FloraHolland: 5 consumer initiatives to increase sales
1. Consumer café for young people
The Consumer programme is currently conducting supplementary, qualitative consumer research into the cause of the drop in consumption. That is why they approached young people during the Trade Fair Aalsmeer in a specially organised consumer café. The information obtained there will lead to more research and innovation.
2. Social media platform
Specifically for the horticultural sector, Green World Media together with Cees Hoekstra, Consumer Programme Director, launched '247Green' at the Trade Fair Aalsmeer. It is a social media platform and community by and for the green sector, aimed at consumers who are interested in flowers and plants. 247Green goes live from the spring of 2016 for consumers. It is an example of an initiative aimed at consumers that FloraHolland warmly supports.
3. Concept store
Another example is the Preference concept store (which was located in Utrecht), in which consumers are actively involved in product and concept development. And Bloomon, a company that responds to consumers' wishes for ease and reduced burdens by delivering flowers to homes.
4. Hollands Best Flower Stylist
The TV programme Hollands Best Flower Stylist (sponsored by FloraHolland) also fits this theme. This programme is intended to bring flowers and the profession of flower stylist to the awareness of consumers. By introducing the item 'The bouquet of the week', the sales of flowers from florists was stimulated this year. No less than 500 florists participated in this action. A French version of the programme will appear in 2016 on TV1.
5. Happiness factor
At the Trade Fair Aalsmeer, lifecoach Spencer Heijnen tied his speech about the happiness factor of flowers & plants to three themes: health, well-being, and emotion. In the next few years these international themes will form the basis for the consumer programme action plan to get more people spending more on flowers and plants.
"Unique opportunity"
Cees Hoekstra of FloraHolland looks back enthusiastically on the event: "For us, the Trade Fair was a unique opportunity to talk to many growers and customers and to test our ideas and insights. FloraHolland House with its 'Home of Opportunities' clearly showed how we in FloraHolland work together with the entire sector to increase the amounts that consumers spend. All departments of FloraHolland are involved in this process, as it should be. There is still a lot of work to do. The goal is certainly ambitious, but we believe in the effect of the 'message' of flowers and plants as bringers of health and luck. Hopefully, it will result in increased consumer spending."
Source: FloraHolland