2010 September Floriology

September 2010

E X P R E S S I O N S O F F L O W E R S

OWNER’SCORNER

BEING UNIQUE WORKSFOR MISS DAISY’S OWNERS

MARKETINGBALLOONING SALES

ON THE EDGEJEFF BRADSHAW AIFD, TCF,

GETS INSPIRED INCOMPETITIONS

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Mark Nance, AAFPresident, BloomNet

PUBLISHER

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 2010. 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.

WHAT’S INSIDEV O L . 1 N O . 1 2 | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0

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10 >>>Miss Daisy’sPhoto by Riku+Anna

4 Industry InfoHighlights from BloomNet’s Fresh Forum and a glimpse atSAF’s upcoming annual conference.

5 By the StatsFlorists can differentiate themselves in offering gift baskets.

6 Out and AboutGlimpses of the Tenn., and Ark., state shows as well as from Fresh Forum.

8 DESIGN CENTER: On the EdgeJeff Bradshaw, AIFD, TCF, gets inspired by competition.

10 Owner’s CornerBill Bobulinksi and Bob Tucker do the unordinary as well as go the extra milefor peers and customers.

12 DESIGN CENTER: Back to BasicsBloomNet’s Ted Marlowe and Phil Devito show how a niche arrangement canstand out in your store.

14 MarketingLearning more about the new continuing education facility, the FloriologyInstitute in Jacksonville.

15 Innovator of the MonthMeredith Grant shows how offering balloons can be a good way to capture notonly spontaneous sales but develop business partnerships too.

16 Neighborhood CornerRobin Miller shows how hosting an open house with potential competitors canbenefit everyone—including you.

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As professionals, we must continue toeducate ourselves on best practices, re-inforce principles and elements of floral

design, and stay abreastof the latest trends. Webelieve floral education isthe backbone of our in-dustry and is the reasonBloomNet is workinghard to provide the bestin education.

This fall, you will haveaccess to the industry’smost current floral de-

sign education center, the FloriologyInstitute. Our mission statement is: toestablish the premier, industry accred-ited educational services for the floralindustry, to build a foundation for ex-cellence, support best practices, andenable innovative approaches in floraldesign and retail business practicesthat allow florists to reach their full po-tential and allow their customers to re-capture the joy and expression of thelanguage of flowers.

We’ve invested in the construction ofa new state-of the-art design facility inJacksonville, Florida—bringing togetherthe best talent in floral design and busi-ness instructors. And we’ve developedcourses and training tools that will pro-vide you the ability to build a solid foun-dation in floral design, expand yourfloral and business knowledge with ad-vanced courses, and provide a pathwayto continue to extend your educationthrough state and national educationcertification programs.

We couldn’t be more thrilled to havethe opportunity to help you grow,prosper and succeed. Look for moreinformation on the grand opening ofthe Floriology Institute!

Mark Nance, AAFPresident

FLORIOLOGYINSTITUTEHELPING THROUGHEDUCATION

EDUCATING THE MASSESThe word on BloomNet’s new Education Center is quickly spreadingand the feedback is starting to pour in.

>>>Please let me know more!! Are some of the classes going to be on webcastor CD’s so no matter where you live you can participate in training? With someother wire services their education classes all sound wonderful, are very expen-sive and too far away to participate. I am hoping yours is going to be different.Many florists do not have formal education and it is too bad...let’s educateeveryone!! And then some of us with formal education from design schoolswould like to brush up too.

SUSAN GRIFFIN ~ Silkin Expressions Floral and Accent, Postville, Iowa

>>> If this is the facility in Jacksonville, that I was told about back in August, I amvery interested in any additional information you can provide. I am really excitedthat we will now have this type of opportunity so close to home. I plan on at-tending as well as sending a few of my staff. I am interested in courses, dates,times and cost.

KELLY E. JORDAN ~ Daisy a Day Florist & Gifts, Mount Dora, Fla

>>> I am so very excited and anxious for your new education center to become areality. My firm belief in continued education draws me like a magnet toyour monthly magazine and now Florida here I come. As I have always said,"without growth and new ideas we become stagnant and stagnant stinks, soondecays and then dies. Keeping ourselves rich with education producesgrowth and growth produces success and I'm all about success!

MARTA LAND ~ House of Flowers, Shawnee, OK

The floriology team wants to hear from you! If we use your feedback, we willsend you an apron and design knife. Send your opinions and comments [email protected], we want to know if we’re doing a good job!

UP FRONT

WHAT’S ON TAP

● OZARK FLORIST ASSOCIATION 2010 CONVENTION(Joplin, Mo.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 17-19

● IOWA FLORISTS ASSOCIATION 107TH ANNUAL CONVENTION(Newton) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 18-19

● LAKELAND FLORISTS’ SUPPLY FALL & CHRISTMAS SHOW(Edina, Minn.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 19

● SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS NATIONAL CONVENTION(Orlando, Fla.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 22-26

● MAINE STATE FLORISTS AND GROWERSASSOCIATION ANNUAL FAIR(Augusta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 25-26

● NEW MEXICO STATE AND REGIONAL FLORISTSASSOCIATION CONVENTION(El Paso, Texas) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept. 24-26

● MINNESOTA FLORIST & FLORIST SUPPLIER CONVENTION .(Brooklyn Park) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct. 9-10

Visit www.MyBloomNet.net to find industry links and floral trade shows.

THE COFFEE POT

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INDUSTRY INFO A W A R D S , S H O W S , A D V O C A C Y

This year’s SAF conference will be held at Omni Championsgate inOrlando, Fla., on September 22-25. Events from the conference willinclude: educational seminars, networking events, the prestigiousSylvia Cup Competition, tennis and golf tournaments and productshowcase.

The 43rd annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition will be held on Thursday. Thislive competition is the longest running live annual design competition and thewill give award for first and second place. There will be cash prizes, a trophy, andother goodies associated with winning this prestigious event.

For those of you who enjoy sports and might be interested in picking up a tennis racket or golf club, therewill be a separate golf and tennis tournament held simultaneously on Friday beginning at 1pm. For the 21st An-nual SAFPAC Golf Tournament, BloomNet will be sponsoring a golf hole.

Speaking of sponsorship, BloomNet is also sponsoring the Marketing Breakfast on Friday, Sept. 24th at7:00am. It is titled, “How to Create Walk-Through-Fire Customer Loyalty.” The featured speaker is customerservice expert Dennis Snow, and he will discuss how to create a truly “loyal” customer or someone who willgo out of his or her way to give you business and sing your praises at every opportunity. “Delivering worldclass service requires careful orchestration of the entire customer experience,“ says Dennis. “Everything yourcustomer sees, hears, or touches” has an impact. Don’t miss this presentation as Dennis will share his experi-ence gained from 20 years at Disney in this thought-provoking presentation.

BloomNet’s National Sales Director Gino Marotta, says it’s important to support SAF and their efforts. “We’reinspired by SAF and their passion anddedication to the floral community. Weare a strong proponent of education,research and stewardship and we arecommitted to working collabora-tively with organizations that recognizethese core values,” says Gino. To findout more about the convention, go towww.safannualconvention.com.

UPCOMING EVENT

SAF PREVIEWA look at the annual conference

>>>BloomNet is sponsoringa marketing breakfast andformer Disney executiveDennis Snow (shownabove) will be thefeatured speaker.

Recommended Booksby Bill Taylor, AIFD, for retail florists

❋ Any Book by Paula Pryke

❋ The AIFD Guide to Floral Design

❋ In the Company of Flowersby Ron Morgan

❋ Kenneth Turner’s Flower Style

❋ The Center of Attentionby Ron Morgan

❋ Decorating with Flowersby Ronaldo Maia

❋ Flowers, the Book of Floral Designby Malcolm Hillier”

❋ The Art of Floral Designby Norah Hunter”

SHOW RECAP

BRINGING PEOPLE,PRODUCTS ANDNEW POSSIBILITIESTOGETHERFresh Forum provides venue for latest trends

Napco hosted its second BloomNet Fresh Forum of the year July 31 to August 1at the Jacksonville, Fla. showroom. Education was the focus with exciting pro-grams on the latest trends in merchandising, plus the hottest trends in design

tips and invaluable marketing solutions. According to Kelly Cihal of Daisy a Day Florist inMount Dora, Fla., the best program was the Merchandising Trends program presentedby the Napco design team. “It’s hard to read everything out there and keep on the latestfashions, but this program was very informative and we learned a lot on upcomingtrends for spring and garden.

Bill Taylor, AIFD, hosted two design sessions and shared fresh floral ideas and tips tokeep you ahead of the competition. “He had some really cool ideas and my binder wasfilled will notes from his presentation. He also had a list of great books to read which I in-tend to check out from my library,” says Jennifer Armstrong of Brevard Florist of PalmBay, Fla.

BloomNet’s Fresh Forum has been such a success that more are being plannedthroughout the country so look for one in your area coming soon!


Donnolo, who along with her husband Douglas, owns Donnolo’sFlorist, Gourmet & Winery in Downingtown, Pa.

FUN AND MEMORABLE GIFT-GIVING“The opening of a gift basket is a fun experience,” exclaims Steve.“You get a basket, and there are so many goodies in it. Theprocess of going through the basket is engaging.”

And let’s not forget that the items put into a gift basket can beenjoyed by the recipient for an extended period of time, particu-larly if the items are individually packaged such as chocolates orbottled such as wines. What’s more, the basket itself is often re-purposed by the recipient, perhaps as a decorative piece. “A gift

basket becomes a keepsake,” says Vir-ginia. “Customers like the fact thatthey will be remembered not only dur-ing the course of consuming the gift,but with the use or display of the bas-ket afterwards,” adds Nancy Hamlin,vice president of marketing for 1-800-Baskets.com.

A “DIFFERENTIATOR” SALEEven though the demand for gift bas-kets is large and growing, a sizable per-centage of retail florists don’t promoteor sell baskets to their customers.“Many florists are not in the gift basketbusiness,” continues Steve. As a result,the opportunities can be extensive forthose florists who do offer baskets aspart of their product line. “Gift basketsare a clear way for florists to differenti-ate themselves,” says Steve.

As for marketing and merchandising,the best advice is to actively let yourcustomers and prospects know theycan look to you as their gift basketsource. “We have 40 to 100 baskets on

display at all times,” says Virginia. “We also create flyers just forgift baskets and we do emails.” And as you would surmise, it’s im-portant to focus on special times of the year. “Christmas is a hugetime for gift baskets,” continues Virginia.

by Mike Pucci

BY THE STATS

by Mike Pucci

T H E I T E M T H AT D I F F E R E N T I AT E S BY THE STATS

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With consumers insisting on strong value during a still-stub-born economy, the “wow” factor can go a long way in determin-ing what kinds of gifts they will buy. And when it comes togetting plenty of wow for their money, gift baskets definitely fitthe bill.

Think about it. A gift basket arrivesat someone’s home or place of busi-ness and immediately the recipient’sexcitement level rises. A look of antic-ipation comes to their face as theycan’t wait to explore what’s inside,which in many cases involves deli-cious gourmet food and other treats.It all helps to explain why gift basketscan be highly profitable for retailflorists.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE“You can do almost anything with a giftbasket,” states Craig Bowen, owner ofGiftTree.com. He says the trend is to-ward specialization and personaliza-tion. “Match the gift to the person,”Craig recommends. For instance, thereare gift baskets for wine, cheese, fruitand chocolate lovers, as well as “spa”baskets containing such items as bathoils and scented powders. Plus, it’s verypopular right now to offer basketsthemed around specific interests andindividual characteristics ranging from sports enthusiasts to certainkinds of professions.

“People are looking for unique gifts,” says Steve Druckman,president of 1-800-Baskets.com. “Theme baskets work very well,they show that the giver has thought the gift through.” Besidescentering on themes, gift baskets can be offered for a diversearray of occasions and expressions of feelings including anniver-saries, birthdays, housewarmings, thank yous and get well wishes.“We sell a lot of baskets for sympathy occasions,” says Virginia

❋Are gift baskets part of your business? Tell us about it!

Please send an email to: [email protected].

GIFT BASKETS CAN BESOLID REVENUEPRODUCERS

PROFITS in aBASKET

Basket Gifting Stats❋ In 2008, the U.S. gift basket industry

reached $3.3 billion*

❋ Sales of food gifts are expected to total$23 billion during 2010**

SOURCES: *Study by Sweet Survival **Packaged Facts


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Chris Bordes, Market Area Consultant inSouthern Florida took home the “Rookie ofthe Year” award at BloomNet’s “Awards Din-ner Gala” held August 5th, at Table 9 in EastHills, NY. Also pictured is Regional Vice Pres-ident Monica Vaccari and Director of Na-tional Sales, Gino Marotta.

OUT AND ABOUT B L O O M N E T TA K E S T O T H E R O A D

Napco Designer, Vangie Solomon presented at BloomNet’s FreshForum in Jacksonville, Fla. held July 31 – August 1. Along with JimGosdin and Robert Keith, Vangie presented 2011 Spring, Garden andEveryday trends. The presentation had the audience buzzing.

From left to right are BloomNet Regional Vice President BrentEggleston, BloomNet President Mark Nance, AAF, Susan and JanetLady of Lady Flower Shop in Walnut Ridge, Ark, and BloomNet Mar-ket Area Consultant, Ken Cochran. Janet was awarded the Bobbi St.Pierre Scholarship at the President’s Banquet at the Arkansas FloristsAssociation in Hot Springs, Ark., (August 19 – 22).

The Independent Garden Cen-ter Show was held on Chicago’sNavy Pier, (August 17 – 19). Thepurpose of the show is continu-ing education, networking andsocial events. It’s a great place tolearn and gather informationfrom potential vendors.

BloomNet Market Area Consult-ant David Shipe presents schol-arship to the floriology Instituteof Design Education Center toAnnette Mayberry of Hender-sonville, Tenn.


DIGITAL DIATRIBE:ADAPTING TO LIFE WITH MY iPAD by Mark Nance, AAF

Well, I have had my iPad for three months now, and I have to say I have developed quite a love/hate relationshipwith it. While it fulfills my innate need for utilizing the latest technology, the device’s learning curve creates someinteresting challenges as I adapt to using it. On the plus side, the size, weight, availability of endless applica-

tions, and simple user interface are what really differentiate the iPad from other devices. In fact, I am writing this Digital Dia-tribe on the iPad. Wi-Fi and broadband are available, and I would suggest getting both. The virtualkeyboard is a snap to use and makes sending emails easy and the integration into most mail serversworks seamlessly. Downloading apps are easy and the only pain is how much you will spend at $1.99each. On the flip side, the minuses are few but present some real issues. I do not understand why a de-vice in this time and evolutionary process would not be able to run Adobe Flash applications. Almost allinteractive websites use Flash to show animations, video, and pictures that zoom and move about.There are other software issues as well, so make sure your favorite application works on the iPad beforepurchasing it. My other big pet peeve is there is no way to utilize an external memory source, such as athumb drive/stick. Also, don’t expect to utilize any of your USB devises. As a primary device, it fallsshort, but frankly it wasn’t designed to be used as your only PC. Using the iPad as a secondary device itis great for business and personal applications like email, checking your calendar, movies, readingbooks, and music. In my next installment, I will discuss how the iPad could be used in the flower shop.

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Please excuse the shame-less pun, but are you look-ing for a way to inflate yourselling potential? Balloonsare perfect for adding en-

ergy and a splash of color to businessmeetings, celebrations, anniversariesand kids’ parties.

“Balloons are a very affordable, yetimpactful decoration,” says BarryMorin, vice president sales, marketingand licensing for Anagram Interna-tional, foil balloon manufacturing.

There are many different choices inballoons these days, including tradi-tional 18-inch circle shapes and over-sized styles along with uniquelydesigned musical balloons that actuallysing a tune to brighten someone’s day.You can even offer your customers bal-

loons that enable them to record theirown personalized messages. Anotherpossibility involves balloon bouquets,encompassing a creative assortment ofnumerous balloons bunched together.A diverse range of licensed balloonproducts is available including:SpongeBob SquarePants; MickeyMouse; Dora the Explorer; and others.

The fact is, almost everyone lovesballoons and they can complement tofresh floral or gift items you’re currentlystocking. Just as important, the newestballoons on the marketsuch as those men-tioned above cangive you a competi-tive edge by pro-viding yourcustomerswith decora-tive ideas andgifts that aretruly innovative.

“Florists canhelp grow their busi-ness and increase salesby introducing new bal-loon product lines thatdifferentiate them from otherflorists,” states James McCann,

products and services manager forBloomNet. James adds that balloonscan also be a high-margin item, withoutthe worries of perishable products. Intoday’s economy, with consumers de-manding value in almost every pur-chase they make, it’s important tochoose balloons that are well-made.Your customers will be counting on theballoons they buy from you to not onlybe imaginative, eye-catching anddurable, but also of good quality.Among the keys to generating bal-loon sales is making them highly visi-

ble, for instance, byusing point-of-pur-chase displays. “It’s

also essential to floatballoons so cus-

tomers can seethem in their ac-

tual form,” addsMorin.“Many of thelatest balloons are

now manufactured tofloat inflated around

the store for over threeweeks.” For more

information on BloomNet’sballoon products please call

(800) 322-2421.

MARKETING I N F L AT I N G T H E P O S S I B I L I T I E S

Up, Upand AwayRAISE YOUR SALES WITHINNOVATIVE BALLOON GIFTSby Mike Pucci


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Jeff Bradshaw, AIFD, TCF, has won Tennessee Designer of theYear multiple times, and he loves competing. In doing so, Jeff hasdeveloped some unique arrangements, and here he discusses hisstrategy during competitions. He was kind enough to recreate thepiece from the competition at the state show this year, which wasbased on a painting that was selected by the state’s associationcompetition committee.

Specifically, Jeff participated in the Iris Cup competition at theTennessee State Florists’ Association show held this past August, and heand contestants were asked beforehand to view the aforementioned paintingand create an arrangement based on their interpretation of it. Everyone whoregistered for the competition was mailed a photograph of the chosen artwork.The competition took place during the state convention and was created on site.

The designs were judged by both artcritics and floral designers based onthe merits of interpretation, style, me-chanics, balance, and scale.

“I studied the artwork and came upwith a concept and the ideas justsnowballed until I had a plan,” saysJeff. Just before the “big game” Jeffsays “there’s always a little moretweaking and by the time I start I findthe end result is always quite differentthan my first impulse.”

Trying to visualize the design usingthe piece of art given to Jeff he sug-gests trying to get in tune with the artand trying to interpret what the artistwas thinking. “I tried to feel what theart was saying to me, and I was inspiredby the moving lines and use of tex-tures,” says Jeff. He tried to put himself

InspiredJeff Bradshaw, AIFD, TCF shows howcompetitions can inspire thecreative juices

DESIGN CENTER O N T H E E D G E

by Fred Russell

Designer:Jeff Bradshaw,AIFD, TCF

Shop:Rebel Hill Florist,Nashville, Tenn.

Exposure:Tennessee Designerof the Year 1999,2006 and 2009

Designed forSouthern Livingmagazine and themovie Castaway

ARTby

>>>Mark Nance, AAF, president, BloomNet andJeff at the Arkansas Florist’s Association show,where Jeff won first place in the 2010 MidAmerica Cup


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in the mindset of theartist and interpret the artthat was on the canvas.

Jeff provides a few tipsfor those who might wantto replicate this kind ofarrangement. “Mechan-ics are the foundation forevery design; be certainif you are going to use ametal container to use anadditional waterproofline.” He adds by extend-ing the foam above thecontainer and cutting the flowersstems very short, the life of this designmay not be terribly long. The brightcolors and the movement of the OasisFlat Wire will lend a festive concept.

This design is a perfect party or cel-ebration arrangement! It would makea wonderful piece for a small home ora great buffet arrangement. By chang-ing the container to glass and usingwhite flowers, it would be beautiful fora home wedding reception. Thoughthe design was created as an interpre-tation for a competition its versatilityand uniqueness makes it applicablefor everyday applications.

ArrangementNecessities❋ FRESH blue hydrangea,

green mini hydrangea,antique green hy-drangea, freedom (red)roses, Mollucella or Bellsof Ireland, gladiolusblooms, autumn joysedum, egg plant minicalla, purple stock

❋ HARD GOODS Custompainted galvanized andgold leafed containerand matching table ac-cented with Oasis Flatand Deco wire, Oasis In-stant Deluxe foam

>>>The painting which inspiredJeff’s arrangement, (insetphoto located near right),and the final design,(far right).

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED RODE EDRODE.NET


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Nancy Arato, director of new busi-ness development at BloomNet spokeof how they were using the iPad to im-prove their business. When askedabout it, Bill says, “as soon as the iPadwas released in April we had one inour shop and immediately it startedpaying dividends with Mother’s Daysales.” Bill says it was great just tohave the extra Internet access and heshowed customers some of their spe-cials on their website while on theshowroom floor. Over the last fewmonths, the iPad’s versatility has reallyproven its worth with wedding consul-tations. “Many times during a consul-tation, we will refer to it and pull upthe bride’s gown or go to some of thewedding sites or selection guide im-ages,” says Bob. “It’s very interactiveand gets everyone more involved andmakes it more personal.” They knowfor a fact that they have sold two wed-dings because of the electronic de-vice. They plan on purchasing more so

UnordinaryWhere the

Bill Bobulinski andBob Tucker’s unorthodoxstyles resonate witheveryone

OWNER’S CORNER D E L I V E R I N G C A R E A N D VA L U E U N I Q U E LY

by Fred Russell

IS ORDINARY

During the recent Fresh Forum held in Jacksonville, Fla., many of theBloomNet management team had the distinct pleasure of meetingthe dynamic duo of Bill Bobulinksi and Bob Tucker from Miss Daisy’sFlowers and Gifts in Leesburg, Fla. As the management team re-turned to BloomNet headquarters, the stories of Bill and Bob werenumerous and an Owner’s Corner feature was born!

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Owners:Bill Bobulinski, BobTucker, Jel and KeithParker

Shop:Miss Daisy’sFlowers and Gifts

Location:Leesburg, Fla.

Employees:10

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY RIKU+ANNA

Interesting Tidbit:❋Bob and Bill’s shop is located in

a Victorian house (left), andthey use photos of the shop inall of their marketing pieces.They built their brand aroundthe historic building.

FAST FACTS

they can have one onthe showroom floor,the register, and onefor their drivers to planroutes and help withaddresses.

Lisa Carmichael, vicepresident of marketing,BloomNet, mentioned how Billand Bob helped a fellow BloomNet floristrevamp her store. They went in andstripped down her showroom walls. “Theowner never made the store to reflect her,”explains Bob. “One night we went to din-ner asked some questions, brainstormed,and came up with a concept that reflectedher personality.”As a result, about 10months afterwards the owner explainedshe has money to pay the bills and addeda designer. Many people would questionwhy would someone that potentially serv-ices the same customers want to help

them? There’s nothingwrong with a littlehealthy competitionaccording to the duo.

“It’s simple, we help youand you help us. We just

want everyone thinkingflowers and we will all be just

fine,” says Bob. Here are excerptsfrom our discussion with Bill and Bob.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?❋ BOB: I moved from Texas to Florida to getmy real estate license. Jel Parker was in myclass and eventually we became friends.Along with her husband, Keith, the four ofus opened up the store together.❋ BILL: I am a native Leesburg residentwho has a background in restaurant work. Ialso did a three year stint as a truck driverdelivering fresh flowers to various shopsacross the country.

WHAT MAKES YOURBUSINESS UNIQUE?❋ BILL: When we opened people saidnormal business hours should be from9:00 to 5:00 Monday thru Friday andmaybe a couple hours on Saturday. Thatsounded so crazy to me. Everybody is atwork during those times so we open at8:00 and close at 7:00 so we get therush hour traffic. We give our customersevery opportunity to come into our shopso we can develop a great relationshipwith them.❋ BOB: We give our customers more per-ceived value. Designers tend to over thinkthe arrangement and sometimes followthe recipe too closely. I think you have tomake it simpler. If the recipe calls for threecarnations and you have four, throw it inthe vase, it’s probably going to get brokenor thrown out anyways, but be sure to ac-count for all costs.


DDid you hear the one about how a uniquely cre-ative duck arrangement—and customization in gen-eral—can get more customers waddling into yourshop? Yes, it’s a trite play on words. Yet, every retailflorist is looking for distinctive ideas, exciting prod-ucts that will set them apart, differentiate their shopand bring customers in. Custom-made floralsculptures, which typically are not availablethrough mass market or drop-shipchannels, can be a powerful way todo just that.

“Customized arrangements, theduck sculpture for example, are real‘wow’ products perfect for peoplewho want to send something spe-

cial,” says Ted Marlowe, vice president of retail andfranchising for 1-800-Flowers.com. “These arrange-ments will stir conversation, and will prompt peopleto ask where did you get that?” Translation: you can’tbuy the kind of advertising exposure that positiveword of mouth can deliver.

The imaginative mind behind the duck sculpture(made of yellow pom-poms, suggested retail $59.99)is Phil DeVito, master designer. Phil, and talented ar-tisans like him, have broadened the horizons for flo-ral gifts beyond traditional arrangements. “People

can go out anywhere and get a beautiful vase offlowers for thirty, forty or fifty dollars,” continues Ted.However, he goes on to say that customers will al-most certainly pay a premium for custom arrange-ments that require such a specific skill set. “It’s thedifference between having a shirt or a dress made

just for you—or buying it off the rack.”Besides the duck, several other cus-tom-made floral sculpture designs are

also available in numerous themesfor a wide array of occasions – in-cluding a special back to schoolproduct featuring a brightly col-ored red apple, a lovable poodle,and a flip-flop for summer. For re-

tail florists, the profit opportunitiesseem obvious. Custom creations are

not readily available through the big-box stores, so customers will turn to their

local florist for them. In addition, because the sculp-tures are so unlike what people are used to seeing,they make a one-of-a-kind personal gift that recipi-ents will truly appreciate.

To further personalize custom products, Ted rec-ommends adding a card to the arrangement thatsays something like: “hand-crafted customizedsculpture personally designed by your name orname of your floral designer.” This reinforces in thecustomer’s mind the fact that the arrangement theyare buying was not mass produced.

For details about customized arrangements, in-cluding easy to follow how-to instructions andrecipes for creating your own sculptures, pleaseemail us: [email protected].

Line-up extra profits with custom arrangements

DESIGN CENTER B A C K T O B A S I C S

by Mike Pucci

BUCKSIN A ROW

Get Your

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“Customized arrangements, theduck sculpture for example, are real‘wow’ products perfect for peoplewho want to send something special.”


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EyeCatching❋

One of the important distinctions inretail is to have things stand out

whether it be in your store or when itgets delivered to someone’s desk. Makeyour arrangements and displays pop!

Arrangement Necessities❋ FRESH Yellow Poms, Hybrid Delphiniums, White Spray Rose,

Variegated Pittosporum, White Astor, Purple Statice

❋ HARD GOODS 1/3 Block Oasis Foam, Plastic Liner,Splitwood Handled Basket

❋ SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE 59.99


EDUCATION D E S I G N S C H O O L

by Mike Pucci

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Floral education canstrengthen your business

reflect those changes and trends in their floralarrangements.”

The fact is, much like fashion design, floral designshould communicate the current attitudes, mindsetsand desires of consumers. And similar to fashion de-signers who have the knowledge and imagination tocreate exciting new clothing that consumers wantright now, talented retail florists who possess trend-forward floral design insights can make themselvesthe florists of choice for customers who are lookingfor something new and unique.

AN ADVANTAGE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITYMost of us throughout the floral industry wouldagree that the recent economic downturn has beenunlike any we’ve ever seen. Any many florists are

looking for a competitive advantage.“Education is vital! I believe it is the keyto our survival on many different levels,from the latest technology to newproduct development...as well astoday’s consumers’ buying habits,” saysRandy Wooten of the Georgia StateFlorist Association. “Just like our indus-try is ever changing and growing, we asflorists need to change and grow. I alsobelieve that we are no longer sellingflowers as much as we are selling cus-tomer service and talent. Education isthe tool that will help us to succeed inthe floral industry.”

ENHANCING PROFIT POTENTIALSimilar to making marketing, advertising and mer-chandising part of your business plan, incorporatingfloral design education into your strategies can paysignificant dividends.

“Floral education is very important,” says Rod Crit-tenden of the Michigan Floral Association. “Floristswho take advantage of educational opportunitiescan differentiate themselves by being able to offerconsumers more choices. And those florists can alsocommand the dollars they need to make their busi-nesses more profitable.”

As we all know, creative design is a laborof love for every florist. Yet, the detailsof running a business often presentchallenges for florists in keeping upwith the most recent design ideas and

best practices.For example, which floral colors are hottest at the

moment? In what ways can the newest designs com-municate certain feelings and emotions? What arethe up-to-the-minute principles and elements of flo-ral design? Education can deliver answers to ques-

tions like these and many more—and in turn, canbe instrumental in driving the success of a retailflorist’s business.

CURRENT INSIGHTS ARE ESSENTIAL“The world is changing every day, and it’s changingvery fast,” states Diana Nordman of the Texas StateFlorists Association. “The retail florist industryneeds to continue to update itself on the changesand trends that are relevant to the way we live inthis fast-paced world today…and florists need to

POWERKnowledgeis

Going Back to SchoolWith a mission to provide affordable, value-added floral education that can be a foundationof growth for retail florists, we are pleased to in-troduce the Floriology Institute. Based in Jack-sonville, Florida, this state-of-the-art educationcenter offers cutting-edge floral design and otherindustry accredited educational services providedby many of today’s most gifted designers andknowledgeable business instructors. For informa-tion, please email us: [email protected].


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BALLOONINGSALES

Glass office buildings inyour town don’t have tobe ivory towers. Ratheryou should consider creat-ing a strategy to cultivate

relationships with the corporate busi-nesses housed within them. GeorgianneVinicombe, co-owner of Monday MorningFlowers with shops in Princeton, N.J. andYardley, Pa., is an example of someonewho has utilized old-fashioned network-ing and adopted what she calls a “corpo-rate friendly” philosophy to grow hercorporate business. She began by attend-ing chambers of commerce and womens’leadership group sessions years ago, andthere she met businesspeople from com-panies of all sizes. While she wasn’t surehow corporations operated, instinctivelyGeorgianne knew that you always try togive the customer what they want. “I haverun my business on trying not to say no,”she says.

Specifically, she notesthe importance ofbeing “corporatefriendly.” This meansbeing accommodat-ing and employingstrategies like: chang-ing hours to take callsbefore or after the tradi-tional 9 to 5 timeframe; deliveringto company events early in the morning;and accepting longer billing cycles.

Although she has two retail locations,she is not resting on her laurels. “I am notthe type of person who hangs the shingleand waits for people to come,” assertsGeorgianne. Her husband Kevin, who is apartner in the business, will go out twice ayear to visit scores of local businesses.During these visits, he drops off a totebag full of goodies and a note of appreci-ation for those who have done businesswith their shop in the past, or a letter in-troducing themselves to a potential cus-tomer. Within a few days of Kevin’s visits,they start getting orders. Georgianne hasa blog (www.franklyfloral.blogspot.com)where she discusses this very topic. (Lookat her April 16 posting to read further).

Meredith Grant gains 20% increaseby floating some very smart ideas

One of our 2010 goals was to increaseour balloon sales 15% over 2009,” saysMeredith Grant, owner of Enjoy Flow-ers in Laurel, Md. “Currently, we’ve in-creased our sales by closer to 20%.”

Spearheading the success is a high-visibility merchan-dising approach accompanied by extensive interactionwith the local community as well as nearby businesses.

“We purchased an inexpensive balloon corral thatis affixed to our store ceiling. It immediately drawsthe attention of our walk-in customers who can easilysee our balloon options and opt to add one or two totheir carry-out order,” says Meredith.

Furthermore, Meredith is always on the lookout foropportunities to donate balloons and balloon-relatedproducts. “So far, we have donated balloon arches to local high schools and achildren’s charity event. In addition to increasing our visibility in the community,we have received several balloon orders we otherwise would not have had.”

But that’s not all. Meredith has found that neighbors can also be very good atincreasing sales possibilities. “Our shop is located in a shopping strip plaza,” sheexplains. “Our neighbor is a children’s’ theatre that runs summer and after-schoolprograms. We have invested in several children’s themed balloons, and weprominently display them near our glass store front. This has brought children(with parents in hand) into our store. Once inside, we make sure parents know weoffer a discount to theatre customers, as we’ve also partnered with the theatreowner to offer discounted ‘show bouquets’ to parents on opening night. Theseefforts have resulted in both increased balloon and fresh cut flower sales.”

As Innovator of the Month, Meredith will receive a $250 check, a designers kitand plaque. She is eligible for the Innovator of the Year and could win a Lux-ury Included® vacation at Sandals! Send ideas to [email protected].

Innovatorof the

SeptemberMONTH

INNOVATOR OF THE MONTH

CultivatingCORPORATEBUSINESS

MARKETING


HOSTING PEERSHARNESSING BUSINESS IDEASRobin Miller Kroening hosted an open house for fellow florists in herEyota, Minn., shop on a recent summer evening. Robin had been thinkingabout doing a get together for sometime as a way to talk with peers in herrural area. So after much consideration, she decided to host an openhouse. She sent invitations to 17 shops. What followed was an intimategathering that had about 12 floral peers representing six shops. “It wentvery smoothly,” says Robin of the successful event.

She created a “citrus-colored, summer scene” for the event, and servedhors d’oeuvres and cocktails to bolster the festive atmosphere. Someflorists brought food too.

Jon Cochran, a market area consultant for BloomNet was on hand totake it all in and lend support to Robin during the event. “Everyone wasvery cheerful, open to talk, and they weren’t afraid to share their ideas,”says Jon of the open house. One piece of advice Jon offers for suchevents is to be sure the host or hostess facilitate communication be-tween florists to not only help break the ice but also lead a business discus-sion. “I think you need someone there who can ask the businessquestions,” says Jon. And once everyone is comfortable don’t be afraid toask fellow florists specifically how they are driving business to their shops,he adds. This question alone can really make people think about their busi-nesses and open the door to new solutions.

Robin agrees and she says once everyone was settled in, they were able toask each other questions about their businesses. Speaking of new ideas,Robin reports there were many, and she is especially excited to get started onone concept where florists would gather their customers together and takethem on a bus tour of several small flower shops nearby later this year.

While some florists may feel it is best to go it alone there are some good reasons to think other-wise. For example, Robin says one of the best results from the open house was that she along witha few other florists decided to look into sharing merchandising and shipping costs for gift itemsand products. This way, they can offer more products and save on expenses.

She wants to build on the foundations of the success of the open house and continue to net-work with her peers. “I want to do this again,” says Robin and may help put together anotheropen house this fall. The upcoming holidays are the perfect opportunity to remind existing corpo-rate accounts to come to you for their corporate business needs and to establish new accounts.

Let us know if your are planning an open house for fellow florists and we’ll send a generalmessage inviting florists in your area.

One Old Country RoadSuite 500Carle Place, NY 11514

PRESRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRIPON, WI

PERMIT NO. 100

B L O O M N E T I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

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>>>Robin’s shop was adornedwith everything from BloomNetpartyware to vases todecorative pottery pieces to1-800-Flowers party bouquets.


Documents

2010 September Floriology