Flowers say it better. FTD says it best.™

®

MERCURYMINUTE

VOL. 2 NO. 1 | FTD MERCURY MINUTE ©2012, FTD | JANUARY 2012

The FTD® Deep Emotions™ Bouquet by Better Homes and Gardens®

FTD UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES NEW EDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAMSFTD wants to help you find motivation and inspiration in 2012! The new and improved FTD University encompasses all of the education and training programs offered exclusively to FTD Florists as a valuable part of membership.

We’re excited to be offering new courses designed for any size florist with any size budget in a variety of locations, including your shop.

Start 2012 right with new business-building initiatives from FTD.

Our goal is to:

4 Help you explore new ways to drive more local business.

4 Discover best practices to improve profitability.

4 Refresh your design skills.

4 Optimize your point-of-sale technology system.

4 Generate new marketing campaign ideas.

For more details, go to FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.

We’ve put together a full schedule that has a wide variety of programs to meet your individual needs.

For a sneak peak of the 2012 FTD University schedule, see page 2.

Flowers say it better. FTD says it best.™

®

Prepare to be ProfitableProfit begins with controlling your cost of goods! Explore several techniques for pricing, managing floral product and creating artistic designs that generate revenue. Sharpen your pencil, hone your accounting skills and prepare to be profitable!

DATE: Tuesday, January 17, 2012TIME: 1 pm EST/11 am PSTPRESENTER: FTD Education Team

Member Tina Coker (formerly Stoecker) AAF, AIFD, PFCI

Getting Serious with SEODo you know how new customers find you online? Do you know the ever-changing rules of search engine optimization? Do you know you can do many things for little-to-no cost to help your site rank over your competitors? Learn cutting-edge ideas on search engine optimization to help position your website ahead of your competitors’.

DATE: Tuesday, March 20, 2012TIME: 1 pm EST/11 am PSTPRESENTER: FTD Education Team

Member Jeff Corbin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI

“The FTD webinars are great. The speaker was excellent with

worthwhile information. I will not hesitate to sign up again for future

webinars with FTD. Thank you for a good learning experience.”

Eleanor MercierBasket Place

Bristol, CT

FTD BUSINESS BONANZAFeaturing retail expert Bob Negen, the FTD Business Bonanza is an incredible day packed with a wealth of

business information. From “How to Get New Customers for Little or No Money” to “How to Develop a WhizBang! Staff,”

you’ll leave with tons of great tips, techniques and actionable information to make your sales soar!

February 27, 2012 Cincinnati, OHMarch 27, 2012 San Francisco, CAApril 17, 2012 Baltimore, MDJune 12, 2012 Toronto, ON

NEW!

FTD BOOT CAMPHeld in a small classroom setting at FTD headquarters, this 3-day workshop is the perfect blend of business and design training. Led by FTD Education Team Member Ann Jordan AIFD, AAF, MMFD, FTD Boot Camp is designed for shop owners and managers. It will provide participants with a snapshot of ways to drive local business to their shop through design styles and marketing.

June 4-6, 2012 Downers Grove, ILOctober 1-3, 2012 Downers Grove, IL

SPACE IS

LIMITED!

Cost: $599/person

Includes: All education sessions, flowers and materials; 3 nights of hotel room and tax; breakfast, lunch and breaks on all session days; networking dinner and transportation between the hotel and FTD

FTD MERCURY POS TRAININGMaximize your FTD Mercury Point of Sale (POS) system investment with FREE training. Get the most out of your powerful POS system with the industry’s best classroom-based training held at FTD headquarters in Downers Grove, IL.

January 24-26, 2012February 28 – March 1, 2012March 20-22, 2012

Check FTDi.com/FTDUniversity for a complete schedule of dates.

Cost: FREEIncludes: 3 nights of hotel room and tax with a hot breakfast, lunch on all

session days, transportation between the hotel and FTD, and shuttle service after class

Cost: $59/personIncludes: All education sessions, breakfast and networking lunch

For more information on any of these programs and to register, visit FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.

QUESTIONS? Please email education@FTDi.com or call 800-788-9000 ext. 6240.

FREE

FREE Webinar Series Continues in 2012A full schedule of webinars will be available in 2012 due to the overwelmingly positive response to the FREE 2011 webinars. Register now for the first two webinars of this year’s series at FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.

FTD FLORIST EXCLUSIVE

Flowers say it better. FTD says it best.™

®

EDUCATION & EVENTS CALENDARJANUARY 18, 2012CANADIAN FLORIST BUSINESS FORUMMississauga, ONCanadian Florist canadianfloristmag.com

Featured FTD Business Program: “Using your Assets to Grow” presented by FTD Canadian Technology Consultant Lenny Faustino

JANUARY 22, 2012FLORIDA STATE FLORISTS’ ASSOCIATION DESIGN SUMMITPensacola, FLRodney Canady 866-478-5002

FEBRUARY 3-5, 2012KENTUCKY FLORISTS’ ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONFrankfort, KYJonda Brinner 502-500-4786

Featured FTD Design Program: “Flowers for a New Generation” presented by FTD Design Instructor Kristine Kratt AIFD

MARCH 2-4, 2012GREAT LAKES FLORAL EXPOGrand Rapids, MIMichigan Floral Association 517-575-0110

Featured FTD Design Program: “Doing the Daily Grind” presented by FTD Design Instructor Jeff Corbin AIFD

MARCH 9-11, 2012NORTHEAST FLORAL EXPOSturbridge, MAConnecticut Florists Association northeastfloralexpo.com

Featured FTD Design Program: “A Celebration of Life: Today’s Sympathy Flowers” presented by FTD Design Instructor Keith White AIFD

MARCH 9-11, 2012ILLINOIS STATE FLORISTS’ ASSOCIATION SPRING CONFERENCESpringfield, ILIllinois State Florists’ Association 866-421-9776

Featured FTD Design Program: “Doing the Daily Grind” presented by FTD Design Instructor Jeff Corbin AIFD

MARCH 9-11, 2012GEORGIA STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONMacon, GARandy Wooten 912-384-7288

Featured FTD Design Program: “The Smart Designer” presented by FTD Design Instructor Ann Jordan AIFD

MARCH 10-11, 2012HEARTLAND CONVENTIONOmaha, NEDiane Nitz 402-947-7611

MARCH 16-18, 2012SOUTH DAKOTA FLORISTS ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONPierre, SDDave Engelmeyer 800-491-2979

MARCH 19-20, 2012SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS CONGRESSIONAL ACTION DAYS (CAD)Arlington, VASociety of American Florists 703-836-8700

MARCH 24-25, 2012MINNESOTA STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONBrooklyn Park, MNKym Erickson 612-724-3606

Featured FTD Design Program: “The Celebration of a Life with Flowers” presented by FTD Design Instructor John Klingel AIFD

MARCH 24-25, 2012MAINE FLORISTS’ ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONFreeport, MEDeb Nisbett 207-532-3520

Featured FTD Design Program: “Everyday Winning Combinations” presented by FTD Design Instructor Keith White AIFD

MARCH 24-25, 2012WISCONSIN & UPPER MICHIGAN FLORISTS’ ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONWaukesha, WIWisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists’ Association 414-755-6290

Featured FTD Design Program: “Weddings from A to Z” presented by FTD Design Instructor Deborah De La Flor AIFD