To have a more productive and profitable holiday season, you need to schedule a holiday planning meeting by Halloween (or early November) at the latest. Pick a date and time and tell your staff that everyone is required to attend after work for an hour (paid, of course) to review the holiday season plan. Choose that date as soon as you read this and include the information in staff members’ next paycheck and/or post a sign in the shop and have staff sign off to acknowledge that they will be there.
At the meeting, take the opportunity to do some sales coaching. Three points to focus on:
Consistency is key. Use the meeting as a pep talk to review general sales techniques and to remind staff that though December will grow busier and busier as the month progresses, it’s critical to offer the same thorough, high-quality service to every customer from Dec. 1 to Dec 24.
Finish the job. Customers are willing to spend more at the holidays. Let them! Offer “finishing touches” (also known as “add-ons”) to every sale, no matter how busy the store. It only takes 10 seconds to say, “As a finishing touch I can add a red velvet bow to your poinsettia for just $X.”
Look to the card. Don’t forget to leverage the card message to make better sales: “As this holiday gift is coming from all of her children, I suggest one of our large Christmas designs, perfect for a dining room table.”
Tim Huckabee is the founder of FloralStrategies and a contributing writer to Floral Management magazine.
