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Writer's pictureNicole Moore

Tips for Peak Success - Planning is Key



"An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing." Dale Carnegie

The most important way to ensure a successful floristry business peak is to be prepared. To help you plan ahead, grab a cuppa, your notebook and take a look at our

Best Hints and Tips for Peaks....


 


Plan Ahead

  • Review any notes and learnings from last year

  • Make sure your delivery vehicles are in good working order to avoid breakdowns

  • Check your insurance policy covers temporary drivers.

  • Negotiate additional transport and taxis

  • Check your stock of sundries, stationery and other shop essentials such as till rolls and ink cartridges

  • Delete old emails and clear your inbox ready for important orders and messages.




Prepare your Tools


  • Get ahead by cutting cello, Kraft and ribbon, pre-fold wrappings for hand-tieds and assemble stationery and care packs

  • Decide on your product range and make sure you are stocked up not just for the peak occasion but the immediate post-peak period

  • Decide where in your shop you will store pre-made products; dedicate a space

  • Make-up best-selling products in advance and group by type, i.e. Gift Boxes, Vases etc. and keep track of pre-made product counts at the end of each day.

  • Find a way to save your busy florist time writing address labels and message cards; ask friends and family or invest in a label printer

  • Create a collection desk for customers visiting the shop and collecting pre-made items.



Involve your Staff


  • Hold a team planning meeting before the peak so all your staff know their assigned tasks over the peak days

  • Hold a mini staff range presentation to showcase the products you will be making and selling

  • Make sure all your staff have all your key information - cut off times, delivery pricing etc.

  • Dedicate one person to deal with admin and sort orders in, answer the telephone, address order queries, and provide delivery support

  • Make sure you have someone to look after shop sales to enable you to have a strong peak locally

  • Consider a sales incentive to encourage upselling amongst your staff when taking telephone and in-shop orders.





Promote your Shop


  • Update your social media regularly to keep customers engaged and your shop top-of-mind

  • Create eye-catching seasonal window displays to launch the peak in your shop

  • Send an email to your customers about your peak ranges and make sure you ask every customer who places an order for their email address. Remember to check your GDPR compliance first!

  • Spring clean your website; ensuring your website is up-to-date and seasonal now will help to drive more orders through to your shop

  • List your bestselling items on your homepage so customers can find them quickly

  • Ensure your business listings and delivery information on online directories is up to date.




Plan your Deliveries


  • Collate all forward orders into delivery routes

  • Provide temporary drivers with a briefing note covering who to call with a query, how you want the flowers delivered, what to do if nobody is home etc.

  • Consider holding back some drivers for late deliveries by giving them a later start time on the busiest days

  • Set up an undelivered orders area in the shop where drivers can return items so they can easily be found

  • Establish a process for identifying how many products are part of an order. Some florists use a numbered sticker on the message card envelope so add-ons don’t get missed.

  • Give your drivers a spare box of add-on items in the van… just in case!

See more tips to make sure you are charging the right amount for delivery and understand the cost of delivery, taking everything into account. You will be glad you did this work ahead of time.




Set Daily 'To Do's


  • Create tomorrow’s order lists for your florists before you leave at night to save time in the morning

  • Hold mini team huddles first thing so everyone knows what is expected of them

  • Look at your order pot each day, are you on track/behind/ahead - let your team know, update your suppliers, keep on top of it!

  • Be prepared for orders to come in late



Take Care of your Employees & You


Everyone understands that there are times when it's 'all hands to the decks'.


As an employer, you have a legal obligation to protect the health and wellbeing of your employees but make sure you also take care of you. If you are working long hours consider :-

See more self-care tips in Health Assured's Peak Performance Guide.


And...Good Luck!








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