Our sense of time is taking a back seat these days, as we all work day by day to take, make, and deliver orders to customers. It’s hard to believe, we are nearing the end of April and Mother’s Day is only three short weeks away.
Many shops are now being run by a single owner – doing the work of several. We are all wearing a lot of hats in order to survive until business gets back to some sort of normal. What will that normal be? No one knows.
While local business may have slowed down for many shops, wire orders from around the country seem to be keeping florists afloat and this trend is expected to continue through Mother’s Day. Traditionally, flowers make up roughly 69% of all Mother’s Day sales in the U.S., but this year, sales are hard to predict.
So how do I order, staff, and handle orders for this year? It’s safe to assume sales may be drastically different than last year - so stay optimistic, but order conservatively.
In general, sales are picking up and shops that have stayed open with no contact delivery and curbside pick-ups are busy. Some shops are even reporting greater than normal sales during the past few weeks. For those shops who have closed all together, business might have a slow start, so it’s important to communicate to customers and tell them your plans for opening Mother’s Day week.
Marketing Your Shop
Get a jump on Mother’s Day sales early – by getting the word out NOW. Folks are glued to social media and they have time on their hands. Use email and social media to communicate your store hours and delivery policies over the holiday. It’s safe to assume we will be continuing with limited customer contact over the next month. Your marketing might speak to the social distancing that has taken its toll on families, and the extraordinary efforts moms (and dads) have put forth trying to work from home, while home schooling their children. Moms working in health care and essential jobs are especially deserving of recognition. This year more than ever, moms around the country should be celebrated.
Adjust Your Price Points
Customers may be cutting back on expenses, but most will splurge for mom, even in tough times. It is important to recognize that many people are out of work and may have limited means to express their love. Offer a variety of price points for your customers, to help them celebrate mom without breaking their bank accounts.
Staffing For The Week
If you’re a one-person shop now, chances are you’ll need to bring back staff for the week to handle the volume of business. You might consider offering a “designer’s choice” recipe for the holiday, so your production will be more efficient and you can operate with fewer employees. If you have regular drivers and need more, you might consider hiring college students and paying them by the delivery. In Connecticut, any employee that makes under $600 a year does not require a 1099.
Expected Sales
If you have been busy despite the business shutdowns, you will probably be busy over the holiday, but it won’t be equal to or better than last year, so adjust your buying plan accordingly. You can use your Passover and Easter Sales this year compared to last year as a gauge for Mother’s Day sales. Chances are you will be somewhere between 50-65% of last year’s orders, depending upon how busy you’ve been over the last three weeks. This Mother's Day, you might experience the same number of orders as last year, but lower than average dollar sales. No one has a crystal ball for this year's Mother's Day sales, but we remain optimistic that business will turn around, as we are seeing in other markets around the globe.
“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there."
Robert Browning
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