Presenting

56 May | 2021 FROM IN HOUSE TO THEIR HOUSE Your brand sets expectations and builds trust. From your Instagram feed to your website checkout, the look and feel should be consistent. Will a customer actually receive the product shown in the image he or she clicked on on your website? Stock photography is handy, but when substitutions become the norm, you're setting customers up for disappointment—and your business for negative reviews. Make sure your brand experience is positive and pervasive, and that you can deliver on it—repeatedly. Suzanne Black, owner of Flora Savage in New Orleans' historic French Quarter, keeps her website photos current with what inventory is readily available. "Customers expect the photo! Some customers have been burned in the past by poor substitutions. ey often want specific flowers," Black states. "Our brand is about modern, vibrant color stories. It's essential that customers' expectations are not only met but exceeded." She acknowledges that keeping the site current with changing wholesale availability is challenging but necessary for customer clarity. THE BEST THINGS COME IN … PACKAGES! When your customers place their orders, is there an element of delight and surprise? Standard flower delivery is a person holding a vase of lovely flowers with a tiny card, maybe with your logo—or maybe not. Could you level up that brand experience? One of the best parts of receiving a gift is the unwrapping. Hello, Instagram unboxing videos! Why should receiving flowers be any different? Even everyday purchases should feel like gifts. Plus, a premium experience commands a premium price. Your customer didn't just receive flowers, he or she received [your company's] flowers. So how can you ensure he or she knows that? Nic Faitos, senior partner of Starbright Floral Design in Manhattan's diverse Chelsea neighborhood, packages his deliveries in chic reusable bags. When recipients open their doors to delivery, they get Starbright—and then they get to "unwrap" their flowers. "It's the first thing they see." Faitos explains. "And we know we've communicated the quality and experience of receiving a Starbright arrangement." Your packaging is the final touch you get to ensure that your products represent you. Cementing your products and brand creates a reputation that will earn you referrals and repeat business. T H E P R O D U C T E X P E R I E N C E is page: Designer and Photos, Flora Savage; Opposite page: Designer and Photo, Starbright Floral Design

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