Bloomin' Blog

Guest Post: Email Marketing Tips

May 20, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

A successful marketing strategy wouldn’t be complete without emails. Our friends at FGmarket have some great tips to share on email marketing. Here are three tips from their post. Click here to read the full article.

Subject Lines

Your reader will only be scanning their email inbox, so it is important to make it clear what exactly they are opening. That means 1) don’t be ambiguous and 2) get to the point.

Social Links

Adding links to your social media accounts in the footer or header of every email you send out is a great way to get users connected to you online.

Spam

There’s nothing people hate more than seeing hundreds of spam emails cluttering up their inbox. Limit the number of emails you send out to a maximum of one per day.

Read the rest of these great tips at FGmarket’s Tips For Successful Email Marketing. Check back at the Bloomin’ Blog for more great marketing tips!

Filed Under: Marketing Tips Tagged With: FGmarket, Marketing, Marketing Tips

Flower Spotlight: Chamelacium

May 18, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo Leave a Comment

While single blooms are very popular, flower clusters make beautiful bouquets. Chamelaucium is a great example of these flowering shrubs!

Origins and Symbolism
Chamelaucium is a genus of about 30 species. This plant is native to the southwestern part of Australia and was first discovered by the French botanist René Louiche Desfontaines. This shrub produces blooms with waxy-feel petals and are commonly known as waxplants or waxflowers.

Waxplants are often associated with riches and enduring wealth. Their long lasting blooms make them a symbol of lasting success and often a sign of endless love or patience.

To Consider
Waxplants grow in any season and many are drought resistant. Over watering this plant may cause decay. This shrub grows in heathland areas on sand near the coast or inland in Australia. For warmer climates, well balanced sandy soil tends to give the best growth possible. If soil does not contain sand it can certainly be added. Chamelaucium is not toxic and safe to plant in any garden.

Availability
Waxfloweres come in a variety of different colors such as white, pink, lavender and even bi-color. The vase life of waxflowers when cut is 7-10 days and they make great fillers in hand tied bouquets, arrangements, boutonnieres, etc.

Head to your local florist and when asking for an arrangement tell them to use waxflowers as fillers. You will fall in love with these tiny, five-petaled blooms!

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Chamelacium, Flower Spotlight

Facebook Do’s and Don’ts

May 15, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo Leave a Comment

Facebook has become a universal social media platform for many flower shops. While it is the perfect platform to find your target audience, there are rules to follow in order to maintain a successful business page. Here are the top Do’s and Don’ts for Facebook!

Pictures

Do
Make sure you brand your profile picture with your shop’s logo. This automatically tells your customers who you are. Also, make sure you use high quality images for your banner and that you update it regularly (at least once every three months).

Don’t
Don’t use inappropriate pictures or personal pictures that don’t relate to your business. Avoid low quality images and don’t use old logos if your logo has been updated.

Links

Do
Always link back your website or blog when you post. Make sure to use short links, like Bitly, instead of the long, complicated original link.

Don’t
Don’t use links that you haven’t checked first. You don’t want to post a link that can take a prospective customer to an error page (or worse, an inappropriate site) just because you didn’t copy the whole link.

Updates

Do
Update your Facebook page at least three times a week. You want to keep your audience engaged so that you gain more followers.

Don’t
An inactive page, even for a few weeks, results in less followers, but you also don’t want to bombard them with a post every hour of the day.

Information

Do
Fill out your ‘About’ tab as much as possible so customers know all the information they need before calling your shop.

Don’t
Avoid writing your life story in the bio. Your customers want to know about your fabulous shop, but they don’t need to know everything. Save a more detailed bio for your website.

It’s easy being a Facebook pro when following these easy steps! Check back with the Bloomin’ Blog for more great marketing tips and tricks!

Filed Under: Marketing Tips Tagged With: Facebook, Marketing, Marketing Tips

Home Arrangement Guide

May 13, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

When most people think of flowers, they think of birthdays, Mother’s Day, and other gift holidays, but blooms don’t need an occasion! An arrangement can be part of your home decor or a beautiful piece of design for your Sunday brunch table. Here is a quick guide on home arrangements to beautify your space and give it a more natural look!

For The Home

Whether it’s an end table, a corner nook or a guest bedroom, there are many areas in your home that need that little something extra to give it a finishing touch. Consider statement pieces, like an orchid, for end tables or a dresser. Choose a tall house plant, like a basket of corn plants or a Norfolk island pine next to a seating area or in a hallway to complete the room.

For The Table

When hosting a dinner or just decorating your dining room, the table arrangement is the focal point for any style. A short arrangement, like fresh flowers in a cube vase, is perfect when having friends over for dinner, because it won’t obstruct the view of guests, while still looking beautiful among the food spread. If you are looking to just decorate a dining room when not in use, consider a tall arrangement. An elaborate vase with tall blooms, like hydrangeas, is perfect to set a neutral tone to your table.

For Outside

If you are looking to decorate your front door or the back porch, you want your greens and flowers to enhance your patio. Hanging baskets give a little extra to a simple front porch. If you want an arrangement for an outside table, consider a bromeliad or English ivy that can easily be moved when entertaining.

Make any room standout with a little flower accents. Head to your local florist and pick up a few blooms to make your next home entertaining event extra special!

Photo courtesy of http://www.weddingandpartynetwork.com/gallery/photo/14350/

Filed Under: Gift Ideas Tagged With: Home Arrangement, Home Flower Decor, Houseplants

Wedding Trends: Bridesmaid Bouquets 2015

May 11, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

When choosing the bridesmaids blooms, there are many options to choose from. From small arrangements to modern corsages, the choices are limitless, and the central theme of the wedding can shine through each bouquet. Here are some trending bridesmaid bouquets for 2015!

Rustic Garden

Fairytale blooms full of hanging greens and a complementary color to that of the bride’s add to the rustic theme of a vintage wedding.

Just Picked

A small bouquet of wildflowers with greens add a “just-picked” flair to a garden party wedding.

Bridal Mini

Choose a miniature version of the bridal bouquet for all the bridesmaids. Use shorter stems and blooms to complement the overall floral look.

Single Stems

For a modern take, consider single stems of long flowers such as calla lilies or hydrangeas. They will stand out without upstaging the bridal bouquet.

The bridesmaids bouquets can be as simple or as elegant as desired, but always make sure the bridal bouquet stands out the most! For more great ideas and tips, visit the Bloomin’ Blog!

Rustic Garden photo accreditation to: weddingandpartynetwork/gallery/14459

Just Picked photo accreditation to: weddingandpartynetwork/gallery/14460

Bridal Mini photo accreditation to: weddingandpartynetwork/gallery/14688

Single Stems photo accreditation to: weddingandpartynetwork/gallery/14464

Filed Under: Wedding Flowers Tagged With: Bridesmaids Bouquets, Wedding Ceremony Flowers, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Trends

Card Messages: May 2015

May 8, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

Sometimes words are not enough to express what we feel for our loved ones. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we put together some simple card messages that could help express what you feel for the beautiful ladies in your life.

For Mom

Mother, words cannot express my feelings for you. Your unconditional love and support have made me better and stronger. I am who I am because of you. I love you!

For A Friend

Happy Mother’s Day to a truly wonderful friend!

For a Child

We are happy and proud to see what a wonderful mother you have become. Happy Mother’s Day! P.S. Keep ’em coming!

For A Sibling

Not only are you the best sister I could’ve asked for, but a wonderful mother as well! I love you! Happy Mother’s Day!

Visit your local florist and surprise a loved one with an exquisite flower arrangement paired with your message. Check back with the Bloomin’ Blog for more great gift ideas!

Filed Under: Card Messages Tagged With: card messages, Gift Ideas, May

Designing With Mannequin Madness

May 6, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

As visual designers, it’s no surprise that we want our shops to draw the eye. Mos of us depend on our visually appealing store front window displays and the pictures of our designs that show off our skills on social media.

Customers are instantly invited in by design, and what better way to showcase your floral abilities than with unique displays from Mannequin Madness.

Recycled Art
Judi Henderson, owner of Mannequin Madness, turned an idea into a business when she found mannequins on Craigslist.

Quickly, her business of selling, renting and repurposing used mannequins turned from an inventory of 50 to 500. What’s unique about Henderson’s business is her use of mannequins as decorative pieces in floral arrangements and even as Christmas trees.

Design Madness
The company’s Pinterest has many floral ideas using mannequins and offers inspiration for customers in the floral industry.

“Many florists use my products for floral centerpieces, holiday arrangements, and fashion forward flower displays,” Henderson said.

Henderson believes that a shop’s display is an important aspect of a flower shop in order to draw customers into a sale.

“Displays catch attention which then turn to high impulse purchases,” she said. “Florists are competing with online all the time, this makes them unique. Your window is a 24-hour ad.”

From heads to torsos to full forms, Mannequin Madness has everything a florist needs to create a truly original work of art for their storefront.

Whether it’s a holiday tree dress display or an arrangement on a mannequin for a modern affair, look no further than Mannequin Madness!

Filed Under: Floral Design Tagged With: Floral Design, Floral Supplies, Shop Decor, Window Display

Cinco De Mayo Flowers ’15

May 4, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

The beginning of May marks a very festive holiday that contains hispanic roots. On May 5th, put together a fiesta for Cinco de Mayo and celebrate the Mexican culture with flowers.

Rose Arrangement
Need a centerpiece for your fiesta? Consider a rose bouquet with red and white roses that represent the Mexican flag colors.

Flor-allure Bouquet
Surprise a friend with colorful blooms that match the theme of the holiday. It will brighten up their day!

Simple Card Messages
Need writing help? Here are some simple card messages for Cinco de Mayo!

Have a sizzling Cinco de Mayo!

Hope these flowers spice up your day! Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Some lovely flowers for a Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Head to your local florist and get a colorful arrangement for your happy fiesta! Cinco de Mayo is Tuesday, May 5, 2015.

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Holiday Info Tagged With: Cinco de Mayo, Gift Ideas, May

Last Minute Mother’s Day Marketing Tips

May 1, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo Leave a Comment

The beginning of May means Mother’s Day is around the corner. We are sure you are preparing your shop for one of the busiest floral holidays of the year, so we thought we would help you out with some last minute marketing tips! These tips are simple ways you can grow your sales and get your business out there just in time for Mother’s Day.

Instagram Special
Have a new Instagram account? Want to promote it? Mother’s Day is the perfect time to let your customers know you are social. Have them Instagram a picture of their loved one with their bouquet designed by your shop and have them tag you. Run a contest and choose a random winner from those who tag you. The winner can get a free bouquet certificate or any other discount of your choice!

Shop Team Up
Reach out to other shops in the community. How about a local jewelry store or candy shop? You can have an arrangement displayed in their store and plan to recommend each other to customers. If they are getting chocolate or jewelry, they need flowers with it too! Make a community connection while promoting your business and shopping locally.

“I Forgot It’s Mother’s Day” Flower Bar
You know those guys who don’t own a calendar and come rushing into your store for flowers at the last minute? Make it easy on them with a flower bar. Set up vases, flowers and cards (or ribbon) near the front of your shop where those last minute shoppers can run in, choose their arrangement, and pay quickly before their loved one notices! Promote it on social media and have customers share your post for a discount!

We know this year is going to be a busy, but successful Mother’s Day! Try one of these tips (or all) and check back with the Bloomin’ Blog for more great marketing ideas!

Filed Under: Holiday Info, Marketing Tips Tagged With: Marketing, Marketing Tips, Mothers Day, Mothers Day Marketing, Tips

Instagram For Florists

April 29, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo Leave a Comment

It’s no secret that flowers are visual and that customers are now looking for your business on social media. This is why you should consider extending your marketing through a solely visual marketing platform: Instagram.

You may be wondering “what the heck is Instagram?” and how you can market yourself through this platform when you aren’t much of a photographer? We have the answers and more!

Instagram + You

Instagram is all about the visual. It’s a platform of picture based posts that many businesses have taken as their main platform for sales. Why? Because customers are visual and when they see something they love, they want to buy. This works especially well for florists because flowers are visual, and customers want to see your designs before they make a purchase.

Strike A Pose

What makes Instagram so popular is its easy-to-use platform that allows anyone to be a photographer. There are many easy editing tools that can make your pictures look great, even if you aren’t trained in photography.

Making It Work For The Flower Shop

Here are 5 ways that you can implement Instagram into your business’ marketing strategy:

Show Off
Proud of your design? Show your great work to your followers and tell them how to order the same design at your shop.

Contests
Let your followers win a pretty bouquet. Have them like your post or comment and choose the winner randomly (do inform them ahead of time that the winner has to be in your area or has to visit the shop to pick up the arrangement).

Holiday Coupons
Give your followers a discount during the holidays. Post a graphic of a coupon for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or any holiday and have them show you the coupon on their phone when they make their purchase.

Delivery Confirmation
Have customers upload a picture of their blooms on Instagram and tag you in the post. You can then repost it and show all your followers a happy customer.

Behind-the-Scenes
Designing for an event or putting together a photoshoot? Share it with your fans! They love seeing their favorite shops in action and may hire you for their next event!

Take advantage of this great social media platform that can benefit your business! For more great marketing tips, visit the Bloomin’ Blog!

Filed Under: Marketing Tips Tagged With: Instagram, Marketing Tips, Social Media