Recovering from one busy season and preparing for another…
Every florist worth their clippers knows the goal is to make it through Mother’s Day in May, but the respite afterwards is only relaxing for so long. What happens to those consistent calls, emails about events, and never-ending walk-ins that were there only a few weeks ago? Transitioning from one busy season to another takes patience, precision, and trust in your loyal customers. Here are some ways to make the most of this “season between busy seasons.”
Be Patient
Not long ago, everyone was going to their local florist to get an arrangement for their mother for Mother’s Day or spouse for Valentine’s Day. Teenagers and their parents were walking in with prom dresses or ties to get the right color bouquet, corsage, or boutonniere just a week ago! While it may seem like a never-ending dry season, it will eventually come to a close with back to school, Thanksgiving, Grandparents Day, and before you know it, you’ll be trimming those trees for Christmas! It may feel like a quiet few weeks in comparison to the excitement of the last couple of months, but be patient and use this time to restock decor, home goods, food products, wreaths, and more!
Take a Much Deserved Break
Now is the perfect time to sit back and relax after the busiest time of year. You’ve made it through Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, so pat yourself on the back and take that much-needed vacation. Take a week off to relax with family and friends, or redecorate your store! Keep the ball rolling and reorganize or redo a part of your atmosphere that you’ve been putting off all year. When customers return, they’ll be excited about the new changes. You can even have an unveiling, grand reopening, or a simple social media post showing off the new space or updated system.
Use Marketing Tools Now More Than Ever
Spend this time with limited interruptions diving back into your creative side! Create new arrangement recipes, look up entirely new styles, and give it a go, or make something for yourself. Now is the time to get clever with social media promotions, and the best way to do so is by posting often and authentically. Show some behind-the-scenes, reintroduce yourself or your team, and post some arrangements for the orders or events you’re filling now. Consider having giveaways or special deals to draw more viewers to your posts and business.
Trust Your Customers and Community
You depend on your trusted customers and community members every other part of the year, so why should this be any different? People love to return to places where they feel valued and leave with a great experience. So long as you’ve shown them you can handle anything after such a busy season, they’ll be back in no time! After all, birthdays, weddings, funerals, and corporate events continue through the summer, so give each one your best!
Try Something New
Have you ever hosted a design workshop or maybe an open mic night? A flower shop doesn’t only have to showcase flowers. Maybe partnering with local artisans for a pottery night could elevate your store for the evening. Are you located in a downtown area? Join a summer festival or have a pop-up stand at a coffee shop. Try out a few ideas you’ve wanted to implement but haven’t had the time.
A slower pace in the summer doesn’t have to be a bad thing. While running back and forth from spring events to winter holidays may be more exciting, the time spent between busy seasons is just as crucial for your business. Take the time to recover, implement more marketing tools, try something new, and reorganize or redo a part of your store. Set yourself up for success by utilizing your time in a less busy season to prepare for a busy one!