7 Tips for a Smooth, Successful Prom Season

For the floral industry, Spring is synonymous with Mother’s Day, and it should be – this is one of the busiest, most lucrative holidays of the year. However, in all the Mother’s Day preparation frenzy, many florists forget to prepare for the three months surrounding Mother’s Day, from April to June: Prom Season! A bit of well-thought-out preparation now can mean a smooth, successful Prom Season. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the treacherous waters of teenage prom requests:

1. Pre-order the most popular flowers well in advance. While prom-goers will have various ideas for their corsage or boutonniere designs, the majority will go with the classics year after year: Roses and orchids in pink and white, with peach close behind. Make sure you have plenty of these in stock, using last year’s volume to determine the quantity you’ll need, and order them at least a month in advance.

2. Prepare for customers with flower allergies. Every teen wants to wear a fabulous corsage, wristlet or boutonniere to prom, but that dreamy event can turn into a nightmare for a teen with allergies. Make sure to offer alternatives, such as corsages made with silk flowers, leaves, ribbon, and beads, which can be used to create stunning arrangements. Also consider pre-ordering flowers like ranunculus, lisianthus, sunflowers and certain roses with low allergens.

3. Create your own “avant-garde” collection of unique designs. Pinterest has become the go-to for so many when it comes to floral designs for special occasions, and prom is certainly no different. Just type “Prom Flowers on Pinterest” on your web browser and you’ll be overwhelmed with images—some beautiful, some funky, and some just plain awful. That’s why it’s important to create your own unique designs and promote them on social media. That way, you can turn a customer’s potentially disastrous corsage idea into a stylish, fashionable corsage they will love.

4. Help your customers choose the right flowers with a prom-themed quiz. Everyone loves to take personality quizzes on social media, so tap into that trend by having customers take a quiz to determine the best prom flowers for their personality type. SAF has done all the work for you here: Just go to their Prom Resource Center and you’ll have a link to their Prom Quiz which you can share on your social media pages. It’s a great way to engage teens and help them pick out the perfect flowers for their big night.

6. Show off your prom finest on social media. Teens are all over social media every waking moment, so use that to your advantage. When a prom-goer comes in to pick up their flowers, make sure to include a card asking them to tag your shop on social media. Make sure to include your Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter info, and have an offer ready when potential new customers visit these pages. You can also promote arrangements for Mother’s Day, graduation, and other Summer events that will be just around the corner.
7. Team up with your local high schools. You can become the “go-to” florist for students at your local high schools, simply by making yourself known and available to the teachers, parents, and students. Hand out fliers featuring your prom night promotions and include links to your social media pages so that they can check out your fabulous creations in advance.
8. Partner with other local businesses to offer special prom packages. Your floral shop is in a constant battle with online florists for a share of the business, and prom night is no different. Now more than ever, it’s vital to offer customers things that make them want to shop locally. For example, you can partner up with a local limo company and a popular restaurant to offer a prom package which will boost traffic for all of you, then promote this widely on social media.

With these tips, you’ll have a great Prom season and may just create some lifelong customers!