Strategies For Increasing Your Sympathy Business

Need to strengthen your sympathy and funeral flowers business? There are a few key strategies that florists can use to make sure they are regarded as the #1 choice by local funeral homes, funeral directors, and people sending sympathy flowers. To reach this important niche, use these strategies.

Strengthen Your Relationship With Area Funeral Homes —

First and foremost, develop a relationship with the people at the forefront of the sympathy industry – the funeral directors and their staff. Developing a strong relationship by helping them meet the needs of their customers. To do this, offer a selection guide that includes photos of and explanations of available flower arrangements.

Funeral Flower Selection Guide

Another way to strengthen your relationship with local funeral homes is to let them know that you’re there in a pinch when they need you – yesterday.

Many flower shops, such as McAdams Floral in Victoria Texas, offer sets of high-quality silk boutonnieres for pallbearers. This “just in case” attitude will be a boon to funeral home directors who are responsible for tying up any loose ends with the ceremonies while easing the burden of their customers.

One thing is certain with sympathy business. If you make the funeral home look good, they will do the same for you. This can be something as simple as providing a fresh arrangement for their entrance and/or lobby weekly. Most funeral homes will allow you to place your contact information in or near the arrangement.

Develop A Relationship With Senior Citizens —

Sympathy Flowers Or Entrance Flowers

Many senior citizens now make their own funeral arrangements prior to death. It may not be something they readily discuss or have formally written, but seniors are becoming more prepared for this occasion. The well prepared group usually passes their information on to family and loved ones so that someone knows of the arrangements prior to their death. There are many ways to develop a relationship with this core group.

Your flower shop could provide nursing homes with entrance flowers. Becoming acquainted with the staff can be helpful. When family members and friends call to make arrangements for the delivery, they often ask for a recommended florist. If the staff knows your flower shop and you know their policies on flower delivery, you will receive their recommendation.

Many senior citizen groups have monthly functions or annual events. While you may not choose to donate flowers to these events, donating flowers to the main location of the group will be beneficial. Places such as the Red Hat Society (50 years +) location, AARP offices, and local senior citizen hall are great places to reach senior citizens.

Keep Up With Current Trends

Traditional casket sprays and standing sprays will not fade any time soon, but there are other popular options that are turning heads and showing up in funeral homes and grave sites.

Personalized Funeral Flowers

Remember to incorporate sympathy flower options into your portfolio that reflect personalization. The desire for a unique and personalized sympathy arrangement is growing tremendously.

Epitaphs are not the only place for creativity. Offer unique spray shapes, various types of grave blankets, eco friendly arrangements that reflect an appreciation of nature, as well as seasonal arrangements and wreaths for the graves. Compact bouquets are also popular for headstones with vases or a unique display for the grave site.

Offer advanced planning options. Again, many are planning ahead for their funeral services. This takes the burden off of loved ones. Offering plan-ahead services can range from pre-payment options to flower request sheets.

Cremation is performed often. Offer memorial arrangements that compliment cremation urns, pew flowers for memorial services, et al. Sometimes burial plots are purchased for the deceased who had requested to be cremated. Offering unique arrangements for the grave site after the scattering is helpful.

Promote Your Sympathy Business — To gain business, people must know that your flower shop provides the service that they need. To announce this, offer funeral directors a tasteful marketing piece to give to families. Your flower shop can also target sympathy advertising with ads like FSN Funeral Home banner ads.

Implement these strategies in a respectful, tasteful way to promote your flower shop’s sympathy business. With these strategies, along with class and empathy, you will watch your sympathy business grow.

**** Flower Shop Network has created a funeral flower brochure that you can distribute to your area funeral homes that includes your flower shop name, address and contact information.  All you have to do is log into FSNf2.com and select the direct marketing templates option (formerly direct mail templates).  From the direct marketing templates option page, you can choose the funeral flower brochure to print your own branded funeral flower brochure.****

***Dad Flower Arrangement was created using a floral foam Fram from Oasis Floral Products***