Holiday decorating traditionally starts the day after Thanksgiving. Whether you've spent your Thanksgiving weekend decorating your storefront, the lobbies of your corporate accounts or showing off your talents at a customer's home, the decorating season comes fast and furious each year.
Holiday decorating for corporate accounts and private homes can be very lucrative, and if done right, represents years of repeat business for your shop. Make sure you advertise early in the season - so you get customers to hire you before anyone else.
Here's some tips for securing these accounts:
Get in front of your accounts early by dropping off flyers, posting photos and services on social media, and following up with phone calls to secure jobs. Ideally you'll want all your accounts booked by October, so you can order what you need and get it in time.
If you do lobby flowers for your corporate accounts and events for customers, make sure they know to call on you for holiday decorating as well.
Post photos on your website. If you do in-home and corporate designs, make sure your website says that and there are plenty of photos showing off your work.
Invest in a good silk supplier of ready-made basic garlands, artificial trees, mantel pieces and loose greens. It's better to spend a little more on these items, because they store well and look lush each year. We recommend a local company, CRI Sales in Stratford, CT.
Have storage containers and space so you can label each job separately and pack away the supplies after the season.
Try a new theme each each year and buy ornaments, branches, ribbons, etc. accordingly. This way your decor is refreshed each year and looks different for your customers.
With a new client, charge an up-front larger fee for the supplies. Then year after year you can charge a refresher fee for new items.
It takes a tremendous effort to get everything done and usually you'll have only the three days after Thanksgiving to get "holiday ready". Make sure you have a team of workers helping to get the jobs done and make sure you are charging an adequate labor fee for your work.
Chances are once you get an account - they'll want you to take care of them every year. It's an effort worth investing in. Need some inspiration? Here's a taste of some holiday magic:
Photo Courtesy: Private home, decorated by Flowers and Flowers, Darien, CT
Photo Courtesy: Private home, decorated by Bouquets and Beyond, Woodbury, CT
“Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.”
Dr. Seuss