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Business 54 August | 2021 about your other holiday-related services, such as holiday party décor and office decorating. Gift-wrapping Service Consider offering a custom gift-wrapping service in your store. Wrap anything and everything, not just your own products, and turn this idea into an additional profit center! Many consumers will appreciate this convenience during their hectic shopping days (people pay to have the darndest things done for them these days!). Be sure to market the service widely and often (on social media and in your store window); don't be afraid to charge appropriately (and handsomely) for this service; and, above all, make sure you have a creative and skilled gift-wrapper on staff to handle this new service (your finished products will need to be innovative and flawless!). Wassail and TLC Creating an experience for shoppers is what retailing is all about these days. So, in addition to the ideas presented in the "Merchandising Magic" section of this manual, create a relaxing respite for weary shoppers by providing hot non-alcoholic wassail and Christmas cookies (or tea and crumpets if you have a Dickens-themed display!) during the weeks before Christmas. People often get stressed and discouraged by Christmas shopping, so offer them a chance to sit down and relax a bit—and receive your personal attention. Again, publicize this experience on social media; in your store window ; and even on the back of your delivery vehicle(s), with a sign that reads, "Follow me to Smith's Flowers for wassail and cookies, or stop by anytime." Community Celebrations Capitalize on any holiday celebrations that your neighborhood, community or city may be holding by getting involved with them or hosting an open house to coincide with the celebration. Better yet, create your own event—such as a themed shopping day and evening or weekend, involving all the nearby merchants on your street, in your shopping center or throughout your immediate community. Hire a trolley or carriages to transport shoppers from store to store, if necessary. Target the Broadcast Media Contact local TV and radio stations and offer to appear on a segment of a popular morning show. Producers of such local shows are always looking for guests who have something interesting and fun to offer during the holiday. Put together a list of topics you could discuss and/or demonstrate, such as poinsettia care tips, creative gift options under $20, or how to make a quick wreath or centerpiece. Brainstorm with your employees; the options are infinite! Classes and Workshops/Holiday Parties Offer design and flower/plant care classes and workshops in your store. Consumers love these, and the most rabid among them often pay big bucks to attend such events. Expanding on this idea, if your store can accommodate several to many people, offer to host company holiday parties during which you guide attendees through making a Christmas centerpiece, decorating a wreath or creating another type of seasonal floral design ( for a per-person fee, of course). And if your store is really large, offer it as a venue for holiday parties; the ambiance and décor couldn't be more spectacular anywhere! Again, this could be a substantial source of new revenue. (Florists' Review once hosted a Christmas party for its employees at a painting- party studio, where we sipped wine, nibbled on hors d'oeuvres and created masterpieces on canvas! Another year, we assembled at an antiques warehouse, where we dined on historic tables amid a gallery of antiquities and artifacts.) Write down your top marketing priorities.

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