Hands On
even rented out plants for gradua- tion displays at nearby University of Montana and as centerpieces at charitable fundraisers. “Companies are finding that plant
rentals give them a bigger bang for their buck,” explains Irwin. “They create a beautiful green vignette, and we handle all the cleanup.” Thanks to Irwin’s spot-on mer-
chandising instincts, she and her plant manager are having trouble keeping shelves stocked — a nice problem to have — as demand remains high. “People want and need living things in their house,” says the entrepreneur. “Plus, the greenery and blooms make the whole shop feel more inviting.”
SOCIAL SAVVY
>When developing social media strategies for both her flower shop and her floral marketing consulting firm, Petals and Profits, Kelsey Thompson, AIFD, believes in organizing posts around three pillars: informational, promotional, and connection. Here is what Thompson, who presented a digital marketing session at the Society of American Florists’ Next Gen LIVE! event in Miami in June, suggests to round out sales-y posts with topics that boost engagement. Encourage connections. “You can really have fun with the connection pillar.
Create Content That Sells
Post about an upcoming family festival and ask your followers what they are looking forward to most about it. Ask them what their favorite movie is and why. Take a poll. Bonus points if you sweeten the deal with a giveaway for your favorite answer.” Be a leader. “Make sure your posts have a call to action. Tell your followers what
you want them to do, whether it’s to like the post, leave a comment, or follow a link. If you want couples to book consultations, link to your wedding or contact page. Send plant lovers to an info page on how often to water. Be clear about the route you want people to take.” Know your audience. “Grasp who your audience is and really speak their lan-
guage. Write down your customer groups/audiences. They may be recently engaged, plant collectors, décor shoppers, etc. Make note of the characteristics each group shares, whether it’s following design trends or craving expert advice (for example, how to repot plants). Post about how you can solve their problems or fill their desires. And speak directly to them, like this, ‘Hey, plant lovers!’” Keep it short. “Bite-size posts are easier to digest than a data dump. Cushion
long, informational or company news posts with short, catchy ones. Remember, people are scrolling quickly and only see the preview text in their feed.” Don’t forget to blog. “Blog posts are so good for SEO. In the floral
industry, we sell feelings. We are part of life celebrations. To target flower buyers, blog about the perfect dinner table setting with a buyable centerpiece design. To target décor clients, blog about adding cozy touches to your home for winter and link to key products.” Prime the pitch. “If you need to move a certain
PRIORITIZING PLANTS Bitterroot Flower Shop owner Lindsay Irwin capitalized on the plant trend by transforming retail space in her downtown Missoula, Montana, into areas for plants.
product, consider priming your social audience before a hard sales pitch. If you have an upcom- ing sale on snake plants, start the promotion 10 days before with a fun connection post asking them to comment with a picture of their favorite houseplant. Then, show a snake plant in two different pots and ask them to vote on their favorite. Then, post an informational video on snake plant care. These posts are like a snowball gaining speed and getting larger, generating interest. Even if someone doesn’t shop the pitch, the prime is still a breadcrumb in their mind.”
The magazine of the Society of American Florists (SAF) 13
SHUTTERSTOCK/UMBERTO SHTANZMAN
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