Encouraging Holiday Sales Blizzards
by Julie Anderson
(original article FLORAL RETAILING July 2001)

   What weatherman doesn't love a big storm? After all, it's a lot more exciting to forecast the extremes in weather events than in predicting a ho-hum "partly sunny/partly cloudy" day.
   Similarly, any optimistic florist is going to be more excited about a forecast of sales blizzards than simple sales flurries for the upcoming winter :holiday season. If you want to accurately predict sales for your store, take time now to begin estimating what the holiday is likely to bring. The more preparation you do, the more accurate and successful your own sales forecast is going to be.

Mapping out holiday sales

   "Plan ahead" are wise words,even more so when preparing for the winter holiday sales. Whether you are a floral vendor or retailer, undoubtedly you'll agree that early planning is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful holiday season.
   Here, we'll discuss some suggestions to help you begin such planning. Many of the ideas and tips we'll deliver will be based on recent conversations with a group of retail florists from around the country. Because many floral businesses do not allow employees to discuss company matters with the media, the members of this retail group of florists have requested anonymity. Nevertheless, the combined insight of this group of seasoned merchants can help you prepare an accurate plan for creating successful holiday sales.
   When plotting winter merchandising events, this retail group recommends immediate planning after the holiday season has ended. While planning before the season begins is important, planning afterward is even more important because the details of the season are still fresh in your mind. If you or your predecessor didn't take this step after the most recent holiday season, you'll have to guess at some of your needs. But, at the very least, make sure you plan to take the time for this crucial step once the upcoming season has passed.
   Next, sit down with pen and paper and begin answering the following questions:
1) Is your floral business in a growth mode? If you are part of a chain, is upper management planning to build new stores in the coming year? How many facilities will your company remodel ? The answer to these questions will either increase or decrease the amount of product you'll need for the upcoming holidays and will do the same with your sales.
2) Has the competitive market in which you operate your floral business changed? If it has, again expect some changes in sales. Such adjustments also can affect product prebooking.
3) On what day of the week does Christmas fall? The day of the week has a direct impact on planning delivery schedules. You want the right items and the right amount of product to arrive at your store so it will maximize your sales opportunities.
4) What's the state of the economy? This year, most businesses are experiencing a slow down. Check with your vendor partners and get their opinions as to economic factors affecting the floral industry. Then prebook for the season being cautiously optimistic.
5) If you are part of a supermarket chain, will floral products appear on the front page of newspaper circulars in the upcoming holiday season? Advertising certainly creates sales. So request this exposure and prebook accurately. Also, study competitor ads when they begin to appear. Use the information you find to confirm you have the correct price points and items.

'Spring' into action

Annual trade shows offer opportunities for vendors to show off new products and for you to identify new trends. A major benefit to attending the shows is that you often can see, touch and examine a vendor's full, coordinated product line. You then can take that information back to your office to make purchasing decisions, or you can purchase product while attending the show. Either of these steps can help ease your winter holiday planning and make it less hectic.
   Whether you are able to attend any spring or summer shows, you eventually need to take some time to completely Immerse your self in the task of preparing your holiday season.  It may sound corny, but it helps if you get in the mood. So, despite the patriotic, Fourth of July melodies that still may be lingering in your head, close your door, put on some Christmas music, spray some pine scent and get ready to create your plan. Take several days to:

Brainstonn and select your themes, product needs and any additional merchandising events.

Develop a budget so you know what percentage of sales to expect from advertised items, cut flowers, potted plants and hard goods.

Plan advertising. .Prebook poinsettias. Because most of your sales likely will come from poinsettias, it is essential that you provide your vendor-as soon as possible-with the number of plants you'll need. Many suppliers prefer to receive this information no later than June. Thus, if you haven't already done so, call him or her as soon as possible.

Take this framework and start to fill in. Fine-tune the plan, making changes as necessary right up to the holidays. After all, the program is a work in progress, not set in stone. You'll need to address deadlines, make updates and alter plans right up until each holiday occurs, whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. So be flexible.

Charting the trends

   When discussing anticipated trends for the upcoming holiday season, both vendors and florists in the retail group unanimously agree that traditional looks remain the most popular with consumers.
   The current, unpredictable economy designs. Printed sleeves will be muted is one reason you can expect traditional styles to remain strong. That's because, as one retailer points out, "If times get bad, people want to reuse what they have and, maybe, only add a new item or two. A total revamp of their holiday look is not likely unless a sudden economic change is seen."
   Terry Smith, independent sales rep for Miami-based Amaraflor and Esmeralda, acknowledges this trend. Thus, she is designing this year's programs with a heavy concentrartion on traditional red, white and pink bouquets. Even so, while the colors may remain traditional, consumers' tastes continue to lean toward more upscale designs. Thus, Smith says she's  noticed that consumers have become increasingly attracted to monochromatic style arrangements in conventional Christmas colors. Similarly, she's seen incremental increases in attention toward upscale bouquets in cobalt blue and sage green coordinated with elegant, printed sleeves.
   Even the traditional red poinsettia-which remains the No. 1 selling floral item for the winter holidays-is evolving to match consumers' more sophisticated tastes. Growers are offering new varieties in different colors and shapes, and many also are expanding the availability of other blooming plants for this time of year. Take advantage of these choices by selecting one specialty blooming plant to emphasize as a "Special of the month," suggests one member of our retailer group. Tie the unconventional offering into the season with upgrades such as holiday decorations to provide a festive look.
   Scott Gilbert, president of A-Roo Co., Strongsville, Ohio, says you should expect to see packaging colors-other than traditional looks-with "softer" designs. Printed sleeves will be muted or have a frosted look, he says. New Christmas colors are shades of blue, violet and metallic.
   As for trends in gift items, as in recent years, themes of snowmen, Santas, reindeer and angels remain well liked. Plush continues its popularity, and wrought-iron, pewter and brushed gold candleholders are in high demand. Look for permanent botanicals to continue being offered in oversized styles, while snowglobes might be something new to consider offering.
   If you decide to venture into nontraditional offerings, select only a few items in one coordinating family to lesson your risk. Merchandise these items together.

Fun, games and sales

   Creating excitement in the floral department not only attracts customers and increases sales, but it also creates excitement for the floral associates, too. Thus, make sure part of your holiday planning includes extra merchandising themes and special events to motivate your staff. Consider the labor you'll have available and your store's overall resources to determine how lengthy or complex these plans should be.
   Some activities to consider creating or being host of:
A FLORAL EXPERIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS
   Try to create an overall "floral experience" for shoppers who enter your store, Smith suggests. Particularly during the harried days of December, a place in which customers can-if only momentarily---escape will be an attractive excuse for them to stop and browse.
A FLORAL SHOW FOR STAFF
   This type of event simultaneously can motivate and educate floral associates. At this event, create opportunities for staff members to view new products, new designs and see your overall holiday program. The more information and new ideas your staff members absorb, the better they'll fulfill customers' needs. Admittedly, creating these types of shows can be time-consuming and expensive. Those costs, however, are typically offset by creating a sense of teamwork and excitement about the season that motivates staff to take on the floral world.
AN OPEN HOUSE
   This is an excellent way to kick off the holiday season. When you plan this event, schedule it before Thanksgiving and incorporate aspects of that holiday as well as Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Allow designers to demonstrate bow making, wreath decorating or product upgrading with holiday decorations. Near the end of the event, hold a raffle to award customers with the products your staff has been demonstrating.
   An open house not only provides customers with a preview of your product line for the upcoming holiday season, but it also exposes customers to your store's full line of offerings. In so doing, open houses help maintain the interest of your current customer base and also encourage new customers. Plus, it's an opportunity at which your floral staff can show off, which improves their morale, too.
EMPLOYEE CONTESTS
   Offer your employees some type of fun and profitable way to increase sales. The options for con- tests are endless. You could offer an award for best-looking merchandising display, most creative new floral design, best customer service or the "winningest" way of closing a sale. Whatever technique you employ will undoubtedly provide excitement among your employees. Your staff will, in turn, convey this excitement to the customers via more creative and attractive displays or enthusiastic new floral designs.
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
   Don't overlook local opportunities in which your store or staff can get better connected with the community. Offer incentives to hospitals, schools, businesses and churches to purchase flowers from your store. Use slower summer months to create interest in such programs.
PREFERRED SHOPPER CARDS
   Take advantage of today's advanced technologies to track data about who shops most often and spends the most in your store. Then reward your best floral customers with special product freebies, discounts or personalized services. Provide these same customers with added incentive to continue purchasing flowers from you by offering volume rewards for seasonal items.
WEB-SITE SHOPPING
   If your store offers a Web site or some other form of online shopping, make sure to keep it updated. Offer the same in-store incentives to online customers.
COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS
   If you join forces with local businesses (if you are a traditional florist) or with other departments (if you are a supermarket florist), you'll gain more exposure and impulse sales than if you promoted floral on its own. Delis and bakeries are naturals for joint cross- merchandising during the winter holidays. Work out a system to tie floral products into the seasonal brochures these businesses create.
When you've finally completed your holiday-season pro- gram, sit back and close your eyes. Envision the decorations; smell the evergreens and freshly baked cookies; feel the spirit of giving. Then raise a glass of eggnog and vow to keep these visions throughout the hectic holiday season to come.

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