Canadian Florist - September 2016

Sept/Oct 2016

canadianfloristmag.com

Identifying Allies How to Network Strategically

Got Confidence?

Tips to Boost Your Self-Esteem

Inside: Pricing 101 How to Write About Your Shop

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Care & Handling Tips for Awesome Autumn Blooms

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Vol. 111 No. 5 • Sept/Oct 2016

18 features Successful 40+ year Montreal florist seeking retail worker with floral design experience for training as Managerial Associate. Problem solving and people management skills are essential. Duties will include purchasing, scheduling, and customer relations.

This is an opportunity for a career position with profit sharing and equity.

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Contact Mr. Joseph at 514-895-0210.

Many of us hate going to a “networking event,” especially when it’s called just that. To me, it’s like being invited to a “drinking event” at a bar. Networking should be organic and comfortable, not like some sort of business version of speed dating or a competition to see who can collect the most business cards!

- Neville MacKay

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08

Get By With Some Help From Your Friends

14

How to Boost Your Confidence

18

08 departments 10

Florist Spotlight

12

The Social Florist

16

By Design

20

Tech Tips

24

Rising to the Occasion

26

Care and Handling

28

Ask the SEO

30

On the Level with Neville

How to network strategically

Easy exercises to make you feel smarter, funnier and more polished

Five Fun Ways to Mingle With Customers This Fall

Seasonal ideas to increase foot traffic

22

16

Pricing Success

The secret behind an effective discount

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www.canadianfloristmag.com

mag.com

WWW.

Vol. 111 No. 5 Editor Katie Hendrick khendrick@CanadianFloristMag. com 800-314-8895 ext 106 Advertising Manager advertising@CanadianFloristMag. com Publisher Ryan Freeman ryan@CanadianFloristMag.com Media Designer Martin Whelan Publication Mail Agreement #42919543 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Strider Media, 6-6150 Highway 7, Suite 400, Woodbridge, ON L4H 0R6 distribution@CanadianFloristMag.com

by Katie Hendrick

@CanadianFlorist

Printed in Canada ISSN 1700-5043

This time last year, I was reveling in a two-week vacation all around Greece.

I toured the ancient ruins in Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Mycennae, where I learned about the civilization that created mathematics, philosophy, democracy and the Olympic Games. I visited monasteries perched on cliffs in Meteora, perused the polka-dotted streets of Mykonos and hiked a volcano off the coast of Santorini. The perfect blend of sightseeing, education and leisure, that vacation ranks among my all-time favorites.

I paid for my trip entirely from a project I picked up from a friend at my tennis club. Through our shared hobby, we got to know each other pretty well. She works for a company that prepares educational materials for realtors. Buried by deadlines, she asked if I could lighten her load by writing chapters of a workbook if she provided an outline of key material.

That’s just one example of how I’ve earned business by getting out in my community. At a happy hour for my alumni organization, I met a woman with a marketing agency who has contracted me to write copy for her clients’ websites and brochures. Attending a luncheon and participating in a charity walk put me in contact with first-time authors who hired me to edit their novels. I am living proof: you never know where you might meet new clients and it pays to make friends and acquaintances.

With that philosophy in mind, we’ve dedicated this issue to all things networking. We’ve included strategic ways to align yourself with different groups in your community (p. 8), techniques to alleviate anxiety so you’ll feel more confident before meeting strangers (p. 14), specific ideas for mingling with customers this fall (p. 18) and, as always, amusing anecdotes from columnist Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC (p. 30). In between those pages, you’ll find advice on creating online videos (p. 12), using location-based coupons (p. 20), pricing your products and services (p. 22) and more.

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Friends and FROM THE Acquaintances Can Send EDITOR You Unexpected Places

Occasionally, Canadian Florist will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2015 Strider Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions.

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We hope our articles inspire you to go out in the world and find new friends —whose lives can be made brighter with your flowers.

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14SMO

©2016 Smithers-Oasis. All rights reserved. OASIS® and VERTICAL BAR DESIGN® are registered trademarks of Smithers-Oasis.

Creating unique designs is my paradise.

At a destination wedding, every detail should either capture the location’s special allure or the bride’s unique taste. The most inspiring pieces accomplish both. Here, my design features tropical blooms and textures to match an oceanside venue. I also use bold colors to represent the bride’s vivacious personality and a carefully tufted satin handle to accentuate her elegant style. Travel to new creative heights and get inspired at oasisfloralproducts.com/inspire.

Inspire florists worldwide!

Life’s a beach when you’re as creative as floral designer Karen McIntosh from Monroe, WA, who inspired this design. Enter our Inspire Design Showcase on Facebook for the chance to have your design featured!

Sept/Oct 2016 | CANADIAN Florist 5

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bloomin’

biz

Copyright Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada.

Reprinted with permission.

Saskatchewan florist Poppy Parsons, AIFD, CAFA, poses with a model showing off her floral headdress she made for the AIFD symposium.

Canadian Florists Make Splash in Anaheim

Poppy Parsons, AIFD, CAFA, owner of Smart Flowers in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and Dawn Block, AIFD, CAFA, owner of Willow Lane Flowers in Oakbank, Manitoba, appeared on the main stage at the American Institute of Floral Designers’ annual symposium in Anaheim, California, in July. The women worked alongside some of the world’s most prestigious floral designers. They had the honour of assisting Gerry Gregg, AIFD, in his program, “Three Points of View.”

Chinese Floral Industry Joining Hands With Tourism

In an effort to alleviate poverty and achieve environmental protection, the Chinese government has proposed a five-year plan to build 6,000 villages in a concept called “Beautiful Countrysides.” Mae Law, show manager for garden machinery and flower exhibition for the Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group, reports that local governments have responded by embarking on floral tourism. For example, Guangzhou is about to build 30 attractions for flower admiration, in an attempt to live up to its reputation as China’s “Flower City.” By the end of 2020, Guangzhou expects to have more than 30 neighbourhoods with flowers at their forefront.

Why Canadians Should Care About What Happens in the U.S. Presidential Election

By Jonathan Rumley, CBC News

The U.S. election can seem like a tiresome process that has little to do with Canada, but whomever the Americans vote for as their next president will impact people in Waterloo Region, says one political researcher.

“We’re sleeping next to an elephant, so when they shift in bed, we feel it,” research associate Simon Palamar said in July on CBC Radio’s The Morning Edition.

Palamar works in global security and politics at Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo. While he admits the U.S. electoral process can seem long and gruelling, he told host Craig Norris that whatever happens on Nov. 8 will be felt in Canada.

“We do too much business with them [for it not to],” Palamar said.

“It’s very much a region that’s dependent on business with the outside world,” Palamar said, calling U.S. politics a “pocketbook issue” for many residents. “A lot of businesses in Waterloo Region rely on that steady, predictable trade with the United States.”

Not only is the U.S. Canada’s biggest trading partner, it’s the largest economy in the world. And in a part of Canada that is so heavily dependent on technology and innovation that relies on trade relationships to reach its full potential, American leadership is especially important for those who live or work in Waterloo Region, according to the researcher. (continued, next page)

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coast to

COAST

COMING

EVENTS

Not your typical race

But this year’s U.S. electoral campaign has been anything but predictable, at least with the Republican Party. Billionaire businessman Donald Trump has become the party’s presidential nominee, which is making things interesting for those who follow politics.

“He’s very entertaining, he’s a bolt out of the blue.

Whether you like him or not, he’s a departure from the norm in American politics,” Palamar said.

“There’s excitement, anger, anxiety, fear about Donald Trump, but I think there’s a lot of ambivalence,” he added.

As a trusted ally and neighbour, Canada will have to be ready and responsible to however the U.S. chooses to move forward, and not just in terms of the economy. Palamar said U.S. leadership will affect Canadian foreign policy, as well.

“When we go to war, when we send troops to dangerous places, we almost always go alongside the Americans,” he said.

If the Americans choose Hillary Clinton as their next president Palmater said he expects the course will remain largely the same for Canadians as a continuation of the policies put forward by incumbent President Barack Obama.

But uncertainty prevails, with Trump in the ring of contenders. He’s a man with no political background who has talked about getting rid of the North America Free Trade Agreement, a move that directly impact a huge swath of Canadians.

“No one knows,” Palamar said of what Trump may do if elected. “And that’s the real wildcard.”

SEPTEMBER 18: Florists Supply Winnipeg Design Show with Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC floristssupply.com 18: Florists Supply Edmonton Design Show with Donald Yim, AIFD, CPFD floristssupply.com 19: Florists Supply Winnipeg Hands on Seminar with Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC floristssupply.com

19: Florists Supply Edmonton Hands on Seminar with Donald Yim, AIFD, CPFD floristssupply.com 21: Florists Supply Calgary Hands on Seminar with Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC floristssupply.com 21-24: Society of American Florists’ 132nd Annual Convention Maui, Hawaii

safnow.org/events-education/annual-convention/ 25: Florists Supply Saskatoon Design Show with Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC floristssupply.com 25: Florists Supply Kelowna Design Show with Tracy Bell, CPFDA floristssupply.com 26: Florists Supply Saskatoon Hands on Seminar with Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC floristssupply.com 26: Florists Supply Kelowna Hands on Seminar with Tracy Bell, CPFDA floristssupply.com 28-29: CanWest Horticultural Expo Abbotsford, British Columbia

canwesthortshow.com/ OCTOBER 5-6: Canadian Greenhouse Conference Niagara Falls, Ontario

canadiangreenhouseconference.com/ 5-7: Agriflor Quito, Ecuador

hppexhibitions.com/floriculture/2016/ecuador/ 19-21: WFFSA Floral Distribution Conference Miami, Florida

wffsa.org/aws/WFFSA/pt/sp/floraconference

A FULL EVENTS LISTING IS UPDATED REGULARLY AT www.canadianfloristmag.com.

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Get By With Some Help From Your Friends

by Michelle Brisebois

It’s 6:30pm. So far, today, you have dealt with customers, your banker, assorted suppliers, and the repairperson you called to fix the coolers. You’re tired and suddenly you remember… “Oh yeah, tonight is that networking event I’m supposed to go to.” Excited?! Probably not.

If networking feels like a chore, then perhaps it’s time to change your approach. Networking randomly means making small talk.

Networking strategically involves a savvy direct marketing plan.

Done right, according to Harvard Business Review, networking provides “a fabric of personal contacts who will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information.” Cocktail parties can yield some great contacts but they’re not necessarily the most efficient way to fill your Rolodex. Time is the most precious commodity for most business owners, so the more purposeful you can be about your networking strategy, the less time it will take.

First you’ll need to establish what aspect of your business you want to grow the most. You may wish to develop more corporate clients or focus on events. There may be two or three areas of your business you want to develop, but keep the list focused on the aspects that will give you the greatest bang for your buck. Think of areas that will give your business growth and profitability. Once you’ve identified your goal, consider networking around the following themes.

Operational Synergies

Operational synergies occur when companies leverage each other’s assets, combining forces so they grow faster than they would on their own. When the local chapter of Weight Watchers rents a church basement on a Tuesday morning for its meetings, that’s an example of operational synergy. The church gets revenue for a space that would otherwise be idle and Weight Watchers gets a meeting venue without having to lease a space permanently.

Delivery is one opportunity where you can cover some of your costs by partnering with another business. Think about other businesses in your community that handle deliveries that could work with you.

A bakery or chocolatier would be a great candidate to network with on that topic. If your delivery zone overlaps with theirs, perhaps you could negotiate a small fee in return for taking on some of their deliveries. Your van is in the area anyway; the extra gas and time will likely be minimal and the fee you could collect would go a long way covering your typical costs. The chocolatier also wins because he or she doesn’t have to pay for a van. Look out for potential operational synergies at bylaw meetings and wedding industry conferences.

Speak to your suppliers, insurance agent or commercial banker — they may know other local businesses with complementary needs and goals.

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The Wedding Dream Team

Lachlan McGurk, of Bern’s Flowers and Gifts in Alliston, Ontario, has taken networking to a very effective and strategic level by belonging to a local consortium of businesses. Dubbed the “Wedding Dream Team,” the group includes a jeweller, event space company, photographer, hair stylist, and florist. The businesses share a website (theweddingdreamteam.ca), a marketing budget (allowing them to purchase more expensive and powerful advertisements), and a like-minded vision. Each team member trains the staff of the other team members, so they understand their product lines and services and can offer referrals with confidence and finesse.

Geographical Synergies

When construction or some other event (a sinkhole, flooding, snow, etc.) cuts off traffic to your store, it impacts the other businesses around you too. Your neighbours are an important group of allies because you share concerns in terms of zoning bylaws, weather, and other environmental conditions. There is strength in numbers; when a group of business owners voices its grievances to local decision makers, it’s hard to ignore the coalition.

Introduce yourself and make sure to join any associations that represent your retail area. Many downtown cores have associations to represent their membership’s interests. Find out if the association maintains a Facebook page, as social networks are one of the most efficient ways to network for business purposes. Best of all, your neighbours can provide word of mouth referrals. If you give some of your neighbouring businesses lovely arrangements to display, you provide them a natural conversation starter with their customers. (“Where did you get those beautiful flowers?” “Why, from our friends, right around the corner…”)

Philosophical Synergies

Likeminded partners can help your business express the values it embodies. If sustainability and green business practices are parts of your philosophy, connecting with a business that can recycle some of your botanical material or hardware would be a great networking move. The assisted living facility that uses flowers as part of its occupational therapy will welcome those repurposed arrangements.

You’ll want to network with occupational therapists and the public health adult healthcare division of your community to develop this connection. There are also charities such as “Project Prom” dedicated to helping young women and men find prom attire when finances don’t allow for such an extravagance. Consider networking with organizations such as this to offer assistance with corsages and boutonnieres.

Psychographical Synergies

Allign yourself with businesses whose customers share a similar “state of mind” as do yours. The hair salon shares prom and wedding customers with you. The funeral home shares grieving customers with you. The event planner can be your connection to the corporate sector. If any of these areas is where you wish to focus on business growth, then figure out who has a solid reputation and reach out to them for a cup of coffee. Demonstrate an appreciation for their branding and business focus, and look for ways that your approach complements theirs. Refer your customers and ask that they mention you sent them, so your connections will know you are nurturing the alliance.

Once you have your networking goals established, think beyond the cocktail party and leverage technology to be effective and efficient. Look for Facebook groups whose members include businesses with whom you’d like to connect. Anyone eager to demonstrate leadership should be active on LinkedIn, the leader in professional, digital networking, say Herminia Ibarra and Mark Lee Hunter, authors of “How Leaders Create and Use Networks,” a 2007 Harvard Business Review article. “What differentiates a leader from a manager, research tells us, is the ability to figure out where to go and to enlist the people and groups necessary to get there,” they say. “Recruiting stakeholders, lining up allies and sympathizers, diagnosing the political landscape, and brokering conversations among unconnected parties are all part of a leader’s job.”

Networking isn’t just about getting to know people — it’s about harnessing the power of the “hive mind” and going further together rather than faster alone.

Michelle Brisebois specializes in retail strategies with experience in luxury goods, restaurants, financial services, and ecommerce. She currently manages Trius Winery and Direct to Consumer for Andrew Peller Limited in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario.

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FLORIST

M

SPOTLIGHT

Surrey Grower Is Crazy for Cut Kalanchoes

By Christy O’Farrell

Erin Nathanielsen, co-owner of McIntosh Greenhouses in Surrey, British Columbia, predicts that the new cut kalanchoes her business sells are going to “take off” as more florists and consumers catch on to the flower’s staying power. She and her husband, Eric, are confident enough that they’re doubling production of the cuttings they buy from Young Plants by Queen in Denmark.

Full Bloom sold flower crowns made of “happy colours” of kalanchoe, wax flower and eucalyptus at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival July 15-17, Macy said. They also have used the kalanchoes for graduation, small table arrangements and corsages because they maintain their integrity. “The buds are so beautiful too,” she said. “It’s quite a versatile flower.”

McIntosh, the only grower in North America offering the cut kalanchoes, started selling them about eight months ago to retailers and distributors, and directly through the United Flower Growers auction in Burnaby, B.C., about 45 minutes away. The Nathanielsens also sell cut kalanchoes in their own small retail shop, open April through June, along with hanging baskets and other plants.

Michele Philp, who has owned Full Bloom Flowers for two years, began ordering the cut kalanchoe as soon as McIntosh offered it.

“I’m always looking for interesting new stuff,” Philp said. “That’s part of our niche,” mixing “unusual and standard” varieties together to make designs stand out.

The kalanchoes’ best quality, their longevity, will attract repeat buyers throughout the year, Nathanielsen anticipates. “People don’t really know about them yet,” she said. They are guaranteed to flower for three weeks, and can last up to six weeks, even without changing the water because they don’t rot. They can even withstand being dry shipped across Canada. “They are so strong, they would make it without water.”

Their camel-like durability is due to patented ethylene resistance or tolerance, according to promotional materials from Frederike Israel, Queen’s marketing manager. The company recommends them for many uses, including flower wreaths and “flower muffins.”

Norah Macy, a designer at a shop that recently purchased some of the kalanchoes, Full Bloom Flowers in Vancouver, agreed they are some of the longest lasting flowers available. Customers have told her that month-old kalanchoes are “still going strong.”

The cut kalanchoes come in white, pink, dark pink, yellow, orange and red.

Philp continually orders kalanchoes, explaining that the clusters of both open and closed flowers on one long stem lend depth and texture to an arrangement, raising its perceived value. “They add that extra dimension that people really like,” Philp said. Her shop designs a weekly order for a pilates studio, which kept one arrangement featuring kalanchoes for four weeks, she said.

While Macy sometimes combines the kalanchoes with other flowers, Nathanielsen said they “look really good by themselves” too.

The Nathanielsens are the third generation to run McIntosh Greenhouses, which also grows bedding plants and seasonal ornamentals. They bought the wholesale business in 2011 from Eric’s father. His grandfather, Eric Forssell, founded it in 1955.

Nathanielsen said their 11-year-old son might decide someday to make it a fourth-generation business.

Christy O’Farrell is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.

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Lights, Camera, Action!

How Social Video Can Boost Your Business

by Rachel Levy Sarfin

When you think of videos posted to social media, chances are footage of animals doing adorable things comes to mind. Or maybe news clips with breaking stories. And let’s not forget sound bites of celebrities, well, being celebrities.

It might seem as though all of the videos posted to social media have no business relevance whatsoever. But social video is actually a powerful tool for companies. Your flower shop can benefit from some broadcast sessions. In this issue, we’ll highlight the four most popular social video platforms out there: Facebook Live, Periscope, Meerkat, and Snapchat.

Facebook Live Facebook Live is Facebook’s real-time video sharing platform. Facebook began rolling it out in August 2015.

At press time, only iOS Mentions app users can access Facebook Live. The company will continue to expand access to Facebook users (including those who access Facebook via the Android app) over time.

Why has Facebook restricted Facebook Live to such a small group of users? It can control demand this way.

Furthermore, the popular social networking site hopes to set a high standard for streamed videos so users will find the feature relevant rather than redundant.

While you might not be one of the privileged few who can currently use Facebook Live, that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for its wider rollout. Social video is an

excellent way to connect with your customers and share updates with them about your business.

Some companies and entrepreneurs have begun taking advantage of Facebook Live. Take, for example, Nancy Olliver. She created a line of chalk-based paints sold online. She uses Facebook Live to share how-to videos with her followers to illustrate creative ways they can use her products. You could use Facebook Live in a similar way. If you sell loose flowers, you can shoot videos about how to arrange simple bouquets. You could show footage of your own home and how you use flowers to brighten spaces. You could demonstrate care and handling practices so customers can enjoy their arrangements as long as possible.

Periscope Periscope is another live streaming video app, this one owned by Twitter. With Periscope, you can broadcast video live to anyone. When you finish broadcasting, viewers can replay the video and provide feedback for up to 24 hours.

How can your flower shop benefit from the Periscope app? You could take a page from the music streaming service Spotify. One day after joining Periscope at the end of March 2015, Spotify posted a behind-the-scenes

video featuring folk singer Connor O’Brien from the Irish band Villagers. Hundreds of people watched the video live, and then nearly 100 more viewers replayed the footage.

You don’t have to broadcast musical stars to attract followers on Periscope. Consider shooting footage of drivers going on delivery runs or a bride tearing up when she sees her bouquet on her big day.

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Nancy Olliver, founder of Poppie’s Paint Powders, shares instructional and inspirational videos via Facebook Live to connect with prospective customers.

Meerkat Meerkat and Periscope were released around the same time. It was built upon Twitter, although Twitter cut off the app’s access to its social graph soon after its release.

What’s the difference between the two apps? Meerkat is very basic. You can’t edit, and there are no filters or layout wizards.

The app’s simplicity has attracted its share of fans. There are a number of ways businesses have used Meerkat.

For example, Box CEO Aaron Levie broadcast a card trick two days after the company’s first earnings call. It gave followers the chance to connect with Levie on a personal level. You can use Meerkat the same way – it will show your customers the face behind your brand.

Snapchat Unlike the other apps mentioned in this article, Snapchat transmits photos as well as videos. Users send photos or videos (known as Snaps) to their friends and followers.

Their followers can see the Snaps for ten seconds, and then they disappear.

Snapchat has become wildly popular because of all of its features. You can add colourful filters, face-swapping effects and messages, among other things. Snapchat claims 150 million people use the app each day, surpassing the number of people who log into Twitter.

The wide usage base has made Snapchat an attractive platform for marketing businesses. And the app’s developers understand that quite well. In June 2016, the company rolled out advertising options for companies to

reach users. One of the options businesses have is to pay for ads inserted between users’ messages.

How can you make your ad stand out? Snapchat offers Sponsored Lenses, which are animations that overlay an image. During Super Bowl 50, Gatorade’s shower lens received 165 million views. A similar idea for florists would be a shower of petals for Valentine’s Day. Connecting with customers through social video doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Learn which platform they use, and keep your footage authentic and true to your brand. Encourage them to interact with you, online and offline, and you’ll reap the benefits.

Rachel Levy Sarfin

is a Toronto-based freelancer who has written about technology for a variety of publications and blogs.

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How to Boost Your Confidence

by Cavelle Martin

“It’s not about what you know, but who you know.”

We’ve all heard this before, especially in regards to doing business. Cliché or not, it’s the truth. Your ability to network is critical to success. If you are among the many who find this process uncomfortable, then you’re in luck, for I have some strategies to make networking a breeze.

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“Stranger Danger”

For children, this is an important mantra, but avoiding strangers is the last thing business owners want to do.

To grow your brand and reputation, you have to put yourself out there.

My first tip is to eliminate the word “stranger” from your vocabulary. Stranger has a negative connotation.

Stranger implies danger, as that is what we were conditioned to understand in childhood.

Replace the word stranger with “client” or “friend”.

Look at every new person you cross paths with as someone who could have a positive impact on your business. Sell yourself to that person in the same manner.

First impressions are crucial, so always put your best foot forward. What does that mean? Approach potential clients in the same manner you would appreciate being approached by someone you don’t know.

I’m starting with the man in the mirror!

I’m asking him to change his ways…(Sorry, couldn’t help myself there. It’s a very catchy tune!) My point: if conversation does not come naturally to you, practice your social skills in the mirror. It may seem silly at first, but if you can get over the awkwardness of talking to yourself, then it won’t be long before you’re networking with grace and ease! This exercise also helps make you aware of body language, which says more than mere words. Practice eye contact, smiling and using proper posture. All of this goes a long way not only in your work life but in your personal life as well!

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

You may feel alone in your introversion, but really, there is a good chance your clients, vendors and the like also struggle with networking. Like you, they try their best to hide it. Don’t be shy; take initiative so others can let their guard down around you. Sometimes it’s just a matter of who is willing to rip off the Band-Aid first, and you will find that by just going for it, people will appreciate the effort, relax and reciprocate, and both parties will find the experience more pleasurable than painful. The lesson here is that, even if you’re not feeling so confident, making the first move makes a big impact and gives much needed relief to others.

The rest will follow naturally from there.

Taste the Rainbow

We are visual creatures. It may sound vain but it’s true. We make judgements in split seconds, as the eye is fickle. Make note of this fact! For example, if your wardrobe is lacking colour, I strongly suggest revising it. Adding colour can make you appear more fun and open (i.e. approachable!). If you prefer dressing head to toe in black, that’s fine, but add a pop of colour in an accessory. After all, as florists, you are artists at heart. Let your appearance reflect that! It could be a simple scarf or a tie, some jewellery or even your shoes. Trust me: a little colour goes a long way in signalling that you’re not all doom and gloom. Makeup and a fresh haircut are also nice confidence boosters, so don’t be afraid to pamper yourself a little. If you look good, you feel good!

Head Up, Shoulders Back

I have always struggled with my posture. I have to make a conscious effort to stop slouching. In the age of text messaging, there are more people going to chiropractors for cell phone-related injuries than ever before. Standing up straight is important not just for appearing more confident, but for your health, as well.

If you’re like me, you may also feel a bit freaked out when someone makes direct eye contact with you. This makes me feel pressured to make direct eye contact back, but at the same time, I worry I will hold the gaze too long. It’s easy to overthink these things, which is why I return to my suggestion of practicing in the mirror. Hold your own gaze for as long as you can stand it. Enjoy what you see! When you have a spare moment, practice backwards shoulder rolls to train your muscles. If you want to mimic the ultimate posture, find a ballet warmup video on YouTube. Have you seen ballerinas? They epitomize proper posture. Yoga will also give you these benefits, as well as relaxation. Focus on your core when you exercise. This group of muscles has been given its name for a reason. A strong core creates a strong body and prevents overcompensating in areas not meant to do something.

Visualize

Meditation is a powerful thing. Our minds can take us anywhere. Close your eyes and visualize yourself having conversations with random characters. Laugh and smile. Imagine effortless conversation. You’re the life of the party! Everyone wants to talk to you and you say all the right things! The next thing you know, people are giving you their business cards, weddings orders double, and you get featured in Canadian Florist magazine! Take that visual wherever you want. Meditate daily and watch your visualizations start to unfold in real time. Mind over matter, as they say!

Remember, you started your business for the love of flowers. Always keep your mission top of mind because people love working with people who love what they do. Don’t lose your passion to the stresses of everyday life. Ooze positive energy in everything that you do big or small and watch your business bloom! (Pun intended.)

Cavelle Martin is a former CSR in the wholesale floral industry who once helped renowned designer Kristine Kratt, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, during a design show. Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2014, she has become an advocate for fighting the stigma of mental illness.

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design

This issue’s designs come from Fred Chlan, a freelance designer in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He has lived in both Asia and North America and has achieved certification in Sogetsu Ikebana, European, and Western styles of floral design. His work has appeared in publications throughout Canada, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, China, and Taiwan. He has given presentations since the 1980s. His focus revolves around independent self-origination design, respecting concepts of nature, utilizing found and foreign objects, and creating in the moment, regardless of marketed trends.

This horizontal structure is approximately 36 inches wide. I wanted movement, detail, and variety of texture. To achieve it, I used twig, dried seaweed, dried noodle, twine, cinnamon sticks, copper wire, shells, lisianthus, oncidium orchids, dianthus, micro chrysanthemums, and a variety of flora.

The folded red ti leaves, overplayed with crisscrosses lines of steel grass, add a contemporary feel to an otherwise organic design.

This experimental, contemporary design features tropical foliages, deconstructed banana flower, embellished lemon, anthurium, steel grass, and craspedia. I developed it in a contemporary glass container and weaved the foliage to produce an abstract nest.

The center is pierced to allow the anthurium placement, which is physically weighted and balanced by the abstract composite lemon.

This is the side view of a design that is approximately 60 to 66 inches tall. A dried brown palm spear provides vertical thrust. It is organically embroidered with hanging celosia. The design is finished with a variety of foliage, green anthurium, oncidium and mokara orchids. I used form flora to stretch the horizontal plane of the design with a great deal of intricate basing techniques to all viewing angles. The vase motif is an intricate lotus, which becomes a aspect of the total design.

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This two-sided crescent design incorporated fruit, vegetable, flora, dried, and abstract material. I placed a large loofa with string beans, ginger, and limes to create a continual textured static line. The effect is a moving mosaic pattern. This style requires extreme detail and precision in regards to growing patterns, colour, texture, and continuity.

I shaped reclaimed metal and plastic to create the mechanics for this contemporary abstract horizontal design, which is approximately 36 inches. I added strelitzia, ripped ti leaf, leucadendron, oncindium orchids, and shells for visual interest and movement. I then wrapped the entire structure in coloured palm fibre and ornamental wire, allowing for additional floral insertions. I affixed statice, shells, and mokara orchids with adhesive.

This design, approximately 44 by 36 inches, features yellow callas, Chinese string bean, mokara orchids, and dried nori (seaweed) layered and cut into celestial forms. I combined decorative dried wood and copper wire to create the vertical structure. Foliage and flora are continually woven layer upon layer to create a sheltering horizontal design. Below, stones and rocks act as a physical (and aesthetic) balance point, allowing for diagonal and vertical floral placements.

I crossed a series of branches and affixed them together to create a circular structure. I later wove interior wired equisetum through the structure to create line and movement. This adds dimension. The focal part of the design features dynamic purple mini anthurium. Additional placements of a variety of field flowers and orchids create a whimsical design, evocative of complex vegetation. The tops of the form remains open with the use of of bullion, palm fibre, and orchid florets.

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by Lindsay Ulrich

FIVE FUN WAYS TO MINGLE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS THIS FALL Lindsay Ulrich is a freelance writer from Toronto.

It’s easy to forget about the importance of networking when you’re busy managing the daily operations of a shop. Things get busy! Orders need to be placed, shipments need to be tracked, and staying one step ahead of the next holiday is a must. It’s no wonder shops neglect to rub elbows with their customers.

But these are the people who support you regularly, so it’s important to show them a little love.

Successful businesses know that a customer might come for a product, but they’ll return for a positive, personal experience. This is especially true for the flower industry, where emotional celebrations and milestones are your bread and butter. There’s always room in your business to strengthen your connection with customers, so why not have some fun with them? Here are a few ways you can mingle with your customers this fall.

1. Host a customer appreciation day.

Everyone’s favourite flowers are “just because” flowers, so why not follow this thinking with a “just because” party? Promote the event a few weeks in advance, and pick a day (a Friday or Saturday,

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perhaps) to let your customers know you truly appreciate them! Order a cake, invite long-time customers (even customers you haven’t heard from in a while), highlight a new variety of flower or a new workshop you’re offering, and share some memories of your favourite customer experiences on postcards or presentation boards around the shop. Serve small snacks, coffee, and tea and consider giving away a few prizes, small bouquets, or individual flowers to say thank you. This can be your opportunity to give back. Your customers won’t forget how appreciated you made them feel.

2. Offer a free pumpkin-carving workshop.

With Halloween just around the corner, get your customers excited for All Hallows’ Eve by hosting a pumpkin-carving or pumpkin-decorating workshop.

Try incorporating festive elements into their designs, like vines, flowers, twigs, and apples. Think your group might feel the competitive spirit? Turn the end of the workshop into a contest and get attendees to vote for the most creative pumpkin. Winner gets a free bouquet! This can be an event for children and adults alike. Continue the fun by sending your customers home with the seeds, so they can bake them for a crunchy snack.

3. Serve a cup of something hot and have a chat.

When the months get colder, people love to warm up with a hot beverage. Try creating an extra welcoming space by setting up a thermos of lavender-infused hot chocolate, or teas made with flowers and seasonal spices like chamomile, jasmine, anise, or fennel. Grab a cup of something warm and spend some quality time with your customers. Turn on your active listening skills and see whether there’s something you can learn about an unaddressed want or need from your customer.

4. Host a florist-for-a-day contest.

Promote a contest where the winners get to become honorary florists at your shop for a day. Lots of people think running a flower shop is all roses, but you know there’s more to it than that. Let a few lucky customers get their hands dirty and peek behind the scenes while helping you run your busy shop. Your customers’ curiosity will be piqued, they’ll love this unique opportunity to try out a dream profession, and they’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the hard work you do.

5. Stir up your online community.

In-store events are excellent ways to engage your customers, but don’t neglect your online community. If you haven’t made an effort recently to mingle with your audience on social media and through email, now’s the time. Think creatively and strategically about how you can reach out.

You can keep it simple and offer tips, news, and photos of your work or life at the shop Try planning a social media campaign around a new product or service you’re offering. If you’re already pretty proficient at social media, you could go deeper and present a series of video tutorials (see “The Social Florist,” p. 12 for more video advice). Whatever you post, remember to respond to your followers’ comments.

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How Geofencing can help your business flourish

by Abby Driver

With more people using their mobile phones than ever before, you should spend an increasing amount of your marketing budget on mobile. This opens up the door for new opportunities to explore. Enter: geofencing.

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Geofencing is a location-based service that messages smartphone users when they enter a predefined area, such as a specific store, mall or neighbourhood. It can be an incredibly effective marketing tool thanks to its precision.

All you need to get started is an app and some way to track location (e.g. GPS data). However many retailers are still skeptical of this relatively new marketing technique. It’s understandable; this isn’t something you want to get wrong.

Don’t Be Creepy

Ok I get it — tracking an individual’s location is a little bit like Hogwart’s Marauder’s Map. But you can lower the creep factor by getting customers to opt-in for push notifications and GPS-enabled content; you could even go a step further and let them request where and how often you contact them. This will help the customer feel in control, rather than stalked. Always a good thing!

Geo-What?

You should also always err on the side of caution when it comes to frequency — bombarding users with too much information is not at all what this is about. Instead, deliver timely, useful information that your customers may genuinely find beneficial.

A Business Boost

Ultimately — it’s a fine line to tread and one you should perform with care. However the more you learn about your customers and how they like to use geolocation, the easier you’ll find it to adapt your business and serve them well in the mobile era.

Imagine a geofence as a virtual perimeter that allows you to target customers in a physical location. Using a combination of GPS, cellular and Wi-Fi data, it effectively lets you always be in the right place at the right time with the right message!

Using geofencing to market your business can have a very positive impact. Here are some of the main benefits.

Boost your sales: By letting people know you have a sale on or a new line in, you’re more likely to pull in foot traffic. This is particularly apt around relevant holidays, such as Valentine’s Day. Perhaps there is a jewellery store down the road. You could target people around that area in January, as there is a good chance they are looking for a Valentine’s Day gift. And who doesn’t love a bunch of flowers to complement some earrings or a bracelet? You could even arrange for a map to appear directing them from their current location to your shop.

Increase loyalty: Mine your customer data to identify who’s been dormant and target those customers with geofencing in a bid to win them back. For example, when they’re near your store, you could let them know what their loyalty balance is or that their favourite flowers are in stock. You could even send them a simple “we miss you” message with a discount to incentivise a visit.

Influence purchase decisions: If you have a new range of flowers in or are running a new promotion, this is a great way to get your message out there and educate people about new options that they might otherwise overlook.

Provide value: Strategic, sensible use of geofencing is a win-win as the customer is provided with immediate value, whether that is useful knowledge, a discount code or a friendly reminder that Mother’s Day is coming up!

Gain insight: You could also use geofencing to learn more about your customers. For example, when they leave, you have an opportunity to send them a quick message thanking them for coming in and requesting they answer a short survey about their experience. You could ask what they liked and how you could improve. Keep your survey short and simple and consider offering incentives to maximise responses.

Track competitors: You could learn more about your competitors and which of your current customers frequent them too by geofencing the perimeter of other businesses.

But be aware: If you do this, you must include a note in your privacy policy.

Think Outside the Box

You don’t just have to send notifications to customers who are nearby — think outside the box (or should we say “perimeter”)! If your offer a wedding flower service, send a message to customers in bridal shops — they could well be looking for a florist. A simple message inviting them in for a no-strings-attached consultation and a coffee is a super subtle approach that could result in a big boost in sales. For something less time-consuming on your part, you could simply let them know your wedding package pricing structure, though only if it is straightforward and well suited for a short message.

In Conclusion

Above all, remember that geofencing is not about bombarding your customers with messages. They will opt out of your notifications very quickly and it may even turn them off your brand. Instead, think like a customer. What would you want to receive? What would add value to your shopping experience? And act from there.

Once you start getting feedback from customers, you can start to align your tactics and messages with the actual data. Providing your customers with timely, interesting and inherently valuable messages can be really cool. And as we mentioned before, it’s not widespread at the moment, so it will certainly make your brand look forward thinking!

Abby Driver is a freelance journalist in Truro, England, who has written on topics such as the millennial culture and feminist weddings.

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Pricing Success Pricing has undergone a revolution that has helped many companies achieve new levels of profitability.

by Mark Anderson It all began with a simple realization: The seller’s costs have no correlation to what the buyer is willing to pay. What matters is how the customer values the product and how much they are prepared to pay as a result.

Imagine your local pizzeria. The price you are willing to pay depends on many things — how much you like their pizza, how long it has been since you last had it, how hungry you are, the price and availability of alternative dishes (pizza and non-pizza).

What doesn’t factor into your valuation: the pizzeria’s costs. Would you value their pizza more if they signed a bad lease? Would you value their pizza less if they owned the building outright and did not have to cover mortgage or lease payments?

Pricing then becomes more than a cost plus formula. The cost plus model ensures you don’t lose money on a sale, but it does not help attract new buyers with lower (but still profitable) valuations, or help you get more money from customers with higher valuations.

Marketers, psychologists, and behavioural economists have joined accountants in the pricing process, and the results have been incredible. What has become known as “value-” or “psychological pricing” attempts to align prices with perceived value — generating more money from more customers. Prices themselves also become a key part of the marketing strategy — sending powerful signals about the brand, framing value, and directing customers toward the most profitable choices.

The Problem With Fixed Prices

Imagine you create a great new arrangement and your cost-plus formula suggests a price of $40.

You know you could sell more at $32 and still be profitable, but you also have the feeling some customers would pay $45, maybe more. Stumped, you decide to poll consumers. You ask 100 people what they would be willing to pay for the new design.

They come back with prices ranging from $20 to $60. Most people are closer to the middle, and the average value is $40. Your market research and the cost plus formula both say $40 is the way to go, but it is actually a very bad compromise. Why?

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Right away you lose half of your potential customers.

Every one of the people who assigned a value of the less than $40 is no longer interested.

On the other end, it’s even worse. The people who were prepared to pay $50-$60? They’re laughing.

To them, you are giving it away; they would have gladly paid you an extra $10 to $20.

What if there was a way to sell the arrangement for less than $40, but only to those who really wouldn’t pay more? And what if there was a way for the people who said they would pay $50 or $60 to do just that? It seems crazy but it happens all the time.

One Product, Many Prices

Hollywood sells a product that anyone with an Internet connection can steal, but they keep making money. Smart pricing is a big part of it.

Let’s say a family of four wants to see “Guardians of the Galaxy”. Seeing it in IMAX 3D costs $65.96, regular 3D costs $55.96, and the standard screen costs $43.96. Other options (matinees, discount Tuesday, VIP club, pre-purchased passes) all introduce different prices.

Not retail, you say? Check out the DVD/Blu-Ray section of your local electronics store. Major new releases are offered in five or more slightly different version of the same thing (a movie on optical disc) for between $15 and $40. And cheaper options keep being presented — digital downloads, payper-view, etc.

Hollywood doesn’t dig in and insist on a single price based on their costs. They come up with a profitable price for every single customer, and always provide an option to spend more.

The most profitable possible price for every customer: that is the goal. Many of the techniques involved will work for florists too. That is what this will be about: using the techniques created and refined by other vendors to make selling flowers more profitable.

Introduce Some Hurdles

Let’s return to this hypothetical $40 arrangement.

You can sell it at $32 and still be profitable, as long as you aren’t cannibalizing sales at $40. What if there was a way to selectively discount only to those who would not pay full price?

There are techniques for doing just that, and one of the very best is called a hurdle. To get the discount, the customer has to jump the hurdle, and only those who are really committed to the discount will do that. The people who were prepared to pay $40 or more? If you design the hurdle properly, most won’t bother.

Sound crazy? Think about it: every manufacturer’s rebate you have ever applied for was a hurdle,

designed to discourage all but the thriftiest of shoppers. Ever enjoyed the lunch specials or early bird discounts at a restaurant? Reduced pricing for a matinee? Paid less for an overnight flight?

Lined up at midnight with hordes of other bargain hunters to get a deal? In each case, you jumped a hurdle (accepting a less desirable time, sacrificing convenience, etc.) in order to save money.

Here are some hurdles you can employ at your shop: •

Pickup Only: Discounts on pickups are especially effective for urban florists, where parking is an issue.

•

Vase Recycling: If customers bring in a vase, they can have it refilled at a discount. This is very effective at helping recipients become customers. It’s also an opportunity to score “green” points in the community.

•

Food Drive: People who bring in a nonperishable food item get a discount. Only those who are really serious about a discount on flowers will do this.

Remember, the goal is to generate sales from people who would not purchase otherwise. You want to avoid having people who are willing to pay full price take advantage of the discount.

Thus: •

EVER automatically apply hurdle discounts.

N Doing so completely undermines the effort.

These discounts are only for the people who ask for them.

•

DO NOT promote discounts to customers who have historically paid full price.

Discounting Dos

Use discount hurdles to change behaviour, such as getting full-price customers to buy outside their usual pattern.

Focus on customers you have flagged as being, um, “sensitive to price.”

Look at inactive customers. Maybe they stopped shopping because of a rise in delivery prices. One of these discounts might get them back.

Focus on recipients who have never purchased.

Look for ways to find price-sensitive shoppers.

Stay tuned for next month’s issue for strategies to increase your perceived value.

Mark Anderson is a software developer, small business owner, creator of FloristWare, and an enthusiastic supporter of the floral industry.

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BETTER SERVICE LANDS BIGGER SALES

by Tim Huckabee, AIFSE Did you make it to the Canadian Florist Business Forum in Vaughan on May 30th? If so, I hope that you are enjoying bigger sales every day by implementing the plans I presented onstage. But if you did not attend, all is not lost … I am using my column space this month to give you highlights of what I taught so you can start to boost your sales too!

My programme was called “Better Service, Bigger Sales” and it included points I have been teaching on-site to florists across Canada (and the world) for 20 years. In a nutshell, I challenged florists to get out of their comfort zone and engage customers in a whole new way. Consumers want and need better service and are willing to spend much, much more than you have been letting them. And you’ll prove that to yourself over the coming weeks.

To start, you need to change your thinking about what customers want from you. To achieve that goal, I offered the group four powerful mantras.

Here’s one: Ask Fewer Questions, Give More Advice. We ask far too many questions to customers who are clueless and, ironically, counting on us to give them the answer with our professional advice. Here’s my best example. The old approach is to ask the customer who is ordering a centerpiece in a cube, “Do you want me to do a leaf wrap in that for you?” The customer has no clue what you’re asking, gives a sheepish response, and feels uncomfortable. A better approach: “I recommend a leaf wrap for that container so I can hide the stems and give it a nice, finished look.” The customer’s response to that advice would be, “Sure, thanks!”

Get it? Follow that mantra.

I moved on to my list of ‘”Six Forbidden Questions,” which are silly time-wasters that should be banished from every shop. Here’s my favourite: “How much do you want to spend?” That’s ignorant, insulting, and counterintuitive to giving good customer service! Can you name any other store on the planet that asks that question as a way of starting a transaction? I can’t. Many problems stem from it, including limiting the sale and making the customer feel awkward. What’s the alternative? Simple and

easy: assert your role as the expert and make an appropriate suggestion and then the customer will adjust the budget up or down. Read this example out loud and listen to how natural it sounds: “For your parents’ 30th wedding anniversary, I suggest one of our large vase arrangements filled with garden flowers in rich autumn colours. That’s priced from $X to $Y.” No need to ask that crazy money question ever again!

We continued the session by discussing the concept of add-ons, which are referred to in FloralStrategies parlance as finishing touches. Interesting fact: when customers visit your website, they buy balloons, candy, teddy bears, etc. in droves, yet when they visit or call your shop, they don’t shop the same way.

Any guesses why? Customers cannot buy what is not offered to them, so if your staff is not “spreading the love,” customers are not spending the dough! To be fair, some employees do ask the occasional, “Do you want to add anything to your order?” or a slightly better, “Do you want to add a balloon to her flowers?” That’s still a long way from the gold standard I set for shops. I turn that YES/NO question into a statement (remember that mantra…) and polish up the language. The end result sounds like this, “As a finishing touch, I can attach a Happy Birthday balloon to your Mom’s flowers. They’re only $X.” Follow that simple upgrade to your presentation and you WILL sell more product, make more money, and have happier customers (since they love being given the chance to personalize their sale). The real secret to success in selling finishing touches is to be consistent and offer an appropriate item to every customer (just like your website does).

I am running out of real estate on this page, so I need to wrap it up, but I hope that I have given you some food for thought and plans for your staff to improve your sales. If you would like the complete handout from my workshop (with many more tips and ideas), then email contact@floralstrategies.com with the subject line, CFBF WORKSHOP.

Tim Huckabee, AIFSE, was born, raised, and educated in Connecticut and moved to New York City in 1993 to start working at a high-end flower shop called Surroundings, where he learned every aspect of the flower business such as handling telephone sales and customer service issues and dealing with walk-in customers.

In his frequent conversations with florists, he realized there was a dire lack of sales and service education in the industry. That motivated him, in 1997, to launch FloralStrategies, a company that trains florists in sales, customer service, and how to get the most out of their POS system. He visits 250 shops annually, hosts a monthly webinar series, speaks at floral conventions, and writes a monthly column for the Society of American Florists.

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What Do These Two Shops Have In Common?

Lilium

Butera The Florist

2015 Retail Florist Of The Year

2015 Marketer of the Year

Florists’ Review Magazine and WF&FSA

Floral Management Magazine and SAF

• Both were recognized by leading industry publications as the best at what they do.

• Both are thriving, profitably doing the kind of work they enjoy and loving the flower business.

• Both use FloristWare to manage their operations, generate more sales and larger order values, increase profitability, simplify accounting and reporting, improve customer service and much, much more.

For almost ten years FloristWare has been the choice of florists that want to be succesful and enjoy the flower business on their own terms. Florists that don’t want the high costs and complications that come with wire service systems. Florists that won’t settle for the limitations that come with other independent POS systems.

Please call us at 888.531.3012 today.

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cARE & HANDLING

AUTUMN FLOWERS 101 By: Gay Smith

The phenomenon of world trade makes some flowers (alstroemeria, roses, lilies, gerberas, gypsophila, chrysanthemums and carnations) available year round, which distorts some people’s awareness of flower seasonality. Still, it’s impossible to ignore autumn’s eyepopping transformation, when landscapes explode into blazing palettes of reds, purples and golds. Albert Camus captured it perfectly when he said, “autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

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With the surge of fall wedding ceremonies, it’s important to know flower availability and what it takes to maximize the vase life of various blooms.

Autumn beauties like aconitum, pepper berry, yarrow, hops, varieties of protea, and sedum are long lasting, if you follow a few guidelines.

A few years ago, several British supermarket chains requested a study to determine why mixed autumn bouquets didn’t last as long as traditional mixed bouquets. Research discovered that autumn bouquet menus included non-floral “elements” (think: seed pods, stems of wheat, leaves, grasses, branches, pumpkins, corn and berries) that increased bacteria levels in vase water. Bacteria is a top culprit that impedes stem flow. The tests showed a rapid increase of pollution levels after two to three days in autumn bouquet buckets vs. the clarity of display water of non-autumn mixes during the same time period.

It makes sense when you realize that non-flower elements are used directly out of boxes vs. cut flowers that are pre-hydrated in solutions containing clarifiers that check pollution. The research showed that the autumn non-floral products (wheat and twigs, etc.) introduced dust and bacteria that overpowered the clarifiers in the flower solution, whereas cut flowers that had been “cleaned” through hydration prior to bouquet construction did not contaminate the water as quickly. Pollution potential is directly proportional to the bio-load in the solution.

To avoid inadvertently introducing unwanted germs into flower food solutions, consider preparing a “stem sanitizer.” Fill a bucket with three to four liters of water and a slow-release chlorine pill. Dip stems of wheat, pods, etc. in the chlorinated water prior to adding them into the design. This “cleaning” action is identical to the concept of dip solutions for roses like Chrysal Easy Dip or Floralife Quick Dip, which can also be described as stem sanitizers. Remove germs and bacteria on stem bark prior to plunging them into a vase to lower the overall bio-load. Make this stem-sanitizing chlorine solution daily, and fill vases and buckets with flower food as normal.

Sedum, physalis (Chinese lanterns), gerbera daisies, echinops, yarrow, marigolds and ornamental peppers also benefit from super-clean water and fare best when the first drink is a solution made with a chlorine pill (Chrysal Professional Gerber).

Use one pill per three to four liters of water. The solution is active up to two days in the cooler. After this time, start fresh or pop in another pill. Following this prep method ensures stems are bacteria free before they go in vase designs and bouquets. As always, fill vases with correctly dosed flower food.

Ethylene exposure is a flower killer that knows no season. This naturally occurring gas is deadly to cut flowers, potted plants and ornamental berries, even in minute amounts. Sources of ethylene include fruits and veggies as well as rotting green trash.

Smoke and exhaust also contain ethylene, which is why it’s imperative to prohibit smoking in delivery vans, processing areas and back docks. Don’t store food in coolers with flowers or let auto exhaust creep into loading areas. Check space heaters to ensure they’re in good working order since they can give off ethylene too. I have seen orchid blooms flop 24 hours after a piece of bread got stuck in the toaster and caused some smoke!

Gay Smith is the technical consulting manager for Chrysal USA.

What’s the take home message? Maintain good sanitation and airflow in coolers and loading areas to avoid negative effects of ethylene exposure.

A short list of autumn blooms and plants that are VERY ethylene sensitive include aconitum, Asiatic lilies, carnations, Euphorbia fulgens, pepper berries (all berries, actually!), kalanchoe, nepthytis, schefflera, potted roses, all orchids and cyclamen (both cut flowers and potted plants). Ask your suppliers if these cuts and pots are treated with antiethylene products and buy accordingly. Treated products last; non-treated products are dead in 24 to 48 hours after exposure.

What about the undisputed mascot of autumn: chrysanthemums? Preparing mums, hypericum and calicarpa (beauty berry) for shop display is straightforward. Fill buckets with a holding solution like Chrysal Professional #2 or Floralife 200. These formulas lower the pH to boost stem flow, give buds energy to continue opening, and check pollution.

Protea require a different solution because they LOVE sugar (glucose specifically). In fact, sugar bush is their common name in the land of their origin, South Africa. Prepare holding buckets with a vase solution like Chrysal Professional 3 or Floralife Professional 300 because these formulas contain a higher percentage of glucose than holding solutions. Glucose not only maximizes protea vase life, it also helps reduce leaf-blackening problems.

Have fun with autumn blooms and enjoy their beauty in the same vain as 19th century poet William Cullen Bryant, who said: “Autumn...the year’s last, loveliest smile.”

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How to Write an Awesome About Us Page

Ask The SEO BY: Ryan Freeman Ok, florists, we need to interrupt this regularly scheduled column for a public service announcement. Your About Us pages kinda stink. Not all of them do, but the vast majority lack any compelling details.

Let’s be honest here — most florists are using templated websites from two major providers. But just because you’re using a pre-fab design doesn’t mean you have to stick with the default text! You still have plenty of opportunities to personalize your template site by writing great content. And if you do have a custom site, then you really should have some great About Us material.

Here’s how bad things have gotten. This summer, I performed a search on Google using a quoted string of text found in a popular website template and got approximately 14,800 hits. Incredible, right? Are there really almost 15 thousand florists with the same About Us story?

as floristry generally focuses on celebrating special occasions, conveying emotions, and appealing to a person’s unique tastes.

By listing information about how the business has benefited others and touched their lives, an About Us page can make someone want to work with you.

#2 – Get Creative with the Page’s Aesthetic Design

Most people understand the basic types of content that should be found on an About Us page. The date the business was established, the owners, and other similar information should be listed. But an About Us page should do more than present relevant information; it should present it in an interesting and engaging way. Flower shops provide beautiful arrangements to customers, so it’s a good idea to make a strong first impression visually. This means utilizing colour schemes, fonts, and other decorative touches on the About Us page. Not only can this help make a page more memorable, but it can entice the viewer to look further into the business and its inventory.

#3 – Stand Out from the Competition

It can be rough starting a small business, especially when you already have well established competitors. But it is possible to make a good impression. A common mistake I see: trying to be too similar to larger, well-established competitors. This can paint a business as a “me too” choice in the mind of customers. But an About Us page that is designed in a unique and original manner can boost the image of any brand. Small businesses build loyalty and thrive on the strength of their own identity.

#4 – Use Reviews and Testimonials

No… the reality is even worse. Not only have florists been unwilling to change the About Us text, they are copying it to directories, new websites, and so on, perpetuating the problem. If we want to be serious about attracting new customers and leveraging our awesome small business identities, we need stories that help customers relate to us.

Everyone knows that a brand will always create their website with promotion in mind. This is understandable, but it also causes hesitation when it comes to believing what is on on a company’s About Us page. Using social proof to reinforce your claims yields credibility. Any business owner can talk about their own creation, but getting feedback about how they have positively impacted customers is a great way to earn the trust of newcomers.

Establishing a Connection with Your Audience

#5 – Use Video Presentations

People shop online every day. Even if it’s an item that is best picked up in person, most people like to do research online before actually making the effort to visit a physical shop. Given this, it can be easy to focus an entire website on inventory alone. But if a person is looking at your company’s website, they want to know more than what types of flowers you specialize in — they want to find out about your organization.

This includes how it started, who your notable clients include, awards/ commendations you’ve won, and other similar factors. By making a connection with new visitors to your website, you can turn them into customers and even long-time patrons. Here are 5 tips for creating a great About Us page.

#1 – Humanize Your Business and Your Brand

Everyone has had the experience of walking into a store and feeling like little more than a number. If your website has nothing but information about products and pricing, it can make customers feel disinterested. This is especially true for people shopping for flowers,

Text and pictures sometimes just aren’t enough. If you’re looking to show off your website, consider using some sort of video presentation. This could showcase your staff, your inventory, or both. It could also be a unique way to introduce concepts about your brand to those who are hearing about it for the first time.

Lastly, don’t forget the benefits. It might be called an About Us page, but in reality, the customer is thinking “what’s in it for me?”.

The About Us page needs to answer the question “What is special about this shop, this staff, this business, that can uniquely benefit me, the customer, in my current situation?”. Create your pages with that in mind and you will successfully stand out from the crowd.

Ryan Freeman is president of Strider Inc., founder of Florist 2.0, and publisher of Canadian Florist.

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Deluxe Garden Roses

Long-lasting, award-winning, fresh cut garden roses available all year

For a free variety poster of our garden roses, go to: www.alexandrafarms.com/freeposter.html

Piano Vase Life

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on THE LEVEL with

LET’S GET TOGETHER

NEVILLE Have you ever gone to a card party at the local community hall, a poker game at the neighbours, or — shudder — one of those dreadful Tupperware or makeup-type things at someone’s place? If you have, then you’ve no doubt been networking. Really, whenever we get together socially, it’s an opportunity to network, so use this time to your advantage.

I have had so many opportunities to network in my life: Canadian Florist’s annual Business Forums, luncheons during design shows, fundraising dinners and auctions, even birthday celebrations.

Many of us hate going to a “networking event,” especially when it’s called just that. To me, it’s like being invited to a “drinking event” at a bar. Networking should be organic and comfortable, not like some sort of business version of speed dating or a competition to see who can collect the most business cards! I left one such gathering with 37 business cards, most of which belonged to “consultants.”

Blimey, after that I really needed a consultant, let me tell you.

It is very important to be seen as often as possible to increase chances people will remember you. I know folks who would go to the opening of a letter if they were invited! David and I get asked to a lot of things, sometimes to the point that we would be out 12 nights in a row if we went to them all. (Alas, I haven’t the strength to do that many wardrobe changes let alone eat that many canapes!)

Now, like I said, it’s important to be seen as much as possible, and if time is an issue, do what we do: a “drive by” visitation. Yup,

by Neville MacKay

we’ll go to a party and split up to “work the room” to the max.

We’ll meet in the middle and away we go: in and out in less than 20 minutes!

We can’t possibly go to every event, but sometimes it’s better to send a proxy (i.e. the beautiful flowers we sell). Pay attention, Petals: if you’re going to “say it with flowers,” and this is a good thing, by the way, do it right! We’ve always sent flowers for our community’s annual AIDS Vigil. Several years ago, we were at a reception afterwards where our flowers were displayed along with gifts from two other florists. One arrangement was from our friend, Katherine, who owned The Flower Shop in Halifax.

It had heliconia and big leaves, and it was just beautiful. Ours was big and showy as well. The other one? It had one carnation, some daisies, gyp and leather leaf jammed in a bud vase. The flowers were not fresh at all either. But the thing that stood out was the rather large sign advertising the florist who sent it.

We were at another event recently as well, and one thing I noticed was how underdressed some people were. David and I had jackets, and I of course wore a floral tie. We both quietly commented about the guests in t-shirts. Did I mention that this “business casual” event was hosted by the United States Ambassador?

Look, you get one chance at a first impression. We know enough to look our best and be ready to go, which includes having business cards in our pockets. We’ve all been to floral events where some designers always take centre stage because of their “presence” right? Well, it’s those folks who get remembered — for the right or wrong reasons. Get out there and strut your stuff, my fellow florists! Oh, and if you have hair, wash and comb it…we baldies really notice that too!

Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, WFC, is owner of My Mother’s Bloomers in Halifax, Novia Scotia and a design director with Smithers-Oasis North America. He designed flowers for the 1988 Winter Olympics, as well as a long list of celebrities including Glen Close, Sir Elton John, and members of the British Royal Family. MacKay appears regularly on Canadian TV and travels internationally, giving presentations about the impact of flowers.

5" pg

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introd uc ing the

MODERN IVY BOWL a i conic de s ign g ets a c ontempora ry update

5" Modern Ivy Bowl #4056 pg. 134 in the 2016 Product Catalog CanadianFlorist_Sept2016_Final.indd 31

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