In the first of a special four-part series for wholesalers, leading Dutch retail florist and florist trainer Ton Verzijl explores marketing's 4 Key P's: product, price, place & promotion. This month: products.
"While it's true that retailers' ordering their flowers online is a growing challenge for traditional wholesalers, there's just no replacing the 'real thing' of seeing, touching and smelling 'live' fresh flowers at your local wholesalers! And there never will be. But to capitalize on this 'added-value', wholesalers must continuously take fresh looks at their businesses through the eyes of the retail florists who've come to buy their products."
Retail mentality
"So wholesalers must also have a retailer's mentality. What do I, a retail florist, want to see at my wholesalers? The same that my customers want to see in my flower shop. Fresh, beautiful flowers presented in inspiring bouquets and arrangements that say, "Hey, look at what you can do with this stunning flower variety!' Retailers and wholesalers both constantly need great new sales ideas. Surrounded by thousands of wholesale flowers, I want to see for instance a small sign saying, 'This is New!', next to the new flowers just in."
One-stop-shopping
"One of my favorite wholesalers in Holland has created a great 'one-stop-shopping' place for retailers. This wholesaler knows that we retailers have decided not to order our flowers online today. Instead, we battled through traffic to come to his place in person. And he also knows we really don't want to drive someplace else again, so he offers us flowers and more: design extras, wrapping paper, promotional materials… and even great product-specific extras. Like, for example, if he has long-stem tulips in stock, then he'll also have a good selection of long-stem flower vases to sell with them."
Impulse buying
"In terms of product presentation, some of the best wholesale establishments I've visited around the world don't look all that much different from retail flower shops. Just like retailers, these wholesalers offered weekly and seasonal themes, like 'Tulip Time', and special offers. And to keep their product selections enticing to buy at all times, these wholesalers employed a floral professional to create and present beautiful and inspiring floral arrangements. Always remember, impulse buying is a proven sales fact: customers often decide what to buy at the last moment, inspired by the great products they see presented before them!"
Spotlight
"Wholesalers who merely shift flower buckets and boxes will find it increasingly difficult to compete in this, our online flower ordering age. The time is now for wholesalers to put the spotlight - literally and figuratively - on all the wonderful floral products they have in stock for us retailers to see, smell and touch! After all, this is a big reason why we retailers have switched off our computers and gone to our wholesalers in person to buy our flowers!"
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