SAF’s 1-Day Profit Blast in Nashville, sponsored by DWF Wholesale, features Sam Bowles who will present “Extraordinary Service in Your Shop Every Day” and Crystal Vilkaitis who will present “What’s Up (and Coming) with Social Media.” Early-bird registration saves you $60 and is available until January 3. Additional registrants from the same company are only $99 each.
It’s the final, year-end push, and you’re trying to find time to drink all the coffee and fill all the orders — plus, sleep a little, too. How can you keep the energy up in your store? Clone yourself? Hire more elves and reindeer?
A more practical and cost-free solution may be to try a little kindness, suggests Sam Bowles, director of FloralStrategies, and a speaker at SAF’s 1-Day Profit Blast in Nashville on Jan. 13. “Tell your staff that they’re doing a good job and that you appreciate their hard work,” he said. “Never underestimate the value of a kind word. Staff love to be appreciated and your acknowledgment of their hard work motivates them to work harder.”
Bowles, also of Allen’s Flowers and Plants in San Diego, will be joined in Nashville by three other industry experts, including digital marketing guru Crystal Vilkaitis, founder of the Social Edge. Among Vilkaitis’ for a connected, successful holiday season? Live videos.
“Use Facebook Live!,” she said, “Video is one of the best ways to connect and show off items. Facebook Live helps more people see the video on Facebook, because you have engagement throughout the video from viewers,” and the social network’s algorithm responds positively to engagement.
Nervous about getting on camera? Don’t be—and remember, short and sweet is often the best course, Vilkaitis said.
“Since it’s a busy time of year, I suggest getting right to the point, and be engaging and visual,” she explained.
Simple is also part of Bowles’ approach to holiday sales. “Pick one or two items that you want to sell most and guide your staff to promote these winning items.” By doing so, your staff is empowered to act quickly, especially with customers who aren’t sure what they want. “Tell them that Item One or Item Two is ‘your favorite’ or a ‘best seller’ or ‘very popular this year!’ Customers really want to be told what to buy.”
Ready for more practical tips? SAF’s 1-Day Profit Blast is packed with those. Among the highlights from the Jan. 11 event in Nashville:
- Bowles will present “Extraordinary Service in Your Shop Every Day.” Sponsored by FloristWare, the session will touch on practical ways to train staff to engage customers more effectively.
- Valkaitis will talk about the latest, greatest (and easiest!) techniques every small business owner should know about for social media with “What’s Up (and Coming) with Social Media.
- Derek C. Woodruff AIFD, CFD, CF, PFCI, owner, Floral Underground, will dish on design techniques and innovative ways to drive foot traffic during “Design Hacks and Smart Services to Delight Consumers,” sponsored by Syndicate Sales.
- And Paul Goodman, MBA, CPA, PFCI, a contributing writer to Floral Management magazine, will breakdown how to create (and price) delivery zones during “A Roadmap for Profitable Deliveries.”
Attendees also will have the chance to network and see some of the industry’s most exciting new products during the Supplier Showcase.
There’s still time to save! Register today and save with early-bird pricing. Tickets are $139 for SAF members ($189 non-members) when you register before Jan. 3, 2019. Plus, it’s just $99 to bring coworkers from the same company. Register online.
Anne Holub is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
