Your website is one of your most valuable sales tools. It’s how people find you, get a sense of your style, and place an order at any hour of the day. Is yours reaching its potential? In the January/February issue of Floral Management, floral educator and digital expert Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI, founder and CEO of Flower Clique, offers must-dos to make sure your website is performing well to hook the modern consumer.
Here are two simple ways to boost your site:
Make sure you have a Google icon that leads to the review page of Google My Business (GMB). Google My Business is critically important in legitimizing your business. It shows customers your services, hours, delivery zones, COVID protocols, and address (with directions available in one click). Most importantly, it includes reviews — which 95 percent of consumers report reading before they buy anything. “The review section helps customers learn to trust you enough to do business with you,” says LaFever, who recommends always asking for reviews, be it verbally or an email confirmation containing a link to Google’s review page.
Show them you’re local. After seeing many businesses fold during the pandemic, people have really embraced the “love local” movement and appreciate opportunities to support their local communities. Make it abundantly clear that you’re a real, local florist. “A banner with a picture of your shop or your staff is an easy way to accomplish this,” LaFever says.
For more tips, check out the Digital Strategy column in the January/February issue of Floral Management.
Katie Vincent is the senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.