MERCURY MESSEnGER

Mercury
Messenger
®
Vol. 54 No. 1 FTD Newsletter ©2011, FTD | January 2011
FTD Flower Exchange Provides Helpful Tips to Extend the Longevity of Roses
Processing
4 Cut 3/4 to 1 inch off the bottom of each bunch.
Here are some helpful tips from the FTD Flower
Exchange on what you can do to get the most out
of your roses this Valentine’s Day.
Customer Education
4 Educate your staff to instruct customers on how to
take care of their roses. Inform them as to what to
expect from individual varieties.
4 Place immediately into a cold water hydration
solution.
Do Your Homework
4 Have your water tested to check pH, alkalinity,
TDS and hardness.
4 Give your customers at least 10 grams of flower
food and explain the importance of proper mixing
(10 grams makes only 1 quart of solution, 5 grams
makes only 1 pint of solution).
Hydration
4 After each bunch of roses has been cut and
placed in a cold water hydration solution,
move them immediately inside the cooler.
Cooler Settings
4 The proper cooler temperature zone is 33o-37oF.
4 T
he humidity level should be above 80%, but not
higher than 93%.
4 You do not need to leave the roses outside in
room temperature to “harden off” or “firm up.”
Inspection
4 Inspect roses upon arrival.
4 The single biggest factor in the longevity of roses
is consistent cold temperature.
Flower Food
4 After the appropriate hydration time, move the
roses into a cold water flower food solution.
4 R
etain the labels on the flower box in case
you need to report damaged flowers.
Preparation
4 L
eave the inner sleeve intact around the roses.
4 Remove the inner sleeve to allow for airflow that
will help dry up any moisture on the blooms.
4 S
trip only the foliage that will fall below the
solution level as that is a source for bacteria.
4 Place roses in one of these two flower food
solutions:
4 U
se only clean buckets and use a cold water
hydration solution. Prepare the solution the
day before and place in the cooler to chill.
1. A partial load food solution or holding solution
is designed for storing roses in the cooler.
4 M
ake sure all solutions are mixed correctly.
Too little and the solution will be too weak.
Too much and you can damage the flowers.
2. A full load flower food solution or vase solution
should be used in all vases and soaking of all
foam for arrangements.
Call your FTD Flower Exchange Representative for additional information at 800-767-4000
or visit us online at www.FTDFlowerExchange.com.
FTD Marketing Tools – On Sale Now!
Bride’s Guides
Save up to 20% on these beautiful booklets that
are invaluable to any bride. This special offer ends
April 30, 2011.
FTD has an assortment of marketing tools, on sale now,
that are cost effective and can help you drive more
orders throughout the year. Plus, these professional,
low-cost marketing pieces can be customized with your
shop’s information.
Marketing Tips:
4 Include one in your bride-to-be informational
packet after your personal consultation.
2012 Wall Calendars and Datebooks
Our 2012 wall calendar and datebook designs burst into
bloom with arrangements from the FTD Floral Selections
Guide and place your business name and contact
information right at their fingertips. Orders of 5,000
or more pieces will receive extra special pricing.
4 Watch the local paper
for engagement
announcements and mail
one to each bride-to-be
along with a personal
note.
Marketing Tips:
4 Use them as giveaways at your
promotional events.
In this Issue:
4 Leave them in local
bridal shops to create
cross-marketing success.
4 Distribute them to corporate
lobbies, local businesses,
church groups, hospitals,
bridal shows and other
high-traffic areas to
gain wide exposure
for your business.
4 Sprinkle them at local
and regional bridal
expos.
Contact your FTD Marketplace Representative at 800-767-4000 for pricing and more information on these valuable marketing tools.
The FTD Team is Working For You
FTD Marketplace Sales
800-767-4000
[email protected]
FTD Flower Exchange
800-767-4000
[email protected]
FTD Member Services
800-788-9000
[email protected]
FTD Mercury Support
888-205-7225
FTD Technology Sales
800-767-3222
[email protected]
FTD Flowers All Hours
800-669-1000
[email protected]
FTD Directory Services
800-788-9000
[email protected]
FTD Cash-Flo
800-788-9000 Ext. 4262
[email protected]
FTD Newsletter
[email protected]
FTD Florists Online
800-576-6721
[email protected]
ftd® – the flower experts™
FTD International Retrans
[email protected]
®
President’s Message
2
FTD Spotlight
3
FTD Florists in the News
4-5
FTD Education Column
6
FTD Focus
7
a message from the president
®
stunning New
FTD Sympathy Guide
Dear FTD Florists,
Happy New Year! As Valentine’s Day approaches, look for FTD to
proactively share with you our projected best sellers, details about our
multi-million dollar integrated marketing plan, most common flowers to
stock for FTD arrangements and other critical information. We plan to
distribute the same vital business-building information to you during the
Mother’s Day season as well in order to help you succeed and increase
your profits.
We are excited to present a new collection of
breathtaking sympathy designs. This stand-alone
Sympathy Guide hosts fresh designs that were
created based on extensive research from
consumers, florists and industry trends.
This beautiful book has selections organized by
color groups and design styles for easier shopping.
Both the front-of-the-house book and the
workbook are designed to fit into their own
separate three-ring binders for easy adaptability.
As you can see, we are working hard to do our part to help make the
upcoming Valentine’s Day a success, but we have even more ways we’re
trying to drive growth for your everyday business too. FTD Florists are
constantly asking how they can increase the opportunity to get more
orders, and now we have a detailed plan that can assist you with this.
Another great benefit is that most of the collection
is offered in Standard, Deluxe and Premium sizes
as part of the industry’s leading Customer Choice
Program.
For this column, I have asked Tom Moeller, FTD Executive Vice President
of the Florist Segment, to provide details on two FTD key initiatives
designed to give florists the potential for more orders.
Robert Apatoff
FTD President
PATH TO ORDERS
To maximize your membership,
I want to make sure you know how
to get on the path to orders especially
for Valentine’s Day. We are calling this
approach Path to Orders. I am confident
that it will help you get the most
out of your membership. As an FTD
Florist, there are many benefits and
tools available to help put you on the
Path to Orders.
Tom Moeller
Executive Vice President
Florist Division
2.Get Codified at FTD Marketplace: Consumers are driving
demand for our codified products. Purchasing codified
containers makes you eligible to receive orders for
codified products.
3.Attract Online Shoppers: More and more consumers are
buying flowers online, and if you do not have a website, you
are missing out on potential orders. FTD Florists Online is the
easiest way to start and manage an online business. We also
offer multiple options to help you attract customers that can
work within any size marketing budget.
With our biggest holidays right around the corner, now is
the time to make enhancements to your business. As your
business partner, we are ready to help you on the Path to
Orders and profitability.
As part of our mission to help florists grow
their businesses and generate profits, we are
very pleased to announce two new exciting
enhancements to our FTD Florists Online
program.
FTD Marketplace
4 Codify for Holiday containers
4 Codify for Everyday containers
FTD Online Services
4 Activate a customizable website
4 Launch an email marketing campaign
FTD Mercury POS
4 Schedule a point-of-sale demonstration
ftd® – the flower experts™
FTD Spotlight:
Clifford’s flowers
We know that the quality of the florists within
the network is critical to the success of all FTD
Members. The network is full of creative, innovative
and business-minded florists who have great tips and
ideas to share. Within FTD Spotlight, we will profile
an FTD Florist and examine their partnership with
us and the floral industry.
Surveys are a valuable tool that we use to
learn what is important to your business to assist
you in helping your profits grow. The results of a
recent floral preference survey helped us select
some of the flowers featured in florist-filled
products on FTD.com for Valentine’s Day 2011.
lifford’s Flowers is one of Boston’s largest florists and
C
is a family-owned and operated business managed by
Jim and Holly Clifford. Clifford’s has been creating
beautiful floral designs since 1944 and is known as
a leader in the floral industry resulting from their
consistent reputation of providing superior flowers
every day for an exceptional value.
We’re listening! Here are some changes we made
as a result of your survey feedback.
4 We primarily utilize roses, lilies,
carnations and alstroemeria within
bouquet recipes.
4We created bouquets that include color
combinations of all red or red and pink.
FTD sat down with Jim and Holly Clifford recently
to learn more about how they are gearing up for
Valentine’s Day.
4We reduced the number of bouquets that
are considered novelty.
FTD:
What is your business doing to prepare for
Valentine’s Day?
We made these changes to help your shop
increase profits by reducing costs and
making your buying and operational
processes run more efficiently during a period
with such high consumer demand.
Jim:
We look at all aspects of our business when
preparing for Valentine’s Day. Within our
marketing efforts, we will have a broad media
mix of radio, direct mail and newspaper ads and
inserts. We will also have a very strong presence
online with email marketing campaigns and
both search engine optimization (SEO) and pay
per click advertising (PPC). This year, our social
media efforts will be aggressive. We have a
Facebook page and we’ll have video clips
on our own website as well as on Facebook
and YouTube. Facebook friends are offered a
discount and also notified with specials first!
To complete our efforts, we will also distribute
a press release and work with local media to
secure publicity for our store.
Here are some highlights of the survey results
for Valentine’s Day showing the top answers
provided by your responses.
4Roses: 99%
4Alstroemeria: 81%
4Carnations: 79%
4Lilies: 75%
4Gerbera Daisies: 70%
FTD:
How do you utilize technology for the holiday?
FTD created The FTD®
Lasting Romance® Bouquet
which includes roses,
alstroemeria and lilies.
Jim:
In regards to our technology, I think we are
in a good position resulting from our FTD
Mercury X POS. It provides online analytic
software for tracking every aspect of our online
sales and marketing. We also take advantage
of its customized online storefront software
for order processing and product updating.
When asked about the top selling
color used for Valentine’s Day, it
was a tie between red and red/
pink, both at 32% each.
FTD is committed to providing you
with innovative new ideas and proven
business solutions that will help build your
success. I wish you the best of luck this
upcoming Valentine’s Day season. As your
strategic business partner, please don’t
hesitate to call anyone at FTD with
questions or issues.
“There are several things
you can do simultaneously
as an FTD Member that
will put you on a path that can
increase your potential for orders.”
Feedback Drives
Enhancements to
Valentine’s Day
products
When asked what flowers are used most
during Valentine’s Day, the top flower
choices were:
Both of these exciting new
enhancements were created to help
you manage your website content easier,
and will be available in late January 2011 —
just in time for Valentine’s Day.
For a complimentary Path to Orders review,
please contact an FTD Member Solutions Representative at 800-788-9000.
page 2
If you have any questions, please call
FTD Member Services at 800-788-9000.
1. C
ustomized Style Sheets: Now you can
have a more flexible look and feel on
your Florists Online website with our
customized style sheets. This new feature
will help ensure your FTD website is even
more connected to your own brand.
Are You On the Path to Orders?
FTD Directory Advertising
4 Expand delivery area coverage
The launch date for the new FTD Sympathy Guide
is March 1, 2011. By this date, please have removed
the existing sympathy pages from your current
FTD Floral Selections Guide (FSG) as this new
guide will replace those pages.
2. Global Category Management: This
valuable feature provides the ability
to customize categories within your
website, thus making the shopping
experience simple and quick. You can
easily create and manage the categories
on your website with an intuitive “drag
and drop” interface allowing for a more
tailored shopping experience.
1.Maximize Your Delivery Area: When you expand your
advertising in the FTD Directory to include more towns,
you are maximizing your shop’s Path to Orders. The more
towns you list as serving, the more opportunities your shop
will have to receive orders.
4.Generate More Florist-to-Florist Orders: FTD Mercury
POS gives you the potential to attract more florist-to-florist
orders thanks to two impressive features. For the sending
florist, it is easy to track an order within the order life cycle
feature. For the filling florist, the automation of sending a
delivery confirmation is built into the functionality of FTD
Mercury POS. Florists like sending to other florists that
have our POS system.
NEW FTD FLORISTS
ONLINE ENHANCEMENTS
This professional marketing tool will arrive in your
shop in late January 2011 and will arrive in the same
packaging as your Spring/Summer 2011 POP Kit.
ftd spotlight
FTD:
How do you separate your business from your
competitors in consumers’ minds?
The FTD® Expressions of Love™
Bouquet showcases beautiful
red roses and pink lilies.
The FTD®
Morning Stars™ Arrangement
Holly:QUALITY, SERVICE, VALUE. We buy the
finest blooms available every day and provide
same day delivery, specializing in time sensitive
delivery. We also offer great value at all price
points—good, better, best—and we treat every
order as though it were a test order.
When asked what percentage
of your business comes from
a dozen rose bouquet at Valentine’s
Day, 38% of florists said 50% or more.
Launching
March 1, 2011
Jim:
It is true that everything does cost more in
February. The best advice I have is to buy from
trusted vendors and buy the best available
product you can. WOW your customers at
Valentine’s Day and capture them for life,
which will generate profits in the long run.
FTD:
With Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday,
will you be open on Sunday?
Holly:We are already open every Saturday and
Sunday. It’s all about making sure we prepare,
prepare, prepare, and then making sure we
execute! We will open early and close late,
hire good people and trust them to perform.
FTD:
Anything your business does to stretch out
Valentine’s Day to longer than a one day holiday?
Holly: This year, we are promoting Valentine’s delivery
to the home for the weekend and to the office
on the day. We will try various offers to move
activity up to Saturday and Sunday, such as
$5.00 off, free chocolates, free balloons and
free delivery. It has been somewhat effective
in the past.
FTD:
Any unique marketing tools your business
utilizes to reach the male shopper for
Valentine’s Day?
Jim:
Our radio ads run for two weeks prior to
the day. They start with “Men, do you know
what day is coming? That’s right… it’s
Valentine’s Day!”
FTD:
As costs increase for Valentine’s Day, what
are you doing to generate profits?
The FTD® Long Stem Red Rose Bouquet
is a best seller on FTD.com.
stunning
New FTD
Sympathy
Guide
Jim and Holly Clifford, owners of Clifford’s Flowers,
located in Quincy, MA.
new study reveals
Consumers Care
about Quality
programs, we are continuously seeking out new ways
to improve the customer experience and retain their
business with you and FTD.
The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF)
released new research in December that states
consumers care more about the quality of flowers
than the price.* Within their study, on a scale of one
to seven—with one being extremely unimportant
and seven being extremely important—quality was
ranked as the top consideration in the buying process,
followed by color, price, design and other factors.
Keeping apprised of consumer trends, FTD has been
a pioneering leader in promoting quality throughout
the floral industry. With superior business solutions,
industry-leading technology and innovative quality
We recognize how quality will define our industry and
define you from other florists. That is why you need to
take action and stand out from the competition.
4Delivery Confirmation: We want 100% of customers
to receive a delivery confirmation within one
business day after the order is delivered.
4Delayed Response: Filling florists should reject an
order within two hours of receiving it if they can’t
fulfill it as requested. By doing this, the order will
return back to the FTD network in a timely manner
to ensure that it will get fulfilled for the customer.
4Quality Star: Shops are given a benchmark to show
how they compare to other florists in the FTD
network. It’s a great tool that provides a uniform
and consistent measurement of quality across all
FTD Florists.
We are committed to quality and know that improving
the customer experience will build loyalty and drive
more orders to your shop. FTD’s quality programs give
you guidelines that help ensure your orders are handled
with the utmost care.
For more information about FTD quality programs,
go to www.FTDi.com/quality.
*Source: SAF E-Brief, December 1, 2010.
ftd® Mercury messenger | January 2011
page 3
FTD florists in the news
®
FTD SOLUTIONS:
How Has FTD
Helped You?
Why A California Florist Chose FTD
Problem:
Luis Vasquez of Luis Vasquez Floral
Designs, located in Ramona, CA,
has been in the floral industry for
five years and has paid thousands
of dollars in membership and service
fees to another wire service that
didn’t service his town. When the
economy took a down turn, it hurt
his shop’s sales and traffic volume.
Solution:
Luis joined FTD and worked with
his FTD Field Business Consultant to
ensure the shop maximized its FTD
directory advertising and zip code
listings and was codified to receive
FTD orders. Even during the summer,
FTD still sent Luis Vasquez Floral
Designs orders day after day. Luis
Owner Luis Vasquez from Luis Vasquez Floral
and his team were very excited about Designs holding his first FTD check.
the order volume his shop was sending
and receiving as a result of his FTD membership. Luis was nervous when he
received his first FTD Clearinghouse Statement, but to his surprise, he did
not receive a bill, but rather a check. In the five years of dealing with a different
wire service, Luis had never once received a check. For Luis, joining FTD has
dramatically improved his business.
New York Florist
Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Maryland Florist
Turns 100
Bloom’s Flower Shop,
located in Albion, NY,
celebrated 75 years of
providing floral services
in September 2010.
According to the shop’s
owner, Deborah London,
the oldest receipt
on record is dated
September 15, 1935,
issued to the Lion’s Club
for a $3.00 funeral
arrangement.
Dundalk Florist, located in Dundalk, MD, celebrated
its 100th anniversary in September and has been
an FTD Florist for over 70 years.
History
Mathilda and Carl Otto Koch founded Dundalk
Florist, Inc. in 1909. Prior to the move to the shop’s
current location in 1926, the business consisted
of growing flowers for sale at local markets and a
roadside stand by the home. However, as a result
of the move, the business added wedding, funeral
and all-occasion floral gifts, along with a delivery
service. Dundalk Florist became a member of
FTD in 1940.
To commemorate the 75
year anniversary, Bloom’s
Flower Shop hid cubic
zirconium diamond pins
in each arrangement
as a way to have fun
celebrating the occasion.
The concept is an
ongoing tradition for
the shop. In addition,
the shop gave away
a 75 stem rose bouquet
as part of an in-store
sweepstakes.
How has FTD helped you? Send in your problem and how FTD solved it to
[email protected] and your shop may appear in this column.
Florida Florist Donates
Bouquets for New Teachers
At their annual convention in September, the Society of American Florists recognized
florists and industry companies that celebrated 100 years in the floral industry in 2010.
This year, FTD and FTD member Emil J. Nagengast Florist, located in Albany, NY,
attended the convention and were given the SAF Century Award in recognition of 100
years of outstanding service within the floral industry. Other FTD Florists who also
received the SAF Century Award include:
• Fisher Florist Corporation, New London, CT
• Flowers by Mendez and Jackel, Camden, NJ
• Whiting Flower Shop, Whiting, IN
Brown’s Floral Shop, located in Plant City, FL, took part in an event
hosted by its local chamber of commerce called “New Teachers
Breakfast” in August. The shop donated 200 beautiful bouquets
to the new teachers in Plant City.
Debbie Clark, the owner of Brown’s Floral Shop, attended the event
as a marketing tool for her shop. The teachers were thrilled to receive
the bouquets and Debbie received many calls and thank-you notes
from the recipients.
“I ordered the flowers from
FTD Flower Exchange and
they were very fresh and
beautiful,” stated Debbie.
“Each bouquet had a coupon
attached to it with a 15%
discount for the teachers to
use for the 2010-2011 school
year. Hopefully when they
need flowers, they will think
of Brown’s.”
Susie Nagengast (left) and Denise Nagengast
from Emil J. Nagengast Florist, located in
Albany, NY, and FTD President Rob Apatoff
proudly display their SAF Century
Award plaques.
page 4
ftd® – the flower experts™
An aerial view of Dundalk Florist in 1952.
1910:
Emil J. Nagengast Florist was started by
Emil J. Nagengast Sr. He sold flowers
and vegetables on a street corner in Albany, NY.
Present
With a flourishing retail florist, multiple greenhouses
and a strong gift business, current owner August H.
Koch Jr. and his children remain committed to
providing the best quality and service for their
customers. With five generations of family
ownership, the business continues to maintain
a “family” business atmosphere in today’s
corporate world.
1920-1930:Emil and his wife Sophie ran the business, building a solid
reputation for superior quality and service. During that
time, they also raised a family of eight children who began
sharing in business responsibilities.
An aerial view of Dundalk Florist in 1992.
1940-1950:Emil J. Nagengast Florist was
rapidly developing into one
of the largest florist shops
in the northeast.
1960:Emil Sr.’s wife, Sophie, passed
away and Emil Sr. handed the
business down to his four
sons, George, Emil Jr., Joe
and Bernie.
Pictured here is the Dundalk Avenue store opening
in 1947.
FTD Sponsors
Delaware
Valley Show
Bloom’s Flower Shop owner Deborah London
congratulates the sweepstakes winner of the
75 stem rose bouquet.
FTD and FTD Florists Receive
SAF Century Award
mil J. Nagengast
E
Sr. in the door of
Nagengast Florist
on Ontario Street.
Following Mathilda’s death in 1941, her son, August
H. Koch Sr., purchased the business in its entirety
from his brothers and sisters. August’s four children
also assisted in the business until January 1984
when one of his sons, August Jr., purchased the
corporation from his family and had four of his
five children assisting in the operations.
Mr. Bloom and his
wife, the founders
of Bloom’s Flower
Shop, in 1935.
“If you are a florist like me and you are dealing
with a wire service that is draining you in costs and fees,
make the change today to FTD. You won’t regret it.
Thank you FTD.”
New York Florist Celebrates
100 Year Anniversary
FTD was a proud sponsor of the
Delaware Valley Florist Association
(DVFA) design show in October in
Pennsylvania. FTD Design Instructor
Keith White AIFD, CFD presented
“A Celebration of Life—Today’s
Sympathy Flowers.”
Pictured here is Adelaide Linn, a member
of the Delaware Valley Florist Association,
and FTD Design Instructor Keith White.
1970:The next generation began
to be an active part of the
family business as
almost all of Emil Sr.’s
Emil Jr. (Skee) with a giant rose.
grandchildren worked to
help out while growing up.
Hardship fell on the business in the mid ’70s with the
passing of Emil Sr. and two of his sons, George and Emil Jr.,
followed by son Joe a few years later.
1980:
mil Sr.’s only surviving son, Bernie, retired. The active
E
participating grandchildren would become the owners and
managers of the business, thus cementing the future of
Emil J. Nagengast Florist for another generation.
2010:The flower shop celebrates its 100th anniversary. Current
owner Susie (Diane) Nagengast, the granddaughter of
Emil Jr., continues to run the business with the same goal
as her grandfather… to offer the freshest and finest in
flowers and plants to her customers. Emil J. Nagengast
Florist has been an FTD Florist for 83 years.
Massachusetts
Florist receives
industry award
Winston Flowers, located in Boston,
MA, received the 2010 Florists’
Review Retailer of the Year Award.
Owner Ted Winston received a
congratulatory plaque from FTD
Regional Vice President Dave Mellin.
Debbie Clark, owner of
Brown’s Floral Shop,
shows off the new
teacher bouquets.
Minnesota florist
celebrates 25 years
Northwoods Floral and Gift, located in
Crosby, MN, recently celebrated its 25th
anniversary with a “Girls Night Out” party
and an open house. At the events, the
shop handed out FTD shopping bags
filled with goodies, drawings, cupcakes
and a commemorative travel mug.
Pictured here from the left are owner
Nancy Wasserzieher and her sister,
Julie Wasserzieher (manager).
ftd® Mercury messenger | January 2011
page 5
FTD education
®
Events calendar
Growing your business with new corporate clients
March 4-6, 2011
In today’s challenging
economic environment,
we need a new approach
to securing lucrative
corporate clients. There
is still business to be had,
but we need to seek
it out and help the
customer understand
the value of our products.
If your town has a bank,
nursing home, doctor’s
office, etc., you have
the potential for a
corporate client.
Great Lakes Floral Expo
The DeVos Place • Grand Rapids, MI
Featured FTD Design Program: “Everyday Flowers
for Today’s Possibilities” presented by FTD Design
Instructor Keith White AIFD, CFD
March 4-6, 2011
Georgia State Florists Association Convention
Sea Palms Resort • St. Simons Island, GA
Featured FTD Design Program: “Color Your World”
presented by FTD Design Instructor Tina Stoecker
AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
March 11-13, 2011
Illinois State Florists’ Association Spring Conference
Crowne Plaza Springfield • Springfield, IL
Featured FTD Design Program: “The Impact of
Perception” presented by FTD Design Instructor
Ann Jordan AAF, AIFD, CFD, mmfd
ftd focus
By FTD Design Instructor
Toomie Farris AAF, AIFD, CFD
Corporate Client Categories:
• Corporate: major companies, local
manufacturing, services
• Hospitality: hotels, restaurants, catering
• Professional: legal, medical
March 12-13, 2011
Northeast Floral Expo
Sturbridge Host Hotel • Sturbridge, MA
Featured FTD Design Program: “Gifts of the Earth”
presented by FTD Design Instructor Toomie Farris
AAF, AIFD, CFD
March 14-15, 2011
Society of American Florists Congressional
Action Days
the Fairmont Hotel • Washington, DC
March 18-20, 2011
South Dakota Florists Association Convention
Ramkota Inn • Pierre, SD
Featured FTD Design Program: “Fond Farewell”
presented by FTD Design Instructor Tina Stoecker
AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
March 20, 2011
Texas State Florists’ Association Design Show
Maude Cobb Convention Center •
Longview, TX
Featured FTD Design Program: “Flowers for a New
Generation” presented by FTD Design Instructor
Kristine Kratt AIFD, CFD
March 22, 2011
Delaware Valley Florist Association Design Show
Pennock Company · Philadelphia, PA
Featured FTD Design Program: “Hand-tied
Bouquets with a Touch of Class” presented
by FTD Design Instructor Ann Jordan
AAF, AIFD, CFD, mmfd
March 26-27, 2011
Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists’
Association Convention
Milwaukee Marriott West • Milwaukee, WI
Featured FTD Design Program: “Translating Trends
into Everyday Designs” presented by FTD Design
Instructor Toomie Farris AAF, AIFD, CFD
Within the categories, there are usually three areas
of floral needs:
• Environmental: hotel/office lobby, restroom,
foyer/entryway
• Gifts and Tributes: employee recognition,
sympathy tributes, thank-you gifts
• Special Events: open houses, employee parties,
product launches
“Each business category
has specific floral needs;
however, there may be
multiple floral needs within
one corporate client.”
Hospitality
A hotel may need weekly flowers in their lobby,
but you should work to become their preferred
floral provider for special events. When
negotiating their lobby flowers, incorporate in
a deal for their banquet business; however, be
cautious. Hotel referrals usually do not generate
enough business to justify more than a small
discount on their lobby flowers.
Professional
The professional client is more likely to be tied to
image. I have a client that is a plastic surgeon who
sends a small arrangement to every patient the day
after surgery. Other professionals may entertain
clients or even keep fresh flowers in the office to
make a statement.
Sell Your Business
One thing about businesses today is that they
have to see the value in the expenditure. Whether
it’s about employee morale, client relations,
professional image or customer recovery, we
have the responsibility to sell the value of our
products to our customer.
Selling “local” is one of the most powerful tools
we have to deal with the current economic
environment. Many small businesses and local
companies really want to do business locally.
Go out and SELL to the client as you need to solicit
their business. During your first meeting, LISTEN
to what the client is saying before you develop
solutions. Also, call on clients in person, and if
this is something you are not good at, hire a
new business salesperson.
Corporate
Corporate businesses often have the most
potential for all three areas of floral needs. They
offer the greatest potential for gifts and tributes such as employee
birthdays or
anniversaries.
Corporate
operations have
potential for
client gifts,
holiday
decorations for
the lobby and
special events.
The key in corporate
settings is to find out
who makes the
decision for each
floral need.
4 Design signature sympathy designs in the
company’s logo colors
4 Develop
“standardized” hospital or baby
designs so it is simpler to order
4 A
sk to have your customized product posted
on the company’s website
4 Develop
order forms with special pricing
4 Be
sure to offer house accounts as they help
build loyalty with your shop
The key to the corporate client is to understand
the client’s needs and offer realistic solutions
that you can deliver. This means listening to their
needs first and developing a solution specific to
that client, and then SELLING it to them. We can
succeed in this environment. We just have to
approach it differently and embrace the
opportunity to change.
by FTD Creative Director Michael Skaff AIFD
The FTD Spring/Summer 2011 Collection is bursting
with amazing colors and flower varieties that will inspire
your designers and get them charged up for the busy
Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day holidays.
Several of the containers for the Valentine’s Day bouquets are
also used in the Mother’s Day and Everyday lines to give you
more purchasing power and flexibility with your inventory.
Start this arrangement by “lacing” the greens
and solidago. Lacing is defined as a method
of crossing and interweaving stems to form
a framework for holding plant materials in
position within a container. Successive stem
placements result in a mechanically solid
vase design, ensuring secure delivery. This
technique can also be used in making
hand-tied bouquets.
11-M1
The FTD® Loving Thoughts® Bouquet
11-V3
The FTD® Expressions of Love™ Bouquet
When starting to arrange this bouquet
it is best to start with the tallest line flower,
which in this instance is larkspur. This
helps determine the height and
proportion of the arrangement. By
utilizing all of the laterals in this bouquet,
you can give it a more garden type feel.
Note that the image for this arrangement
displays a three-sided bouquet. You may
arrange it as an all-around bouquet, but
know that this will create a looser, more
open look.
We have created a Valentine
bouquet in a clear glass vase so
you can utilize these containers
throughout the year for everyday
use or for other holidays and
celebrations. The unique shape
and style of this vase make it a
beautiful option for your customers
who want to give their gift of
flowers that extra special touch.
Grow Your Business
with FTD Mercury
Technology is key to growing your business and increasing order
volume and profits in a challenging economy. FTD Mercury can
help you streamline your shop operations and increase customer
satisfaction, which can potentially lead to more orders.
The Most Up-To-Date Information Available
When you’re deciding which florist to send an order to, having the
most up-to-date information is critical. Filling florists are extensions of
your business and reputation; with that in mind, FTD Mercury X2 Fall
includes access to FTD Florist Link, our online FTD Florist Directory.
FTD Florist Link
provides you with:
4Current codification
information
Marketing Made Easy with Mercury
With Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day
approaching quickly, leverage your existing
customer base to drive even more orders to
your shop. Customer data is one of your most
valuable assets—and it’s at your fingertips if
you’re using FTD Mercury.
1. Collect customer information.
Every time you enter an order in FTD Mercury,
you automatically collect vital spending
information about customers. You can also
collect email addresses for marketing.
2.Create targeted marketing campaigns.
Generate repeat business by targeting your
campaigns to customers who have ordered
for specific occasions in the past. Use previous
spending habits for price point suggestions
and for potential upsell opportunities.
4Filling florist capabilities,
including technology,
Order Life Cycle ability
and Sunday delivery
availability
FTD Florist Link is the new
online FTD Florist Directory.
Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions when
sending an outgoing order anywhere—helping you ensure both
customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Exclusive
Discounts for
FTD Florists
11-S1
The FTD® Touch of Spring® Bouquet
This monochromatic bouquet is broken
up with variegated foliage which
brightens the entire arrangement,
making it less heavy in color
and adding extra texture. When
working with the variegated
pittosporum, we suggest you break it
up by selectively cutting it to get the
longest pieces out of the entire branch.
By doing this, you will be able to get the
most out of your plant material.
4An interactive map showing you florist
locations relative to a recipient
The FTD 2011 Valentine’s Day Collection
When handling tulips, we recommend
that you remove the cellophane sleeve
and wrap the stems in a compact
position while the flowers hydrate in cool
water. This helps the stems to harden off,
making them less droopy and easier
to work with—creating a superior
presentation for your customer.
11-V2
The FTD® Sweethearts® Bouquet
4Information about who
has suspended their
Mercury system
The FTD® Birthday Bouquet
ftd® – the flower experts™
11-V4
The FTD® Season of Love™ Bouquet
Customize Your Product Assortment
Once you have secured a corporate client,
offer specialized products or services. Here
are some ideas:
Call FTD Marketplace today at 800-767-4000.
page 6
Design Tips To Help
Your Profits Bloom
Just in time for you to start the new
year right, we have established a great
partnership
with Sprint
to provide
you with
an exclusive
discount on
your telephone service. Now all FTD
Florists can receive the following:
416% off select regularly priced
monthly service plans
4$50 credit back on new line
activations (enter the code SAVE50
at checkout)
4Activation fees waived and free
shipping available
For details and to receive this
promotional offer, visit the new online
Sprint store at www.sprint.com/ftd.
View all of the FTD Partner Discounts
at www.FTDi.com/pdp.
Growing Through Technology
FTD Mercury provides you the tools to
streamline your business and improve your
potential for growth. Having FTD Mercury
Point of Sale is one of the steps on the Path to
Orders, enabling you to increase florist-to-florist
order volume.
If you’re not already using FTD Mercury, call
Mercury Technology Sales at 1-800-767-3222
or email us at [email protected] for more
information or to schedule an in-store demo.
Current FTD Mercury customers should consult
Merc Tech U (floristwiki.ftdi.com) for the most
up-to-date information, answers to frequently
asked questions and helpful training videos.
3. Use Constant Contact for email marketing.
You can upload your marketing list to Constant
Contact, FTD’s email marketing partner. With
hundreds of templates available—including
several designed specifically for FTD Florists—
it’s easy to create great looking campaigns
that are designed to drive more orders
to your shop with minimal effort.
The FTD®
Lasting
Romance®
Bouquet
ftd® Mercury messenger | January 2011
page 7