I was out in the mall the other day, doing a little shopping; well, more like looking at things I either can’t afford, would never buy, or will never fit me! I get so depressed when I put myself through this torture! I love it when I can go to a store, see exactly what I want (or think I want!) and the price tag matches the weight of my wallet, but this doesn’t always happen.
Now, in the floral industry, we
have a unique situation where we will actually ask a customer how much
they would like to spend. What a treat that would be for me…that is
until I am honest with the poor sap that got stuck waiting on me and I
tell them exactly how little I really want to spend! I don’t know of
too many other places where I can go and have someone ask what I want
to spend right off the bat, but in our industry, it’s often the norm
rather than the exception.
This practice in flower shops, where the price of an arrangement or
bouquet is left to the client, can work both to our advantage as well
as to our detriment. Asking, “how much do you want to spend?” can kick
you right in the arse if you’re not careful! Although my powers are
great, I’m no mind reader, so it’s hard to know what a person wants to
spend when they are asking for a bouquet in our store. We can, however,
ask a few questions that may help by offering a suggestion like, “Did
you do something good or something bad?” (I really do ask this question
to men, and will get honest answers every time) or “Is this for someone
special?” They’ll tell you their story, and sometimes it will be a long
one, but you’ll hear it! (Charge more for juicy stories!) From the
answer given, you can better offer suggestions of a budget required.
When customers are asked if they’d like the price to include tax (yes!)
and delivery (duh!) it drives me around the bend. Of course people know
there is a charge for tax as well as for delivery, so why take that
money from what little you can squeeze from them to start with? Tell
your customer what the flowers will cost, and clearly let them know
that there is, of course, tax and delivery on top. We don’t assume in
The Bay that those smart little sling backs for $74.95 are including
tax, not even in Alberta anymore (ha!) so why would we think otherwise
in a flower shop?
Now, I know that we all have a “starting” point for arrangements, and
that’s another thing I cringe when I hear it said, especially on the
phone. “Our arrangements start at…blah, blah, blah!” can make a shop
seem totally out of a person’s budget, especially when confronted with
this statement on the phone. So what if your designs begin at $40, does
this mean anyone with a $35 budget is out of luck? What a shame, that
ex-client only wanted a bud vase for a bedside table. I say ex-client
because that very thing happened to me here at my store. A very good
customer of mine was told this very thing (by a now ex-employee) and
was very upset when she regaled the story to me in the grocery store,
where she opted to buy that bud vase.
Why not offer customers three price points when negotiating a sale?
After determining the “who, what, where, why and when” about the order,
I can better suggest a range to choose from: $60, $75 or $90, or
whatever the occasion might merit. Know this my friends: most of us do
not want to appear cheap to anyone, so more often than not customers
will select the middle price rather than the “starting” price. I know
this may seem like a mouthful to spit out and maybe more work than
you’re used to, but it’ll make you more money, so stop crabbing about
it!
Listening to our customers can allow us to offer a price that may work
rather than tossing the ball to their court too soon. “I’d like a
little arrangement or a small bouquet,” tells me right away that the
customer doesn’t want to spend too much, and you can start offering
things to suit. Keep in mind that people will usually spend 20 per cent
more than their intended budget, so why not get that money in your till
rather than in someone else’s?
Be upfront with your prices and let your customer know that you can,
and will, work with them on a budget. At the same time, don’t give away
your flowers and your talent. News of a shop being cheap will spread
quickly, and before you know it, you’ll have all the bargain Betties
and do-it-yourself Freddies in your store telling you exactly what they
are going to spend! Nothing!! Gosh, after all this, I need to go have
an ice cream…I hope they’ll ask me how much I’d like in the cone!
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