Now that our Valentine’s Day hustle and bustle is over, we’re all ramping up for Mother’s Day and wedding season. But don’t forget what comes before that: St. Patrick’s Day. And sure, this isn’t one of the biggest floral holidays of the year. Yet, if you do some smart planning and promoting now, you can reap the rewards and get that extra income over the next few months.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) has been tracking St. Patrick’s Day spending through the years, and in 2021, consumers spent more than $5 billion on this holiday. And since most plan to celebrate at home or in the office—for pandemic-related reasons—you have an excellent opportunity to provide some beautiful and fun décor for their at-home or at-work parties. To help you, here are a few tips to take advantage of this underused marketing opportunity.
- Design a St. Paddy’s Day Floral Collection
Don’t just leave it up to your customers to find the “greenest” floral arrangements in your shop or on your site. Instead, design a few St. Patrick’s Day-only arrangements. Add some whimsy to your greenery and flowers with fun elements like shamrocks and leprechaun hats. And for those who prefer something more elegant, find unique and beautiful green vases and containers for your designs. Then promote your St. Patrick’s Day Collection on social media, on your website, and through email.
- Get Creative with Your Promotions
Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on March 17th, take advantage of this by offering a 17% discount on your arrangements. You can also give a coupon to everyone who comes into your shop wearing something green. And be sure to promote this widely on social media: Your customers are more likely to get into the spirit of things if they know they can get a discount as a result!
- Create a St. Patrick’s Day Section in your store and on your website
Now that you’ve designed your arrangements and worked out your discounts, it’s time to show them off. Set up a table in your shop to display your arrangements and promote your deals. Do the same on your website, with a dedicated St. Patrick’s Day page and a banner on your homepage. By having a separate page on your site, you can direct all your social media and email promotions right to it.
- Share the fun with your team
Your staff has worked hard throughout the Valentine’s Day rush, and they’re understandably a bit worn out. So, lift their spirits and get them into the fun of St. Patrick’s Day by making them a part of your planning! Meet with them and let them know you value their input and creativity, and together, work out some unique ways to promote the holiday in your store and online. They’ll be far more likely to pass on the cheer to every customer who comes in.
- Provide some timed incentives to create urgency
Giving customers a last-minute deal is always a good strategy since it taps into their FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). For example, you can send out a flash sale promotion, where you offer the first 17 customers an extra 17% off their purchase. You can also cater to the last-minute shopper by providing an additional discount if they come into your store by 1700 hours (5 p.m.) on St. Patrick’s Day. These are just a couple of ideas, but you and your staff planning team can certainly come up with more!
- Create custom arrangements for homes and events
Based on the NRF St. Patrick’s Day survey results, we know that most people plan to celebrate the holiday by making a special dinner and decorating their homes and offices. Help them out by offering a floral design consultation where you create custom arrangements for their homes or offices. You can also charge a premium for this since you’ll be providing one-on-one consultations and unique designs.
- Host an in-store event
A great way to get your customers more engaged with your brand is to offer in-store events and workshops. And St. Patrick’s Day is a perfect holiday for parties, so take advantage of it! Run a DIY workshop and promote that their final arrangement is included in the workshop cost. Serve refreshments, play Irish music, and, of course, take lots of videos to share the fun on your Instagram and Facebook feeds!
We hope we’ve given you a few ideas to take full advantage of your St. Patrick’s Day floral marketing. Have fun and let us know how these work for you. And don’t forget to tag us in the photos and videos of your fabulous arrangements! #rioroses
