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Unlike other floral holidays and weddings, prom holds a certain type of charm. Due to the fact that customers around this time of year are younger than the usual customer (most of the time not even 18), there seems to be a trickiness to designing for these floral newbies. We reached out to a couple of florists to offer insight on prom marketing, as well as tips on approaching the younger generation.
The Young Customer
There are a couple of misconceptions that come up during this time of year about the young customer. The first is that customer service shouldn’t apply to them since their parent’s are purchasing the corsage. Second, that these kids don’t know anything about flowers so why bother when they are looking for something cheap. While it is true that many parents help these teens purchase their prom florals, others have savings from their part-time job. Either way, it is important to acknowledge the teen as a paying customer as you would acknowledge a bride whose parents are paying for the flowers. As for their ignorance on the value of flowers, there is a solution.
According to Doug Bates of Designs by VOGT’s of Sturgis, Michigan, it’s very important to introduce high school kids to flowers.
“If you don’t hook the younger generation by the time they are 25, they will never understand the value of flowers,” Bates said. “When you get them interested you become a part of their life.”
Bates believes that prom is the perfect time to start making new customers. If you make their first time flower experience memorable, they will become lifetime customers.
“You need to foster these relationships because in 5 years these girls will be brides,” Bates said. Bates told the story of one couple who came into the shop for their prom and years later he did their wedding flowers and have become long-time customers for other events as well. “It’s important to make their experience fun. When it’s apparent that you don’t want to work with them, they notice that. Make it engaging or they will go to your competitors.”
Marketing Tips and Tricks
Marketing for prom is just as important as treating the customer. Here are a couple of ideas to market your shop!
Go To School
Bates said that the best advice he heard about prom was to get involved with the school in any way you can. Whether it’s donating an arrangement or offering a discount for an event, everything stands out. One tip is to give a couple of teachers at your local high school corsages and boutonnieres to wear the week before and the week of prom.
Social Media Contest
This tip from Bates is great to also amp up your social media traffic. Offer a “Prom Mom Contest” when someone makes a purchase for prom. They must like your Facebook page and post a picture of their corsage with their dress during prom. The one with the most likes wins a free bouquet to give to their mom on Mother’s Day.
“Last year, we had such a high number of posts that we ended up choosing more than one winner,” Bates said. “It’s a great way to get your name out there, get likes, more traffic, and people posting your designs online.”
Prom is the perfect time to introduce flowers to the younger generation. You never know who may become a lifelong customer! For more marketing tips and ideas, check back with the Bloomin’ Blog.
Photo courtesy of Designs by VOGT’s.
For florists, however, prom can be a daunting task. Designing corsage after corsage with little guidance will really drain your creativity. The solution? A 
A corsage bar is a great way to spark your creativity, as well as gain valuable interest in your shop. Make it an event by creating flyers to hang in local high schools. 
Find a decorative, matching corsage wristband! Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but funky sequins, elegant gems, coral, and pearl with your corsage make just as beautiful a statement.
