Women’s Day offers a variety of opportunities to connect with your community, such as a luncheon with a women’s group, a workshop for gal pals or a flower giveaway.
Ready to build on the positive buzz you created in your community on Valentine’s Day? International Women’s Day, March 8, presents a variety of ways for florists to connect with and celebrate women — and all of the people who want to celebrate their achievements.
This year, Nic Faitos, president of Starbright Floral Design, will speak on a panel to nearly 300 female entrepreneurs at Yelp’s New York City office. Additionally, he’ll promote shop specials with mimosa (the holiday’s official flower), host in-store giveaways and pitch half-priced bouquets to get customers to buy flowers for women they admire.
While Women’s Day is a major holiday in some parts of the world (and some parts of the country), it hasn’t quite taken hold broadly throughout the U.S. yet — despite some strategic, award-winning pushes to promote it. Faitos hopes that changes soon.
“It is time for florists to embrace Women’s Day and not miss the opportunity to build on a well-recognized, worldwide holiday that honors the super heroic contributions of women to society,” Faitos said.
Here are a few more ideas to raise awareness and encourage business for Women’s Day:
Host a workshop. Last year, Wascana Flower Shoppe in Regina, Saskatchewan set up a pop-up shop in a local Starbucks, where employees led a design class, where participants made simple cubes of purple and yellow flowers, priced at $30. The shop advertised the event on social media, pitching it as a fun activity for girlfriends. “Valentine’s Day is, traditionally, a lonely holiday if you’re single, but recently, we’ve seen a lot of girls celebrating themselves or their friends,” said manager Tanya Anderson. “We wanted to do something along those lines — something that encouraged women to have fun with their girl gang. And what better day to do that than International Women’s Day?”
Partner with local women’s organizations. There are many female-focused groups, including the Brownies and Girl Scouts, sororities, Girls Incorporated, the Junior League, and various religious and business organizations. See if they have any events planned (or would be interested in collaborating on a low-key function, like a potluck luncheon) and if you can provide flowers for the festivities. Take photos and share the camaraderie on social media or in a blog post.
Surprise women with flowers. Carla Emert, owner of Troy Flowers in Troy, Missouri, celebrates the holiday by visiting places around town where women typically congregate, with bouquets and loose stems in tow. “Once you put a flower in somebody’s hand, their face lights up,” she said. “Flowers are the one thing that connects us all. It is a sensory experience and the rewards can be moving.”
Want more inspiration? Check out the Society of American Florists’ Women’s Day Resource Center, where you’ll find fodder for Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as customizable press releases and promotional ideas.
Mackenzie Nichols is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
