Even the most confident retail florist can fall victim to sales blunders. But by avoiding a few common mistakes, a shop’s average sale can increase significantly and leave customers beaming.
“None of us are perfect, and the retail environment is always changing, giving everyone a reason to polish their skills,” writes Tim Huckabee, founder of The Profitable Florist, in the July/August issue of Floral Management.
Huckabee, who has witnessed countless sales interactions in his 27-year career training florists, identified five key blunders that can easily be addressed to boost a shop’s bottom line.
One major misstep is asking about a customer’s budget.
“Asking this question always results in a smaller sale, makes the customer feel uncomfortable and leads to a barrage of questions since they don’t know what they’re getting for their money,” he says. Instead, find out what motivated the customer to call or visit the shop and offer appropriate choices.
Another tip: Skip talking about flowers. “The average customer doesn’t know the difference between a calla lily and a croton so don’t ramble off names of flowers and plants,” Huckabee says. “It’s much easier, smarter and quicker to simply talk about color palettes.”
To learn more about other common sales missteps and how to correct them, check out “Learn From These Sales Blunders” in the July/August issue of Floral Management.
Looking to further refine the sales approach at your shop? The Society of American Florists’ Floral Education Hub offers a resource trove. Check out Tim Huckabee’s 15-Minute Florist Mystery Shopper videos, in which he critiques real calls to flower shops.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
