This is a sample. Juniper & Vale is a fictional business, and every detail in this plan is invented to show how a Flight Plan reads.
A Flight Plan for Juniper & Vale
A home goods shop with two locations in the Hudson Valley, New York, selling tableware, linens, candles and gifts from regional makers.
We met to talk about where Juniper & Vale wants to go and what is in the way. This plan sets out what we understood, what we recommend, what we will build, and how we will all know it is working.
01
The destination.
Juniper & Vale wants its online store to sell as well as its two shops, so the business is less dependent on visitors in season.
- An online store that sells steadily all year, beyond the holidays and summer weekends.
- One system for both shops and the website, so stock, customers and gift cards agree everywhere.
- Customers who first visit in person and keep buying online after they go home.
- A brand that feels the same at the counter, in the box and on a phone.
02
Where you are today.
A short read of each part of the business, from what you shared with us and what is public.
LeadershipThe Cockpit
TodayThe two owners run both shops and make every buying decision. The direction is clear to them, but it isn’t written down for the team.
NextA one-page statement of what Juniper & Vale is for, and the three priorities for the year, shared with both shops.
MarketingRight Engine
TodayCustomers find the shops by walking past or through friends. An email list exists, collected at the counter, and is sent to a few times a year.
NextA clear message that says why a customer should choose Juniper & Vale, then search and email built around it.
SalesLeft Engine
TodayMost sales happen in person. The website is an older template store with a slow checkout, and gift cards bought in one shop can’t be used online.
NextA Shopify store and point of sale in both shops, sharing one catalog, one customer list and one set of gift cards.
Products and servicesWings
TodayA strong range from regional makers, but only a fraction of it is online, and photos vary from product to product.
NextThe full range online with consistent photography, gift sets for the holidays, and a wedding and housewarming registry.
OperationsBody
TodayStock is counted by hand in each shop, and online orders are tracked in a spreadsheet.
NextLive stock across both shops and the website, with online orders picked from whichever shop has the item.
Cash flowFuel Tanks
TodaySales peak in summer and December, and buying for the holidays ties up cash in early autumn.
NextA year-round email calendar and online sales between peaks, to make the quieter months steadier.
03
The route.
Fix the foundation first, then grow on top of it. Each step makes the next one pay off.
- 1Say why customers should choose you.
Positioning and messaging first, so every page, box and email says the same thing.
- 2Put both shops and the website on one system.
Move the store to Shopify and install Shopify point of sale in both shops, before the next holiday rush.
- 3Bring visitors back after they leave.
Email flows that welcome, follow up and invite customers back, starting with the list you already have.
- 4Be found by people nearby.
Local search for both towns, with a page for each shop and up-to-date Google Business Profiles.
Not nowPaid advertising waits until the store and tracking are in place, so every ad can be measured against real sales.
04
What we will build.
Strategy and brand
- Positioning and messaging
- A refreshed identity for both shops and the website
- Packaging and gift-wrap design
- Brand guidelines for the team
Websites, stores and systems
- A new Shopify store, designed around how customers browse and give gifts
- The full catalog moved, with photos, variants and stock
- Customers, order history and gift cards carried across and checked
- Every old link redirected
- Shopify point of sale in both shops, with staff training
- A registry for weddings and housewarmings
Growth marketing
- Welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase email flows
- A monthly email calendar
- Local search for both locations
- Analytics and purchase tracking set up properly
05
The crew.
Specialists in every discipline the plan needs, led by one point of contact.
- Engagement lead
- Owns the plan, the priorities and the conversation with the owners.
- Brand strategist
- Positioning, messaging and the voice across shops, store and email.
- Designer
- Identity, packaging and the store’s design.
- Shopify developer
- The store build, the migration and point of sale.
- Email and search specialist
- Email flows, the monthly calendar and local search.
06
Milestones.
The order of the work. Dates are agreed together once the plan is approved.
- Kickoff
Access to the current store, the email list and the point-of-sale system. Goals and measures confirmed.
- Brand approved
Positioning, messaging and the refreshed identity, reviewed and signed off.
- Store and counters ready
The new store built and tested, point of sale installed, and staff trained in both shops.
- Launch
Final sync of products, customers and gift cards, the switch to Shopify, and redirects live.
- Growth begins
Email flows on, the first monthly campaign sent, and local search under way.
- First review
A look at the measures below, and the priorities for the next stage.
07
How we will measure success.
Agreed now, measured from the same sources each time, and reported in plain words.
| What we measure | From |
|---|---|
| Online sales, year round | Shopify |
| Share of total sales made online | Shopify |
| Repeat customers, in the shops and online | Shopify |
| Revenue from email | Email platform |
| Visits and calls from local search | Google Search Console and Google Business Profile |
| Gift cards and registries used across channels | Shopify |
08
Investment.
A fixed fee for the launch, covering brand, store, migration and point of sale. Then a monthly partnership for email, search and ongoing improvements.
A real Flight Plan states the investment for each part, agreed before any work begins.