ALEXANDRIA, VA — Listen. Empathize. Be descriptive. Suggest add-ons. Manage expectations (especially on wire-outs). And never … ever … offer the lowest-priced arrangement first.
If that sounds like a lesson from “Floral Shop Selling 101,” why do so many experienced salespeople flunk the quiz? More importantly, how can you make sure your team doesn’t?
“I’d love to see more florists invest in educating their people,” said Tim Huckabee of FloralStrategies, LLC. “The most fun moment for me is helping a flower shop realize they’re sitting on a gold mine.” Floral shop owners report substantial increases in customer spending after putting Huckabee’s advice to work.
Florists can get a taste of Huckabee’s approach when he presents “CSI: Flower Shop — LIVE!” at the Society of American Florists (SAF) Retail Growth Solutions, June 7-8 in Hartford, Connecticut. Attendees will listen in as Huckabee calls shops posing as a customer ordering flowers. After each call, he’ll lead the audience in a conversation about the highs and lows of the sales interaction and identify best practices to apply when they get home.
“It’s amazing how much you pick up … like a phrase or two that increases how much a customer spends,” said Memphis florist Debbie Crawford of Pugh's Flowers. “We use a lot of the language and sales tactics I learned at RGS, and it really has increased the size of orders.”
Huckabee’s sales boosting tips are just one of several practical takeaways florists can expect from SAF’s 36-hour mini-conference this year. They’ll also:
- Explore mobile strategies with retail expert Jim Dion Learn how Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, keeps customers happy and nets a bigger bottom line on parties and events
- Dig for hidden profits with floral shop financial wiz Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI
- Map next steps in e-commerce with SAF CIO Renato Sogueco
- Brainstorm with fellow florists and vendors at networking events and the Supplier Showcase
For RGS details and to register, visit safnow.org/retail-growth-solutions.
Special thanks to SAF’s Retail Growth Solutions underwriting partner:
- DV Flora
Thanks also to SAF’s Retail Growth Solutions promotional partners:
- Jacobson Floral Supply Pennock Floral
- Seagroatt Riccardi, LTD.
The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services to its members, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organizations. The association was chartered by an act of Congress in 1884.
Source: Society of American Florists
