials add-ons.”

5. “Be friendly.”

6. “Advertise and promote for Mother’s Day.”

7. “Train your staff – everyone should know their job.”

 

We hope you have enjoyed these results – If you see a tip we have left out that is important, please share it 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.