From dried- or permanent-botanical arrangements to requests for permanent wedding designs, the desire of many consumers to have “something that lasts” means that permanent botanicals remain an integral offering for some florists.

I’ve been teaching florists how to price their design work since 2015, and two questions I often get are, “How much should I charge for ‘silk’ flowers?” and “My client asked me if ‘silk’ flowers for her wedding will cost less than fresh. How should I price this wedding bouquet?”

The short answer for customers is that permanent botanicals are typically not a less-expensive option— although they are a longer-lasting option. In truth, permanent botanicals that are of reasonably good quality are not inexpensive, which means they likely will cost more per stem than fresh product. Naturally, the retail price will be higher, as a result.

Let’s break it down: If you buy fresh Hydrangea for $2 per stem wholesale and apply a 3x or 3.5x markup, those Hydrangea will have a retail price of $6 or $7 per stem. High-quality permanent Hydrangea, however, may cost $12 per stem, wholesale. If you apply a typical hard-goods markup of 2x or 2.5x, the retail price will be $24 to $30 per stem. This means that the customer could get four fresh Hydrangea for the same cost as one permanent Hydrangea.

Can you find less-expensive options? Yes, of course; however, professional florists should be discerning and buy only permanent botanicals of good quality. Higher-quality permanent blooms that are artfully arranged have a higher perceived value when customers consider investing in the design work.

Here is my pricing advice: Mark-up permanent and dried botanicals by at least 2x or 2.5x the cost of the product (as well as the container, foam, and all other hard goods and mechanics materials needed for each design), and then add a design fee that covers not only your design time but also your creativity and artistic talent! Whether the product you’re working with is dried, permanent or fresh, you deserve to be— and need to be—paid for your time, skill and expertise.

The reason for customers to choose a permanent floral design is because of the longevity—not for cost savings.

Experts predict that business owners will experience increasing revenues and a more favorable operating environment in 2021 as the U.S. economy gradually rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relief is in sight, and retailers can look forward to the easing of pain over the next 12 months! So say some economists, who— without factoring in the U.S. presidential election—have predicted a gradual but noticeable economic recovery in 2021, fueled by a strong housing market, a surge in corporate profits and the successful rollout of a COVID vaccine.

Early in the fall of 2020, Sophia Koropeckyj, managing director of Industry Economics at Moody’s Analytics, a research firm based in West Chester, Pa., pronounced, “The COVID-19 recession is over, and the economy is currently in an early-cycle expansion.”

Many corporate leaders and economists seem to concur with Koropeckyj, suggesting that retailers should see notable gains in sales over the next 12 months. “Our current 2021 forecast is for 6.2 percent growth in ‘core retail sales,’” says Scott Hoyt, senior director of Consumer Economics for Moody’s. (Core retail sales exclude the auto and gasoline segments.) That would be a substantial improvement over 2020, when the estimated 2.1 percent increase reflects a deceleration from the 3.9 percent growth of 2019.

The healthier the economy, the greater the potential for wage increases that can fuel retail sales. And Moody’s expects the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (the total value of goods produced and services provided in a year) to increase 4.0 percent in 2021. That’s a welcome rebound from 2020’s decline, expected to come in at a similar 4.0 percent when figures are finally tallied. (GDP is the most commonly accepted measure of economic growth.)

Koropeckyj contends that a Joe Biden presidency could support the already rebounding U.S. economy in three areas. “Biden has proposed significantly more fiscal stimulus, which [should it happen] could pack a punch in the coming year,” she says. “Second, Biden has said he will not continue Trump’s tariffs on China, which have resulted in higher retail prices on some consumer goods. Finally, Biden has promised to liberalize international immigration, which [should it happen] would likely boost the supply of labor in the U.S. and, in turn, the economy’s potential.”

Economic growth, says Moody’s, should help boost corporate profits by an expected 17.1 percent in 2021—a dramatic turnaround from the 13.8 percent decline in 2020—and fuel optimism about making aggressive capital expenditures, which are critical to an economic rebound.

Corporate America seems to share Moody’s optimistic assessment of the coming year. “Even though there’s still a lot of uncertainty, many companies have a positive outlook,” says Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association, a York, Pa.-based regional employers’ group with more than 370 member companies. “Our members feel that by mid-2021, things will have turned around significantly.”

Most retailers should experience a gradual return to normal. During the first half of 2021, households are expected to continue to self-quarantine, and a wave of business bankruptcies will boost the number of permanent job losses, but by summer 2021, Koropeckyj says, “The economy will regain its stride.”

In 2020, the public rechanneled its purchasing away from services and toward merchandise. “While consumer spending has decreased, retailers have not been hit nearly as hard as service businesses,” says Hoyt. Moody’s forecasts a decline of 5.2 percent in services spending when 2020 numbers are in—a stark reversal from the
4.3 percent gain in 2019. “Many people are hesitant to travel, go to entertainment facilities and do things with other people, and, instead, they are buying goods, to a certain degree,” he continues.

Despite revenue increases in the overall retail sector, many retailers shuttered their storefronts in 2020. One reason for the disparity is that shoppers became highly selective during the pandemic, abandoning many merchandise categories in favor of a select few that are either essential to living or enhance the enjoyment of pandemic- enforced leisure time. (This could create opportunities for savvy florists!) A second reason is that even more goods are now being purchased online.

“The online-shopping trend accelerated dramatically as a result of the pandemic,” Hoyt notes, “particularly at first, when so many stores were closed and consumers had no choice but to buy online, outside of essential goods. And there are folks who still don’t want to venture out to stores, so they’re continuing to purchase online.”

Retail spending by consumers accounts for some 70 percent of the U.S.’s economic activity. That spending, though, is driven by public psychology, and the most recent reports from Moody’s show that in late 2020, consumer confidence was as low as it was in March and April. Uncertainty about the pandemic and the availability of an effective vaccine is one reason, but a more immediate driver is the drop in take-home pay.

“Wage and salary income, including the value of benefits, is projected to decline 1.3 percent when 2020 numbers are finalized,” says Hoyt, which is a reversal of the 4.4 percent increase of 2019. (Wage and salary income excludes government payments such as the 2020 pandemic relief checks). Moody’s anticipates that wages and salaries in 2021 will increase 2.5 percent.

Pandemic-related furloughs and business closings account for a majority of the decreases in wages. Moody’s expects the unemployment figure to come in around 8.5 percent when 2020 numbers are tallied—a sharp increase from the robust 3.5 percent last February.

Expectations for hiring are, once again, for gradual improvement. The unemployment rate is expected to decline only slightly, to 7.8 percent, by the end of 2021. “The labor market will not recover all COVID-19-related job losses until the second half of 2023,” Koropeckyj theorizes.

Retail sales tend to increase when more people buy new and existing homes, and it is anticipated that housing activity will increase in 2021. “Housing demand has bounced back thanks to low mortgage rates and the release of pent-up demand,” says Koropeckyj, who cites healthy builder confidence as the nation enters the new year.

Moody’s expects housing starts to surge by 16.8 percent in 2021, after slowing to a 2.9 percent rate in 2020. The comparable 2019 figure was a positive 3.8 percent.

Despite its recent success, the housing industry does face headwinds. “We expect prices of existing homes to fall by 0.3 percent in 2021 as foreclosures mount,” says Koropeckyj. “Banks have tightened standards across all sorts of mortgage products.” On the flip side, for new housing, Koropeckyj reports that construction costs are rising quickly, and builders are grumbling about the inability to find buildable lots and skilled labor.

Retailers also benefit when corporations invest in capital projects, which sparks faster economic growth, but here, the picture is a little less optimistic. Faced with uncertainty, decision-makers have been holding onto cash and delaying investments. Total real fixed investment in 2020 fell by 27.0 percent annualized, according to Moody’s.

More robust investment is not expected to arrive any time soon. “Low-capacity utilization and still-high uncertainty will make expansion decisions difficult, though the declining cost of corporate borrowing will provide some offset,” says Koropeckyj. “Major segments of investment will be weak, with transportation equipment and structures especially hard hit. Structures investment will fall more than 20 percent in the months ahead, led by the collapse in retail and reduced demand for office space.”

Bank loan availability poses another barrier to capital investment. “While interest rates are low, many companies have taken financial hits that affect their ability to qualify for capital,” says Palisin. “There is some tightening of access by lending institutions.”

Technology is one bright spot in the capital investment picture, according to Moody’s, and Palisin concurs with the observation, reporting an increase in spending by his members to boost efficiencies. “The pandemic will probably accelerate the trend toward more automation and robotics, as manufacturers strive to increase their resiliency,” he says.

If employers start to hire more people in response to improving revenues, an economic rebound will be accelerated. The reality, though, is that many job applicants are holding back.

“Companies are experiencing recruiting problems,” says Palisin. “One reason is that a portion of the workforce that is still on furlough is, generally, not seeking other jobs, preferring, instead, to wait to return to the jobs they were furloughed from. Second, there are childcare issues as students go back to school online, and that is making it difficult for some parents to get back into the labor pool. Finally, there is some level of health concern among employees going back into the workplace, especially among older workers and other higher-risk people.”

Will hiring difficulties continue? “Perhaps as we get into the new year, people will start to feel more comfortable returning to the workforce and the childcare issues may be resolved, particularly when an effective vaccine becomes widely available,” says Palisin. “But right now [November 2020], people are hesitant, sitting on the sidelines to see what is going to happen.”

In the opening months of 2021, some key indicators may help retailers determine how the year will go. Consumer confidence levels will offer insight into how freely shoppers will spend. “Also keep a close eye on the number of business bankruptcies and the core unemployment rate, which excludes temporary layoffs,” Koropeckyj advises.

Businesses of all kinds will also be looking for increased certainty on matters such as market stabilization, the ability to hire and access to qualified labor pools. But perhaps the most reliable economic indicator will be the rate of progress toward the development and distribution of an effective vaccine. “The return to some semblance of economic normalcy hinges on that,” says Koropeckyj.

A retail gift experience in a modern florist shop

“Love is in the air!” is such an odd expression, isn’t it? I looked it up online and got a good lesson on sexuality in nature, but screw that! We must talk about flowers. Every Valentine’s Day, we all worry about how many roses to order and whether we can sell them, and many of us face the additional fear of a nasty snowstorm that would kill business altogether! (Apparently, there’s no love on Feb. 15!) Yet, still, we annually do what we do to provide beauty for all.

I get asked many questions at this time of year. “Do I have to get roses?” is a common one, and the simple answer is, of course, no. Look, roses are lovely and are popular for a reason—they are the classic expression of love—but there are alternatives. I’ve had people say they hate roses (I can only assume they were frightened by a rose as children) and this is when we can offer some of the endless combinations and options we have available.

A few years ago, I was asked what the big new “thing” was for V Day (and although I didn’t consult my crystal ball, I did have a fast answer). I said, “Tulips! Lots of tulips! They’re a sign of a fresh new start and are a wonderful way to celebrate love!” We sell lots of tulips at Valentine’s Day now, as well as orchids, lilies, Freesia and all sorts of other blooms that are good on their own yet also play well with the beauty and sentiment of classic roses. Many younger floral consumers are looking to make unique statements, so be sure to offer these options to them.

Plants were a revelation in 2020, and methinks this will continue. Think of, as I do now, offering folks, as an option to roses, lovely orchid plants, easy-care Tillandsias and almost no-care succulent planters as Valentine gift ideas, all wrapped up with a box of chocolates, a teddy bear, a few roses, a big ol’ card, etc. (Keep upselling until they say no!) These not only are different but will last for ages, and people will think of your shop more (I mean of the sender!). Oh, and the time saved is worth getting them in, too—less processing and not as big a worry about keeping them fresh, etc.

Do you advertise? I sorta do. I’m fortunate that I’m on television anyway, but I will say that social media is a biggie for all of us today —or it should be! And if you need to polish your website (or create one), get going. Now! After this masterclass of learning how to sell online (thanks, pandemic), people have become lazy—I mean comfortable—using online services or just picking up the phone (or doing both) at the same time. I had a lady who had me on the phone while she was also placing an online order somewhere, and I finally said that I’m not one of those “Operators are standing by” people! We shared a laugh (mine was more of a sneer) and got on with things.

Patience is a virtue, but it’s a rare virtue of late, isn’t it? People seemingly have no time to wait, which is why we need to be on the ready, now more than ever. I know I have more nerve than a sore tooth at times, so when people babble on like a spring brook and don’t stop for air on the telephone, I remind them that my name is Neville, not Siri, and that I can’t possibly write as fast as they talk. I think it’s probably better (but not as fun) to request they slow down so you can get all 17 names and their odd spellings on the little card that will go with the whooping $40 worth of “They’d better be good!” flowers.

Aww, young love; isn’t it wonderful? I had a fella once ask me what he had to buy to get laid. Yes, he did! And I calmly said, “A toothbrush and soap would be a good start.” I didn’t get a sale from him, for some reason. Mostly, though, the young and first- timers need guidance because they have no idea, and this is where we can develop a relationship and get potential customers for life. I have many regular customers today who started out as V Day clients because they listened to and trusted my sage advice.

Well, after all we’ve been through in 2020, I wonder if love really is in the air or if it’s just the remnant noxious fumes from past events that have clouded our brains. Nevertheless, we are going to celebrate and joyously send flowers to the countless deserving souls—as well as the countless less-than-deserving souls out there. So, plaster a smile on your face, take a little fortification (and, by that, I mean the wine in the back fridge) and face Valentine’s Week 2021 with excitement! Oh, and be thankful that we still have the ability to share love through the beauty of flowers!

Making the case for charging higher fees for faster delivery service.

Why do most florists still charge a flat delivery fee for every ZIP code? There is no doubt the cost of each delivery varies based on distance, time and traffic. Consumers already pay extra express priority fees with every other delivery company such as FedEx, UPS and DHL. Most people would not expect this to be any different with a retail delivery— especially one offering same-day delivery.

It is estimated that most florists can generate up to 30 percent more revenue each day by managing their delivery assets more efficiently (trucks, drivers, return ETA times, etc.. For example, studies have shown that if you offer a multiple-choice delivery option matrix to consumers at checkout for same-day delivery, 30 percent of the people will choose a faster delivery option. This, of course, assumes that you can actually provide this service, meaning that you know exactly where your drivers are and what time they will return to the store. (If your software can’t do this, get new software ASAP!)

Most florist point-of-sale systems (POS) can’t do this, and even the ones that can cannot offer this without enabling live inventory control. If you don’t know what ready-made arrangements you have on hand, or the customer does not know by looking at your website, you can’t promise a one-hour delivery option for a higher fee.

In order to capture the extra 30 percent of revenues each day, all your systems have to “talk” to each other (POS, inventory module, delivery manager, website, etc.. Systems that are not integrated can’t really make this work. This is why big companies spend millions of dollars on integrated ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems to service customers better and generate more revenue. The vast majority of flower shops we see at QuickFlora do not have websites that talk to the POS inventory modules.

The average florist collects $10,000 a month in delivery fees—about $120,000 a year. Over the course of a year, that is an extra $36,000 in incremental revenue ($3,000 per month!).

Do your delivery fees change by the hour of delivery? We did that in our stores many years back, especially on Valentine’s Day each year. It did not take long to realize that 75 percent of our V Day orders were being delivered before noon (even when the customer did not ask for it). Once we realized this fact, we started “offering” morning delivery for twice the normal “anytime” fee. Every year, 25 percent of our customers would choose the morning delivery option. It was like free money because we were not doing anything different production-wise or delivery-wise.

Maybe it’s time to rethink how you charge for each delivery. I guarantee Amazon is thinking about this every day.

These often-neglected business tools can reduce management headaches and create a more productive and harmonious workplace. Here’s what you need to know about them.

If you do not already have an employee handbook for your business, now is a good time to develop one—to introduce at the beginning of the new year. Employee handbooks can help businesses of all sizes run more smoothly, orient new employees quickly and reduce your risk of costly legal battles. They should outline workplace policies and employee responsibilities, describe specific jobs, communicate your company’s mission, state expectations and define benefits, all of which will result in a more productive organization and a more profitable business.

Another benefit of a well-written employee handbook is reduced legal risk. Suppose, for example, one of your customers is harmed by an employee impaired by alcohol or drugs. Having a record of an anti-drug policy can help mitigate liability. “If you get sued, the first question an attorney will ask is, ‘Did you have a policy covering this?’” says Bob Gregg, co-chair of the Employment Practice Law Group at Boardman Clark, Madison, Wis.

An employee handbook is not a “one size fits all” document. Every company has its own requirements, and only an attorney can tell you what you should include (and omit) to be in compliance with the law. Nevertheless, there are some topics common to many handbooks. For a rundown, see the sidebar (opposite page), “What Goes in the Employee Handbook?” Here are some remarks about the more sensitive topics.

• Email Even if allowed to use personal devices for business purposes, employees have no right to privacy regarding any business emails that go through those devices or any personal emails that go through the business system.

“Your policy should state that your business owns all emails that go over your business system, even personal ones,” says Gregg. “Employees should not use the system for anything they do not want company management to see. They should also be informed that even if they hit the delete key, the emails will be retained on the company hard drive or in the cloud.”

• Overtime The 2004 revisions to the “Fair Labor Standards Act” created a “safe harbor” from liability for unpaid overtime when employers have adequate policies granting employees the opportunity to request wage corrections. “If you do not have such a policy, employees can sue you for unpaid overtime without telling you first,” says Gregg. “On the other hand, if you have a clear, correctly worded policy, you can win such cases.”

• Privacy Statement “Include a statement of your right to inspect computers, desks and telephones,” advises Gregg. “If you don’t have it, you can be sued for invasion of privacy for looking through what you considered company property.”

• Compliance with the “Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)” State that your business will not collect any genetic or family medical history information from employees. This will give your organization a “safe harbor” against a lawsuit for discrimination based on such knowledge.

Employee handbooks can be a two-edged sword. While they can help protect you from charges of discrimination or other illegal personnel acts, they can also create legal problems of their own.

“Handbooks can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing,” cautions Gregg. For instance, including poorly written statements in your handbook can affect the “employment at will” status normally enjoyed by businesses. “It’s easy to fall into the trap of creating a contract of employment.”

You may be tempted to include morale- boosting statements such as “You will always be treated fairly here” or “We know you will enjoy your long-term employment” or “Our policy is to promote from within.” These can come back to haunt you later if a disgruntled worker sues for a perceived violation of promises that he or she considers contractual.

There’s more. “Avoid falling into the trap of including policies that are not required by law,” says Gregg. “Suppose, for example, your business has only a few employees. You are not required to comply with the “Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA),” which applies only to businesses with 50 or more employees. Including a page about compliance with the FMLA can create a condition in which you are covered by that law even if you normally would not be.”

And watch out for seemingly innocuous requirements that can land your business in hot water. “Some policies that seem good on their surface can violate federal, state or local laws,” says James W. Potts, J.D., CEO of the Pasadena, Calif.-based human resources consulting firm Potts & Associates. “For example, an employer might state that departing employees must turn in company property such as cellphones or laptops before a final check is cut. That can be illegal in some states.”

In a related area, be aware of city and state laws and regulations that can require you to follow specific policies and prohibit others. “Many cities, especially larger urban areas, have laws covering such areas as family and sick leave,” says Beth Brascugli De Lima, president and principal of HRM Consulting in Murphys, Calif.

Some policies are best left out of the manual altogether. Suppose an employee will be late coming to work. Whom should they call? And how far in advance? These are specifics that you might want to communicate orally, to avoid tying down your company to procedures you might want to change later.

Writing an employee handbook can be a challenging task. “It’s a mistake to try to write the manual on your own,” says Richard Avdoian, of Midwest Business Institute in the St. Louis, Mo., area. “It is critical to consult an HR expert and have an attorney review the document so that you are in compliance with federal, state and local laws.”

An employee handbook can be as simple as a three-ring binder of pages covering the core issues. But once the document is completed, make sure everyone reads it and signs a document stating so. Then make sure everyone understands that the policies must be followed consistently.

“A common mistake is creating an employee handbook and then not following it,” says De Lima. “Often this is because business owners and managers do not understand the importance of consistency.”

The result can be a costly lawsuit. “Suppose Employee A is treated one way when violating a policy and Employee B is treated another way,” De Lima says. “If Employee B is a protected class under equal opportunity laws, he or she may have a cause for action.” Laws on the federal level, and often on the state and local levels, prohibit discrimination by such characteristics as race, religion, gender and national origin.

An employee handbook is not a “set it and forget it” affair. Laws, regulations and workplace conditions undergo constant change.

“Review your handbook on a regular basis,” advises Gregg. “Add policies that reflect new challenges and opportunities, and toss those that are no longer valid. Clean out your policies like you would old clothes from your closet,” he concludes.

Employee handbook policies will be as varied as businesses themselves. You should consult with an attorney to understand what should (and should not) be included. Here are some questions that handbooks often answer:
• What is your policy on sick leave and vacation? On attendance and tardiness?
• May employees drink alcohol at lunch? Will you be testing for drug use?
• Will you be inspecting workstations, email and voicemail messages?
• What insurance and other benefits will employees enjoy?
• How can employees ask for pay corrections related to overtime?

It’s not too late to present a holiday offer to your existing customers. Here’s how.

As I’ve worked with florists in private coaching sessions over the last several months, I’ve found myself repeating one message: You have to ask for the sale. It’s one thing to have an offer—a holiday centerpiece, a Valentine’s Day design, a one-of-a- kind style—but it’s another thing to actually invite customers to buy what you’re selling. You have to ask for the sale.

When I started in the flower business more than two decades ago, “sales strategies” relied heavily on print advertisements (anybody remember the phone book?); word-of-mouth; wire services; and the ever-important “location, location, location.” Today, however, savvy sellers understand how to put a much more effective sales strategy to work with direct marketing.

Instead of casting a wide net, “direct marketing” means reaching out to your existing customer base or email subscribers, and the strategy is simple: Start with the people who are already familiar with your brand because they’re the most likely to buy from you.

While it’s all too common to throw an offer out there that attempts to appeal to everybody, with a direct marketing strategy, florists have the opportunity to get to know what their customers actually like (i.e., what they actually buy) and create offers that are aligned with what existing customers are most interested in buying from them.

If you haven’t presented an offer for the upcoming holidays to your existing customer list, now is the time to do so! It’s as easy as reaching out to the customers who’ve already bought from you with an offer and inviting them to buy again.
You can create an offer that’s appealing and ask for the sale in four steps:

Create your offer. What would your customers love to get from you? How much does it cost? What is it called? When is it available? When does the offer expire? How do they place an order? Do you have a photo of the item?

Write an email inviting your customers to take advantage of the offer.

Send that email to every person on your email list, and post the offer on social media.

Follow up with a clear invitation to buy. “Click here to order today!” “Are you ready to place your holiday order?” “We’re here to take your order today.”

Aside from making it easier to shop by adding “Click here to buy” links to your email and social media posts, don’t be afraid to present your offer more than once. It’s unrealistic to assume that you’ve done your best to market your offer just because you sent one email or posted one holiday “social media shout out.” Customers need to be reminded more than once what you’re selling; most people do not react to initial messages.

You have to ask for the sale—and, often—more than once. Reach out to the customers who already know and love what you do. And remember The clearer your offer, the easier it is for customers to get to a “yes.”

What Next? (No, Seriously!)

Well, 2020 certainly was a year for the record books. Many people didn’t survive, sadly, and many businesses and livelihoods were lost forever. We, thankfully, hung on with no staff, and my husband, who lost his job as a hair stylist, jumped in to work with me. Now, working with your partner is a topic for a whole other article—maybe even a book or university thesis—but we made it. In fact, we joined Weight Watchers two days before the lockdown, but all we lost was the money we spent!

Now, on to a glorious new year filled with hope for a brighter and more prosperous future. 2021 will allow us, as designers, marketers, retailers and entrepreneurs, to expand and try new things. I intend to work on a few trends, to see which may stick. Remember, of course, the best way to get inspiration and prepare for the months to come is to look at the past year.

If you haven’t done so already, now is a great time to develop and improve your online business. In 2020, we sold a lot online, and along with a remote debit/credit machine, we also got into curbside pick-up. Many consumers quickly became used to this way of shopping, so now’s the time to promote and encourage this newer trend. Let’s face it, too: It’s a lot easier than customers coming in or spending a lot of time on the telephone. (I love seeing prepaid orders awaiting my attention!) There are many online services out there to choose from, so ask me or other florists what they do or who they use.

Plants were the big hit in 2020, and they will continue to be hotter than tickets to a One Direction concert in 2021. The problem last year was that too many people who knew nothing about plants suddenly Googled their way into buying a bit of everything, and many did not have much success. We let folks know that we are plant experts, and many came for advice on the best choices. (Bring in easier-care plants to offer, and suggest smaller plants that can grow into their new homes.) I love the young ladies who come in telling me how they move their plants every day—watering, misting and singing to them. I offer them this piece of sage advice: “Treat your plants like a new boyfriend: Ignore them as much as you can, and they’ll try harder!” As we all know, plants are better under cared for than over cared for, so when people get good results from your words of wisdom, they become good customers.

We’ve all offered dish gardens and potted plants for years, so why not take it up a notch—if you haven’t already? You can offer short online tutorials to get folks watching you more, and this is a great time to show what’s new in your store and also to promote the next holiday or event. If you don’t have them already, try stocking a collection of seeds to sell and/or pop into an arrangement, selling them as an add-on for gardeners-at-heart. We started selling a few plant and garden books, too, which received good reviews (the Cannabis one did really well!), as well as a larger selection of plant pots, potting soil and plant food. Make the plant-buying experience in your store as much of a “one stop” as possible!

The popularity of permanent botanicals is also on the rise, and we’ve seen this trend trickling in during the past year or so. Here’s the thing: Don’t call these offerings “artificial” and certainly not “fake.” Both words are negatives with many of today’s consumers—especially younger ones, so try using “permanent” or my favorite, “forever flowers,” when selling these alternatives to fresh flowers. I’ve started offering the addition of a “forever rose” or other flower to a special fresh arrangement.

We are still seeing many know-it-alls (I mean do-it-yourselfers), and although in-house classes are, for many, still more taboo than wearing white after Labor Day, we can offer all the “fixins” for those who want to make their own bouquets and arrangements. Look at creating a “menu board” with a list of hard goods you offer. like foam, wire, dishes, pins, etc. You’ll be surprised how quickly those little sales add up, so don’t be afraid to offer them. For the most part, DIYers aren’t going to steal your business (they’re going to make their cousin’s bridal bouquet anyway!), so this could prevent them from going to a craft store and bring you more revenue.

2021 is the year to try new things, but remember this: It’s like trying a new food; try a little, and see what the feeling is before you bet the house on it. You never know! I ordered six retro Kit-Cat Klocks (you know, the ones with the moving eyes and tails) just for me to have and give as gifts. Well, I posted them on social media, and surprise to me, I sold 36 of them in a week! Tick tock, I sold a clock! And there was no labor involved! (Check out kit-cat.com/wholesale application.)

Here’s to a super 2021, filled with happiness, health and prosperity! (And if I could lose my COVID weight, then all the better!) Stay safe and well, and continue to share love through the beauty of flowers!