Monday 16 September 2013

Profile of an Ideal Florist Customer

I am part of a couple of marketing groups at the local level.

I'm the co-organizer of the Victoria Marketing Meetup Group and also an active member of the Top 100 Victoria Referral Group on LinkedIn.

Someone at one of the groups asked me the other day of what our "ideal customer" would look like.

What a great question!

I've never really thought of it.

There have been a number of fantastic customers that have been very kind to Simon Says Roses over the years, but one client in particular comes to mind.

She is a realtor of higher end properties in the GTA, and loves to send Toronto gourmet food baskets to her customers. She also sends gourmet baskets in Germany to her family as well.  Every year since 2005, she orders 10-12 of these baskets, each for $100 plus.



Meat & cheese basket
Meaty cheesy gourmet food basket

But it's not the money (hey, we're not complaining).

It's the conversation. Once the order details have been taken, we take the time to chat. It's only for 5 or 10 minutes, but it's a time I think we both look forward to.

Because we've made a connection.

We've built a relationship.

We've never met in person, but I feel that we've known each other for years.

She could easily Google the 150 plus florists in the Greater Toronto area to find a shop "close by" to her delivery address, but she doesn't.

She prefers to deal with me.

This customer has forced me to remember the reason why I love this business. It's not just the product whether it's a flower arrangement, plant basket, or fruit or gourmet basket. It's not the price, as you can always find cheap flowers if you look hard enough. It's not even necessarily the customer service with emailing back & forth with Order Confirmations, Delivery Confirmations, our feedback survey, or answering customer inquiries.

It's the connection (written or voice) over a long period of time that our customers depend on.

Like an old dog, our customers rely on us. They become part of our extended family. We depend on each other.

That's what makes business enjoyable...and I certainly don't forget it!

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