Ah, Valentine's Day ... The romance, the excitement ... the tills ringing hot in florists, jewellers and restaurants.
While many rail against the increasing commercialisation of events such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Mothers' and Fathers' Days and Christmas, as a business operator it is about making the most of a period
of peak demand.
All businesses work around peak periods, ensuring they have the staff and the stock to meet the requirements of the their customers. If you sell cough and cold remedies, you will be stocking up for the winter period. If you are a garden centre or a hardware store, you will be advertising goods that fit with each season. If you trade in romance, you will be getting the roses, ear-rings and oysters in for February 14.
That all makes good commercial sense, but how do you capitalise on these opportunities without creating a consumer backlash?
Instead of constantly banging people over the head with "it's Fathers' Day, you need to get your dad an electric razor, a flat-screen television, power tools and the latest rugby autobiography" with the rest of the advertisers, somebody needs to come up with a more subtle, yet effective alternative. I know a number of florists who keep a database of people who buy floral arrangements for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries and Valentine's Day.
They are able to send helpful email or text reminders as these dates roll around each year - maybe even making a suggestion for a gift.
While this is still quite direct and blatant marketing, it is also about offering customers a service. For the forgetful souls who have trouble remembering important dates, it is a nudge to remind them that some sort of gift or act of appreciation is required.
For the shopophobics, it gives them the option of ordering online without having to face the stress of a shopping trip. For the indecisive, it gives them a suggestion that fits with the specifications provided the first time around, without the need for further dithering.
The florist makes the sale, the recipient gets their flowers and the gift giver gets the kudos - everybody wins.
However you go about capitalising on your seasonal demand peaks, here's hoping your business feels the love this Valentine's Day.
