Sales & Customer Service

1. Sales & Customer Service

2. Marketing Terms • Marketing: all business activity undertaken to encourage the moving of goods from the grower or producer to the final consumer, including selling, advertising, promotions, and packaging. • Advertising: the presentation of a product, idea, or service for the purpose of inducing others to buy, support, or approve of it. • Media: collectively, channels of communication, either electronic or print, that serve mass or targeted audiences; e.g., newspapers, magazines, radio, television, etc.

3. Marketing Terms • Promotion: all advertising, publicity, and personal selling activities leading to the public recognition of a business and the generation of sales. • Publicity: collectively, acts or devices intended to attract public interest, especially information with news value. • Open house: a promotional effort intended to bring customers into a business establishment, often in advance of a major floral holiday, such as Christmas.

4. Marketing Terms • Loss leader: a promotional tool whereby a retail article is sold at a loss in order to attract customers. • Turnover: the number of times merchandise is sold and re-stocked for sale in a given time period.

5. Marketing Terms • Target market: a defined group of customers whom a retailer attempts to attract. • Niche market: a special area of demand for a product or service.

6. Marketing Terms • Circulation area: the geographic area where product is delivered and advertising is done, particularly with respect to printed media. • Demographics: the statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, income, gender, and education level that are used to develop targeted marketing efforts. • Psychographics: the behavioral and cultural characteristics of consumers, such as lifestyle, attitudes, values, and buying patterns, that influence purchasing habits.

7. Marketing Terms • Customer: one that purchases a commodity or service • Customer service: the manner in which a vendor accommodates the needs and demands of the customer or client, which may enhance the perceived value of a product or service. • Customer base: a group of individuals and commercial clients who regularly patronize a business

8. Types of Customers • Decided customer: has a definite floral need, may already know exactly what he or she wants to buy. • Undecided customer: has a floral need, but has not determined exactly what he or she wants. • Browser: may be looking for an idea or a bargain, not interested in pressure for a sale, may be a potential customer, hardest to sell to. 

9. Types of Customers • Foot traffic: collectively, the people who come into a retail store who may or may not make a purchase. • Walk-in: a colloquial term describing a customer who enters a business establishment, without an appointment, to make a purchase or place an order, rather than using the telephone or internet.

10. Selling Terms • Selling: the process of influencing a buying decision. • Impulse sale: an unplanned purchase. Such as a greeting card, etc. • Up-sell: to suggest or show to the customer one or more premium options rather than a less expensive choice. Up-selling may also encourage the sale of additional goods or services.

11. Telephone Etiquette • Confident, happy voice • Answer every call promptly • Friendly greeting • Include name of shop • Include name of person speaking • Offer assistance • “ Good Morning. Sally’s Flowers. Samantha speaking. How may I assist you?” • Aware of products and pricing • Obtain all information on order form—date, payment, delivery, items, etc. • Clarify name spelling • Clarify any items • Ask for questions • Thank customer • Invite further purchase • Let customer hang up first