valentine’s day tips
We just wrapped up our yearly Valentine’s Day Systems Prep webinar & it made me realize that I’m never quite done giving tips. :) Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting more thoughts I’ve had about this holiday. Stay tuned!
quick tip 1
Put the person answering the phones in a different room. There’s nothing that says ‘unprofessional’ as much as hearing background noise when you’re placing an order.
Think about it from the customers point of you. Have you ever called somewhere and could hear all the background noise of a studio or shop or production line? It’s distracting, it makes the whole ordeal difficult, you probably aren’t going to call them back unless you have to. Same thing here. The person answering the phone should have a quiet place to work.
quick tip 2
Plan on what you’re going to eat for lunch several days in advance.
If you’re ordering food for your team, assign someone first thing in the morning to take lunch orders. And place the lunch order with the restaurant as soon as they open. Don’t wait till noon to do this. By the time the food gets to you everybody will be hungry and cranky.
Plan ahead so food is ready at a reasonable lunch hour. If you’re not ordering food for everybody, plan what time each person can take a lunch break. Or plan if you’re going to all take a break at the same time.
Make sure any orders that have timed deliveries are taken care of before lunch and designed before lunch so the flow of the day doesn’t get messed up.
quick tip 3
Working multiples. If you’re working on the order for one design, make two extras at the same time.
There’s a reason assembly lines work for large companies. They’re more efficient and they work for flower shops as well.
If you’re creating a new design, design one so you know exactly what goes in it. Then create three more right after it.
Remember when they all look the same to you they are unique designs for your customers and your recipients.
They don’t know that you’ve created four or five or 10 at the same time. They only know that you created a beautiful design for them.
quick tip 4
Stay hydrated. Seriously, this one took me years to learn but it’s true.
It makes a huge difference on your endurance and that makes a huge difference for your creativity. Stay hydrated.
Oh and provide water for your employees too, you want them to stay hydrated as well.
QUICK TIP 5
Don’t eat junk food. And minimize fast food.
This is another one that took me years to learn, but your endurance really is better if you eat a salad versus chocolate covered coffee beans. And you don’t jitter quite as much.
QUICK TIP 6
It’s OK to say no when you’ve reached capacity. Remember their emergency is not your emergency.
If they waited too late to call, they waited too late to call. Just like if you go to a store after their closing hours, they’re not going to let you in. It doesn’t matter how much you need to buy that shirt or that gift, you’re too late.
Just because somebody called you at 4:30 on Valentine’s Day and and your last delivery run has gone out for the day, it does not mean that you have to make an exception for them.
You can tell them that you’re sold out and you can give them the name of other florists. You can suggest a delivery the next day or you can suggest a pick up if they can be there before your closing time. Their emergency does not equal your emergency.
For the last several years, we have sold out of flowers by noon on Valentine’s Day. By this point we’ve made our minimum, we’ve made a profit, the delivery teams are still out for several more hours. If we have anything left at all, we will offer a pick up order. Otherwise we don’t take the order. And it feels much better to have sold out of flowers than to have leftovers!
Also, I’m not dead the following day because we planned accordingly, I had enough help, we managed to clean up before the delivery drivers returned so we weren’t left with a mess.
QUICK TIP 7
Not every Valentine’s Day arrangement has to have roses. And if you don’t like making traditional dozen roses don’t sell it.
Suggest the mixed arrangements, suggest non-rose arrangements, if you’re excited about making it, you’ll be excited about selling it, and that shows in your voice when you’re talking on the phone.
Also, most people who order Valentine’s Day flowers don’t have a specific thing in mind and are happy to listen to your expertise. So, sell what you like to make and if that doesn’t include roses, that’s OK.