FTD Mercury Messenger - November 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

Mercury Messenger WIN A TRIP TO FTD WORLD CUP! PG. 2 WHAT'S NEW AT FTD PG. 3

FTD® Stunning Style Bouquet | 18-C8

LETTER FROM TOM

Hello FTD Florists!

We have had a lot going on here at FTD and I wanted to share with you a few updates that are focused on our strategic goal of recreating a network of strong partnerships with the world’s best florists.

As you may be aware, Scott Levin is FTD’s new interim President & CEO. Scott was with FTD in the 1990s and is very customer focused, inclusive of both florists and consumers. He is very eager to make positive change happen quickly.

Given the recent organizational changes at FTD, many florists have asked me if our strategy is going to change. It is not changing. Our vision to reclaim our heritage as the worldwide floral leader and innovator by proving products and services our customers will love remains intact. We are laser focused on key initiatives that will drive meaningful improvements to recreating a strong partnership with you.

Although it’s a work in process, I wanted to share some that are very relevant: • FTD has invested millions of dollars to rebuild our consumer platform (FTD.com and ProFlowers.com). We started testing the new sites at Mother’s Day and plan to have all our traffic on the new platform by the end of this year. This will improve the mobile and desktop shopping experiences, increase conversion, and drive orders.

Jingle

ALL THE WAY

As your business partner, we want to make sure you have the best tools and information to plan for a successful peak holiday period.

Our popular holiday resource site is available now for Christmas, including a comprehensive planning guide, recipe and SRP product cheat sheets, substitution guidance and design tips.

Check out the projected Christmas best sellers and more at www.

FTDi.com Christmas

FTD® Striking Elegance Bouquet | 18-C10

WIN A TRIP TO THE WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS DESIGN COMPETITION

• We are launching new and differentiated products at higher price points. The Designers’ Workshop Collection launched this fall and is a great example of operational effectiveness by using the same container for multiple items.

• We’ve accelerated our florist website development and are currently testing with several member florists and they love it! The sites are visually attractive, adapt to mobile and are easy to shop.

• We launched our first true cloud-based, florist solution earlier this year. Mercury Cloud will be replacing our 18-year-old Mercury Direct product by the end of the year. We’re also researching what our florist operating system will look like and are committed to developing it in 2019.

There are many positive actions being taken and it’s important to us to keep you in the loop. You can read about more positive updates throughout this entire newsletter, and we will continue to share our progress with you over the next several months.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to create a better FTD.

2

Executive Vice President Florist Division

The most talented floral artists from around the globe will come together at the FTD World Cup 2019 and compete for the coveted title of Interflora World Champion.

The competition, organized and hosted by FTD, will be held at the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show in March 2019. Enter, now, for a chance to attend the world’s most prestigious floral design competition, compliments of FTD! All you need to do is visit www.FTDi.com/WorldCup and enter by Friday, November 30.

This is the first time the competition has been held in the United States since 1985, so you don’t want to miss it. Learn more about the event and all of the competitors at www.FTDWorldCup2019.com.

Follow the event @ftdworldcup2019

#ftdworldcup

New

AT FTD

We’ve been working hard to drive positive change in how we work together with you, and we’re continuing to make progress toward the goals outlined earlier this year.

Two core goals of FTD’s five-year Strategic Plan are to rebuild a strong FTD brand that we can all be proud of, and recreating a network of strong partnerships with the world’s best florists. We are also developing unique and integrated technology services to help our members meet rising consumer expectations. Here are some highlights of our continued progress which are 100% focused on improving the customer experience for both you, our florist members, and flower buying consumers:

LAUNCHING

New FLORIST WEBSITES

A new eCommerce solution will be available soon for all florists to dramatically improve the consumer shopping experience. The new and innovative website product will be mobile friendly and fully customizable to meet the unique needs of a flower shop. Users will also have access to a system that can easily manage content with real-time site updates.

HIGHER ORDER VALUES FOR BEST-SELLERS

Love

CONSUMERS THE DESIGNERS’ WORKSHOP COLLECTION The new Designers’ Workshop Collection launched in September and consumer feedback on the new line has been tremendous because of the modern, versatile containers and freeflowing floral designs.

Florists can easily get in the game to receive orders for this unique collection with higher SRPs by purchasing a combo pack. All of the arrangements in the line are featured in two different SKUs, plus items 1870 and 1871 are also featured in Fall and Winter codified designs.

REDUCING QUANTITY OF UNIQUE SKUS Streamlining the product assortment is one way to deliver a quality consumer experience. When you can focus your inventory on the fresh flowers and containers you know that you need, it reduces the chance of an unfavorable customer experience.

Recently, FTD.com removed 124 lowvolume florist-filled designs, primarily in the sympathy and wedding occasion indexes, to reduce the challenge many florists face when receiving an order for one of those items.

We’re currently undergoing a review of SRPs on FTD.com to ensure pricing is competitive and provides a positive healthy margin for you. The first move we’ve taken is to increase the retail price of three best-selling products which will help your bottom line.

Faithful Blessings™ Bouquet (FBB) is now $5.00 more per style. Comfort™ Planter (CPP) is now $10.00 more.

Long Stem Red Rose Bouquet (E24305) is now $10.00 more for the Premium and Exquisite style, $15.00 more for the Exquisite style with chocolate add-on.

FTD® Faithful Blessings™ Bouquet | FBB

New FLORIST ADVISORY BOARD

18-F7 | Features item 1870

Listening to our florist members is the only way we can truly create a strong and mutually beneficial partnership with you. To achieve our goal of recreating a strong network with the world’s best florists, we have created a Florist Advisory Council, including a variety of shops of varying size, location, services and involvement with FTD. This group will be contacted on an ongoing basis to assist us with floral recipe and container development, identifying technology user needs, improving the overall consumer experience, and more. As key findings and feedback are collected, we will share the results with you to continue the dialogue and to keep you informed of how florist feedback counts.

CELEBRATING OUR FLORIST

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A. FTD Field Business Consultant John Calhoun meets with Mary Ann Tate from Tate’s Flower & Gift Shop in Van Buren, AR, at the Arkansas Florists Convention. B. Bonnie LutherHayes from Luther Florist & Greenhouses Inc. in Kansas City, MO, is presented with a Top 1000 Partner plaque by National Accounts Vice President Ed Cronin. C. Lake Forest Flowers owner John Looby (second from left) and friend connect with FTD Interim President & CEO Scott Levin (second from right) and FTD Executive Vice President Tom Moeller (far right). D. Past President Mark Knox and Jane Knox (right) connected with FTD Education Consultant Deborah De La Flor AIFD at West Texas New Mexico Florist Association convention. E. Rebekah Casey from Ballard Blossom in Seattle, WA was congratulated by FTD Regional Vice President Tim Stelter for receiving a $1,000 scholarship from FTD to attend the Society of American Florists (SAF) Convention in September. F. Minish & Potts LLC in Crestwood, KY, annually creates beautiful horse blankets for the World Championship Horse Show held at the Kentucky State Fair in August. G. Ed Cronin, National Accounts Vice President, presents Jodi and Bruce McShan of McShan Florist in Dallas, TX, with a Top 100 Sender plaque. H. Feldis Florist & Greenhouses owner Tim Feldis (right) is presented with a 50 Year Anniversary plaque by FTD Regional Vice President Jim Weedon at the shop’s Garden City, NY, location.

BRITISH COLUMBIA FLORIST WINS “INTERN WITH IAN” We’re excited to present an encore opportunity for one lucky designer have a weekend-long internship with Ian–event and wedding design guru Ian Prosser AIFD, that is! Rob Jennings of Jennings Florists in Victoria, British Columbia, is the winner of the FTD Intern with Ian contest.

He worked side-by-side with Ian in late October as they brought his vision for two high-profile events to life with his team from Ian Prosser Productions/Botanica International Design.

Rob’s experience working with Ian will be shared later in November in the Mercury Messenger blog.

Congratulations Rob!

WATCH MERCURY NETWORK ON YOUTUBE FOR DESIGN TIPS We know you’re busy and your job isn’t 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. To help you squeeze in some time for learning the latest design trends and techniques to achieve the topselling FTD bouquets, we’ve added eight new how-to design videos to the Mercury Network YouTube channel.

The lineup includes bouquets from the new FTD Designers’ Workshop Collection, exquisite holiday designs and the ever-popular Color Confections™ Collection.

Our goal in creating these videos was to help you execute popular designs with the highest possible accuracy and value so that you can design, deliver and delight your customers.

YouTube.com/FTDMercuryNetwork

FLORIST SPOTLIGHT

Maggie and Moe’s Poplar Flowers & Décor owners Greg and Molly Barrett purchased the Terra Haute business less than one year ago and immediately had a vision for growing their new business. When Molly entered the FTD Makeover Magic contest, she stated that her goal is “to drive more traffic into the flower shop by creating a warm and inviting showroom, which showcases all of our flowers and gifts.” As the winner of the contest, her vision is now a reality with the expert help of FTD Education Consultant J. Keith White AIFD. FTD sat down with Molly and Keith to learn more about their experience working together to transform the flower shop.

FTD: Why did you choose to enter the Makeover Magic contest?

MB: Be open to change and willing to listen to all the advice that is given. And make sure you have plenty of help on hand to assist you in the transformation.

MB: As a new shop owner, we’ve been working to change the look and feel of the shop to create a warm and inviting environment for customers. Entering the Makeover Magic contest was another way to utilize the expertise of FTD to assist us in reaching our goals.

FTD: What has been the response from your employees and customers about the makeover?

BEFORE – The main showroom sale floor before FTD Makeover Magic.

walk in and see beautiful pre-made fresh and silk designs and customized designs in progress. My makeover motto? "Stay a while."

MB: Employees and customers love all of the updates! The front showroom is so warm and inviting...people just want to sit at our conversation table and visit. The designers seem so happy and engaged with customers and arrangements.

FTD: What change did you like the most as a result of the makeover?

MB: Probably the biggest change is moving the design space to an open concept. The designers are more involved with the customers and everyone seems to love it!

KW: I have so many favorites. I love the total cohesiveness of the final result!

AFTER – A consultation area was added to be a comfortable space for wedding and sympathy sales.

FTD: What advice would you give to next year’s winner?

Design expert J. Keith White AIFD, owner Molly Barrett and FTD Field Business Consultant Tom Spain

FTD: What are you hoping the long-term result of the transformation will be?

MB: Probably the biggest goal will be to create a destination for people to come and shop instead of picking up the phone to order flowers. And, of course, more people in the shop means more people buying and increasing sales!

KW: Another goal was to create an inviting and flexible sales area that included a central consultation space. So, the design room was moved to be more open to allow the designers to interact with customers. Now, customers can 5

AFTER – The main showroom sales floor was designed to encourage customers to shop.

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS FURTHER

FLORIST FEEDBACK WILL GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF

New Websites

As announced earlier this year, FTD is currently developing a new website solution for FTD Florists to vastly improve the technologies you use to manage your business. FTD invested in a platform created by Broadleaf Commerce, a solution already trusted by several Fortune 500 corporations, to help expedite the development process by purchasing their software assets.

The leading eCommerce platform solution will simplify the complexities of operating multi-channel retail (online and store-based) locations, and will help you manage the online customer experience. Some of the benefits of this new website platform for florists includes: • A modern looking website design to dramatically improve the consumer shopping experience • Mobile-friendly sites that are responsive by adjusting the view to the type of device • Fully-customizable sites to meet the unique needs of each flower shop • A system to manage content (e.g. pictures, descriptions, video) that is easy to use and maintain with real-time updates • An easy set-up process to offer promotions and upload your unique, local products and add-ons Our eCommerce team is currently testing the new website solution with a group of member florists to ensure that the features we build into this new platform will provide you with compelling benefits. The feedback has been very positive.

CONNECT WITH US www.FTDi.com | 800.788.9000 facebook.com/MercuryNetwork

“I am thrilled that FTD is leveraging florist users, including myself, to test the new website solution. The investment FTD is making to develop this product to be most beneficial to my business is exciting,” said Kathy Viskocil from Heritage House Florist in Downers Grove, IL. “Based on the testing so far, the website is extremely customizable, including the ability for custom add-ons and pricing, which is important to my business. I am looking forward to learning more about the new site’s user-friendly admin tool too!”

Stay tuned for more florist feedback and updates as to when these new, robust websites will be available for your use to drive a better, and more profitable, consumer online shopping experience for your business.

instagram.com/mercurynetwork YouTube.com/FTDMercuryNetwork blog.ftdi.com

Based on the testing so far, the website is extremely customizable, including the ability for custom add-ons and pricing, which is important to my business.

- Kathy Viskocil, Heritage House Flowers