The Gimme Game

As local florists, we understand the importance of helping our local communities by supporting non-profit groups and charities. However, doesn’t it seem like every time you turn around someone has their hand out for “FREE” flowers? Non-profits and other deserving organizations that traditionally have had very minimal budgets for flowers now have NO budget. In addition, the normally generous floral retailers have also experienced a steep decline in revenue. This results in florists often feeling like their business is running as a non-profit!

Handling The “Donation Monkey” Dilemma

So how do you handle this “donation monkey” dilemma? When cash flow gets tight, one of the first areas that tends to get cut is MARKETING. However, during an economic downturn, this is probably the LAST place money should be cut. During this weakened market, it is more important than ever to be in the faces and minds of the public to maximize business. Brand recognition and community involvement go hand-in-hand when building a positive business image. For this to be a partnership of the donor and recipient, the business owner needs to be more aggressive and up-front with their needs and the non-profit organization needs to be more understanding and willing to barter.

Consider Donations As Marketing Opportunities

In response to the increased requests for donations, our business approach has been to consider each request as a marketing opportunity. In the past, we were often very generous and would just give the organization free flowers, gift certificates or auction items with very few questions and asking very little in return. This is no longer the practice. Our business has sold out of “FREE” and is currently not restocking! In order for us to stay in business and be available to make future donations, we have to remain fiscally responsible and business savvy. We must receive something in return for our investment and involvement.

The Donation Request Form

As a way of maximizing the return on investment, we use a very detailed Donation Request Form. This form allows us to collect information identifying the organization making the request, their floral purchasing practices and whether they have actually been a customer of ours in the past. Obviously, organizations or groups that have supported us in the past with their floral purchases take precedence over total strangers making requests. The form also outlines the event’s specific details regarding target audience, goals and expected [Read more…]