Rakini Chinery, AAF, AzMF, will share tips on digital marketing May 20 during the Society of American Florists’ 1-Day Profit Blast in Detroit. Register by May 4 and tickets are just $139 for members and $189 for non-members.
Florists are busy all day — designing, interacting with customers, managing supplies, costs and staff and maybe drinking a cup of coffee (or 12) — but it in the midst of all that action, they can’t neglect a vital aspect of business: their online presence.
That’s a message longtime florist (and former Floral Management cover star) Rakini Chinery, AAF, AzMF, will share on May 20 during the Society of American Florists’ 1-Day Profit Blast in Detroit.
Sponsored Nordlie and Kennicott Brothers Company, the event features four expert speakers dishing on topics from consumer trends to selling and accounting strategies — along with Chinery, owner of Allan’s Flowers, who will share tips and best practices on how to compete online against drop shippers, order-gatherers and local and national competitors during her session, “Driving Local Orders to Your Shop.”
From her shop in Prescott, Arizona, Chinery has developed a comprehensive strategy to engage current and potential customers, with regular posts to her business’ website, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook feeds.
During her session, she’ll also dive into information on how florists can boost Google rankings, find and hire best-fit outside help for social media, and she’ll discuss why and how to flag local customers in wire-in orders.
If that all sounds intimidating, don’t worry. Chinery sympathizes with busy florists, but she also insists that in 2018 these tasks are critical. Florists might think that digital marketing and social media management is “too much to tackle, or they feel they don’t know enough about the Internet to manage it,” Chinery said, adding that fear can lead to procrastination or paralysis. A better approach? Take small steps regularly toward your goal. “If a task looks or feels like a huge mountain, the entire hike gets scrapped.”
And the rewards are big for florists who invest the time, energy and money to strengthen their social and online presence.
“The best reward from staying active online is new customers,” Chinery said. “Secondary to that is shop engagements, brand recognition and people that get to see your work and your business so that they get a good feeling of what you do and why they can trust you.”
Ready to learn more? Take advantage of early bird ticket prices for SAF’s 1-Day Profit Blast in Detroit on May 20 at the Doubletree By Hilton. Register by May 4 and tickets are just $139 for members and $189 for non-members. Your ticket includes a full day of educational presentations, a continental breakfast, lunch, and the Supplier Showcase. For details and to register, click here.
Save the Dates: Additional SAF 1-Day Profit Blasts will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sunday, July 15 sponsored by the Bill Doran Company; and Portland, Oregon on Sunday, October 7, sponsored by Frank Adams Wholesale. For details, go to safnow.org/1-day-profit-blast.
