43 ways to make Christmas even better

It’s just over 40 days till Christmas Day.  But are you really ready or are you still mulling your options.  Before you do anything make sure you read this article to make sure you've thought of everything

Because we asked the Editor, Caroline Marshall-Foster, to revisit her 40 Day Christmas Countdown* and update it for 2024. 

As always she looks at all the key things you need to think about, it's not just about the flowers and she admits it may challenge your current thought processes. 

But all are do-able … and all are essential if you want to be in with the best chance of making Christmas 2024 as good as it can be!

So grab yourself a cup of coffee - or something stronger - a pen and paper and see how many you can tick off or add to your to do list.

 1:  Check your website is perfect!  I am still seeing old messages about Mother’s Day and – would you believe it – Valentine’s!! Lots of links to social media channels aren’t working and I’m going to honest; I think an About Us page without any pics of you or the shop is a real shame. Your website is your digital shop window ... it needs to be as fabulous as any window display.

2:  Is your out of office reply still relevant or is it out of date too.  I can tell you many are as I get loads of them when I send out the newsletters.  Make sure you check what it says and that it has a big and bold link to your online ordering page, so you never miss an order.

3:  Are your social media accounts all working as they should.  I see a lot of broken links and missing information ... again check it out and get it right.  Oh, and make sure you have a backup account holder on all your channels … you do NOT want to be locked out of your channels at the crucial last moment.

4:  Talk to your wholesaler and get a feel for supplies.  With the new import rules and regs the supply side of things may be trickier this year and there may be delays so it’s worth building in an extra 24 hours but good wholesalers are totally on the case and can advise and guide you. 

Be willing and able to duck and dive on buying choices rather than sticking to the same old same old and offer Designer Choice so you can protect your margin. You can save time and money by having a fixed core collection and it is a great way to manage a busy peak – especially if you have bought at fixed prices – but build in some flex as well and have fun working with different products and colour ways.

If you explain to customers that you are going to choose what is best value and quality, they will be OK.  Yes, you may get the odd fussy fanny but in the main they trust you to know best.

5:  Do not change wholesalers at this stage however tempting price offers may be – you need to be absolutely sure about supplies and if it sounds too good to be true it probably is!! 

6:  It’s OK to start prepping greens and foliage-based items – keep them outside in the cold and they’ll be fine plus it will save you time when it really does start to kick off.

7:  Go through the cupboards and see what you have that can be repurposed.  Spray colour is a fabulous way to revitalise containers ... being creative with the glue gun and ribbons or covering them with foliage can transform tired looking stock into something new, save money and be fun!

8:  Don’t overbuy but grab any bargains out there on all things glitz.  A few baubles can be cheaper than flowers and will make a design look fabulous. 

9:  Think about mixing drieds/preserved with fresh to bulk out designs.  It’s not only still on-trend but again stretches budgets big time

10: Twigs – glittered or plain are a fab way to add volume.  I know they aren’t cheap cheap but for adding perceived added value they are fabulous.  However, if you are going to forage make sure you are abiding by the rules – it is illegal to just go out into the woods and pick and then sell for profit.  Put a shout out to customers to see if anyone is pruning – saves money and is environmentally friendly.

11: If you are holding workshops make sure they are full of call to actions to buy or order other items and that you are collecting everyone’s data for future newsletters.

12: Add any finishing touches you can. Be it chocolate, wine, soft toys or novelty gifts like a festive bauble they can add valuable revenue but always try to go for things that aren’t run of the mill.

13: Gift vouchers are an excellent way of forward selling and are perfect gifts for the person who has everything! Just make sure you keep this revenue in a separate account.

14: Be prepared for even tighter credit controls from your suppliers ... they are wholesalers not a bank!  Stash the cash and keep on top of the bills because you don’t want your account stopped at the last moment.  Keep a pot of money to cover you for January/early Feb … and tuck the VAT if applicable, on a different account so it doesn’t come as a shock either.

15: Make sure your vehicles are serviced and check the MOT and insurance date – you don’t want them off the road at the last moment either.

16: Check your delivery area and expand/reduce as required. Even if it doesn’t make a profit, delivery must cover the costs and if that means adding £1 or so do it.  The customer won’t notice … you will! 

17: Have you enough cards, envelopes, order pads etc.  Order what you need now ... printers will do their best but even they have limits.  However, where possible, go for a simple design that can be used after Christmas too.

18: If there are ways you can create more sustainable options, do it ... customers will notice and are increasingly expecting it – especially amongst younger buyers – see our story here. An even better solution is to create a separate Eco range so you can promote it accurately and make a thing of it.  Because you must never claim you are doing something if you are not ... greenwashing is a no no. If customer’s think you are pretending that can backfire big time.

19: Source containers and packaging in neutral colours and add the festive look with picks and baubles.  It means anything left over is useable straight away rather than sitting in the cupboard for a whole year!  If you can, organise a vase reclaim day … anyone bringing in a vase or usable container will receive a free flower or similar.  You’ll get some tatt, but it is also a way of bringing people into the store and engaging.  

20: Plan your window displays and keep them changing.  You can have a static framework or art around the edges but keep the content fresh every few days.  I always think one gorgeous design standing proud can have far more impact than a cluttered window and is easier to replace.

21: Organise your social media so you have a vault of content planned and ready-to-go and then intersperse with ‘in real time’ content quickly.  Make sure you have all your hashtags in one place so you can copy and paste and always include local groups, so you are seen by customers in your area.

22: Recheck your database is clean and ready to use and start sending out newsletters every week with offers/ideas and general chit chat. 

23: Work with other vendors in the area on joint promotions.  It’s not too late and collaboration will get you all into new customer minds ... and wallets!

24: Think about early ordering discounts or incentives ... people may want to spread the payment this year so now is the time to market.  Be careful though you don’t give too much away ... a free gift can sometimes be cheaper than 10% discount or £5 off.

25: DO NOT EVER compromise on quality, bloom size of stem length.  Customers will notice.  As a bespoke florist you need to look luxurious and special to show your point of difference – not be a supermarket copycat.  Whether it’s a humungous bouquet or a high style simple vase of two or three flowers, make it look special.

When it comes to hand tieds always spend a few pennies extra to get longer blooms so you can immediately create a bigger, lusher look because you are not constrained by a courier box – ie 60cm or so.  Show yours next to an online offering so people can see the difference. Yes, you need to buy one to do a real comparison, but it could easily recoup the investment because pictures simply don’t convey the size, lushness or impact a bespoke, hand delivered bouquet has.  

26: Create a collection that has some low-priced items as well as the big-ticket items. Not everyone is hard up and shows you can and do cater for everyone never mind the fact someone may want a range of gifts at different price points so you should be a one stop shop.   You cannot and must not sell a £35 bouquet for £25 just to try and match the supermarkets or online players ... however you can sell a stunning plant or trio of bottles at a lower price point.  And NEVER EVER EVER overstuff a design.  One extra stem here and one extra stem there can make the difference between profit and loss. JUST DON'T DO IT ... menu plan the content or count as you go every single time! 

27: Think about changing your style and experiment with the loose, airer style of hand tied. It takes a bit of getting used to but looks fabulous and is deffo not something a supermarket or boxed delivery company can easily do.

28: Always have a BBB (Bally Big Bouquet) on your website ... or better still 2 or 3!  You should start at £10 – end at £250 and have all price points in-between.  Not only might you sell the BBB’s but it makes the rest of the collection look awesome value.

29: Work out your capacity on each line you are going to promote and stick to it.  Use words like Limited Offer, VIP Collection and Exclusive to show customers these are not going to be available forever and certainly not at 4.30 on Christmas Eve!

30: Once you’ve reached your capacity take the product offline or at least put Sold Out in big letters!

31: Make sure the packaging – sustainable of course – looks fabulous.  You are the Tiffany and Christian Dior of the flower world ... not the Lidl or Aldi ... just sayin'!

32: Never underestimate plant power but make sure you have the more unusual varieties not just Phalaenopsis or red poinsettia by the mile.  You need those but again keep it special not necessarily expensive.

33: Market and promote like never before!  Host a special Open House for your VIP customers and a general one for everyone else. Invite/entice people to the shop with special offers or give aways and make sure you get everyone’s details for newsletters etc.  They may not buy on the night (although they might!!) but data capture now can be used over the coming months ... a database is not just for Christmas.

34: Get out from behind the counter and be seen.  If there is time and a place to do it offer a free dem for a local charity or parents’ group.  Again, it may not show an instant return, but you need to make sure it’s YOUR face and shop name in the headlights!

35: You may hate having your picture taken or talking to the camera on a reel or video, but people buy from people, so YOU and your team must be seen as much as the flowers and plants.  The world and his friend are selling flowers - use social media to promote yourselves as THE experts.

36: Keep pushing the shop local message.  You don’t want to seem ‘beggy’ but you do need to emphasise that buying from you is important and good for your town/village/community.

37: Keep saying thank you as well.  Show customers you appreciate their support.  Be it a quick text message to the person who ordered or a handwritten note to a big corporate client always say thank you – again it makes you stand out from the crowd.

38: Organise staff rotas and make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of expectations.  Hold a planning meeting with your team and rethink what happened last year.  It won’t be an exact template but there may be things that could be improved on; be it how you lay out the shop to get best productivity or products you were asked for that you hadn’t thought about.  Engage ALL your people because they will often have really brilliant ideas especially if you are a cross generational team. 

39:  Think about introducing a commission scheme or bonus package to encourage the team to sell up where possible and always have a decent play list on the go ... music can seriously improve productivity!

40: Keep doing the numbers ... keep monitoring the margins.  You can tweak them if you need to but equally always make the most of it if prices are good – i.e. don’t automatically drop prices because you got something cheaper. Instead use that increased margin to compensate for when things get more expensive. And always view sales as an all-year-round affair not just what happens at Christmas.  Yes, it is important, but your business should be a 52-week project not just what happens in December. 

Are you making a real profit on your work or is it marginal?  Cut anything that is marginal and focus on the real money earners.  Better to work smarter than harder and 10 x £50 bouquets is a lot easier than 20 x £25.  Oh yes and don’t undercut other retailers (especially fellow florists) just to get sales.  It won’t help you and is where madness lies.  If you can’t make money at the right price you need to think if your business is viable.

41: Never forget you are in business to make a profit.  It may not be as big this Christmas but there must be a profit.  You are not put on this earth to make other people’s dreams come true at your expense. Remember no is a sentance in it's own right!

42: Make sure you are mentally and physically in a good place.  Stress is the biggest risk for a business owner ... you need to look after yourself too especially as Christmas is such a loooooong drawn out affair.  With all the uncertainty in the world no one can really predict how this Christmas will pan out.  Personally, I think people will want to celebrate if only to try and forget the gloominess but whatever happens it will be a lot easier if you are feeling strong.

43:  Above all enjoy it.  I know only too well how hard running a florist is … been there, done it and lost the T shirt.  Lost T shirt aside I loved every moment of running a shop and – as I say in my recent Podcast with Joe Massie and Matthew Landers - if I was 20 years younger, I’d do it all over again! Click here to listen!

 ** This article appeared on the Floristry Trade Club back in 2022 and has been updated to reflect current times and trends.  You can find other useful Christmas ideas on their website as well as details of how a subscription could help you in other ways.