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22 Feature March | 2023 PREPARATION Take a look at previous years' Mother's Day numbers—sales, staffing, deliveries, et al.—as well as the days of the week on which the holidays fell, weather and other anomalous factors, to help you make educated decisions on buying, staffing, etc. Taking good notes about every holiday can really help you become more efficient and profitable each successive year. If you have not done so already, place your orders for flowers, plants and supplies now, which could provide you with an advantage in negotiating prices. Assess your current hard-goods inventory, and if you have leftover holiday-specific containers, ribbons, picks and the like that need to be used, create new and reimagined holiday specials with them as part of your holiday collection ("menu") of designs. Stock up on trendy plant options as alternatives to flower arrangements; succulents, orchid plants, and indoor and outdoor container gardens remain wildly popular, particularly among younger consumers who might be seeking "more value" for their dollars. It is also important to prepare your shop for the big holiday with a "beautification lift" (spring cleaning). Organize, clean and clear clutter. Create captivating and enticing in-store displays, including in your storefront window(s), to attract people's attention as they pass by your shop. Train your permanent and holiday staff. Arm frontline salespeople with all of the information they need to fulfill customers' wants and needs and to make successful sales. Make sure everyone is well-versed on your selection of arrangement, plant and other gift options, as well as add-on items that pair well with each; which items are the most profitable and easy to design and deliver ; your range of price points; and your delivery fees, schedule and policies. Ensure that everyone on your team focuses on delivering a first-class customer- service experience at all times. e thing that defines your brand the most is the experience you create for your customers. "Mother's Day is a grand, stressful, busy, frustrating and fabulous holiday," observes Leanne Kesler, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, FDI, co-owner and director of Floral Design Institute in Portland, Ore. "To create the opportunity for success, stay true to you. Design in your style. Follow your recipes. Know when to say 'No,' (or, better yet, when to provide other options and suggestions), and don't forget to be pleasant and helpful at all times (sometimes easier said than done!) Customers will remember how you helped them find the perfect gifts." Floral Design Institute Portland, Ore.

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