The Flower Center shop had to find a way to build relationships with a challenging influx of new customers. “During that time, the biggest change for us was that we used to know every customer that walked in the door; many of them grew up here, and the community was very stable,” Beth explains. “But as new residents showed up, we had to rise to the occasion and try to develop those relationships from the beginning. Customer service was always important, but in this situation it became even more critical.” To instill a sense of community in the new arrivals, Beth and her co-workers put in extra effort and time to make them feel comfortable and get them talking. “People who have just moved are hoping to be welcomed into their new town,” she observes. “They’re looking for ways to be a part of the community. Luckily, our staff has a genuine desire to get to know people, so finding common ground comes eas-
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ily.” Plus, Butch is the oldest serving member of the town council, the town historian, president of the local Stone House Foundation and board member of the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation. So when it comes to educating new customers about the area, he’s a bottomless well of local history. Beth’s involvement in the PTA and Cub Scouts also adds to the neighborhood feel of the familyrun store. They’ve always found that customers respond to business owners who are not just friendly and polite but invested in their community.
Marketing then and now Back when there was only one traffic light in town, marketing was a completely different beast. There was no internet, so the only options available were radio, TV and print. Luckily for Butch, The Flower Center’s popularity grew by word of mouth, and marketing expenses were quite low. But things change. Over the past 37 years, The Flower Center
has used a combination of old and new marketing methods to keep up with the times and the growing community. While Butch occasionally paid for newspaper advertising back in the ’70s and ’80s, Beth currently barters with two local radio stations for holiday advertising. The Flower Center covers the station’s floral needs for all their annual events and special occasions in exchange for free advertising. So the shop saves money, still advertises—and has exposure at large, high-profile events. When it became clear the town was expanding due to relocations from Washington, D.C., the folks at The Flower Center created a “New Move” program. They invested in an outside vendor to create postcards for free flowers, sent to new residents as a welcome. While this brought in some new customers, they stopped the program because printing costs were lost on people who had moved only temporarily. Sometimes the old tried and true methods are the ones that keep the front door opening and the phone ringing. One program that has