Father’s Day: Increasing your Profit

Father’s Day is a big occasion and although not as big as Mother’s Day for us florists, we should not forget that we can create more business and more awareness of our expertise when creating gifts for loved ones and special occasions.

Father’s Day can mean so much to so many of us and when we have an opportunity to say, “I love you”, “Thank you for everything”, “Thank you for always being there”, what could be a better way, than giving flowers or a beautiful plant?

There is an old saying: “Flowers speak a thousand words” and this is so true. I often recite this to clients and students. When words don’t come easy, flowers say it all.

So, let’s make the most of this; we are so lucky to work with incredible materials and offer a gifting service and I would always take every opportunity to grow my business, showcase the art of floristry and floral design and capitalise on any occasion. Father’s Day is no exception.

In the UK and Ireland Father’s Day is always on the third Sunday in June, so start thinking about what you can do to promote this occasion in early April. As I have mentioned so many times before, the key is planning and preparation to be successful in any part of your business and planning a mini peak, is no different.

Think about what you can promote and what you would like to sell, what could you sell, what would your team like to create? Ideas are the starting point. Getting your team involved gives them the sense of being part of your business and a feeling that you are including them in the planning of a mini peak.

I call Father’s Day a mini peak as it is highly unlikely that it will ever be as big as Mother’s Day, but nevertheless, it can be a peak, with good marketing, promotion and display.

Create a small product range…to cater for different types of customers.

Flowers and plants are both great gifts for men, but there are some factors to think about when creating a product range for Father’s Day. So, what are these factors?

• Think about the customer.

• Think about the recipient.

The Customer

• What would engage them to order, buy a floral or plant gift from you?

• What is trending: sustainable products, colour, wellbeing, newness?

• What would they be willing to spend?

• Would they prefer delivery or collections?

• Does colour play an important role in Father’s Day bouquets and plants?

• What will grab their attention?

• Their age group can determine all of the above!

• Consider a loyalty reward programme to encourage repeat business.

• Female customers are more likely to engage with this mini peak, but that’s not to say that men won’t.

• What finishing touches can you offer to complete the gift and make it extra special and grow your profit margin?

The Recipient

• Their age group: young dads, middle-aged dads, elderly dads?

• How easy will it be for them to look after their gift?

• Consider incentives to encourage them to order from you in future.

Loyalty and Incentives

I have always found that offering a loyalty scheme is worthwhile and what better way to attract new customers and create a mini peak, than offering a reward scheme to gain loyalty, repeat business and new customers? There are several ways that this can be offered. Probably one of the most popular schemes is to offer, after a number of purchases, a free bouquet, or 10% off their next purchase. The number of purchases is of course entirely up to you, but I would recommend 6. This can seem achievable to a customer, and for you, it encourages the customer to come back to your business and not deflect to a competitor.

Product Collection

Provide a concise collection, covering all of the considerations mentioned earlier. Have these planned and take images as soon as you can so that you can upload them to your website and social media platforms. Please remember to take good, sharp photographs, with the focus on the product, against a clean, light, plain background.

Product Ideas:

• Classic hand-tied bouquets with colour and price range options.

• Contemporary bouquets: stylish, using statement flowers with tropical foliage.

• Wild meadow designs in vases.

• Dried flower bunches.

• Single house plant in a lovely container.

• Single cacti in a funky container.

• Planted design of foliage and flowering plants.

• Finishing touches: added extras to the floral or plant gift.

• DIY planting kits.

• Plant gift hampers: a selection of finishing touches together with a plant.

• Gift vouchers for workshops: "How to create a planted design workshop for 2".

• Gift vouchers for subscriptions: flowers or plants delivered each month.

Finishing Touches that are always popular and are easy sells are chocolates, cards, candles, diffusers, coffee, seed packets and alcohol (you'll need a licence to sell alcohol). These added extras not only increase your order value, but offer a comprehensive gifting experience.

Dried flowers and grass bunches are worth offering. These designs offer longevity and reduce waste, appealing to customers who want a lasting keepsake. When styled thoughtfully, they can feel contemporary and masculine.

Workshops are extremely popular for items like Christmas door wreaths and table arrangements, so why not offer workshop vouchers for customers to create something meaningful alongside their dad’s? A Father’s Day workshop creating a planted bowl or looking after houseplants can become a memorable shared experience and it’s something new that will make your business stand out from your competitors.

Or, why not consider offering “DIY kits”. These could include all the materials needed to assemble a plant arrangement at home, complete with instructions and styling tips. Not only does this add an interactive element, but it also appeals to the growing interest in hands-on activities.

I am a huge fan of offering subscription services. A monthly plant delivery or a seasonal hand tied bouquet can extend Father’s Day beyond the single day and shows it is the gift that can last all year! Offer 3 monthly, 6 monthly and yearly subscriptions. Offer online and actual gift vouchers, ensuring that your branding is consistent and look professional. Ensure that these are promoted on your website, social media and within your shop.

Lots to think about; wishing you a successful and profitable Father’s Day!

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With over 35 years’ experience, Karen Barnes is one of the UK’s leading consultants to the floral industry and an expert in product development, future trends & colours, and floral photography design & planning. She’s an interior floral designer, high profile wedding and event floral planner, and prominent international competition judge.

From teaching on a one-to-one basis to coaching small, intimate classes and larger teams, Karen can encourage, motivate and mentor your next step in the florist industry. Sharing her vast experience, Karen can help you expand your knowledge and creativity.