Sales Funnel for Floral Distributors and Wholesalers

A sales funnel is a marketing term encapsulating a customer’s journey, from being aware of a product all the way to making a purchase. While a sales funnel is associated with retailers, it’s not limited to them. It can also be helpful for floral wholesalers and distributors. This article will discuss sales funnels in the floral industry and how floral distributors and wholesalers can benefit from embracing this concept.

What Is a Sales Funnel?

A sales funnel is a step-by-step process of a buyer’s journey. From the very moment that someone hears about your product or service, they become part of the sales funnel. They pass through different stages, from the beginning to the moment of purchase.
Sales funnels help companies understand how potential customers navigate the purchasing journey and what they do at each step. By understanding this concept, floral wholesalers and distributors can learn how to invest in marketing to draw in prospects at every stage of the funnel. In doing so, they can convert leads into paying customers.

Sales Funnel for Floral Wholesalers and Distributors

Normally, this is how floral distributors and wholesalers deal with the leads and prospects:

1. A customer either comes in, or a cold call is placed.
2. After the sales rep makes the pitch, the prospect asks for more information.
3. A generic email is sent. If an e-catalog is available, this is also sent.
4. A faxable or emailable form with what it seems like about 100 questions are sent. This isn’t filled out for a very long time and the customer takes their time to return it.
5. Every once in a while, the sales rep calls a prospect until they sign and send the agreement. Sometimes, the sales representative gives up and moves on to the next low hanging fruit.
6. Once the sales rep receives it- then it is up to accounting to approve it. In some cases this can take up to 2 weeks and by then the customer has moved on.
7. If the prospect has signed up, the sales rep keeps calling them until they get an order. Alternatively, they send samples to customers.

This is a very long-winded process and isn’t known for the best results.

Improving the Floral Sales Funnel

The process mentioned above is time-consuming and ineffective. Floral wholesalers and distributors that rely on this outdated system and often miss out on sales because of it. However, this isn’t necessary. Floral businesses can make their sales funnels more effective with a new approach to its management. The entire process can be carried out in a more organized manner and can reap more rewards.

1. Customer Walk-Ins and Cold Calls

This step remains the same. Either the customer comes in for information, or sales representatives reach out to tell potential customers about their products and services. The first step in any sales funnel is awareness, and this is how the process begins.

2. Emails and Efficiency

Instead of sending a generic email, a formatted email is sent with Mailchimp or another automated marketing platform. The email can include DocuSign capabilities and make the entire process much more efficient. Floral distributors and wholesalers can also send forms via Google Forms so potential customers already have samples available to them when they sign the documents.

3. Sales Incentives and Strategies

If potential customers do not sign with you right away, you can add them to a weekly email list and offer incentives for them to do so. Strategizing, offering free delivery charges and special promotions for first-time signers and buyers is a great way to encourage customers to try out your products or services and get you the signed form. Create a process to stay in touch with your prospects and keep them connected to your brand.

4. Following Up and Familiarity

Following up with clients is extremely important. Thank you emails with pictures of salespeople can be a huge part of this. You can create a welcome care package or as basic as sending a welcome letter. The details are what matters.

5. Open Line of Communication with Customers

While outdated models end at the last step, evolved sales funnels don’t stop there. Once you have convinced customers to sign up, it’s integral to continue sending them emails and keeping an open line of communication. Offer valuable information to them via email. This can include product information, educational information, or business support. By offering value to your customers, you keep them coming back and relying on your business.

Improve Your Sales Funnel With Floral Industry Consultants

As a business owner, you’ll know the pain of missing sales. Floral wholesalers and distributors can go through pitches and send samples but may end up seeing the prospect giving up and exiting the sales funnel. With the right help and sales funnel management, you can avoid this. The floral industry consultants at New Bloom Solutions & Above All Flowers know the ins and outs of the industry and what good sales funnels entail. They can help you patch holes in your funnels and maximize efficiency by turning misses into sales.

Reach out to New Bloom Solutions’ floral industry consultants by scheduling an appointment here. Whether you’re a floral distributor or a wholesaler, we can help you improve your sales funnel and make your business bloom.