Cover_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/4/10
4:10 PM
Page 1
Au g u s t 2 0 1 0
EX P R ES S I O N S O F F LOW E R S
OWNER’S CORNER
TONI GARNER SHOWS HER COMMITMENT TO HER INDUSTRY
MARKETING MOBILE COMMERCE
ON THE EDGE
ANGELA TULLY’S AIFD, CFD, FSMD BEACH HONEYMOON SCENE
002-005_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/4/10
4:14 PM
Page 2
WHAT’S INSIDE
VOL. 1 NO. 11 | AUGUST 2010
Mark Nance, AAF President, BloomNet PUBLISHER
BloomNet, Inc. www.MyBloomNet.net (866) 256-6663
10
MANAGING EDITOR
Lisa Carmichael ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Fred Russell John Parkinson ART DIRECTO R
Shane Hickey CONTRIBUT ING WRITER
Mike Pucci
8
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Printed in the United States, Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. No material contained herein may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher or editor. Permission to reproduce portions of this publication should be obtained through BloomNet, Inc. Publications. All statements are those of the person making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any statement or claim as its own and any statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Although published material is intended to be accurate, neither floriology nor any other party will assume liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on this material.
floriology | August 2010
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of BloomNet, Inc.
2
Annual Subscription Rate is $71.88 (plus applicable tax) in U.S. and Canada.
14
12
Lydia Toth Ted Marlowe Jerry Rosalia floriology is published monthly by BloomNet, Inc.
>>>Cover from 2010 AIFD Symposium. Photo by: Erika Ferrone
4
Industry Info
Highlights from the SAF and Seeley Conferences and learning to utilize search engine optimization.
5
By the Stats
6
Out and About
8 10 12
The adoption of social networking grows— and the numbers really show it.
Glimpses of AIFD’s symposium including Chris McCann’s presentation and an “Undercover Boss” party at a Boston store.
DESIGN CENTER: On the Edge
Angela Tully goes all out in creating a breakfast honeymoon setting for a competition.
Owner’s Corner
Toni Garner shows her commitment to her shop and her industry.
DESIGN CENTER: Back to Basics
Bill Taylor talks about the importance of speaking the floral language to other designers and customers, alike.
14
Marketing
15
Innovator of the Month
16
Neighborhood Corner
The increasing use of cell phones for mobile commerce is something florists should consider when getting their message out to customers.
In trying to not only compete with the big retailers but also utilize her older floral inventory, Kathy Harriman has taken to texting her customers.
Lisa Edgar is parading around her marketing opportunities.
002-005_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/4/10
4:47 PM
Page 3
UP FRONT
THE COFFEE POT
SUMMERTIME READING I really enjoy BloomNet’s floriology publication and think the articles are great. I just read the June issue—Wesley Berry is a customer of mine and I really liked the Deanna Gress design story in On the Edge. The article on David Fisher from Jones the Florist was very interesting and it was nice to see the Happy Hour collection from the “Undercover Boss” star, Pauline Lodato. Keep up the good work. BOB SHOCKEY ~ National Account Manager at John Henry/Multi-Packaging Solutions
B2B GUIDANCE Bill Taylor’s presentation last week at the OFA Short Course, “The Heart of Floral – Design Principles” was very informative and showed many ideas of how to use “different” product in new and alternative ways. I am very involved with OFA an Association of Horticulture Professionals, and have known Bill Taylor, AIFD, for many years. I am really excited and pleased to hear that he is going to be featured in this month’s floriology in the back to basics section with some of the content from his program. I am anxious to read more about it in this issue, and have an opportunity to catch anything that I might have missed during the program. JODY BROWN_SPIVEY,AIFD, OCF ~ Expressions Floral Design Studio, Columbus Ohio
The floriology team wants to hear from you! Send your opinions and comments to floriology@bloomnet.net, we want to know if we’re doing a good job!
WHAT’S ON TAP ● NORTH CAROLINA STATE ANNUAL CONVENTION (Greensboro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aug 13 - 15 ● INDEPENDENT GARDEN CENTER SHOW (Chicago, Ill.) . . . . . . . .Aug 17 - 19 ● ARKANSAS FLORISTS CONVENTION & FLORAL GIFT MARKET (Hot Springs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aug 19 - 22 ● SOUTHERN RETAIL FLORIST ANNUAL CONVENTION (Concord, N.C.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aug 27 - 29 ● ALABAMA CONVENTION & CHRISTMAS SHOW (Guntersville State Park) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 10 - 12 ● NORTH DAKOTA STATE ANNUAL CONVENTION (Minot) . . . . . .Sept 11 - 12 ● IDAHO STATE ANNUAL CONVENTION (Idaho Falls) . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 11 - 12
ADD TO YOUR
ADVANTAGE As a local business owner and a neighborhood retail florist you have the ability to connect with customers in ways few other businesses in any industry can. Through personalized service and a commitment to superior quality, you build customer relationships and trust that can last a lifetime. Yet, the retail world and the consumers it serves are changing. As you’ll read in this issue of floriology, consumers are increasingly utilizing new technologies including online social networks and state-of-the-art mobile phones to make their purchase decisions and place their orders. This represents tremendous opportunities for professional retail florists. Today, in more ways than ever before, you can connect with customers through the enormous reach of social media. You can also make it incredibly convenient for your customers to buy from you by putting your products and services literally in the palm of their hands via mobile marketing. You already have a distinct advantage over big-box stores and chain retailers because you know your customers so well—and they rely on you personally to help them express their feelings through the beauty of flowers. In many cases, the same local florist has served the floral needs of generations of families through several decades. Now, you can add to your advantage, and expand your sales potential, by embracing the latest technologies and the many possibilities they offer!
● AMERICASMART ATLANTA (Atlanta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 11 - 13 ● SAF NATIONAL CONVENTION (Orlando, FL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 22 - 25
● NEW MEXICO STATE & REGIONAL FLORISTS CONVENTION (El Paso, TX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 24 -26
Visit www.MyBloomNet.net to find industry links and floral trade shows.
Mark Nance, AAF President
August 2010 | floriology
● MAINE STATE ANNUAL FALL DESIGN SHOW & TRADE FAIR (Augusta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept 25 - 26
3
002-005_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
12:53 PM
INDUSTRY INFO
Page 4
AWARDS, SHOWS, ADVOCACY
FINDING YOUR SHOP
OCTANE TO SEARCH ENGINES “SEO 101” seminar fuels ideas for increasing online sales
O
T
floriology | August 2010
SAF GROWTH SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE The changing times was the theme this year
kay, so your website looks great. But why aren’t you getting more hits? The answer likely lies in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). By simple defore than 80 florists from 27 states atinition, SEO refers to changing your website’s tended the Society of American content so it contains keywords that search enFlorists’ (SAF) Growth Solutions minigines such as Google can recognize when customers are looking conference, held this past June 24for the products and services you offer. In a perfect world, you 25 in Dallas, Texas. The successful want a link to your shop’s website to appear on Google’s first two day event had as its underlying theme “embracpage so you can maximize your online sales potential. ing change,” and many florists came away from the “You need to speak the same language online consumers use event with that thought in mind. when they search,” says Renato Sogueco, CIO, SAF. “It was very interesting “Use the following keywords: florist, flowers, delivery and we learned a lot,” says and your local geographic delivery area.” (To downSondra Buie, owner of load Renato’s presentation go to: www.safgrowthsoApple Blossom Flower lutions.com/session-handouts. Shop in Roswell, N. M. Keep in mind that search engines recognize text, After attending the confernot images. If keywords about your shop are conence, Sondra states that tained in a graphic or a “flash” portion of your webshe is committed to marsite, they won’t be recognized. keting her business differAmong the specifics presented in the seminar is ently, for instance, the importance of a flower shop’s location as part concentrating more on of keywords. For example, if someone needs a social media. “We’ll be From the “Generating the New ROI” session, participants included (from l to r) Art Conforti, Robbin Yelverton, florist in Phoenix, they’ll probably type “flowers putting pictures of our AIFD, PFCI, Blums by... JRDesigns, Ferndale, MI; Kris Witphoenix arizona” or “phoenix arizona florist.” weddings on Facebook, tenauer, Diehl Florist, Waterloo, IL., Chris Drummond, AAF, Plaza Flowers, Norristown, Pa. You can get further information about search enand we’ll be keeping gines, and you can test keywords to see if your people informed conshop’s website is on Google’s page 1 of search results, by visiting stantly about what’s going on inside the shop www.google.com/insights/search/. through Facebook,” she explains. “I was primarily interested in search engine optimization,” says Fred Seroyer, owner of Walnut Hill Flower BIG ANNIVERSARY Shop in Dallas, Texas. Fred attended the “Search Engine Optimization 101” seminar presented at the Growth Conference looked at how the industry Solutions event. With the knowledge is affecting the environment he gained, Fred plans to make SEO a focal point in his efforts to increase his year marked the 25th year the annual Seeley Conference was held. The conferorders through his shop’s website. ence took place from June 26-29, 2010 in Ithaca, N.Y. the main topic, “FloriculAlso at the conference, attendees ture’s Environmental Footprint: An Inconvenient Truth or Consumer Opportunity?” were able to gain insights about marThe conference opened with a keynote speech from Dr. Robert Stavins, director, Harvard keting to Gen Y consumers (19 to 31 Environmental Economics Program, which was titled “The Big (Environmental) Picture.” year olds) as well as exchange ideas Additional presentations were made by industry leaders; case studies and group discusabout loyalty programs and in-store sions were given; and networking and social events were held. The conference was deengagement strategies. For more veloped to honor the retiring Dr. John Seeley from Cornell University in 1986. The info on the conference, go to: university’s board of directors decides the conference topic each year. www.safgrowthsolutions.com.
SEELEY MARKS 25TH
4
SHOW RECAP
M
002-005_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/4/10
4:47 PM
Page 5
NETWORKING ELECTRONIC STYLE
BY THE STATS by Mike Pucci
Welcome to the
SOCIAL
REVOLUTION SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CREATED A NEW WORLD, AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES
You probably know that social networking sites such as Facebook (www.facebook.com), Twitter (www.twitter.com) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) have evolved into big-time online destinations for people to share information, make friends, and generate business. A compelling video,“Social Media Revolution 2,” created by Erik Qualman, who also wrote the book “Socialnomics,” provides some eye-opening statistics which are listed in the Social Stats box on the right. INCREDIBLY RAPID GROWTH
PUBLISH BLOGS
Blogs, or short articles written by people from virtually all walks of life, have become so popular that more than 200,000,000 of them have been published on the Internet. As a professional retail florist, you possess knowledge and artistic talent that are highly valuable to customers and potential customers. A terrific way to share that expertise, and drum up sales possibilities, is to start an online blog—or several blogs. You might, for example, utilize blogging as a forum to provide ideas for enhancing home décor through unique floral creations. Or, you could suggest ways that different colored flowers can communicate certain feelings and emotions. You could also write about the successful occasions you’ve helped your customers enjoy. “A lot of our business is weddings and events, so we do blogs about the weddings and events we just did. We include comments from customers and testimonials,” continues Pam Holley. POST VIDEOS
YouTube (www.youtube.com), the online video-posting site, is the second largest search engine in the world. Millions of people view videos on YouTube every day, and they could be viewing yours. To view the “Social Media Revolution 2” video, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v= lFZ0z5Fm-Ng. Perhaps you could create a simple video demonstrating how to care for flowers to keep them fresher longer. What’s more, you could create videos showing the newest products you have in your shop. The possibilities are as ❋ 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last limitless as your imagination, and year met via social media* the pay-off for doing them could be a whole bunch of new customers and ❋ If Facebook were a country, it would be the expanded sales. world’s 4th largest**
Consider some ground-breaking technologies that were introduced during our nation’s history and how long it took for people to adopt them. Radio, for instance, took 38 years to reach 50 million users, TV took 13 years to gain the same number of users and the Internet took 4 years. Now consider this: Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months. ❋ More than 1.5 million pieces of content are “I think social media is only going GET STARTED, NOW shared on Facebook every day** to grow and be even bigger,” says If you’re not yet involved in social ❋ Ashton Kutcher and Ellen Degeneres (comPam Holley, owner of Design House media as a way to promote your busibined) have more Twitter followers than the of Flowers in Lawrenceville, Ga. “Beness, you’re missing a tremendous oppopulations of Ireland, Norway, or Panama*** coming involved in social media is abportunity. There is a “social revolution” solutely essential in this day and taking place and sites like Facebook, ❋ 96% of Gen Y (ages 19 to 31) have joined a age,” adds Steve Jacobson, owner of Twitter and YouTube are at the center social network**** French Florist in Los Angeles, Calif. of it. The time to participate is now, SOURCES: *McKinsey Study, **Facebook.com , ***Twitter and world “And as time goes forward, it’ll beand maybe best of all, the cost to parpopulation data, ****Grunwald Associates National Study come even more essential.” ticipate is often very little or free! Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the main reasons why social networking sites can be strong marketing tools for retail florists. Making your business visible What are your feelings about the “Social Media through social media can be an exceptional way to encourage Revolution” that is now underway and are you taking your customers to recommend your shop among their friends advantage of it? Please send us an email at: floriology@bloomnet.net. and relatives. This is especially important to remember when you consider that 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations.
Social Stats
August 2010 | floriology
❋
5
006-009_BNF0510:Layout 1
8/2/10
12:58 PM
OUT AND ABOUT
Page 6
B L O O M N E T TA K E S T O T H E R O A D
ER BOSS UNDERCOV During the AIFD “Revolution” symposium, the 1-800-Flowers North Boston store hosted an “Undercover Boss” store event. Since the show’s airing earlier this year, we have received tremendous feedback. Many of our “Undercover Boss” stars were on site to join in the celebration! Chris McCann (aka Pat O’Reilly), president and COO, greeted guests and shared some behind-thescenes moments from the show.
CBS will be re-airin episodeg the AUG. 1 on 5
RETAIL IS D ETAIL
floriology | August 2010
Chris McCann presented the “Retail is Detail”program at AIFD’s symposium. Chris briefed the audience on the insights and lessons he learned participating on the “Undercover Boss” show. Everyone in attendance was entered into a drawing to receive a $2,500 Floral Education Scholarship sponsored by BloomNet and 1-800-Flowers.com. The lucky winner was Louinda Jones (pictured below and right in red) of Wayne Jones Flowers in Virginia Beach, Va.
6
006-009_BNF0510:Layout 1
8/2/10
12:59 PM
Page 7
GENER AL SYM POSIUM These arrangements were created for the program “Consortium,” by designers who were inducted into AIFD this year. The designers’ names appear with their work. This was a model and design from the program “Carnival – A Cultural Revolution”. It featured a panel of CAFA members including: Patricia Patrick, AIFD, Maija Asaris, AIFD, Velta Berzins, Marijke Engel AIFD, Donna Gleeson, AIFD, Marianne Suess AIFD, and Inta Taurins.
Jeremy Trentelman, AIFD
Derek Woodruff, AIFD
Yolanda Guzman, AIFD
Young Im Yoo, AIFD
STATE SHOWS ❋ Along with the AIFD Symposium in Boston, several states held their shows. Here are a couple highlights from two of them.
OKLAHOMA | BloomNet sponsored the Oklahoma Design Cup Competition. Mark Nance, AAF, president of BloomNet presents Tiffany Cheever-Lechus of Cheever’s Flowers and Gifts in Oklahoma City the trophy for winning the competition.
August 2010 | floriology
OHIO | Bill Taylor taught the BloomNet sponsored “Design Show: Heart of Flora—Design Principles” at the Ohio State Short Course.
7
006-009_BNF0510:Layout 1
8/2/10
12:59 PM
DESIGN CENTER
Page 8
ON THE EDGE
by John Parkinson
Setting the
MOOD Designer Angela Tully, AIFD, CFD, FSMD leaves nothing untouched in creating a romantic beach setting for honeymooners
Angela is an accomplished designer and she has the accreditations to prove it. She sees it as a way to differentiate herself from the competition professionally and know personally she is looking to improve continuously. “Having an accreditation means you’ve passed tests to prove that you have skill, and that education is important to you and you continue to strive for more.” Speaking of competition, Angela recently tied for second place in the Florida State Master Designers’ (FSMD) Awakenings contest. For the competition, Angela decided to do a honeymoon-on-the-beach-themed entry. “The first breakfast of a bride and groom would be a special awakening. I wanted to make it very clean and crisp, so I picked white flowers and the blues for the ocean,” says Angela in choosing her floral selection. Along with the actual arrangements, she laid out an entire table including table settings and in the process melding both into a honeymoon breakfast scene. For the table itself, coral, sea fans, and beach glass were laid out, and it was skirted with sheer striped fabric pinned up with phalaenopsis orchids. She used white plates and clear glass for table settings, and made another special touch doing individualized menu cards and clam shells filled with eryngium to decorate the napkin. She used a grouping of mosaic, clear, and turquoise vases to set the beach mood. And believe it or not, bear grass played a vital supporting
Designer: Angela Tully, AIFD, CFD, FSMD Experience: Over 30 years Shop: Pink Flamingos at Petals Exposure: 2006 and 2007 Florida State Designer of the Year
floriology | August 2010
2006 Florida state Sunshine Cup winner
8
Angela created personalized menus to fully complete the breakfast setting.
Tied for second place in the Florida State Master Designers’ Awakenings Competition
006-009_BNF0510:Layout 1
8/2/10
12:59 PM
Page 9
Angela was going for a clean and crisp aesthetic in designing her beach-themed honeymoon scene. Angela created an entire breakfast table setting complete with flowers, linen, and table settings.
August 2010 | floriology
role in the scene. “I swirled bear grass in the turquoise bottle to act as a mechanic to hold the orchids in place. I also swirled the bear grass in a clear hurricane to support the white fugi mums in a ball,” explains Angela. For the arrangement in the tallest vase, Angela again utilized bear grass to conceal the orchid stems. The bear grass also was able to add a sense of wind and sea motion. “A photo of the bride and groom was my final detail in a beautiful Olivia Riegel frame that matched the table,” says Angela. While this awakenings entry was the first time she had ever done this, she believes this could be used for real honeymooners. “It is definitely something that could be marketed to that,” acknowledges Angela. One suggestion might be to work with either the bride or groom to surprise the other by having this scene set up at their hotel room while they are at the reception. Along with keeping her competitive designing juices flowing, Angela takes time to put on her business hat and is in the process of relocating. At the time floriology was going to press, she was getting ready to move to her new shop in downtown New Smyrna Beach, Fla. This way she could be in the center of the action and set a new scene—one of more business opportunities.
9
010-013_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
1:02 PM
OWNER’S CORNER
Page 10
A MODEL BUSINESS
by Fred Russell
DOING IT
Right Way the
I
Toni Garner’s contributions to the industry are far reaching
floriology | August 2010
If you are a florist in the state of Oklahoma there’s a good chance you know Toni Garner, owner of Toni’s Flowers in Tulsa, Okla. To Toni, there’s no such thing as a stranger because she knows everybody and everybody knows her. Last month, floriology visited Toni at her shop just before the Oklahoma State Florists’ Association (OSFA) Show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa, Okla.
10
Mark Nance, AAF, president of BloomNet has known Toni for over 20 years. He considers Toni a model for other florists because of the way she interacts with her customers and the camaraderie she shares with her industry colleagues. Although Toni is not a BloomNet florist, Mark wanted to spotlight Toni as a tribute to all florists who run their shops the right way. To run your business the right way, means doing the little things and starting with the basics. “I think it’s very important to be in the shop everyday and try to be the face of business,” says Toni. She also knows how to make customers feel confident and know they have made good purchases. “I try to greet each customer as soon as they walk in the door and make them feel comfortable. It’s also about treating your employees with respect and keeping them happy,” says Toni. “Education is important to keep up with the latest
trends. If customers wanted flowers in a vase they could go to a grocery store, but they come here because we are a full service flower shop and provide them with quality arrangements.” After observing Toni throughout the Oklahoma Association Show you can feel the respect and love others have as she interacts with the industry’s veterans. Rick Long, owner of Uptown Floral in Enid, Okla., says, “Toni is one of my best floral friends and I absolutely love her. She’s a great gal that is always giving, always supportive and is there for anyone in need whether professionally or personally. And she believes in education and is very loyal to our industry.” The feeling is mutual among the members of the Oklahoma State board. Toni’s experience includes participating as a lobbyist (alongside Mark) several times during SAF’s Congressional Action Days in Washington, D.C. She has served as president of
010-013_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
1:02 PM
Page 11
the OSFA and the Ozark Florists Association and has also been recognized as Designer of the Year by OSFA and has chaired multiple state floral conventions. In 2008, she co-wrote a book with one of America’s top interior designers, Charles Faudree. Though her list of accomplishments is long, it is Toni’s amazing sense of humor and infectious laugh that people know her by. Sally Ann Davis of Flowers by Sally Ann in Broken Arrow, Okla., says “I travel with Toni all the time to various industry events and every time I come home my sides ache from laughing so much.” A strength of Toni is her ability to network with her peers. It’s such a tight community
within the floral industry and it’s always good to have people you can trust to ask questions whether it’s about designing or talking business. To find out a little more about Toni, here are some excerpts from our recent conversation:
● WHAT’S BEEN YOU BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?
It’s funny because when I first opened my doors it seemed like I didn’t have to do a thing. We always had customers and things just worked out. It’s not that way anymore. I need to knock on doors more often, and I do try to get my name out there. We advertise in a magazine published by our local performing arts center. We also do a lot of events and volunteer for lots of charity work to get visibility. They are always very appreciative and reciprocate.
● HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? I grew up in the industry—both my grandmother and aunt were florists—and I always loved helping out. Soon after graduating from Northeastern State University, and with support from my family, I opened up my store. It was something I knew I could do.
FAST FACTS Owner:
Toni Garner
Shop:
Toni’s Flowers Location:
Tulsa, Okla. Employees:
17
Interesting Tidbit:
Toni’s design station is set-up like a restaurant that has the kitchen in the middle of the floor so everyone can watch while designers are working on their arrangements and gives customers access to the designers.
August 2010 | floriology
❋
11 PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRED RUSSELL
010-013_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
1:02 PM
DESIGN CENTER
Page 12
BACK TO BASICS
by John Parkinson
Speaking the
FLORAL LANGUAGE
floriology | August 2010
B 12
Whether talking to peers or customers, Bill Taylor, AIFD , believes properly communicating the principles of design is essential
Bill Taylor says certain classic elements should always be considered when designing. And almost equally important is the ability to articulate key phrases detailing these classic design elements to both customers and florists alike in order to deliver the desired arrangement. Whether creating a single arrangement for a personal special occasion or setting up a grand event for a corporate client, being on the same page with the customer helps ensure success. Bill reiterated these two concepts during his recent seminar presentation, “Design Show: Heart of Flora—Design Principles” at the Ohio State Short Course. “When I’m talking to a designer or a customer I can speak intelligently about design,” explains Bill, about the value of such a seminar. “Rather than saying an arrangement is too big or too small, I can talk to the client about proportion or scale.”The design seminar was developed by the Ohio State Florist Association, and
this year’s presentation was sponsored by BloomNet. While one of the main themes was adapting better verbal communication skills, Bill also kept in mind florists are visual thinkers, so he created scores of arrangements during the course giving the audience better clues to terminology such as scale, proportion, and harmony. Bill doesn’t just talk the talk either. He has had experience in just about every facet of the floral business—working in a retail nursery, managing and owning a retail shop, working in product development, and teaching at local universities and design schools in various parts of the U.S., Canada, and Asia. Being a floral journeyman, he knows the importance of being able to communicate. He says the understanding of a common design language is especially helpful when talking to other florists. While some may be reluctant to take a seminar that is geared more to the basics of design, Bill reminds florists of the evolutionary nature of the design craft. “As we are designers, we are all students. We are always learning something new, and sometimes we need to go back and remind ourselves of the basics.” Bill stresses that once the foundations of good design are understood, florists should break away from those conventional rules to initiate their creativity.
He points to a famous, unconventional artist as an example. “Even Jackson Pollack knew how to draw. He was an accomplished artist before he decided to throw paint on the canvas. ” Bill says one of the paramount considerations in every customer interaction is the idea of value and how they perceive it. “It is about sizing up the customer and reading which type of arrangement is going to work for them,” says Bill. “Most designers would agree it is a lot easier to sell mass than it is to sell air. To a certain extent anybody can make a reasonable successful blast out mass arrangement, but to make a wonderfully creative, elegant, linear one, it takes a lot more skill but it also takes a lot less flowers and in that case you are selling your design talent much more than your flowers per se.” This “selling of design talent” coincides with the ability to articulate these design elements. Connecting the right words to the design is not about talking above people either says Bill, but rather a way to comprehend better what the desired result should be. “I emphasize it’s not just about using big words,” asserts Bill. “It’s about using the words correctly and appropriately to appear knowledgeable—because you are a professional. Rather than saying you like the colors in this room, it is about saying why you like the colors of the room.”
010-013_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
1:03 PM
Page 13
Designer: Bill Taylor, AIFD Experience: 40 years Exposure/Awards: Fellow and past president of AIFD Member of BloomNet’s Design Council Former owner of retail shop, Taylor’s of Sonoma,Calif. Presented design shows in 42 states, three Canadian provinces and four AIFD National Symposia.
Interesting Tidbit:
❋
Bill has created flowers for celebrities like the Disney family and Robin Williams as well as designed for special events such as presidential inaugurals and rose parades. His work has also appeared in national shelter magazines and floral trade publications.
florists can not only articulate to peers more effectively, but also engage customers with a greater confidence and professionalism.
August 2010 | floriology
❋ In speaking definitively about design,
13 PHOTOGRAPHY BY DALLAGER PHOTOGRAPHY
014-016_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
MARKETING
3:47 PM
Page 14
PHONING IT IN
by Mike Pucci
UPWARD Mobility Mobile marketing can help your sales rise
A
ccording to Coda Research Consultancy, mobile commerce revenues are predicted to double in the United States this year, to $2.4 billion. Moreover, an April survey about smart phone shopping behavior conducted by PriceGrabber.com reported that 35% of mobile phone owners said they had participated in some form of mobile shopping in the past year (browsing, researching or actual buying). This represented a 17% jump versus a similar survey a year ago. In other words, it’s time for retail florists to answer the call and take steps to devise a mobile marketing strategy that could elevate their sales and profits.
35%
floriology | August 2010
OF MOBILE PHONE OWNERS SAID THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN SOME FORM OF MOBILE SHOPPING IN THE PAST YEAR
14
“One mobile tactic for driving in-store traffic is location-based coupon apps such as GetYowza.com,” says Kevin Ranford, director of web marketing at 1800-Flowers.com. “They allow your store to populate local coupon searches with promotional offers, for a small monthly advertising fee.” Kevin points to the 1-800-Flowers Mobile store and the continued success it has had over five years. Their mobile store features optimized mobile web, downloadable applications for iPhones, Androids, and Blackberrys, an SMS club, and mobile display advertising.” Kevin doesn’t recommend SMS. however, as it can be too cost prohibitive. Kevin suggests at the least it’s important to make sure you are taking advantage of search results on
mobile applications, given the distribution spike in “smart phones” more and more searches are being conducted via mobile.(Read this month’s Innovator and how a florist is texting specials to customers.) Kevin also says to make sure you register with Google as a business listing and start taking advantage of click-to-call behavior. Another example of newer mobile tech is Apple’s iPad. No doubt, it’s cool, but is Apple’s latest electronic device poised to alter the way people buy things? The answer is, quite possibly. With its convenient touchscreen and capabilities for visually impactful images, iPads could make the shopping experience similar to catalog browsing. “The iPhone changed the retail paradigm and showed retailers how to deal with smart phones initially” says Ray Grady, vice president at Acquity Group consultancy. “But what we’re seeing is that there are more actual transactions on the iPad.” Indeed, consumers are using a diverse range of emerging technologies in making retail purchases. For florists, the bottom line is to think on a well-rounded level and incorporate all those technologies into their marketing plans.
014-016_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
3:47 PM
Page 15
Time for your
CLOSE-UP
PROMOTING THROUGH ONLINE VIDEO
B
If you have a YouTube video, please email it to floriology@bloomnet.net, and we will post it on our Facebook page.
INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY Capitalizing on the rapid growth of texting
ator InnovN TH of the
L
MO
August 2010
enox Village Flowers in Nashville, Tenn. has been in business for just over a year, and owner Kathy Harriman has been aggressive in her marketing efforts and trying to keep up on the latest technology. “We’ve been on the social marketing scene for a while and have our web page, but thought it was time to try something new,” says Kathy. “You always hear on CNN and MSNBC that texting is the next big thing so I thought I should look into it.” Currently they are sending about 2 texts a week. Kathy warns that you don’t want to send out too many and spam your customers to death. The first one they tried was a 20% off discount and then Kathy attempted a cash and carry offer and the orders started to trickle in. “The cash and carry is a great way for us to compete with the mass markets, because we can offer a $15 to $20 arrangement. Why would they go to one of the mass markets when they can get a florist fulfilled design for the same price?” It’s also a great way to get rid of some of your excess inventory. Kathy just started the program and has built her customer list to about 80 customers and it keeps growing. Kathy puts a card on every arrangement that goes out the door. Customers can sign up on her shop’s website to be entered into her database so they can start receiving promotional offers.
By being selected BloomNet’s Innovator of the Month, Kathy will receive a $250 check, a designers kit and recognition plaque. She will also be eligible for the Innovator of the Year and could win a Luxury Included® vacation for two to a Sandals Resort! Submit your ideas to innovator@bloomnet.net.
August 2010 | floriology
y creating videos, you can help drive traffic to your site and business to your shop. And making a video can be a simple process utilizing just your computer, software, and a hand-held camera, says Nachi Desai, vice president of enterprise architecture and business intelligence, 1-800-Flowers.com. For starters, it may be a good idea to introduce your shop to people. This can include talking to your employees on camera, shooting the inside of your shop and providing promotional information about specials you run. After the introductory video, follow-up by creating short, memorable segments discussing insightful care and handling tips, positioning yourself as an expert. Nachi recommends providing a professional perspective in a personable way by using such phrases as “we do such and such at the shop” to make the tips standout. He believes videos should be about making florists part of the social fabric of their communities. He also recommends using catchphrases in the title so that when web users are looking for useful tips on specific flowers, they will be able to find your video. For example, use a phrase like “rose care” in the title. Since flower giving is often revolved around certain times of the year, Nachi says florists should shoot holiday-themed videos, using titles like “Thanksgiving bouquets.” After shooting the video, he recommends linking it up to YouTube. You can also embed your YouTube videos onto your site or blog. Once you have the video up, post to friends on your preferred communication medium about it and for them to comment. “Putting up videos and interacting with them on social media is crucial to growing a trust relationship with the customer,” says Nachi.
INNOVATOR OF THE MONTH
15
014-016_BNF0810:Layout 1
8/2/10
1:45 PM
Page 16
floriology | August 2010
NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER
One Old Country Road Suite 500 Carle Place, NY 11514
16
PRESRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID RIPON, WI PERMIT NO. 100
BLOOMNET IN THE COMMUNITY
ROPING IN
OPPORTUNITIES That is exactly what Lisa Edgar of Vernonia Florist in Vernonia, Oregon did when a local girl, MacKenzie Carr, a winner in a regional Miss Rodeo contest, was going to compete and march in the 2009 Grand Floral Rose Parade in Portland. This prestigious state parade is held annually, and Lisa, who was new to the business, decided to jump at this chance to gain exposure for her shop. On the day of the parade, Lisa went to work adorning Mackenzie and her horse, Pedro, with white-colored roses, Asiatic lilies, blue irises and hydrangeas, and delphinium. Lisa’s biggest concerns were being able to place fragile floral stems delicately to the horse’s rein yet secure them on tightly enough to prevent them from falling off. Lisa also put together a large arrangement that was placed on the back of the horse. Lisa actually used a casket holder for the arrangement and zip tied it to the saddle to keep it secured to Pedro’s back. While Lisa says Pedro was well-trained and relatively calm throughout the process, the pre-parade atmosphere was a bit tense with other contestants and horses getting ready nearby, so Pedro would move occasionally. “It was scary a few times,” acknowledges Lisa. Additionally, Lisa was not aware how demanding the requirements were for entering into the parade. For example, none of the wiring and tape connecting the flowers could be visible, and parade judges ran white gloves over Pedro’s reins to ensure they were clean. Nonetheless, the intricate and time-consuming work paid off for Lisa as it helped MacKenzie in her appearance and to go onto win first place as the State/Region Queen for the parade. And the success keeps coming for MacKenzie and Lisa. MacKenzie recently won Miss Rodeo Oregon 2011, so she will be riding in the Grand Floral Rose Parade again next year, and Lisa will have another chance to decorate Pedro for the big event. Lisa recommends taking chances in finding new marketing opportunities. She raves about the publicity the Miss Rodeo and the parade events have brought to her store in her small town of about 3,500. “This brings so much recognition to our shop,” says Lisa rather happily.
>>> MacKenzie Carr with her
horse, Pedro, showcasing Lisa Edgar’s work before the annual Grand Rose Parade in Portland, Ore.