In exchange for an email address, Stacey Cofka, owner of A Blossom Shop Florist in Bayville, New Jersey, offered guests a cute photo of their kid (four-legged ones included) with Santa.
Recognizing that pet owners can’t resist a cute photo op with Fluffy or Fido, Stacey Cofka teamed up with her neighbor, a groomer, to organize a low-key, low-cost holiday event that would engage the community.
Cofka, owner of A Blossom Shop Florist in Bayville, New Jersey, wanted to show customers some appreciation, but didn’t want to sink much money into a party, given the number of competing events that occur this time of year.
“It was super simple yet very successful,” Cofka said of the promotion, “Santa Paws,” which ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 2.
The pet-friendly get-together involved hot cocoa, a carnation giveaway and photos with Santa (aka Cofka’s husband, Chuck).
The groomer asked for donations for the Humane society, but everything else was free. “We sent photos via email,” Cofka said. Customers appreciated the convenience of receiving images immediately; the businesses enjoyed adding names to their contact lists for marketing purposes.
The businesses chose their date because of their proximity to a Christmas tree lot. “We’re just a few yards away in the same shopping center and figured we could catch people on their way to buy a tree, which people do early in the season,” she said.
Together, Cofka and the groomer mailed postcards to their 100 best customers and advertised the event on Facebook, paying $11 to boost the post.
“My costs were really minimal—a couple boxes of Swiss Miss packets and some carnations,” Cofka said. “We didn’t even have to rent the Santa suit. It was on loan from a friend.”
While they mingled, guests also perused the flower shop’s selection of candles, gourmet candies, plush products and grab-and-go floral arrangements. “On any given day, I like to have 20-plus designs in the cooler, plus bouquets, but we had a bit more on Saturday,” Cofka said. Several guests did end up shopping, but Cofka said the biggest payoff was community engagement.
“This brought out a lot of families and generated goodwill,” she said.
