Diversifying Your Revenue Stream in a Time of Uncertainty

Heather Payne Photography

Let’s dive right in. If you’re a floral professional, you’re likely looking for new ways to move forward with your floral business in uncertain times. How can you adapt to meet the changing needs of your community during a pandemic—and after? It may be obvious that a new path is necessary, but what’s less obvious is which path to take.  

Perhaps one of the greatest attributes of a floral professional is creativity! Now is the time for us to apply this attribute to our businesses and adopt new floral products and services that are relevant in this new global landscape. In this article, we’ll discuss some key things to consider when pivoting your business, as well as product and service ideas that a floral professional could explore. 

Before we dive in, remember that this adjustment doesn’t have to be forever. This global season will pass, and we want to avoid knee-jerk responses that are based out of fear. Instead, keeping the long term in mind, let’s consider how we can smartly pivot our business to stay relevant and serve our communities well in this time. 

Launching New Services or Products for Your Floral Business

Bear with me as I take us back to business 101 here, but who remembers the “four Ps of marketing?” When planning a shift in your business offerings, it’s helpful to review four key areas: product, price, place, promotion.

PRODUCT

What new product are you offering? How does it fit a defined need within your market? How is it different from your previous product offering? (Note: product here can mean service as well.) Now is the time to be creative! The needs of our communities have shifted, and there may be demand where there wasn’t before. While it may be too soon to tell, I feel that businesses that never “clicked” before may fit perfectly into this new global landscape. 

At the end of this article, we’re sharing a list of potential pivoting ideas for floral businesses looking to shift and offer more relevant products and services. Take a peek, and let our list be a starting point for your own ideas! 

Heather Payne Photography

PRICE

At what price point will you offer your product or service? Pricing is a complex topic, one worth your thoughtful consideration. (We have a floral pricing class here that can help if you’d like to do a deep dive into the topic.) We won’t get into the nitty gritty here, but my encouragement for now is to price for the long run. It may be tempting to slash prices in an effort to gain business in uncertain times, but is that sustainable? Avoid the urge to undercharge now, and you will avoid the need to explain to your clients later why you need to increase your prices! 

PLACE

How will your product or service be provided to your customers? In a retail shop? From your home studio? As a pop-up stand in your local grocery store? As a workshop offered to local businesses? Consider creative ways to share your flowers with others, keeping cognizant of the unique landscape we’re in. Is there a way to offer no-contact delivery? Social distancing workshops? As many businesses have made hard decisions to scale back, consider ways in which you could partner with other businesses in your community to share space or resources. 

PROMOTION

How will you communicate your new product or service to your potential customers? What messaging will you use? What is the uniquely relevant benefit that clients will gain from your business? What platforms will you use to advertise? At what time will you announce this product or service? 

Perhaps one silver lining to this global crisis is the connection that people are finding through virtual means. Communities are connecting through practically every platform you can think of! If social media marketing or paid online advertisements weren’t part of your strategy before, now may be the perfect time to add them into your marketing plan.  

Heather Payne Photography

Another unique aspect of our current global landscape is the amount of attention paid to local governmental authorities, organizations, and news sources. As guidelines change frequently, people are looking to their local media channels, their chamber of commerce, and their local elected officials for clarity. Is there a way you can utilize this new attention?

I know that the tourism department in my town organized a “Social Distancing Scavenger Hunt,” challenging people to connect with local businesses and share as they did so (from an appropriate distance, of course!). Look for opportunities like these that your business could take advantage of. And if they don’t exist, create them! 

PURPOSE

I’d also like to add a fifth “P” to the four Ps of marketing: purpose! This is the bedrock of your business going forward, just as it was before. Your purpose may have shifted during this crisis—perhaps you’ve developed a deeper appreciation for the healthcare system in your community and you’d like to focus your floral attention there. Or, your purpose may have remained steady. Whatever it is, grab hold of that purpose and let it propel you forward as you Love the World Through Flowers in this new environment we find ourselves in.

Potential New Products & Services for Your Floral Business

Heather Payne Photography

The Team Flower staff has brainstormed some possibilities for floral businesses looking to pivot or add new revenue streams. Take a peek below! Please note that these are simply our ideas—no two businesses, entrepreneurs, or communities are alike, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. 

• Offer drive-thru flower pick up (like Sweet Root Village did here!). If you don’t have a dedicated business space where drive-thru would be feasible, is there a local business you could partner with?

• Set up a roadside flower farm stand where people can purchase your flowers without an in-person interaction. 

• Host "social distancing" flower workshops, with 10 or less participants. Set up the space to leave 8 feet between people and provide plenty of hand-washing stations/opportunities so people can still get out and enjoy each other and flowers. (Important note here: Follow your local guidance. Workshops like these may not yet be appropriate to host, but may be in the future!) Or take the workshop online! You can host an online floral workshop for participants to enjoy from their own homes.

• Offer elopement packages as weddings become more intimate. You could perhaps offer a special incentive for couples who are eloping now but plan to hold a larger celebration with friends and family at a later date. 

• Provide “flower-grams”—a floral delivery marketed with the specific purpose of being sent to loved ones for encouragement. Implement very stringent hygiene practices around this product and message that clearly to your customer.

• Deliver flower boxes (similar to subscription boxes offered in other industries). Each box contains varied stems of flowers and greenery, necessary tools, and a link to access a video tutorial for how to create a beautiful arrangement. Give customers the option to purchase these for either themselves or someone else! Instead of sending a traditional arrangement, they can send beautiful blooms and a fun opportunity to get creative! 

• Offer your services and talent to local nursing homes or other healthcare environments. Contact the activities director at these facilities and offer to teach classes for their residents. Flowers are therapeutic and residents can find joy in the colorful blooms and exercising creativity. Of course, follow all CDC guidelines. Visitors are restricted to these communities, but one may be open to your services if a strict protocol was followed. (You can read about how flowers can impact senior citizens in this article!)

It's true that times have changed and your business will have to as well. But just like our beloved medium—flowers!—you are strong and resilient. We’re cheering you on as you take your next brave step forward, in whichever direction you choose. Go Team!