Creative Marketing Ideas for Florists: Mother’s Day and Beyond

As florists, we’ve been challenged in many ways in the past months. Some have had business disappear overnight. Some are entirely in lockdown and not able to deliver or work at all. Some are open and working, but maybe it’s back to just you, or you and a scaled-down team. We’re all stressed.

This article is to share hope, ideas, and resources for retail florists and those doing daily deliveries. Many of these ideas can inspire confidence for other floral business models, too.

Amid the difficulties, a few weeks ago I was challenged by Nate Dominquez, Director of BNI Arizona, not to stop and to keep filling my pipeline. That way, when we can open up more fully, we will have business already waiting.

I pondered this, put this in my mental “crockpot,” especially with Mother’s Day coming—and here are a few ideas. I’m sharing these with you because I love this industry. My heart goes out to all florists who are hurting, including our supply chain. For those of you closed, at risk of closing, or with drastically reduced orders, what would it look like to have business in the pipeline when you are ready to reopen?

Design: Philosophy Flowers

Photography: Almond Leaf Photography

3 Ideas to Build your Clientele  

• Send a Smile Twice: Starbright Floral is taking what he calls virtual orders. They email out a notification, and then they have the order in their hopper for when they can open. It generates some cash flow now, and they can also alert their vendors and send a ripple of hope up the supply chain.

• #MothersDayIsAnyDay: This initiative was my idea. You can take virtual orders, especially for Mother’s Day, sending out a physical card at the time of the order or arriving on Mother’s Day to let the recipient know that flowers are coming on a surprise future date. You can use cards you have in stock or use a great online card-creating app to send a physical card personalized with your logo and flower images. Then deliver the flowers either once you’re open or as you can for florists still operating.

• Collaborate with other businesses in your area. Work with artists, photographers, chefs, bakers, or artisans. Business owners are more receptive than ever to joint collaborative projects—perhaps have your clients order a Mother’s Day Double Delivery. A pastry gift box, an art print, or a custom silk scarf with photos of your flowers on them could be delivered now, and your floral designs will arrive when you can deliver again. For example, you could offer a package gift card for dinner out, flowers at the table, and a bottle of wine or a cake—the gift card supports three businesses, and all three sell it.

Balancing Client Expectations with Your Capacity

For those of us that are open—and operating with smaller teams and more limited capacity—Mother’s Day can still be wonderful! Many florists had a fantastic Easter because people miss being together. In this time, those of us who can deliver can provide heartfelt connections for those who are separated. Many people won’t be able to go out to eat as usual, and there could be even more interest than in previous years.

But how can we serve our interested and willing clients, while we are limited in the number of designs we can create or deliver?

Design: Philosophy Flowers

Photography: Almond Leaf Photography

What to do when planning for Mother’s Day

• Determine your capacity. Are you working on your own? Can you hire an extra designer to work in shifts—perhaps hiring your flower friends who are wedding/event only?

• Choose your blooms wisely. Pick your most favorite flowers and your clients’ favorites. Focus your offerings to make your design process simpler and more streamlined—and more fun! I have a lilac legacy (my grandfather designed the Lilac and Crabapple Garden at the UW Madison Arboretum, and it’s still named after him), so I am focusing on lilacs, rhododendron, roses, garden roses, and other woodland and garden flowers that I can find. 

• Tell your clients about the flowers you have available. Communicate now with your current and past clients that you are “taking reservations” for Mother’s Day flower deliveries, and share how excited you are by the specific flowers you have available. This language can subtly communicate that there will be limitations but not in a fear-based, limiting way. 

• Prioritize your loyal clients. Email, call, and share the news with your most loyal clients. Give them the benefit of their past relationship with you in reserving delivery spots.

• Use the #MothersDayIsAnyDay idea. This will allow you to stretch out your Mother’s Day delivery schedule, from the Wednesday before to the Wednesday after—or even the whole week later. Let your clients know that you will share an email or a card with the recipient, and deliver when you can due to current capacity issues. You could also incentivize them to allow you to deliver any time.

Keep On Marketing

It can be a challenge to market when you’re doing everything else, too. If you’re working alone, it’s tempting to drop it. If your doors are closed, it’s tempting to go silent. Fight these temptations! 

If you go silent, people might think you have closed entirely and wonder if they can even reach out to you. Know the demand for flowers is there. Farm Girl Flowers and others who are shipping flowers have been busier than ever. Stay top of mind with your clients and connections. As Frank Blanchard often says, keep yourself in front of people, so when you are available, they think of you. 

Design: Philosophy Flowers

Photography: Almond Leaf Photography

A Few Pointers for Mother’s Day

• Get help! If you’re struggling to keep up with social media or website updates, Frank Blanchard provides support. Many other local resources can help you. It’s worth it!

• Upgrade how you’re talking with your clients. Tim Huckabee with Floral Strategies is having ongoing free webinars with the Society of American Florists on how to engage your clients so well that they want to spend more with you. I was in one of Tim’s seminars several years ago, and his teaching on how to serve/sell has made a significant impact on my business. 

• Make reminder calls. Reach out to the people who have ordered in the past for Mother’s Day. Include them in the people you reach out to now ahead of time, and prebook them or take their reservations.

Don’t Give Up Hope 

You can make a difference in your situation—and event if you’re limited by time or help, there are still ways you can reach out and support your clients. We are here because our clients want the experience of gorgeously created floral designs with a local touch. 

What to do now? 

Pick one idea and apply it. Reach out to me or Team Flower for help if you get stuck. Stay hopeful. You are brilliant, you are creative, you are resilient. You can do this!