floriology
DESCRIPTION
November 2009TRANSCRIPT
floriologyN o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9
E X P R E S S I O N S O F F L O W E R S
ON THE EDGEONE AWARDWINNING FLORIST'S ARRANGEMENT SECRETS
MARKETING MATTERSA GENERATIONAL STUDY SHOWS BUYING PRACTICES
NEIGHBORHOODCORNERTEACHING KIDS ABOUT FLOWERS AND FINDING SALES
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TABLE OF CONTENTSN O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9
Mark Nance, AAFPresident, BloomNet
PUBLISH ER
BloomNet, Inc.www.MyBloomNet.net
(866) 256-6663
MANAGING EDITOR
Lisa Carmichael
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Fred RussellJohn Parkinson
ART DIRECTOR
Shane Hickey
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mike Pucci
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Lydia TothTed MarloweJerry Rosalia
floriology is published monthly byBloomNet, Inc.
Printed in the United States, Copy-right 2009. All rights reserved. Nomaterial contained herein may bereproduced without the consent ofthe publisher or editor. Permissionto reproduce portions of this publi-cation should be obtained throughBloomNet, Inc. Publications.
All statements are those of the per-son making the statement or claim.The publisher does not adopt anystatement or claim as its own andany statement or claim does notnecessarily reflect the opinion of thepublisher.
Although published material is in-tended to be accurate, neither flori-ology nor any other party will assumeliability for loss or damage as a resultof reliance on this material.
Opinions expressed are not neces-sarily those of BloomNet, Inc.
Annual Subscription Rate is $71.88(plus applicable tax) in U.S. andCanada.
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4 Floral NewsSylvia Cup winner; NAFA’s 2009 annual meeting.
5 By the StatsSomething to be cheery about this holiday season?
6 Out and About Photos highlights from SAF’s conference and NAFA’s meeting.
7 Tech TalkWhy connecting with moms through social networking is so important.
8 Design Center: On the EdgeA look at one design competition, and how its winner is using hisaward-winning design to attract customers.
10 Owner’s CornerJo Buttram, AAF, of Shirley’s Flowers in Rogers, Ark., creates a family atmosphere and shares secrets for success and growth of her business.
12 Design Center: Back-to-Basics Mary Linda Horn AAF, AIFD, OCF, PFCI brings simplicity yet wideranging appeal to a design.
14 Marketing MattersReaching all generation’s of buyers; and improving inwire business.
16 Neighborhood CornerA florist is teaching kids about flowers and bringing in new sales.
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As the holidays draw near, the verygood news is that the economy is fi-nally starting to show signs of im-
provement. Adding toour optimism, we’vefound in speaking withBloomNet florists that al-though the recession hasbeen challenging, it haspresented opportunitiesthat could help maximizetheir profits.
Many of those oppor-tunities are embedded ina business axiom that
should be part of every florist’s think-ing: become smarter in your procure-ment practices with vendors. Now’s theperfect time to evaluate your purchas-ing of both hard goods and fresh floralto be sure you’re getting the bestprices, the highest quality, flexiblebilling options, and the most value.
Also, examine your cost of goodssold, your facilities expenses and howmuch you’re spending on labor—theseare three keys to managing your bot-tom line. Another way to lower costs isto reinforce among your staff the im-portance of best practices in care andhandling, so be sure to read the articleabout the topic in this issue of floriol-ogy. And with the holidays rightaround the corner, it’s time to leveragethose recipient addresses from inwireorders and use them in your marketingefforts. If you have any innovativeideas about implementing smarterbusiness approaches, please passthem on to us so we can publish themin a future issue.
Mark Nance, AAFPresident
❋I read your article on social networking in the last issue of floriology andfind the whole topic fascinating. I’m anxious to learn more about how I cantake advantage of Twitter and Facebook. One thing for sure is I know if Idon’t do anything, I will be missing the boat. The industry is missing a pub-lication like floriology that can bring florists together in a forum that candiscuss relevant topics like this one.
LARRY NOVAK ~ Novak’s Flower Shoppe, Maple Heights, OH
❋I am trying to evaluate what my shop’s involvement will be in the new socialnetworking arena. I have investigated Facebook, Twitter, and other socialoutlets, and my gut tells me at this stage it is not worth the investment ofour time to manage the constant updates to keep up with this newmedium. I think we are better positioned to tackle other revenue opportuni-ties than this new technology.
WALT ENGEL ~ Broyles Florist, Johnson City, Tenn
❋Despite the economy, the flower industry has been consistently projecting anupward trend, and hopefully it will help keep us in business. One of the majorreasons behind this is the contribution of the internet, an avenue throughwhich this industry can continue to grow and blossom with relatively low over-head cost. Two newer online tools are Twitter and Facebook; both fantasticproducts. They are completely free, easy to use, and vendors can communi-cate quickly and efficiently to an expanding network. People are jumping onthe social media bandwagon for their every day personal communication aswell as business use. With 301 million users of social media, there is a possi-bility of a negative effect on the way people will use email (even e-mail mar-keting). However, the reality is that e-mail is used by 279 million users.
ALI ARBABI ~ Rose Cart of Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale, Calif.
Challenging TimesDemandSmarter Approaches
● VETERANS DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .November 11
● REMEMBRANCE DAY (Canada) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .November 11
● THANKSGIVING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .November 26
● HANUKKAH BEGINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 11
● CHRISTMAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 25
● BOXING DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 26
● KWANZAA BEGINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .December 26
Visit www.MyBloomNet.net to find industry links and floral trade shows and event dates!
READER FEEDBACK
SOCIAL NETWORKING–WHAT TO DO
DATES TO REMEMBER
UP FRONT
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Cindy Anderson, AIFD, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was namedthe winner of the 42nd Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition atSAF Phoenix 2009. Anderson received the coveted Sylvia Cup, anengraved silver champagne bucket, along with a $2,500prize provided by Smithers-Oasis and complimentaryregistration to SAF Orlando 2010.
“Her mechanics and attention to detail are im-peccable,” says Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, PFCI,CAFA, MCF, of Blooms By....JRDesigns in Fern-dale, Mich.
Two honorable mention winners each re-ceived a $250 prize, provided by Smithers-Oasis,an award plaque, and recognition during theawards presentation. The honorable mention winnerswere Cathy Grim, AIFD, of Inglis Florists in Tucson, Ariz.,and Tonja VanderVeen, AIFD, MCF, of Designing Dreams, LLC, inGrand Rapids, Mich.
Coordinated by SAF’s Professional Floral Communicators-Inter-national (PFCI) and sponsored by Rio Grande from Rio Roses, theSylvia Cup Design Competition testedthe skills of 24 top designers this year.Among them were winners of state, re-gional, and international floral industrydesign contests, serial design competi-tors, designers of the year and mem-bers of the prestigious AmericanInstitute of Floral Designers (AIFD).
Contestants were allotted two hours and worked with the sameproduct assortment. Their surprise task was to create three pieces:a prom floral necklace, a bridal bouquet in the Oasis Luxe BouquetHolder, and a sympathy easel tribute for someone who had a pas-sion for roses. Each design was judged based on interpretation ofthe theme, principles and elements of design, and mechanics.
NAFA ANNUAL MEETINGThe National Alliance of Floral Associations
(NAFA) met in Rogers, Ark., for its annual meeting
held from October 3-5. The meeting agenda in-
cluded discussions on the National Certified Florist
(CF) program; working with funeral directors to
help combat the “in lieu of flowers” sentiment;
what is an order gatherer and what is the associa-
tion’s responsibility concerning them. The state of
the overall industry was also discussed along with
membership campaigns, conferences, and con-
sumer awareness efforts. Randy Mayes, an execu-
tive success coach, presented a seminar entitled
Natural Leadership: Living Life With a Purpose.
Rod Crittenden, executive vice president of the
Michigan Floral Association was elected to serve as
the NAFA treasurer/secretary. Duval “Butch” John-
ston, executive director of the Ozark Floral Associ-
ation was elected to serve as the NAFA vice
president and Dianna Doss Nordman AAF, execu-
tive director of the Texas State Florists’ Association
was elected to serve as NAFA president. All direc-
tors serve for a two-year term.
The 2010 meeting will be hosted
by the Ohio Florists’ Association
(OFA) in Columbus, Ohio and
is scheduled for October 2-4.
Any state, multi-state, or na-
tional non-profit floral as-
sociation is eligible to
apply for membership. In-
terested parties can visit the
NAFA website at
www.nafainfo.org.
AWARDS
CINDY ANDERSON, AIFD, TAKES TOP HONOR IN THE SYLVIA CUP
Last September, BloomNet and 1-800-Flowers.com partnered with Cancer-Care®, a non-profit organization, in the sixth annual Cupcakes for a Cause cam-paign. Over 6,000 virtual cupcakes were sent via cupcakesforacause.org resulting inan additional $5,000 donation to CancerCare.
1-800-Flowers.com was able to reach its goal of over 6,000 Facebook Fans,and as a result of hitting this mark, an incremental $2,000 was donated to Can-cerCare. There was a 36% month over month increase in florist-designed cup-cake products with 17,731 white and 90,054 green/orange products sold.
Interested in submitting a
story idea for an upcoming
issue? Contact floriology at
FLORAL NEWS
CUPCAKES FOR A CAUSE
THE RESULTS ARE IN
While it’s hard to forget the gloomy 2008 holiday selling season, things may be looking up for the 2009 holiday period. Ofcourse, like many aspects of life, that depends on whom you ask.Here are a few statistics to consider:
● The International Council of ShoppingCenters (ICSC) expects that retailerswill see a 1% increase in sales in November and December, 2009.
● If January 2010 is factored in, retailsales may rise 1.5%, signifying theirbest performance in three years (lastyear, sales dropped 5.8% during theNovember and December periodand declined 5.4% when January wasincluded in the data).
● The National Retail Federation (NRF)was reporting (as of the printing ofthis issue of floriology) that holidaysales are forecasted to be down 1%for this year.
THE GOOD NEWSConsumer confidence is trending back up, foreshadowing whatcould be a substantial increase in shopping activity (see chart). U.S.average weekly earnings have risen as well, potentially freeing upmore disposable income for consumers. At the same time, initialjobless claims have declined, further suggesting that the recession,which actually began way back during the 2007 holiday season,may be moving toward its end.
Consider this quote from Michael Niemira, chief economist forICSC. “Retailers will experience their first non-recession holidayseason in three years, and economic growth is fundamentally onthe mend, even though there will be lingering pockets of weak-ness. The wear and tear of the recession and financial crisis on theconsumer psyche [are] slowly giving way to renewed hope, opti-mism and most likely gift buying.”
THE SORT-OF-GOOD NEWSWith all these many months of a recessionary economy now
under their belts, most florists have become more adept at deal-ing with bottom-line issues related to their businesses. For in-stance, many are focusing on the amount of inventory they’rekeeping on their shelves, coolers, or on pre-book. This focuscould be instrumental in helping them paint a brighter profit pic-ture during the 2009 holiday season. “The recession and record-high unemployment have led retailers across the board to lowerinventory,” continues Niemira. “Which likely means they won’thave to offer the steep profit-eroding discounts of last holidayseason in response to a sharp fall-off in demand.”
Florists are also seeking quality (and the value associated withit) perhaps more than ever before. Even though it appears that
consumers will spend more freely overthe next several months, they’ll proba-bly command plenty of bang for theirbuck – and that translates to value. Ina nutshell, today’s “new consumer”certainly appears ready and willing toreach into their pockets if they’re buy-ing something they truly perceive asworth the money.
THE STILL-SOBERING NEWSOctober is typically among the peakmonths of the year for retail sales,however with the NRF stating that fig-ures look to be down nearly 20% forOctober ’09, the bounce-back in the
economy has clearly not yet hit whateveryone hopes will soon be full stride. What’s more, Valentine’sDay falls on a Sunday in 2010, which will present its own chal-lenges for florists. (Editor’s note: We’d like to know how you’replanning to address the possible challenges associated with aSunday Valentine’s Day. Will your shop be open? Please let usknow by sending an email: [email protected])
SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?Simply put, the 2009 season could bring some holiday cheer tosavvy retail florists who know their customers’ needs and canoffer a diverse array of quality gifts at attractive prices. Market-place competition has also been thinned at least to some degreebecause of the recession, providing an opportunity for florists totarget and obtain new customers who may be looking for newfloral gifting sources. And finally, it’s a time for innovation to takecenter staging—in the way displays are set up, in the holiday-themed decorations adorning a floral shop, and in the productscustomers can choose from.
AS THE HOLIDAY SEASON RINGS IN, QUESTIONS REMAINABOUT THIS YEAR’S RETAILSALES OUTLOOK
Something toCheer About?
by Mike Pucci
BY THE STATS
by Mike Pucci
BY THE STATS
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SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP MAR SEP00 01 01 02 02 03 03 04 04 05 05 06 06 07 07 08 08 09 09
1401301201101009080706050403020
Courtesy of The Conference Board
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
OUT AND ABOUT B L O O M N E T TA K E S T O T H E R O A D
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Dr. Jennifer Scott gave a presentationtitled, “Age tells All,” at the Bloom-Net-sponsored marketing breakfastat the 2009 SAF convention.
Sylvia Cup Winner Cindy Anderson, AIFD, (left), and
honorable mention winnersCathy Grim, AIFD, (center)
and Tonja VanderVeen, AIFD
BloomNet florist Connie LeBlanc of Hearts Desire Florist in Houma, La. participated in the Sylvia Cup Competition.
Mark Nance, president of BloomNetpresents an appreciative plaque to Dr.Scott for her participation at the 2009SAF convention.
2009 NAFA conference attendees are from left to right in the back row: Bob Heffer-nan Connecticut Floral Association, Mike Gardner WesTexas New Mexico FloralAssociation, Jack Weatherford, Texas State Florists’ Association, Mike Rome,Louisiana State Florists Association, Jan Brush, WesTexas New Mexico Floral Associ-ation, Duval “Butch” Johnston, Ozark Floral Association, Jo Buttram, ArkansasFlorists Association, Gaylyn Wattman, Oklahoma Florists’ Association, Bill Plum-mer, Arkansas Florists Association, Pat Phillips, Ozark Floral Association. In thefront row from left to right: Kym Erickson, Minnesota State Florists Association,Denise Capelli, Floral Association of the Rockies, Nellie Davis, Oklahoma Florists’Association, Rod Crittenden, Michigan Floral Association, Jody Brown-Spivey, OhioFlorists’ Association, Alice Waterous, Michigan Floral Association and Dianna DossNordman, Texas State Florists’ Association.
2009 AAF and PFCI Inducteestoast their achievement. Inductees
included: Janet Black, AAF, AIFD, PFCI,MMFD, Robert De Bellis, AIFD, PFCI, .
Michael Derouin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI,CAFA., Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI,Heather Kerr Mandy Majerik, AIFD, PFCI,.
CARE & HANDLING
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by Mike Pucciby Gay Smith
TECH TALK
According to a new Retail Advertising andMarketing Associationsurvey conducted by BI-Gresearch, women withchildren at home are
more likely to use Face-book (60.3%), MySpace
(42.4%) and Twitter (16.5%)than average adults (50.2%, 34.4%
and 15.0%, respectively). For retailflorists, this trend is a vital one—under-scoring the need to pay attention tohow important a mom shopper can beand the role that social networking canplay in her shopping choices.
Call it maternal instinct, but the factis that nearly all moms say their pur-chasing behavior is influenced by theopinions of their friends. Indeed, theBIGresearch survey found that nineout of 10 mothers, “regularly or occa-sionally seek the advice of others be-fore buying a service or product.” Andthat advice is increasingly beingshared via social media. Social siteslike Facebook make it fast and fun formoms to correspond with each other,and certainly that correspondence willat times involve word-of-mouth recom-mendations about where to buy flow-ers. To sum it up, florists need toembrace social media as a powerfulforce in capturing the business of ayoung mom. After all, she could be acustomer for a long time—both nowand later when her kids are ready forproms and weddings.
Mom’sthe Word
Knowing the proper temperature and understanding which holiday foliageand berries are ethylene sensitive are paramount considerations during this busytime of year. No one wants to lose product due to a storage mistake. All prod-ucts should be stored in cooler temperatures, somewhere between 33-35 de-grees; good airflow is important; store bundles on pallets, not directly on thefloor as any foliage will produce ethylene if there is botrytis (fungal disease) inbunches; and cool bundles before covering with plastic to avoid botrytis.
HIGH ETHYLENE PRODUCERS Redwoods and douglas firs are big ethylene producers so store them awayfrom flowers. Juniper is very ethylene sensitive and produces ethylene ifthere is any botrytis inside the bunches. Holly and mistletoe are very ethyl-ene and temperature sensitive, and require STS or Ethylbloc from growers.For holly, handle it like a fresh cut, and use an anti-transpirant on arrival.Vase life is improved if holly is stored between 33-34 degrees. Temperatureshigher than 35 degrees start a rapid deterioration and avoid ethylene sourceslike cigar smoke, exhaust, dirty water, fruits, rotting greens, or flowers. Anothertip is to avoid black berries. Berries turn black when exposed to ethylene orfreezing temperatures. If Holly turns black, it may be infected with a fungal dis-ease. Throw out infected stems to avoid spreading the contamination.
MODERATE ETHYLENE PRODUCERS These products are alright to store with flowers aslong as the temperature remains 33-35 degrees. Bal-sam firs produce low to moderate levels of ethylene,but not enough to damage flowers. Red, scotch, andwhite pines also produce low to moderate amountsof ethylene.
LOW AND NON ETHYLENE PRODUCERSNoble firs, incense cedar, port orford cedar, andconed red cedar are low ethylene producers and can be stored with flowers. Nor-way spruces and hemlock do not produce or are affected by ethylene—unlessthey are infected with fungi. Cool the foliage bundles first and then cover withplastic to avoid problems. Boxwood and huckleberry are not sensitive to ethyl-
ene and do not produce it—unless huckleberry has rot inside thebunches. Eucalyptus does not produce ethylene and
is not sensitive unless the bunches are warm andwater-stressed. Water stress causes it to producehuge amounts of ethylene; therefore, florists must
keep it hydrated, and should be processed in Profes-sional #1. Eucalyptus doesn’t need or like sugar. Tis’ the season to be busy, and by taking the proper precau-tions florists can help preserve and elongate the life ofthe foliage.
Handling ChristmasFoliages & Berries
THROUGH SOCIALMEDIA, MOTHERSARE SPREADINGTHE NEWS
Did you know? The USDA attributes about 30% of shrinkage to ethylene.
CCompetition can be good for florists, at least whenit comes to participating in design contests. The Na-tional Alliance of Floral Associations (NAFA) recentlyawarded its National Designer of the Year atits annual meeting. The first place winnerreceived $1,000 and a silver cup trophy.
Along with the prizes and the peeraccolades, the winning designer re-ceives some additional benefits.That is why floriology decided tospeak with Rod Crittenden, NAFA’streasurer and secretary, and vicepresident of the Michigan Floral Asso-ciation, to find out more about the com-petition’s criteria as well as some of thewinning benefits.
The individual states in NAFA qualify their ownrepresentatives. For his state, Michigan, Crittendenexplains that there are three separate divisions fordesign competitions: student, professional, and theacademy—with that last division being the best ofthe best grouping. The winner of the academy divi-sion will then represent the state at NAFA.At the NAFA competition, designers have three dif-ferent categories: surprise package (designer’s
choice), bridal, and sympathy. Designs are judgedin 10 categories with a point system being used. Apossible 100 points can be awarded to each design
by each judge. The overall winner is se-lected by having the highest number of
total points. Crittenden enjoys seeingthe florists’ creativity and artistryand jokes he was “glad he didn’thave to judge the competition.”Whereas most of the time, floristsare at their shops working away,
one of the ancillary benefits at thecompetition is to step out and see
what peers are doing. “The designersnot only get a chance to see the designs
that they each make, they might learn helpful tipsand secrets that they didn’t know before,” explainsCrittenden. “Not only is it a competition, it is anawesome learning experience.”
For winners, it’s an opportunity to market theirshop, according to Crittenden. “Designers can goback to their communities and say that they havebeen chosen to be the best of the best in the de-sign field.” To see images from the NAFA competi-tion, go to www.facebook.com/bloomnet.net.
ROD CRITTENDEN
Titles:
NAFA TREASURER/SECRETARY
VICE PRESIDENTMICHIGAN FLORAL
ASSOCIATION
TALKING WITH NAFA’S ROD CRITTENDEN
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The association’s treasurer and secretary discusses the importance of designers participating in floral competitions
DESIGN CENTER O N T H E E D G E
Certified Floral Designer Updateof 116 candidates who participated in the American Institute of Floral Designers’ (AIFD) Accreditation
Evaluation Session (AES) in Kansas City, were successful in their quest to become AIFD Accredited. In
addition, 69 out of the remaining 70 candidates who participated scored high enough to receive the Cer-
tified Floral Designer (CFD) designation, AIFD’s newest designation program.
The candidates who were successful in their achieving scores high enough to receive the AIFD desig-
nation will be invited to be inducted as members of AIFD during it’s 2010 Symposium. “To receive the AIFD accredita-
tion is a very prestigious honor awarded only to those who are able to achieve a successful AES evaluation and who
have indicated their desire to help promote the art of professional floral design,” notes the institute’s past president
Walter Fedyshyn, AIFD, of Anthony Gowder Designs in Chicago. AIFD has created a customizable press release an-
nouncing designers CFD designation that can be sent to their local media. For more information, visit www.aifd.org or
phone (410) 752-3318.
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Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, MCF, PFCI, won the 2009 NAFADesigner of the Year. Jerome likens the design competition towhat he does everyday at the shop—creating a unique arrange-ment for his customers, or in this case, judges, usingwhatever products he has on hand. During the com-petition, designers were given the same productsand asked to create three arrangements: surprisepackage, bridal, and sympathy.
For the sympathy design, Jerome placed gladiolasand bells of Ireland for a long strong line, and forfocal points, he incorporated hydrangeas and roses.With the roses, he performed a re-flexing technique, whichopened them up. Jerome believes you can use fewer productsand still create an impact. “By creating strong lines and an intensefocal area, you don’t need to use a lot of product; therefore, youcan make the design very-cost effective.” He also believes thistype of arrangement provides a real opportunity to reverse a
trend that has hurt thissegment of the floral in-dustry. As visitation times atfunerals have been reduced,there has been a drop off in the number of sympathy arrange-ments being sold. To counter this, Jerome has gotten away fromthe idea that flowers should only be sent to the funeral homeand seen during the visitation. “For anyone who has had a lossin their life, I think they would attest that it means so much to receive an arrangement to their home or their office even if it is a week, two weeks, or a month after they have had a death
in their family.” There is a movement to make sym-
pathy arrangements reflective piecescelebrating peoples’ lives not theirpassing. As the emphasis of thisarrangement has changed, so shouldthe name notes Jerome. He uses theterm “remembrance” arrangements
and markets them as such. Jerome has two shops, teaches, andtravels all over the U.S. meeting other florists. In winning thisyear’s award, he appreciates the honor and sees it as a validationof his efforts. “From a personal standpoint, it’s a wonderfulachievement and humbling to know that my designs were cho-sen as the best of the best.”
A Florist’sWinningSympathyArrangementNAFA DESIGNER OF THE YEARJEROME RASKA DISCUSSES HISSYMPATHY ARRANGEMENTFROM THE CONTEST AND WHATIT MEANS TO WIN THE AWARD
Designer
JEROME RASKA, AAF,AIFD, CAFA, MCF, PFCI
Shop:
BLUMZ BY JR DESIGNS
Locations:
DETROIT AND FERNDALE, MI
He uses the term
“remembrance” arrangements and
markets them as such.
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ers. But this last year we noticed a shift in sales. While the number of orders washolding, the average ticket value was not. Our customers were still spending, butthey were not willing to give as much of their wallet share. We started an in-depth analysis of our expenses, looking hard at Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) andpayroll expenses. We made sure everyone was watching the bottom line, payingcloser attention to shrinkage and “stuffing” arrangements. We performed aweekly review of fresh floral purchases vs. sales (including events) to make sureexpenses were less than 30% of sales. We changed our buying habits and even stopped placing fresh floral pre-books if the sales did not support the recurring expense. While the initial impact of the changing economy was veryscary, it became clear that our intense review of expenses and cost cutting measures was working. Plus, it helped us become better managers and operatemore efficiently.
● DISCUSS PARTICULAR BUSINESS STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEENSUCCESSFUL. Even though the economy forced us to cost costs, we felt weneeded to market ourselves aggressively and be in front of our customers nowmore than ever. We’ve seen positive results from networking within our commu-nity and with business and charitable organizations. It’s helped increase our wed-ding and events business and bring new customers into the shop. One of themost surprising discoveries has been social media—it’s been absolutely amaz-ing! By focusing and building up our Website and Facebook pages, we’ve beenable to connect with brides and capture their interest at exactly the right time.
● WHAT GOALS HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED, AND WHAT WOULD YOUSTILL LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH? Opening our second store was a tremendous ac-complishment as it allowed us to grow our sales and capacity. To help build goalsfor our design staff we encourage their participation in floral design competi-tions. It helps designers learn new ideas and techniques and it increases theirconfidence. Plus, it impresses our customers to see we have an award-winningdesigner on staff! But I think the most important goal we have is to always pro-vide a family environment for our staff and to be exceptional in our business. Wehave to admit, we are a little competitive, (lol!) so our main goal is to continue tobuild on our title of Best of the Best in Northwest Arkansas.
● WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS UNIQUE? We try to create designs that re-flect our customers’ personal styles. All of us absolutely love flowers and makingpeople smile. I think that’s why we’ve had such longevity with our staff. We cele-brate their tenure with a special anniversary dinner. We truly feel like a family.
THREE’S A CHARMShirley’s Flowers & Gifts is in its third generation of family ownership
We traveled to Rogers, Ark., to meetup with Jo Buttram, AAF, owner ofShirley’s Flowers & Gifts to discussthe challenges of the economy andgain some insights and advice on howfellow BloomNet Florists can remainsuccessful and on top of their game.
● HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?We’re a third generation family florist.My mother, Shirley, started the businessin 1975. I began working in the store asa manager in 1979. I earned my degreein finance and began my career in com-mercial decorating. I wanted to getmore involved in the family business soI began working in the shop as thestore manager. I purchased the busi-ness in 1985. Weddings and eventshave historically been a strong area forus, but when it became clear weneeded a person to support this areawe recruited my daughter, Shelby Shy,to join the team. She worked as a buyerfor Wal-Mart. She has a keen eye fortrends and marketing and is an ab-solute natural with brides.
● WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGESTCHALLENGE AND HOW DID YOUOVERCOME IT? Without a doubt therecent economic downturn has beenour most difficult challenge. For thefirst time we couldn’t depend on thesame steady growth our business hadexperienced over the past 20 years.Being located near Wal-Mart, we’dbeen isolated from some of the eco-nomic pressures faced by other retail-
OWNER’S CORNERby Lisa Carmichael
Owner
Jo Buttram, AAF
Shop:
Shirley’s Flowers & Gifts
Location:
Rogers, AR
Year Founded
1975
Employees:
13
Interesting Tidbit:
“We are involvedwith Green Plus,which is a green andsustainable smallbusiness certificationand education pro-gram that gives em-ployers affordable,practical support insucceeding finan-cially while beinggood to their envi-ronment, employeesand community.” To find out how youcan get involvedwith Green Plus, goto www.gogreen-plus.org.”
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WMary Linda Horn, AAF, PFCI, OCF, AIFD, currentlyworks as a freelance designer and consultant andhas almost 35 years of design experience. Inthis arrangement, the intent was to cre-ate a clean, simple design that couldbe done with a minimum amount ofmaterial and labor, but with agood deal of impact. The designis quite sellable, even just fromthe limited stem count. For the ex-ception of the bear grass there isonly one stem of each of the othervarieties used and it can be adjustedfor any season or color combination.
It is a design that can also be reproduced forlarge quantities—think Administrative Professional’s
Day, bridal showers, etc. This type of design doesnot take up much room in the cooler, office desk,
hospital room, or delivery van, adds MaryLinda. “This would be very easy for a
walk-in customer to take home. It’ssuch an easy design to carry in yourstore and one that will last for along time!” With this design the vi-sual appeal is keeping the colorpalette very simple and not letting
the accessories overwhelm. Eventhough the heavy flower is at the top
it is visually and physically balanced aslong as the foliage is removed from the
sunflowers and the Viking Poms are clusteredtightly at the base.
Designer
MARY LINDA HORN
Experience:
35 YEARS
Awards
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR MULTIPLE
TIMES AND CHUCK BANNOW
FROM MFA
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1 If a container is porous,
use a liner or plastic foil
inside to hold foam and
water. Pan glue foam into
liner and then allow to
soak in water.
2 Create a reservoir so
water can be added. This
allows for less foam sur-
face to be covered.
3 Pan melt the saucer to the
container. Insert each of
the stems nearly to the
bottom. This creates sta-
bility and will keep the
stems in close contact
with wet foam.
4 Gather together the bear
grass and wrap with wire
or tape at the base to cre-
ate one insertion. Trim
off the excess at base and
trim the upper tips if
necessary.
MARY LINDA USES NEGATIVESPACE IN A POSITIVE WAY A simple yet elegant design with MARY LINDA HORN
DESIGN CENTER B A C K T O B A S I C S
by John Parkinson
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ARRANGEMENT NECESSITIES❋ FRESH Sunflower, solidaster,
Viking Pompon, bear grass,moss
❋ HARD GOODS 1/3 block foam, 4” terra cot pot, butterfly pick,and 24 gauge wire or Coweewired wood pick
MARKETING MATTERS
by John Parkinson
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When potential customers are looking forretail flower shops there is a good chancethey are utilizing an online search engine,like Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft’s newly de-veloped Bing. Of those, a majority of cus-tomers will use Google, which accountedfor 64.7 percent of all U.S. searches this pastJuly as reported by comScore, Inc. WithGoogle’s consumer popularity comes therealization that florists with business Web-sites need to be able to use the search en-gine to their advantage. Separately, butequally important, is Google’s development
of its Universal Search. Google developedit to make searches more comprehensiveby expanding listings to include videos, im-ages, news, and blogs. Universal Searchgives florists an opportunity to increasetheir rankings and move their listing to ahigher page or a higher front page listing.
WHAT FLORISTS CAN DOWith Universal Search, marketing tools likesearch engine optimization (SEO) can helpflorists. SEO is a variety of tactics thatflorists and SEO marketing firms employ toincrease rankings at Google, which helpsmove site listings further up a page orcloser to the first page, and ultimately getseen more frequently by viewers.
Allen Horwitz, vice president of sales andmarketing at Burbank, Calif.-based Submit
Express says there are two main ways to ap-pear on the first page of a Google search:either organically or through an ad cam-paign. When one thinks of organic searchresults, it is supposed to be in terms of rele-vant information coming from an authorityin a field. Of course, there are other ways togain a better ranking organically, and onekey is for florists to have as many outsidelinks to their site as possible. If a florist candevelop an online profile and continuouslymanage it, it can help increase rankings.
One way to create links is to post how-to-
videos—this could be anything from how todesign arrangements to preserving flowerslonger. This is significant because YouTube,now owned by Google, has now becomethe second most popular search engine.
Another strategy that is gaining popular-ity is social networking through sites likeTwitter and Facebook. “Social media siteshelp build your brand,” explains Horwitz.“It becomes a soap box that you can standon, broadcasting messages and informa-tion about your brand.” Using social net-works or blogs, Horwitz says, also leads tomore linking. For example, a florist usingTwitter can post a URL to a blogger’s siteand the blogger can reciprocate or book-mark the florist’s site.
The other way to go about increasingrankings is to advertise on Google. Florists
can do a paper-clip ad listing in a localsearch listing on Google, which could likelyland a florist’s business on the main searchengine. So, when a customer does a searchfor a specific geographical area, say,“florists in Philadelphia,” it could lead tothe florist’s business being listed.
Another thing to consider is ad-wordcampaigning on Google. This is set up sothat businesses appear along the top andright side of the first page of search resultsin the sponsored links section. The busi-nesses are bidding for positions; the higher
the bid the higher it ranks. Themore users click on the sitethe more the links moveup. Florists need to allocatea certain budget for this asevery time someone clicks
on the florist’s ad, the floristgets charged. “There is a very measureableROI in a ad-word campaign, but it does notcreate lasting residual value the way anSEO campaign does,” says Horwitz.
USING SEO MARKETING FIRMS Finally, for those florists who might be inter-ested in upgrading their rankings, butmight not be tech savvy, there are SEOmarketing firms that can help. They canemploy multiple strategies doing every-thing from registering the business withGoogle to including businesses into localsearch categories. In the long run, Horwitzdoesn’t see anyone bypassing Google, butif Google does lose market share, chancesare any florist site search rankings and re-sults that are on Google will carry over ontoother search engines’ sites.
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION CANGENERATE MORE WEBSITE TRAFFIC
Maximizing Google
“Social media sites help build your brand. It becomes a soap box that you can stand on, broadcasting messages and information about your brand.” –ALLEN HOROWITZ
WIRED for SuccessSTRATEGIES FORBUILDING YOUR OUTGOING WIREBUSINESS
When it comes to increasing rev-
enues from outgoing wire orders,
making sure customers actually
know you offer world-wide flower
delivery is essential. Karen Ander-
son of Peterson Anderson Flowers
in Duluth, Minn., uses direct mar-
keting along with the Internet to
get the word out. Karen recom-
mends mailing flyers to customers
promoting out-of-town deliveries,
and utilizing e-mail campaigns for
holiday reminders. For example,
just before Mother’s Day she’ll send
a message telling customers that
Peterson Anderson Flowers makes
it easy to make Mom’s day even if
she lives far away. In addition, to
help gain her customer’s confidence
in their “worldwide delivery” serv-
ices, Karen feels strongly about sup-
porting a satisfaction guarantee.
“We promote the fact we will stand
behind that outgoing order. We
make sure our customers know that
if there are any problems, we will
follow-through and make sure they
are satisfied,” explains Karen. Along
with the guarantee, Karen also sug-
gests keeping a close eye on quality.
For instance, when fulfilling an out-
going funeral order, she’ll call a local
funeral home in the sending area
and ask them if there’s a florist they
recommend.
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Here are some strategies to help outgo-ing wire business this holiday season!
❋ SIGNAGE – Promote “Worldwide Delivery” on storewindows and doors.
❋ PRINT MATERIALS & DIRECT MAIL – Include “WorldwideDelivery” on everything – delivery vans, gift bags, state-ments, receipts, enclosure cards, brochures, business cardsand gift cards.
❋ WEBSITE – Be sure that your home page calls out “Worldwide Delivery” on the upper top half portion of the site.
❋ E-MAIL – Before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mother’sDay, email your customers to remind them that you can sat-isfy all their floral gift giving needs any where across thecountry and around the world!
❋ CONSUMER ADVERTISING – Call out “Worldwide Deliv-ery” as a service in all your Ads – magazines, newspapers,yellow pages, etc.
❋ CORPORATE ACCOUNTS – Provide volume discounts onWire outs from large corporate accounts, especially duringthe holiday selling season!
Generation Y consumers are more likely than other age groups topurchase flowers as a “just because” gift. This is one of the intrigu-ing findings included in SAF’s recently released “Generations ofFlowers” marketing study. The findings were presented by Dr. Jen-nifer Scott to florists who attended a BloomNet-sponsored market-ing breakfast titled “Age Tells All.” Dr. Scott, of Ogilvy PublicRelations, provided data and supplemental information pertinent tothe floral perceptions and buying habits of consumers in the Gen Y(ages 18-30), Gen X (31-45), and Baby Boomer (46-60) segments. Thefindings were based on in-depth interviews with gifting and genera-tional experts at GfK Roper and Iconoculture and on an online surveyconducted among 1,557 adults by Russell Research.
Florists who participated in the breakfast came away with a newappreciation of how important it is to know your target audience andthen gear advertising efforts accordingly. “It was very interesting to
see the different ways we need to sell based on who we’re selling toand their age group,” says Maris Angolia, president of Karin’s Floristin Vienna, Va. “Instead of marketing to this group or to that groupbased on what we like, we can differentiate ourselves by better know-ing what our customers like.”
For example, the data presented by Dr. Scott stated that 64% ofconsumers among all age segments agree that the color of flowerscan add to the impact of those flowers as a gift, and 53% say fra-grance is important tothem. “Many florists al-ready know that flowersare an emotional buymost of the time,” contin-ues Maris. However, thatdoesn’t mean floristsshouldn’t fine-tune theways in which they mar-ket. And in-store mer-chandising is a great place to start. “After hearing the presentation,we definitely want to set up our displays to go with what the re-search says,” Maris states. “If color draws people, it should be at alevel where people can best see it.” Another key element in thepresentation involved the Internet. Not surprisingly, having an on-line presence is motivating to Gen X and Gen Y—and it is less so tothe Boomers. Interestingly enough, of the two younger groups, GenX consumers are the most likely to purchase flowers online.
STUDY OFFERS INSIGHTS FOR MARKETING TO CONSUMERS OF ALL AGES
by Mike Pucci
64%of consumers among all agesegments agree that the colorof flowers can add to the impact of those flowers as a gift.
Increase YourSales Potential
HELPING YOUNGMINDS BLOSSOM Matt Webb has found a creativeway to engage the next generationof flower purchasers by teachingchildren about fresh cut flowers. It allstems from a program called “Flow-
ers for Kids,” which was initially the idea of an Ecuadorian flower growernamed Ramiro L. Peñaherrera. Peñaherrera realized that many consumersdid not know how to care for flowers once the flowers were brought home.Now, “Flowers for Kids” has become part educational seminar and partmarketing initiative—the children who attend the seminar develop an ap-preciation for flowers and learn how to preserve freshness while their momsand dads are offered a coupon to redeem at the local florists retail store.Plus, at the end of the class, the children get to keep the arrangements theymake (typically $30 worth of fresh flowers per student) to share fresh flowerswith their families and friends. To date, Matt has conducted nine presenta-tions and a total of 336 students and 44 adults have attended. What’s more,22 students have visited his 1-800-Flowers.com retail franchise in Tampa, Fla.with their parents.
If you have participated in the “Flowers for Kids” program, please e-mailus at [email protected] or to find out how you can hold a “Flowersfor Kids” event, visit them at www.flowersforkids.org. flo
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