Keep in touch ... keep them onside!
Will I get roses at Valentine’s? Probably not. It’s not I don’t like them … I do … but my darling husband always tries to get me something different every year and chooses a colour ... like purples and pinks or green and whites or even just a shedload of gloriously scented lilies. He simply walks into a florist with an open mind and credit card happy to be advised.
What he won’t know is which florist to buy from.
Because, can you believe it, not ONE single florist he has bought from has ever bothered to keep in touch with him in the 27+ years he’s been buying me flowers .... and not just on Valentine’s Day, he’s equally generous for Mother’s Day and my birthday.
They have always been quite happy to take his £60/£70/£80 quid and deliver it ... and it's always been gorgeous.
However ask if he'd be happy to go on their mailing list, suggest he joins a reminder service, offer a flower subscription or, heaven forfend, simply send a quick thank you text or email for his order - either easy peasy given they've written it all down ...
Nope … has never happened and probs never will at this rate.
Which is total madness. Here’s a man, with money to spend and a willingness to be led on what to spend it on being completely ignored.
To me … and him … not just madness but missing a trick. OK he doesn’t want oodles of communiques … and a hard sell would actually turn him off ... but come on, a bit of selling or connection wouldn’t go amiss.
Don’t get me wrong. As someone who can turn red when she has to do data base fatigues, I know how painful it can be.
But I equally know that my database … my readers/customers/followers … whatever you truly wonderful people want to call yourselves … are the life blood of my business and without you I am nothing.
So please, however much else you have on, can you make time now to revisit how you will interact with your customers post Valentine's and throughout the year.
Because one the main reasons why some of the online players succeed - especially with female buyers - is not because they sell anything better or because they are hugely cheaper but because they invest on CRM (customer relationship management) and ‘talk’ to their customers on a regular basis.
My husband will never use an online player – I’ve trained him too well – so he'll continue to rotate his custom amongst several florist shops. However other men may not be so loyal to a local shop if they don't feel that wanted and if you don’t keep them close and personal, they’ll find someone who will.
With all the tech wizardry out there it doesn't actually need to take up that much time but in a world where everyone is after the floral pound personally I don’t think any flower retailer can afford not to at least say thank you.
Caroline Marshall-Foster
Editor
