IT’S TIME TO LIGHTEN UP!

All winter long we have been embraced by winter’s influences…heavy clothes; short days of sun if any, dark heavy bare branches at rest, and a time when all of nature seems to be asleep. But now, that is all in our past and it is time to lighten up!

We are celebrating more plentiful and longer days filled with sunshine that warms the air, our hearts and heads. Everyone seems to be in a much better psychological mood and glad to be out and about. Spring repair projects are being executed and decorating ideas both inside and out and being formulated and put into place. What a great time to step up and help with these DIY projects in your store. Think about hosting a spring fling open hose to showcase what a great addition fresh floral stylings, green house plants, and permanent botanical designs can add to the ambience of any home décor.

Team up with other ambassadors in your community that also could benefit from this idea. Local paint and hardware stores can demonstrate painting techniques and feature the latest ideas for interior wall décor. What a great place to showcase your line of home décor wall accents of wreaths, swags, and perhaps accessories that your store carries for the wall. Furniture stores could demonstrate the impact of lighting or show how to choose fabrics for a desired effect again giving you the perfect opportunity to present your design talents by featuring some trendy floral stylings that are ready for spring or everyday enjoyment.

This time of year is a great time to host a make-it take-it workshop that might include a series of classes. Wreaths, simple centerpieces or topiary trees might be a great way to create good traffic flow within your store in between the regular spring holidays. While April may traditionally be a slower month, use this’ down time’ to spark some interest in upcoming events such as Mother’s Day, Proms, and spring formal dances. You can offer some promotions for bounce back customers such as offer deep discounts only to those customers who attend the open house or workshops. Be sure to put a time limit on those offers so customers will return often in a short amount of time…getting the idea that your shop needs to be visited often! With that said it will be important to keep your shop looking fresh, new and clean. Galvanized buckets of fresh flowers and flowering branches out for impulse self-serve walk in traffic. Nothing is more appealing than to see that European Market display in a flower shop.

Keep in mind that the color pallette for spring also undergoes a radical change. Gone are winters color saturated heavy tones of color. They are being replaced by spring’s light and airy colors. Pastels this season are bright and saturated. If you’re not sure about what colors are trending in your area, go to any major department store and look around at ladies clothes or trendy stores such as Target or Anthropology for some help and ideas. By shopping where your customers shop, it makes you aware of what they are seeing and buying and you can ride along on their marketing dollars for free!

Remember how wonderful it felt when you were a child to open up that magic box of Crayola Crayons and see all the endless possibilities of color combinations? THAT is the way you should think about the possibilities of flower combinations! It’s time to make the magic happen!