Want To Reach DIY Consumers?

With “budget savvy” consumers on the rise, the floral industry is presented with an opportunity to benefit from the DIY (do it yourself) consumer trend. Did you know that DIY consumers is a growing niche for florists? That’s right! Here are some tips for reaching this growing niche with the same flair and flavor for which you’re known.

Get Down And Dirty With Them

DIY brides and consumers are willing to get their hands dirty. Whether it’s to save a few bucks or express creativity, DIY’ers love to be involved in the projects ahead of them. This means learning how to make their own corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets and more. Don’t get down in the dumps about this though. Get down and dirty with them! Show DIY consumers that your flower shop is still the best place to come to find the freshest, most unique flowers around. Plus, where better to go for expert advice? Even the most independent DIY’er will welcome a little of that.

Give Them What They Want

DIY brides want to have a hand in making their wedding flowers but they still need to buy fresh flowers. By offering stems and unique flowers at a reasonable price, you’ve just given them exactly what they want. This provides Do It Yourself brides with a feeling of independence and a chance to express their creativity. The next time they help plan a wedding or need flowers for their home, they’ll remember your flower shop first.

Give Them What They Need

Not many DIY’ers start off with everything they need to know to create their own flower arrangements. That’s where your flower shop comes in. When the DIY crowd comes to your flower shop for fresh flowers, offer them expert advice.

Want to really draw them in by the droves? Try these:

• Host a DIY brides bouquet day and teach them to create beautiful wedding bouquets
• Host DIY workshops for various kinds of arrangements and floral design
• Create a weekly DIY bouquet special such as X number of stems of a popular flower at a special price
• Offer DIY specials, advice, and fresh flowers as an additional service
• Offer weekly specials on unique flowers (ex: sunflower) with design tips for using them (i.e. fall flowers design featuring sunflowers)

Hosting Do-It-Yourself Workshops: Jane Thompson of Flower Design in the United Kingdom has hit the nail on the head. She hosts limited-seating instructional banquets at which she teaches attendants to create unique arrangements. Consumers understand the benefit of this knowledge along with a meal and pay admission to learn from an expert.

Another way to promote workshops like these is to give a ticket to each customer that visits your store. The tickets can be printed with things like “bring a friend” or “you and a guest are invited to”. Even “you are cordially invited to attend” works for the tickets because this gives the reader the mindset that the event is sophisticated and held by experts.

Offering Specials And Promotions: Where specials and promotions are concerned, this is a boon for florists wanting to reach DIY consumers. Just like coupon clippers to a grocery store, savvy DIY brides and consumers will welcome the opportunity to get a bargain on the flowers that they love.

This goes back to the notion of perceived value. Though the product remains the same in quality regardless of price, the idea of a bargain will move consumers to action by creating a sense of urgency. “Buy roses for $2.50 a stem–this week only” sets the tone for consumers who are willing to spend money to save it.

When it comes right down to it, these things are what DIY consumers really want. They want to feel independent and have the opportunity to try something new and save some money. They want to know how to create the flowers that their hearts desire. They want high-quality fresh flowers and accessories because they’d rather sacrifice quantity than quality and never have “cheap looking” attached to their work. They need a florist that they can trust to provide these things and that needs to be you.

Have you hosted a successful Do It Yourself workshop, banquet or event? Share your ideas, stories and pictures below.

For more helpful tips, tricks and advice for florists, visit the Flower Shop Network Bloomin’ Blog which is daily updated with information for florists and consumers.