Sharon Grubbs of Foister’s Flowers and Gifts in Muncie, Indiana, was one of many Society of American Florists members to turn Petal It Forward into great press.
If you are among the floral industry members who executed a local Petal It Forward event in more than 225 cities this week, you may be wondering today: How do I turn all of this goodwill and good press into actual sales?PR expert Melissa Cassera said doing just that is easier than you might think, especially when it comes to using press to convert “on the fence” buyers into customers.
“Press coverage can bring boatloads of credibility and recognition to your business,” she explained. “But for many entrepreneurs, that initial bubble of euphoria bursts pretty quickly. Because big-time press does not always translate into big-time sales.”
Here are Cassera’s tips on how to put good press to work for you, even after your initial brush with fame has worn off:
Use press as a “happy excuse” to follow up with your “maybe” customers. “Press coverage can be just what you need to take prospective customers from ‘call me, maybe’ to ‘let’s start NOW!'” writes Cassera. Having trouble getting a corporate client to commit? Send a follow-up email with a line such as: “We have some good news to share! You may have seen our shop featured on the front page of the Main Street News…” (Check out Cassera’s sample, tweakable follow-up verbiage here.)
Place press coverage wherever buying decisions are made. “By placing press coverage right at that final checkout stage— the ‘buying decision’ moment — you can help tilt fickle customers towards an enthusiastic yes,” Cassera said. A photo at checkout or online or even a simple line of text, e.g. “as seen in Hometown Gazette,” can provide powerful persuasion.
Don’t just share your press coverage — share the back story. “Facts tell, but stories sell — and everyone loves a great behind-the-scenes story,” Cassera said. “Instead of simply ‘announcing’ a piece of press coverage to your audience, share a few juicy details about how it happened: How did you make contact with that media, or did they contact you? What was it like to be interviewed on-camera? Did you feel nervous? Excited? Eerily calm? What happened afterwards? How did you celebrate? Your customers love living vicariously through you — and even if you don’t think your life is particularly glamorous, it doesn’t matter. Other people’s success is always fascinating when you lift back the curtain and reveal how it happened.”
