Sundaram Natarajan, CEO of GotFlowers.
With the December holidays nearly upon us, and Valentine’s Day shortly after, having a robust and competitive online presence is more important than ever. In the current issue of Floral Management, industry experts shared some of their top tips on how to make sure your site is ready for what could be a very high-volume holiday.
“The pandemic has forced a lot of new people to start shopping online,” said Sundaram Natarajan, CEO of GotFlowers, providers of a cloud-based point-of-sale system for retail florists. “Flower shops are now pressured to compete. But if you invest in the online business, any flower shop can compete with the biggest guys on the internet.”
Here are two strategies to keep in mind from that story:
- Enrich your content.
On your website as on social media, content is king — original, engaging content. And creating that content is something only you can do. You may get help from employees or professional writers, but it’s important that your content be unique to you and authentic to your business.
Jamie Adams, marketing director for Flower Shop Network.
For many florists, the idea of writing about themselves and what goes on in their shops, taking photos, even appearing in videos, is intimidating. Fear not, said Jamie Adams, marketing director for Flower Shop Network: “This is digital storytelling, and it’s no different than what you do every day in your store. Every day, you make connections with customers. You build rapport by talking to them, answering their questions.”
Those questions and answers are a good place to start, she said. Write them down and incorporate that content into your website on an FAQ page, in your “About Us” section — or even as a part of your product descriptions, including descriptions of daily and weekly specials.
Just as you keep your in-store merchandising current with the season and for upcoming holidays, your website content should likewise take its cue from the season and expand on it. “You need to be current,” she said.
Another way of being current is, of course, to address your options for contact-free delivery and pickup and the measures you are taking to protect both customers and employees during the pandemic. Many websites today have a banner at the top of the landing page that provides a link to a separate page that explains all of the business’s COVID policies.
- Keep it real.
Online, make your approach personal, Adams urged: “Give your business a face. With COVID nowadays, we all feel like we’re trapped, and we are not making the connections with people that we used to. So, with your digital storytelling, you really want to make people feel like they’re engaging with you as a person.”
Give your customers some behind-the-scenes photos and stories. “It’s a good time to beef up your About Us page,” she said. “Take a picture of your delivery driver and give him or her a bio. Talk about what they love to do when they’re off work, but also how they love to keep the van clean and sanitized.” Profile your designers and show them at work.
“These don’t have to be perfect pictures; they can be candid shots,” she emphasized. While you never want to show yourself or the business in a way that comes across as unprofessional, it’s better, in fact, if your storytelling is clearly authentic, not rehearsed or trumped up.
Just as your website can bring customers into your store for a virtual visit, your physical store should support your website, she said. Be sure that signage publicizes your website (and your social media presence). Merchandising in both arenas should be consistent. Remember that your website is your digital store and should mirror your physical store. The two need to support each other in every way.
Get additional tips in the October issue of Floral Management.
Bruce Wright is a contributing writer to Floral Management.