It’s that time again! Maybe it doesn’t feel like fall where you are right now, but the signs are all there: “pumpkin spice” everywhere you look, shorts turning to longer pants, bright colors giving way to deeper hues… the fall holidays are just around the corner. That means it’s time to prepare NOW so you take full advantage of one of the busiest times of the year. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

1. Order supplies right now. There’s no time like the present to get all the supplies you’ll need throughout the holidays. Check last year’s orders and make sure you’re prepared with enough containers, foam, ribbons, and extra items like gift cards or add-ons. If you order enough now, you’ll avoid rush shipping charges later in the season.
2. Encourage pre-books. It’s never too early to pre-book flower orders for the holidays. Tell your customers that they can pre-book now, and offer enticing promotions that help them cross one more item off their holiday “to-do” list. By preparing in advance like this, you’ll know exactly what you’ll need in terms of staffing and inventory, saving time and waste.
3. Prepare your website. Web traffic will definitely increase over the holiday season, so make sure your website is up to par. Is it easy to find items and order them? Are there any glitches moving from page to page? Do all the links work? Go through and update your site as needed now. Also, create your holiday pages ahead of time, so that you can update them with just a click.
4. Make holiday schedules. Will your hours change for certain holidays? Will you need more coverage? Create your holiday schedules now, and let your staff know. Post your holiday hours where everyone can see them, and tell your team to put in any holiday requests by a certain date. If everyone knows what’s expected of them now, things will run much more smoothly in the coming months.
5. Host a contest. Now that the slow summer months are over, it’s time to draw attention to your shop again. What better way than with a contest? Share it across social media and get people excited about the upcoming holidays. It doesn’t have to directly relate to your floral business: You could give away day passes to a local pumpkin patch or corn maze. That can help your exposure and reach to potential customers who wouldn’t normally shop for flowers.
6. Plan a new marketing campaign. Do you carry flowers that other shops don’t? Do you offer spectacular customer service? Whatever it is, determine what makes you unique and plan a new marketing campaign around it. Share your campaign across social media, in emails, even with weekly or monthly newsletters, and make your floral shop stand out.

Here’s an extra tip: Keep in touch all year long. With the holidays coming up, customers will be overwhelmed with promotions and sales. If you’ve been promoting to customers all year long, you’ll be more likely to stand out since you’re familiar to them. Keep your mailing list up-to-date throughout the year and send out regular communications. Keep active on social media. The more your potential customers know who you are, the more they will trust you and want to come to you for their holiday shopping needs.

Use these tips to prepare for the best holiday season ever!