DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF YOUR HOLIDAY ORDERS WITH THIS SIMPLE SALES TECHNIQUE FROM ART CONFORTI, PFCI.

Did you know that most customers who order flowers for Thanksgiving also order flowers for the holidays in December? That means a customer on the phone ordering a Thanksgiving centerpiece will likely call back with another order for Hanukkah or Christmas. However, in today’s retail floral market, it is hardly a guarantee. Instead of hoping your Thanksgiving customers will call back later, take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to “Turn 2,” and take care of all their shopping now—while you already have them on the phone.

“Turn 2” is a technique that Sarasota florist Art Conforti, PFCI, utilized in his 30 years of flower retailing as owner of Beneva Flowers to become one of the nation’s most successful florists. The technique simply involves asking customers if they would like to order flowers for December holidays while placing their orders for Thanksgiving flowers. The keys to this technique are timing and offering a discount for an additional order—and the results can be unbelievable.

HOW DOES
“TURN 2” WORK?
You can turn one sale into two and double your opportunity for revenue by training your staff to use this technique in a matter of minutes. From now through the end of November, your sales staff should conclude every phone order by saying the following phrase:

“Thank you for your order, Jane. We will take very good care of this for you. By the way, your order today qualifies you for $10 off any order for the month of December. With the holidays just around the corner, is there any additional shopping I may assist you with?”

If the customer was already planning on calling back later to place another order, this option will save her money as well as an additional phone call—a win-win situation for everyone. If the customer wasn’t considering ordering additional flowers, this enticing incentive may be enough to win her over on convenience alone.

GROWTH REQUIRES FOCUS ON OPPORTUNITY
In today’s crowded retail market, small- business owners need every advantage they can get, which often means searching for new opportunities and reexamining every aspect of their businesses.

Conforti spent every day of his career as a flower shop owner searching for new ways to grow his business and attract new customers with unmatched customer service. He now serves as a floral consultant and marketer as CEO of Sarasota, Fla.-based Bloomerang Solutions, an agency focused on helping other florists prosper in their prospective markets.

THE ART OF “The ‘Turn 2’ technique was one of the most reliable and most successful programs in our company’s history, and it is one of the first things I recommend to any florist,” Conforti says. “Statistically, that customer might call back later with another order. But what if she forgets? What if she gets swayed by a too-good-to- be-true special offer and order from one of your many competitors? You already have a customer on the phone placing an order, so why not ask, and why not give her a good reason to say yes? Best of all, you crossed another task off her to-do list. It’s one less thing for them to worry about later.”

Conforti says that focusing on customer service will also help you find opportunities for growth. “Consumers have so many options today,” he notes. “If you own or lease a small brick-and-mortar business, you can’t compete with online or big-box retailers when it comes to price. You can, however, provide outstanding service that earns loyal customers and keeps them coming back time and again—even if it means spending a little bit more. It’s a competitive advantage that is well worth the investment.”

Conforti says there are dozens of opportunities for small-business owners, and it all starts with looking at your day-to-day operations in search of an opportunity. “As with ‘Turn 2,’ you should look to turn every single task into one that creates more value,” Conforti advises. “It could be something as simple as asking customers if they want their purchases wrapped or walking their orders out to their cars for them. If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you.”