ALEXANDRIA, VA — “Who doesn’t want more profit?” asked Scott Isensee rhetorically. Finding out where it’s hiding is the trick, especially when retail floral shop owners are immersed in the day-to-day rush.
“Education is the key,” said the general manager at Frank Adams Wholesale Florist. “You don’t know what you don’t know … so go find out” at the Society of American Florists’ (SAF's) 1-Day Profit Blast on Sunday, Jan. 25 in Seattle.
Isensee is not alone in his assertion that education is the key to growth for retailers – Frank Adams Wholesale Florist, along with DVFlora and DWF Wholesale Florist have signed on as underwriters of the 1-Day Profit Blast, and four other wholesalers from that region are helping promote the event to their retail customers: Cascade Wholesale, Greenleaf Portland, Mayesh, and Roses & More, Inc., In addition, FTD is promoting it and underwriting a portion of the registration fee for its member florists.
“With support from so many heavy-hitters and our incredible line-up of speakers, we promise it’ll be a Sunday well spent for retailers,” said Peter Moran, SAF’s CEO. “In fact, we guarantee it, or your money back.”
Here’s a look at the four-part education package on tap at SAF’s upcoming 1-Day Profit Blast:
Adding Profits — and Pizzazz — at the Design Bench
Florists who get the willies every time a local supermarket rolls out a fancy new floral department will have a plan of action after the Profit Blast’s opening program. Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, CAFA, CF, owner of Detroit’s Blumz by…JRDesigns, is planning a “show-and-tell” of fast, easy ways to offer signature designs shoppers will never see next to the produce aisle. He’ll share design ideas and techniques for staying competitive on everyday arrangements, Valentine’s Day rose bouquets and cash-and-carry sympathy tributes.
Online Branding: Content is King
SAF CIO Renato Sogueco has practical advice for florists who are tired of seeing competitors — some of them not even local florists — nabbing the top spots on search results while their website is buried on page two. He explains what goes into an online brand, and then how to reinforce it with SEO-boosting content posted to social media, blogs and your website.
CSI: Flower Shop — Live! Sales Skills that Boost Profits
Even the most experienced sales pro can miss important cues that point toward a bigger sale. That’s why florists can’t seem to get enough of Tim Huckabee’s CSI: Flower Shop articles in Floral Management magazine, webinars and conference programs. Florists at the Profit Blast get to hear his secret shopper calls live (they can even volunteer their own shop for a call), and learn what their team needs to do differently to capture bigger, more profitable sales throughout the year.
Capture Media Attention for Valentine’s Day and Beyond
The secret of becoming the go-to florist for local news media is about to be revealed. SAF President Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, did it for her shop, Dandelions Flowers & Gifts in Eugene, Ore., and she’s spilling the beans at the Profit Blast. She outlines how she did it, how to offer reporters story hooks they can’t resist, and how any florist can shine — like the pros they are — when news teams come calling. SAF’s 1-Day-Profit Blast takes place on Sunday, Jan. 25 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport. Visit safnow.org/1-day-profit-blast for details and to register.
The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services to its members, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organizations. The association was chartered by an act of Congress in 1884.
Source: The Society of American Florists