Storytelling for Retail Sales
I needed to split the previous post in half to make it fit on the Instagram feed, and it seemed logical to segment off these solutions for storytelling for retail sales.
It’s only natural that when tasked with developing content for social media, we might look to share/do whatever is right in front of us. -Like me cleaning these tulips and chatting with you. We see people do this sort of thing all the time. We see many of the people in our industry that we admire do it. It’s easy to think that the way to make our businesses grow is to emulate what they’re showing/doing. The trouble is— that content probably isn’t going to help us sell the products we’re nurturing and it might even have a negative affect, even if it gets more likes and views. See the previous post for some more context and a situation we’ve experienced recently.
So- what should you show if you’re hoping to sell more flowers? The flowers— in every beautiful way possible. Get those professional photos as recommended (see the post about booking a pro photographer).
Show flowers:
displayed in your home or other beautiful settings. Turn this content into a reel by making an arrangement and setting it into a scene.
show the “before and after” of flowers in a space. If you want people to realize that flowers change a room, show them that. with side by side photos or video.
Show a time lapse of a flower opening — the experience you’re providing to customers.
Show professional images of your design work. No weddings on your resume yet? Make a centerpiece, a bridal bouquet, a boutonniere and have a pro photographer shoot them for you. Put those on your social media accounts.
Make a beautiful wreath as a time lapse — not to show “how” to make it to other farmers - but to show your target customer HOW BEAUTIFUL the end result is. Hang it on the door of a house so people can see how it changes the presentation of a home.
Show the beautiful flowers in your garden and field when they bloom, but skip the dirty fingernail shot and avoid the gross pess damage footage.
When offering storytelling about processes, like a “seed to vase” video— start and end with the product you are selling. Begin with shots of the flowers blooming if you have them from last season, show the process very quickly through a time lapse or sequence of photos that doesn’t last long and won’t turn a flower buyer away and end with a longer view of the finished product again. Don’t “teach the process” at length to your flower buyer. That’s your job, not theirs. Show them enough to help them understand the value of your product, your expertise, and professionalism. If I look up those restaurant specials, I’m not sticking around for a video of him butchering the chicken. The plating of the dish and how it’s garnished are much more appetizing.
All of these kinds of ideas become easier to evaluate when you identify for yourself and your business WHO your target audience is and WHAT you are selling to them. Then, go back to your motto: which three words should people ALWAYS SEE/FEEL when they interact with your brand? Are you demonstrating those when you post? Do you have a product for sale RIGHT NOW that is relevant to what you are sharing?