Enjoy breathtaking blooms this summer from Alaska Peony Farms!
WholeTrends: Spring into Action
2021 is right around the corner, and with it comes excitement for new opportunities in your store. Whether you’re a wholesaler or a retailer, it’s essential to stay ahead of the game and plan for upcoming seasons and holidays. Although the official “holiday season” that includes Christmas and Thanksgiving will soon be long gone, there are still many holidays just around the corner—especially for the floral industry. Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day are approaching quickly, and if they’re anything like last year, it’s crucial to start planning now. With a higher influx of floral orders comes an elevated need of vases, ribbon, flowers, and more. Even if you aren’t a part of the floral industry, this is still a critical season to prepare for, as it can set the tone for the rest of your year. The first quarter of the year is an important one and should have thorough preparation. Keep reading to find out what you need to plan for this upcoming spring season. –
FGmarket’s Weekly Pick – Bargainmax, Inc.
Bargainmax, Inc. has the best deals you can find on the best products around. What could be better than getting your favorite items for a great price? Continue reading “FGmarket’s Weekly Pick – Bargainmax, Inc.” »
Prepare For Black Friday Shoppers With These 5 Tips
Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the entire year, there’s no doubt about it. It’s the time of the year when customers make mad dashes to their store of choice to get the best deals of the year, and get a head start on their holiday shopping.
If you’re a store owner, then chances are you’re going to be doing some awesome Black Friday deals in your shop. Want to know how to handle this chaotic time of year? We’ve got a few tips to help you out.
Plan and Organize
Make a list, or create a spreadsheet, of all the products you have and which ones you want to discount for Black Friday. Also, include the start and end date for the sale. Plan the sales ahead of time.. This way, you won’t be scrambling at the last minute to give deep discounts, and your staff will know exactly what the rules are for special deals!
Build Suspense Around The Sale
Start promoting your Black Friday deals early, and use every outlet you can think of to inform customers. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to do this is by promoting your deals on all of your social media accounts. You can also create email campaigns promoting the deals, and send them out a month in advance to build suspense around the big day.
Remember Online Shoppers
Sometimes, customers want to spend their shopping day at home without having to brave the long lines at the store. Always remember your online shoppers when doing Black Friday deals. You can also make deals exclusive to online customers only, prompting even more participation in filling up their online shopping cart.
Make Sure Your Customer Service Dept. Is Prepared
Whether you’re selling products only in the store, or online too, the importance of having good customer service cranks the dial up to 11 during Black Friday. Train your staff on how to speak with customers who might be angry, frustrated, or disappointed in something that happened while shopping.
Offer Easy Returns
Not only is this day one of the biggest shopping events of the year, it’s also one of the busiest times for returns. Ensure customers that if they are unsatisfied with the purchase of a product, they can return it with no hassle, and no stress. This will increase people’s interest in buying from your store, because they know they aren’t stuck with an item if something goes wrong.
Black Friday can be a truly stressful time of the year for shop owners, but by following these tips and tricks, you’ll make shopping easier for you and your customers!
Marketing Tip of the Day
Last week I continued the discussion about Social Media tools, specifically Facebook. I acknowledged ways for you to reach and interact with your customers (and potentials). When I was brainstorming my next topic, it dawned on me that I have a tendency to assume that most of you have some general knowledge of marketing, yet that is not always the case. Therefore, I am reverting “back to the basics.” If you have little knowledge about Marketing or if you simply need a refresher course to generate new ideas for your business, then this is the article for you!
Every marketing principle/strategy must begin at square one: the 4 P’s of Marketing. This is a basic concept that marketing students learn in the beginning. However, by analyzing your 4 P’s, you can uncover new ways to better market your company. The 4 P’s are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Today I will discuss product, check back each week for the next section!
Product
Since you already have a product(s) or service, this is when you should analyze the consumers’ needs. First, who needs/wants your product and are you meeting all of those needs with your product? Is there an unmet need that you can target by altering your product? How is the quality of your product; could it be better?
How is your product packaged? Would you buy your product if it were sitting on a shelf next to the same types of products from other companies?
Do you stand behind your product? Warranties, installations, servicing, etc. are an excellent way to ensure the quality and durability of your products to your customers.
If you are a wholesaler or distributor, do you also sell the necessary display items your customers will need? This is a great way to add on sales and to ensure repeat business. You can also offer tips/ideas to your customers about how to most efficiently sell your product to their customers. By doing so, you will be building relationships with customers that are essential.
If you are a shop/reseller, do you offer complimentary items with the products? For example, if you sell personalized jewelry gifts, it would be a great idea to also sell some kind of jewelry trinket box or pouch.
To put this step in a nutshell, ask your self one question and be totally honest. Put your self into the shoes of your customer and ask your self, ” Is this product appealing?”
Try looking at your company/product from your customer’s view point, you may see something you have never seen before!
Danial
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