2018 Christmas Success Guide

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE TREND REPORTS | ASK A FLORIST | TOP 12 BEST SELLERS | SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

LIZ STOCKER CFD

SEIFERT'S FLOWER MILL, NORTH CANTON, OH

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

NOVEMBER MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY 6

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THURSDAY 8

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Place your AutoBid on Flowerbuyer.com for Thanksgiving

FRIDAY

Special Holiday auctions are held every Tuesday/Thursday at Flowerbuyer.com

9 Display merchandising items from Teleflora’s FSG Marketing Kit

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Thanksgiving (U.S.)

Finalize your lineup.

See Teleflora’s projected best sellers on page 9

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28 Place your AutoBid on Flowerbuyer.com for Christmas

DECEMBER MONDAY

TUESDAY 3

Confirm Christmas temps and delivery drivers

WEDNESDAY 4

THURSDAY 5

Christmas prep staff meeting

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Upload custom Christmas SKUs on your eFlorist site

Order using Flowerbuyer.com’s Buy the Bunch® to complete your Christmas bouquets!

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26 Hold an after-Christmas clearance sale

This Christmas, Teleflora continues to encourage consumers to show their love in a big way, by reminding people of the power of a hand-crafted bouquet. See our national marketing campaign coming soon!

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Last day to use priority overnight to order Christmas flowers through Flowerbuyer.com!

Post, tweet and blog behind the scenes Christmas bouquet creations

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6 It’s the last Tuesday/Thursday Flowerbuyer.com special auction.

Grab your floral favorites before it’s too late!

Send Christmas direct mail

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FRIDAY

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

CONTENTS 4 7 8 10 12 14

TREND REPORTS: Read up on Teleflora’s 2018 holiday colors and trends including ‘Snow Contrasts,’ and ‘Frosty Enchantment,’ for display ideas for your shop.

ASK A FLORIST: Teleflora partner florists provide merchandising advice for the crazy holiday season.

FACEBOOK AD CASE STUDY: A florist tried Facebook Ads for the first time and received five leads with one ad.

HOLIDAY SOCIAL MARKETING: Make your social media merrier during the season with our 12 marketing ideas.

UPSELLING CUSTOMERS: Tim Huckabee shares his three talking points for upselling during the holidays.

MUCH ADO ABOUT REVIEWS: eFlorist discusses the optimal number of reviews to have on your online listings.

TELEFLORA'S HOLIDAY SOCIAL MEDIA KIT IS READY FOR YOU! DOWNLOAD NOW @ MYTELEFLORA.COM/SOCIALMEDIAKIT.ASPX

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

TREND REPORTS EARTHY STONEWARE

MERCHANDISING TIP: Fill the centerpiece with fall gourds and vegetables for after-use inspiration.

Teleflora’s Autumn In Bloom Centerpiece

HERE’S HOLLY

Teleflora’s Halls Of Holly Centerpiece

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MERCHANDISING TIP: Celebrate the traditional Christmas colors and decorate your shop with holly, Poinsettias, and other red and green décor.

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

QUAINT SNOWSCAPES

MERCHANDISING TIP: Personalize a display with vintage items that have personal meaning to you. It’s a great conversation starter!

Thomas Kinkade’s Snowfall Dreams Bouquet

FROSTY ENCHANTMENT

MERCHANDISING TIP: For an easy and eye-catching window display, use stencils and frost spray to decorate your windows.

Teleflora’s Snowy Daydreams Bouquet

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

TREND REPORTS SNOWY CONTRASTS

MERCHANDISING TIP: Create a display of snowy landscape photographs and paintings, perfect for post-Christmas winter merchandising.

Teleflora’s Cardinals In The Snow

COZY KITCHEN

Send a Hug Winter Sips Bouquet by Teleflora

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MERCHANDISING TIP: Create a “Baking Kit” of gingerbread men cookie cutters, candies, and frosting as a sales add-on.

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

ASK A FLORIST What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from past holiday seasons?

“In our shop, we find that early-season customers are shopping for themselves and buying seasonal decorations. Later, in November and December, there is a shift and small stand-alone gifts become the main purchase. Little things that customers can pick up and take with them to a holiday party or open house. We find the $20 and under price tag to be really successful.”

LINDSAY IRWIN, OWNER, BITTERROOT FLOWER SHOP MISSOULA, MT

“Our biggest non-floral products are gourmet gift baskets which include fruit, cheese, sausage, crackers, hot cocoa, cider, and nuts. If we sell a basket, we can add on a fresh floral arrangement or plant. Or a few gourmet items can be added to any plant or specialized floral bouquet purchases. These are win-win items to have at the holiday season from early November through the New Year. ” THIA SMITH, OWNER, SILVER SPRINGS FLORAL & GIFT ALBUQUERQUE, NM

How do you turn first time holiday customers into loyal customers?

“For 15 years we’ve had an annual holiday open house the 1st Saturday in December. We treat it as a customer appreciation day offering discounts, a free wall calendar, and a flower to take home. We have raffles and of course yummy treats. People talk about it all year long! We send invitations to all our customers from the last December as well as customers from the current year.

We have long-standing customers who bring friends and neighbors and they in turn become customers! We truly appreciate each customer and let them know how grateful we are they chose Razzle Dazzle!”

CLARA ANNIS, CO-OWNER OF RAZZLE DAZZLE FLOWERS & GIFTS MESA, ARIZONA

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

FACEBOOK ADS:

ONE FLORIST’S SUCCESS STORY

By Crystal Vilkaitis, Founder Social Edge, Retail Social Media Expert, and Speaker

Social Edge implements tried and true strategies for retailers who want to use social media to drive traffic to their stores. In this case study, Social Edge Insider, Heather Waits, owner of Bloomtastic Florist in Columbus, OH, used a Facebook Ad to reach one of her S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Timely) business goals.

THE PROBLEM

Heather needed to fill a few dates on her calendar with fall weddings.

THE SOLUTION

Run a Post Engagement Ad on a $50 budget to a targeted audience of brides who got engaged in the past 12 months and are located within 20 miles of her store.

THE RESULTS

The ad had been running for less than a week and had garnered 69 post engagements, with Bloomtastic Florist receiving five leads in a single day (overall, the ad averaged one lead per day). Her average profit for a wedding is $1,000, so with three weddings booked for the ad she netted approximately $3,000 in profit.

The key takeaway is to start with a S.M.A.R.T goal and work backwards from your ideal end result to develop strategies to reach your goal. Running the right Facebook Ads can have a significant impact on your overall business.

This is a great example of how targeting the right audience can get you in front of the right customers, which can lead to increased profit and help you meet your business goals. This ultimately helps keep your business operating at its highest potential. View Social Edge’s full video on the case study http://bit.ly/SocialEdgeInsider.

FOR A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO PLACING ADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, DOWNLOAD TELEFLORA’S FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AD GUIDE HTTP://BIT.LY/2018XMASSOCIALMEDIA 8

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

TOP 12 PROJECTED BEST SELLERS

Teleflora’s Halls Of Holly Centerpiece T18X100A

Thomas Kinkade’s Snowfall Dreams Bouquet T18X200A

Teleflora’s Snowy Daydreams Bouquet T18X300A

Teleflora’s Cardinals In The Snow Ornament T18X400A

Send a Hug Winter Sips Bouquet by Teleflora T18X500A

Teleflora’s Winterberry Kisses Bouquet T18X600A

Christmas Wishes Centerpiece T127-1A

Christmas Treasure T126-1A

Holiday Splendor T119-1A

Let It Snow T128-1A

Teleflora’s Holiday Shine Bouquet TWR14-5A

Family Celebration T123-1A

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

12 DAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA Use these 12 ideas to create unique content for your holiday social media accounts.

Post a holiday-themed profile picture Create a Holiday Gift Guide based on your shop’s products

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Dedicate a post to poinsettia care tips

Use local festive hashtags like #WISHLIST2018 #CHRISTMASSHOPPING

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Create a festive poll, like cider vs. eggnog

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Host a virtual open-house or tutorial class using Facebook or Instagram live

2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

Run a “Best-decorated Christmas tree” photo contest on Instagram Contestants can post a photo and tag and follow your shop to enter

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Show off your in-store Christmas décor on social channels

10 9 11 Create a social video describing current holiday trends

Feature your staff and their favorite holiday, movie, or recipe

Offer customers a 5% DISCOUNT if they post a photo while in your shop during the holidays

Share your shop’s holiday playlist

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

TIM’S THREE TIPS FOR UPSELLING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

By Tim Huckabee

As we enter the holiday season and the pace quickens in the store, remember to give every customer the ultimate shopping experience by following these three talking points:

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Always take the card message BEFORE talking about flowers The card message reveals THREE very important details a smart clerk can leverage to make a better sale: 1. The Occasion: The clerk can brainstorm an appropriate item to offer.

2. The Relationship: The relationship between the sender and recipient can indicate how large the purchase will be. The closer the relationship, the bigger the gift.

3. The Senders: Ask how many many people the flowers represent. If you include many names on the card, offer the customer a larger design.

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Don’t sell from your own pocket; let the customer decide After taking the card message, ask, “Have you chosen an arrangement, or would you like a suggestion?”

Be prepared to offer an item and price that are appropriate for their needs. Get out of your comfort zone and offer higher-priced items. Customers traditionally spend more at this time of year and the worst they can say is, “No,” which really means, “Give me another option.”

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Offer EVERY customer a finishing touch Customers love to personalize their purchases with extras: candy, teddy bears, balloons, etc. However, you must remind them to make those purchases. It’s not being pushy but giving excellent customer service when you offer, “As a Finishing Touch, I can include a box of holiday chocolates with her flowers for just $X.” Customers will appreciate your attentive service and thank you for letting them spend more!

Tim Huckabee, FSC President | FloralStrategies.com FloralStrategies was founded in 1997 by Tim Huckabee, FSC, President of the company. Tim had been working in a retail flower shop in New York City for several years and was frustrated by the lack of available business education and sales training for florists. In true entrepreneurial spirit, he felt that if no one else was helping florists to earn more, he would!

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

YOUR SHOPPING LIST—MADE EASY Flowerbuyer sends shopping list emails throughout the holiday season with average stem pricing for Teleflora’s most popular bouquets. See the savings on the seasonal bouquet below:

Make the Best-Selling Teleflora’s Send a Hug Winter Sips Bouquet by Teleflora AVERAGE FLOWERBUYER SAVINGS OF 30% Find the flowers for Teleflora’s bouquet

YOUR SHOPPING LIST FOR THE AUCTION Carnation, Red Striking red carnations carry meanings of admiration and affection.

Prices as Low as $0.20/stem* Miniature Carnations, Red These petite carnations are small, but mighty.

Prices as Low as $0.28/stem*

Chrysanthemum, Spray Button White Cute as a button! These fan-favorite mums come in a lovely white.

Prices as Low as $0.22/stem*

Cedar, Flat This flat green carries a seasonal fragrance.

Prices as Low as $0.20/stem*

CALL 877.625.3243 OR VISIT FLOWERBUYER.COM TO REGISTER FOR FLOWERBUYER AND START RECEIVING THESE SHOPPING LIST EMAILS DURING THE HOLIDAYS! *Prices may vary

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

MAKE YOUR REVIEWS WORK FOR YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Word-of-mouth marketing is now primarily online! 85%* of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Let customers’ recommendations market your business for you. Great reviews show off your customer service, product selection, and great value. And best of all, they're free! Actively managing your reviews today can turn into increased customer interest throughout the holiday season.

ENCOURAGE REVIEWS

Start by examining your Yelp and Facebook reviews. They are the most trusted local review sites. Aim for at least 10 reviews on each platform with an overall 4-star rating. If your ratings don’t measure up, start encouraging your customers to review your business online. The more reviews you have, the less likely it is that one bad review will deter potential customers.

REPLY TO REVIEWS

Try to respond to as many reviews as possible, whether they are positive or negative, as both types of review show how much you appreciate your customers’ feedback. 30%* of consumers judge a local business by how it responds to their reviews. When responding to negative reviews, address the negative feedback quickly and professionally.

NEED HELP? CONSIDER YEXT FOR EFLORIST

With Yext Reviews for eFlorist, you can monitor and reply to all customer reviews – from Google to Facebook – all in one dashboard. The program makes it easy and efficient to respond to new reviews, engage with your customers, and win them over with your attentiveness. Additionally, Yext Reviews allows you to generate authentic reviews directly on your website. This is a great way for creating on-site credibility for new website visitors.

READY TO GET STARTED? EMAIL EFLORIST@TELEFLORA.COM OR CALL 800.493.1454 TODAY! *https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/local-consumer-review-survey/

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

QUICK TIPS TO HELP MANAGE YOUR HOLIDAY ORDERS GOT AN ORDER? RESPOND WITHIN AN HOUR

ORDER DELIVERED? SEND A CONFIRMATION

Unlike other floral service providers, Teleflora doesn’t penalize you for refusing an order, but please reject it within an hour. Not responding to an order results in a “non-delivery” fee.

Make customers happy by confirming deliveries as soon as possible, and avoid fees by sending a confirmation by 9 p.m. (local time) on the requested delivery date.

NEED TO ADJUST YOUR DELIVERY AREA? USE FLEXIBLE CODIFICATIONS Set up a larger delivery area early, leading up to Christmas, and then trim it down to just your local city/postal codes when you get busy.

Visit MyTeleflora.com/Edit_Flexible_Codifications.aspx

AT CAPACITY? USE DOVE STOPS When you cannot take another order, use Dove Stop.

Visit MyTeleflora.com/Stop_Dove.aspx for details.

NEED ORDER INFORMATION? SEND TELEFLORA A MESSAGE Use your Dove or POS system to send us a message.

Use the proper message type to ensure that you get the response you need.

HAVE DOVE POS AND DELIVERY MANAGER? Use eDelivery to save time on confirming orders by confirming them as soon as they are delivered. eDelivery allows delivery drivers to mark orders as delivered, clock in and out, and view order info on the road in real time using a Web-enabled mobile phone or tablet.

FOR MORE, VISIT MYTELEFLORA.COM OR CALL DOVE POS SUPPORT AT 866.444.3683

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2018 CHRISTMAS SUCCESS GUIDE

TOP TAKEAWAYS TREND REPORTS

Merchandising tips on how to make the most out of your holiday containers during the season and beyond. (p. 4)

ASK A FLORIST

Teleflora florist divides customers into early and late season shoppers and merchandises accordingly. (p. 7)

SOCIAL EDGE

Targeted Facebook advertising netted one florist approximately $3,000 in profit during the holiday wedding season. (p. 8)

12 DAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Discover new ideas for your holiday social media efforts, including a custom profile picture and ideas for a Facebook/Instagram live. (p. 10)

UPSELLING:

Tim Huckabee shares his script for optimal customer service and profit. (p. 12)

REVIEWS:

eFlorist explores the most trusted review sites and how to offset a bad review. (p. 14)

HELPFUL CONTACT NUMBERS

Teleflora's Wondrous Winter Bouquet

Customer Service: 800.421.2815 U.S. and Canada Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (CST) Saturday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. (CST) eFlorist: 866.983.3932

DovePlus: 800.720.9410

Products: 800.333.0205 Flowerbuyer.com: 877.625.3243

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