Imagine this: A customer calls your flower shop to order an arrangement that will cheer up his sister after a job loss, and he’s offered a $35 design.
That’s what Floral Management magazine columnist and sales expert Tim Huckabee experienced in his latest mystery call to a well-known flower shop, which he details in the “Flower Sale or Fail?” column of the May/June issue.
His reaction? Puzzlement at the missed opportunities for a high-emotion, high-opportunity sale. While the sales rep impressed with smooth navigation and natural descriptions of arrangements, she missed critical emotional cues — and pitched a $35 bouquet to a customer ready to spend much more.
“She didn’t listen to my needs,” Huckabee says. “She offered a basic option, highlighted the delivery fee like a penalty, and skipped simple upsells like candy or balloons. I basically had to sell myself.”
Listen to the call, weigh in with your own thoughts, and read about Huckabee’s detailed “fix” in the Floral Education Hub.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content of communications for the Society of American Florists.
