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I know summer doesn't officially start for another couple of weeks, but maybe it was my super-sweaty bike ride into work or the abundance of pool-bound kiddos in my neighborhood that got me in the hazy, hot and humid writing mode. Besides, magazine editors and florists are used to working ahead of schedule, so let's talk summer.
I recently went on the hunt for great ideas for keeping their sales and store traffic from languishing in the heat. I'll be writing about their traffic-generating tactics in upcoming issues of Floral Management, including a just peachy one from Lafayette Florist. But here are few juicy ones to start.
The suggestions fell into two categories: have a party or chill out and plan.
First, let's hear from the party-starters. Tony Medlock, AIFD, PFCI, at PJ's Flowers in Phoenix makes an already steamy August even more sultry with a "Cupid Returns " special on Aug. 14, taking advantage of lower rose prices to offer deals. When customers complain about the prices in February, they're offered the Cupid Return special in August. Karen Fountain, AAF, offers customers of Flowers n Ferns a Weekend Home Brightener Special. For $100, they get six Friday deliveries of a different growers bunch. And Doug Fick of Broadway Floral in Portland, Ore., reminds everyone to take advantage of your neighborhood's block parties and sidewalk sales and keep the store open later and the free snacks coming.
What if you just want to catch your breath? The lack of crazy holidays make summer the best time to reconnect with your staff, your numbers, your business plans and your regular customers. The day I e-mailed Jo Buttram, AAF, she was off on a canoe trip with the staff of Shirley's Flowers ( a 10-canoe endeavor). Manny Gonzales skips the holiday gift shows because his shop Tiger Lily Florist, "doesn't try to compete with the Wal-Marts of the world." Instead, "we go to the beach, tell our staff to go on vacation and recover from a busy spring season and get ready for a busy (hopefully) fall season." The staff also uploads recent event and wedding pictures to its Web sites, visit clients, "goes to our association meetings and just generally amp up or face to face marketing."
One comment that defied categorization applies to all of us.
"Coming up with up with a fantastic marketing idea in July is not going to save July - it's just too late!"
That wakeup call came from Brad Parker of MyFlorist in Mclean, Va., who reminded me that marketing is a year-round endeavor and, "Last I checked, in July and August people still have birthdays, anniversaries, new babies are born and people pass away; and yes, people also fall in love in July and August."
He continues: "My suggestion to every florist owner is take their vacation in July, and while in an inspiring place away from the daily drama of the shop re-tool their marketing plan for the next 12 months."
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Sales, Profit Builders 
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