There is a distinct chill in the air as the nights start drawing in and the leaves turn colour and start to fall. For garden centres and other plant retailers, this means that the houseplant section is about to undergo a radical transformation, with beautiful poinsettias set to take centre stage in all their glory and diversity of colour, shape and size. Firm customer favourites year-in, year-out, poinsettias are just as popular for Christmas décor as they are for gifting, which means there are abundant of cross-selling opportunities for retailers who get their marketing messaging right.
The experts at Stars for Europe (SfE) are, as ever, keen to support retailers in any way possible as we head into the key trading period. A fantastic image library, bursting with the hottest festive trends, craft ideas, tree decorating tips, gift-wrapping, tablescaping and Advent inspiration will help you capture the hearts and imaginations of your customers this season. Discover opportunities for retailers.
Whether it’s recreating styles in store or offering workshops on wreath-making, winter bouquets or table centrepieces, SfE can support you with amazing imagery that will help you promote your shop and events through all your marketing channels, on or offline. Download marketing materials.
Use SfE’s free downloadable tools
Retailers are invited to visit SfE’s dedicated trade website, www.sfe-trade.com, where you can access free retail-specific downloads from the resources section, including helpful care icons and posters for encouraging your staff to give proper care in-store. You can also download a readymade newsletter full of poinsettia care tips and email it out to your customer database. There are also poinsettia videos and graphics you can use on your social media channels that will help educate your customers and ensure they get the best out of their poinsettias. SfE also offers free, downloadable point-of-sale materials such as care flyers, ready for printing and distributing to customers in-store.
Keep the Door Closed!
Poinsettias have specific requirements in order to thrive during cold British winters. Bear in mind that these stunning plants are natives of central America and they hate cold weather. This means you need to think about how you display them and ensure they’re well out of draughty entrances, open windows or outdoor areas. With seasonal plants it’s tempting to display them where they will be the first thing customers see when they open the door, but poinsettias should be the exception to this rule. They should be kept at a temperatures of no less than 15°C.
Specialist garden centres and other plant sellers do have a big advantage over supermarkets when it comes to plant care and your customers will appreciate the plant care advice you can give them. You should always ensure that plants are well-wrapped in layers of paper before letting customers take them outside, especially as we get closer to Christmas and winter starts setting in. In sub-zero temperatures you should wrap the pot as well to protect sensitive roots and remind customers to keep their plants protected if they’re going to be transported outside to be given as gifts. Advise customers to place their plants in a warm, bright position when they get them home.
Help for new Houseplant Parents
Remember as well that many people who buy poinsettias for Christmas, whether as gifts or home décor, may not be houseplant experts. For some customers a poinsettia will be the only plant they own. It is worth advising them on how to water poinsettias, which can tolerate slight dryness more than being waterlogged, which they won’t survive. They can be watered from above, below or by immersion, preferably with room temperature water.
Mini poinsettias are extremely popular, thanks to their charming appearance and low price points, but the do present greater care challenges. As they tend to come in tiny pots, keeping them alive into New Year can be a challenge that requires more care. Let your customers know that for the best chance of longer-term survival they should be repotted so there is more soil volume and available moisture/nutrients. Cactus compost is perfect for the job because it allows excess water to drain away easily.
If in doubt, check the SfE trade website to ensure you’re passing on the correct advice to your customers. Download care materials.
