Email Marketing That Builds Real Customer Connection
Full disclosure from the hosts: this one was recorded at 4:25 p.m. Eastern — "much closer to bedtime than wake-up time," as Lori puts it — with brain calories depleted and caffeine off the table. And yet the topic couldn't be more awake-worthy: email marketing, the tool Lori says a surprising number of florists don't use at all. She'd know — she runs ClickMail, Flower Clique's members-only email program, alongside Sherry and Ellie, which means she spends her days both writing florist emails and listening to feedback about what actually works. Vonda plays the just-getting-started florist and asks the questions every shop owner is thinking.
Why florists skip it — and why the data will lie to you
The reasons shops avoid email are real: it's a lot of work, nobody knows where to start, how to build a list, or even whether it's legal to email people. But Lori's first warning is for the shops that do start: if you're purely data-driven, you'll quit after the first month, depressed by the click-through numbers. Email marketing is about top-of-mind awareness, not clicks. Plenty of people read your subject line, register "oh, that's Vonda's flower shop," and keep scrolling — they don't hate you, they just don't need flowers today. Vonda admits she deletes ten emails every morning without unsubscribing, precisely because she wants those senders there when she's ready to buy.
Same goes for unsubscribes: don't obsess. Lori confesses she used to fixate on Flower Clique's dashboard in the early days — four unsubscribes in a week and she wanted to call each one. Her rule now: it's not about you. People clean out their inboxes in the off-season and resubscribe when the holidays roll around. Unsubscribe them, move on, let it go.
How often, and what to send
Outside of holiday season, once a week is plenty — every other week is fine if that's what you can sustain, and even once a month is better than nothing. Lori's starter recipe: a simple monthly newsletter with a consistent template, repeated over and over — highlights of what's going on, a flower of the month, reasons to send flowers that month. The non-negotiable is that every email answers one question: what do I want the reader to do with this? Order flowers, pre-order, see the new wedding gallery, or simply feel closer to your shop — pick one.
Content ideas from the conversation:
- Feature your community. Lori shouts out Jen Linehan of Beautiful Blooms by Jen near Toledo, whose emails about the town's Friday night Main Street events pull Lori in from Texas — "it reminds me of a Hallmark town." Cross-promote with local businesses and draw readers into your story.
- Share favorites and best sellers. "Designer favorites," "customer favorites," top-three best sellers — everyone wants to know what's popular, and best sellers are already on your website ready to be clicked.
- Educate lightly. Not an hour-long design video — quick care tips (don't park the vase by a heating vent this winter), or trending color combinations customers would never think to put together. That's what makes designers special; show it.
- Ask for input. Vonda opens surveys like Delta's "help shape your future onboard experience" every time — a flower shop version ("help us decide what's best for you") makes customers feel wanted.
Subject lines: write to one person, and don't fear urgency
Vonda's favorite rule: write to one person, not to your list. "Hey friend" instantly changes the tone. Lori and Ellie have kept a shared doc of favorite subject lines for years (pre-ChatGPT, these came from actual brains), and Lori's all-time champion is "We saw this and thought of you." She opens it every time — "even though I know it's a big fat lie. I believe the lie because I want to." The flip side: if what's inside doesn't match your taste twice in a row, people stop opening, so know your customers.
Urgency works more than we notice. Lori audited her own personal inbox live: of 59 unopened emails, 23 subject lines used urgency — "run, don't walk," "claim 70% off," "your exclusive invitation ends tomorrow." Tie your content to something timely — seasonal blooms for a limited time, approaching holidays, gift occasions, a behind-the-scenes story — and it drives action.
Consistency beats perfection
This is where even the Flower Clique team gets tripped up, and where perfectionist floral designers really struggle: the graphic doesn't need to match the vision in your head. If it's readable and typo-free, send it. A slightly messy worktable or a half-finished wreath actually feels authentic and builds the friendship — the same advice the hosts give for social media, just landing in a place you own. As Vonda's marketing "boyfriend" Pat says, you own your email list; you don't own your social following. Use social to collect addresses, then show up in the inbox.
One more lesson Lori changed this year: less text, more pictures. Customers are skimmers (Vonda proudly claims the crown). A short, human paragraph and beautiful product photos beat a wall of words — save long text for a genuinely heartfelt letter. And the final word from both hosts: just start. Pull the list from your point of sale (some POS systems email directly), or pick any email platform — some are free — and make yourself do it.
Key takeaways
- Email is a top-of-mind game, not a click-through game — and unsubscribes are inbox cleaning, not rejection.
- Weekly is plenty outside holidays; a consistent monthly newsletter is a legitimate starting point. Every email needs one clear purpose.
- Write to one person, not a list — and steal the champion subject line: "We saw this and thought of you."
- Educate lightly (care tips, color trends), feature best sellers, and lean into timely urgency.
- Consistency beats perfection: short text, great photos, send the thing. You own your email list — social is just where you find subscribers.