2011 february floriology

February 2011

E X P R E S S I O N S O F F L O W E R S

OWNER’S CORNERVINCE BUTERA, , , , PRIDESHIMSELF ON BEING DIFFERENT

MARKETINGPROM HOW TO REACH GENERATION Y

TRENDSFALL AND HOLIDAY TRENDS; QUALITY IS KING

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OWNER’S CORNERVINCE BUTERA, , , , PRIDESHIMSELF ON BEING DIFFERENT

MARKETINGPROM HOW TO REACH GENERATION Y

TRENDSFALL AND HOLIDAY TRENDS; QUALITY IS KING

SPECIALSPECIALINSERTINSERT

20120100Innovator

of theYear

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Mark Nance, AAFPresident, BloomNet

PUBLISHER

BloomNet, Inc.www.MyBloomNet.net

(866) 256-6663

SENIOR EDITOR

Lisa Carmichael

MANAGING EDITOR

Fred Russell

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

John Parkinson, Len Vermillion,Nicole Gandini

ART DIRECTOR

Shane Hickey

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mike Pucci

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Ted MarloweJerry Rosalia

floriology is published monthly byBloomNet, Inc.

Printed in the United States, Copy-right 2011. All rights reserved. Nomaterial contained herein may bereproduced without the consent ofthe publisher or editor. Permission toreproduce portions of this publicationshould be obtained through Bloom-Net, Inc. Publications.

All statements are those of the per-son making the statement or claim.The publisher does not adopt anystatement or claim as its own and anystatement or claim does not necessar-ily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Although published material is in-tended to be accurate, neither floriol-ogy nor any other party will assumeliability for loss or damage as a resultof reliance on this material.

Opinions expressed are not necessar-ily those of BloomNet, Inc.

Annual Subscription Rate is $71.88 (plusapplicable tax) in U.S. and Canada.

4 Industry Info2011 trends get high visibility at the AtlantaInternational Gift & Home Furnishing Marketplace.

5 By the StatsTeaming with social media can help boost prom sales.

6 Out & AboutFresh ideas at the floriology Institute.

7 TrendsQuality sets the tone in 2011.

8 design center: On the EdgeDonald Yim, AIFD, find design inspiration from Europe.

10 Owner’s CornerVince Butera, AAF, AFID, PFCI, differentiates his shop bystaying contemporary in his designs.

12 design center: Back to BasicsBill Taylor, AIFD, explains how texture plays a supporting,but vital, role in design.

14 MarketingCommunicating effectively with high schoolers is the key todriving prom business.

15 InnovatorDebbie and Connie Waltz display their corsages andboutonnières with the help of local high schoolers.

16 Neighborhood CornerKorean War veteran Jerry Rosalia helps give other vets aproper tribute.

WHAT’S INSIDEV O L . 2 N O . 4 | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1

>>>Cover image is fromthe New BloomNetSelection Guide.

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UP FRONT

BEING AN INNOVATORLEADING NOT FOLLOWINGAn innovator has been described as a pioneer, a person who isone of the first to do something, a leader who often opens up anew pathway for others to achieve an innovation.

Our floriology issue this month covers a variety of intriguingsubjects, one of the most exciting being the announcement of thewinner of our year-long contest for Innovator of the Year. The shearmagnitude of the fresh ideas presented by you, our readers, wasnot only staggering but also created quite a challenge in determin-ing the winner. A select group of florists and staff carefully reviewedall the monthly winners to determine the best of the best.

We thank everyone who participated in the contest for all the wonderful ideasthey sent to us during the past year. Your innovations have been an inspiration toour readers and a re-affirmation of how talented and creative florists are!

On the cover you will notice we are highlighting another opportunity to growyour business – proms. I remember visiting a shop in Texas many years ago andwitnessing some of the biggest and most expensive prom flowers I had everseen. Bigger was most definitely better. Today it seems proms are all about theBling. Exotic flowers, high design and bold colors…along with Bling…meansmore sales and greater profits. I know you will enjoy this fresh approach.

By the time you read this issue, you will have experienced another Valentine’s Day. Itruly hope your holiday was successful and that 2011 is presenting new opportunities!

And remember, we are always looking for your input and guidance in provid-ing interesting content to you and your fellow florists. Let us know your thoughtsand suggestions.

I want to personally congratulate floriology’s first “Innovator of Year” KathyHarriman of Lenox Village House of Flowers in Nashville, Tennessee! I also wantto thank all of those who submitted the creative and imaginative ideas throughout2010 and please keep submitting your ideas to [email protected]

Mark Nance, AAF | President

THE COFFEE POT

WHAT’S ON TAP

“I love floriology Magazine! It is a great marketing resource for me and I have incorporatedmany of these into my business plan. It’s great to find out what other florists are doing allover the country and what works for one part of the country can definitely work in another...It’s fresh and innovative and I look forward to each issue. “

❋ DEBORAH JOHNSON ROMERO ~ Blooming Affairs, Santa Clarita, Calif.

● Michigan GreatLakes Floral ExpoMarch 4-6Grand Rapids, Mich.

● Georgia StateConventionMarch 4-6St. Simons Island, Ga.

● Fresh Forum ~Everyday BusinessPractices❋

March 12Las Vegas, Nev.

● Connecticut North-east Floral ExpoMarch 12-13Sturbridge, Mass.

● Illinois SateSpring ConferenceMarch 11-13Springfield, Ill.

● SAF CongressionalAction DaysMarch 14-15Washington, D.C.

● South DakotaAnnual ConventionMarch 18-20Pierre, S.D.

● Floriology InstituteContemporary,High Style andEuropean Design❋

March 20-22Jacksonville, Fla.

● Wisconsin & UpperMichigan AnnualConventionMarch 26-27Waukesha, Wis.

● Kansas StateSpring ShowMarch 27

● Niagara InternationalSymposiumApril 3Fort Erie, Ontario

● Floriology InstituteBasic Principles &Elements of Design❋

April 4-8Jacksonville, Fla.

❋ For more informatione-mail [email protected]

❋ Editor’s Note We always encourage all florists to submit ideas they haveimplemented into their business or marketing plan so we can share them with therest of the floriology community. Submit your feedback to [email protected]


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INDUSTRY INFO AWARDS, SHOWS, ADVOCACY

NEW INITIATIVES

FLORIOLOGY INSTITUTEThe school is in session

The second course offered at The Floriology Institute wasanother success as students gathered in the hallowed hallsof the NAPCO headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla. for thethree-day class, titled Advanced Sympathy Design andTrends. Instructor Jackie Lacey AIFD, CFD, PFCI, had a

defined goal for his students. “I wanted to speak to the importance ofstaying on top of trends and techniques, the importance of understand-ing cost and pricing accordingly and the importance of building yourmarketing strategies and maximizing your return.” Jackie also toucheson the importance of learning. “Education is the primary tool that willseparate you from your competitors, and it is vitally important to stay ontop of trends and techniques as they continue to change.”

The students had a variety of reasons why they attended the class, “Isigned up for the class because I do a lot of sympathy work and wantedto learn ways to differentiate myself from our competition. Jackie chal-lenged me to thinkoutside the box andstep outside mycomfort zone,” saysKim Notaro, co-own-er of Kim’s FlowerShop in Wethersfield,Conn. Kim, who isalso a chairpersonfor the NortheastFlower Expo sayssince taking the classshe feels like shewill be doing moreunique and unusual designs and do more for the memorials and crema-tions. “There’s definitely a lot of things to move forward with. I’ve beendesigning for more than 30 years and it’s easy to stay set it your waysand your customers have new ideas so taking the class was a good wayto gather information on trends too,” says Kim.

Cathy Phillips from The Family Flower Shoppe in Tampa, Fla. justopened her business eight months ago and said it was a great class fornewbies. She said she learned so much being watching the other stu-dents. She also says it was a small enough class where you could get alot of one-on-one instruction. “I wanted to learn how to design sympa-thy arrangements other than what you see in a catalog,” adds Cathy.

“When you add the invaluable resource of obtaining the contactinformation for the other students to add to your support system youcan begin to really see the value and need for taking a class or manyclasses,” concludes Jackie.

❋ The April Basic Principles and Elements of Design Class is filling upfast! Email or call Nicole Gandini at [email protected] or516-237-7973 or you can visit MyBloomNet.net!

INSIGHTS

SOUTHERNEXPOSURE2011 trends get highvisibility down in Atlanta

At last month’s Atlanta Internation-al Gift & Home Furnishings Mar-ket, florists and floral profession-als from throughout the industry

got a first-hand look at what are expected tobe the leading design and product trendsfor the 2011 fall and holiday season. In termsof colors featured at the show, there was “alot neutral, some taupes, some whites, someblacks and browns…then with a splash ofcolor, whether it be lime green or red.Everybody can pick a different splash ofcolor, which I think is very fun,” says CynthiaGarrett, owner of Flowers and More in Col-fax, Wash., and Wild Ivy in Pullman, Wash.

Cynthia explains that she observed a ma-jority of home decorating themes featuringclean, straight lines. “I think people’s lives areso busy and so hectic, the big groupings aregone. I’m seeing one big thing to put on thewall. I’m seeing simple, yet classic ideas forhome décor,” she comments.

Specifically for fall 2011, visitors to Atlantawitnessed rich, warm tones that evoke theseason. Of course, this means oranges,browns and tans. “There was also plenty ofmixing of materials for fall, and there weremany metallics,” says David Bailys, vicepresident of marketing for Napco.

For the holiday season 2011, emphasis inAtlanta was on traditional colors punchedup with energetic tones. “Bright reds, brightwhites, bright greens…and lots of sparkleand glitter added into it,” explains David.Also highlighted on the show floor were“hand-made looks, including ornamentsmade from felt and knitted type items,”adds Evangeline Solomon, NAPCO designand merchandise specialist.

And as you might expect, time-honoredholiday design elements and icons will stillbe prevalent in 2011. “Be it snowmen, San-tas, angels or nativities, they all continue tobe growing categories,” says David.

❋ To view some of the Napco productsvisit napcoimports.com


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SOCIAL NETWORKING BY THE STATS

by Mike Pucci

Dance PartnersTEAMING WITH SOCIAL MEDIACAN BOOST PROM SALES

❋Are you planning to use social media to promoteyour prom business? Tell us about it via e-mail [email protected].

talk a lot on Facebook, and if you get your name in front of a fewof them you can spread it through the whole lot of them,” saysJames Raynor, who along with his wife, Helen, own Flower Powerin Davenport, Fla.

James and Helen see Facebook as an outstanding way to targetprom-age kids, especially in the Florida communities their shopserves. “We have an older demographic, and it’s tough to reachkids in the area [using traditional local media],” says Helen. “So,we are very active on Facebook.”

Convenience and cost-effectiveness are additional benefitsof Facebook and similar social networking sites. “It’s the easi-

est, least expensive way to get to the kids in their ownworld,” continues Lori. “I’m a one person shop, and with

Facebook I can sit here and connect with peopleoutside the shop without ever leaving it. Once

you connect, people feel they know you. I tellthem what makes me different, why I’m a

prom specialist, I post prom-relevanttopics, and give accessory ideas.”

USE A WELL-ROUNDED APPROACH

We’ve concentrated on Facebookin the above paragraphs as a meansfor promoting your prom business.However, it’s also a good idea tocomplement Facebook and othersocial media avenues such as Twitter(www.twitter.com) and YouTube (www.youtube.com) with additional commu-nication technologies. Smart phonesare a good example.

“We have mobile apps for iPhoneand Android,” continues James.“When someone places an order,they get a link for downloading theapp, enabling them to place ordersthrough their phones. And they geta $5 discount for placing the orderon their phone.” Also part of the

marketing strategy at Flower Power are email campaigns as wellas flyers, and of course, a well designed website to highlight theentire shop.

❋ Facebook has more than 500 million*active users

❋ The average Facebook user has 130 friends*

❋ In total, people spend over 700 billion minutesper month on Facebook*

❋ U.S. Marketers will spend $3.08 billion toadvertise on social networking sites this year**

SOURCES: *Facebook (facebook.com), **eMarketer (emarketer.com)

Social Studies

You may have heard the phrase “fish where the fish are.” It’s astatement that can certainly be applied to reaching your targetaudience to increase your prom business. These days, that audi-ence (Generation Y/high school students) is utilizing much of itstime visiting social networking sites, particularly Facebook.

With that said, if you’re not already planning to weavesocial media into your prom marketing strategy, here aresome stats that should convince you to do so:

WITH SOCIAL MEDIA,COMMUNICATION WORKSBOTH WAYS

One of the best things about Facebookand its ability to help you market yourprom business is that it enables youand your audience to communicateback and forth continually. “What I do[in advance of prom season] with Face-book is get a dialog going with the kidsand their parents,” says Lori Kunian,CFD, owner of Affairs to Remember inMelrose, Mass. “I ask questions aboutprom colors, what colors are kids tend-ing to go for; this makes a connectionto my business as a prom specialist,and also helps me prepare so I knowwhat to buy for color.”

Besides dialog, Facebook is a greatplace to promote yourself visually. Loriinvites high school kids to post photosof themselves showcasing her previousprom work. The photos provide a won-derful look at Lori’s floral design tal-ents. What’s more, Facebook enablesusers to “tag” photos (identify and reference the pictures) allowingLori to enhance her shop’s name recognition even further.

REACH A CAPTIVE AUDIENCEREADY TO SPREAD THE WORD

Many of today’s high school-age kids are on Facebook for severalhours every day. Best of all, because of the nature of Facebookand its built-in growing circle of friends, the kids are constantlyexpanding the number of online friends they have. “School kids


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OUT AND ABOUT BLOOMNET TAKES TO THE ROAD

Congratulations to Nature’s Gardens Flowersand Gifts in Murrell’s Inlet, S.C. They were voted“Best of the Grand Strand” in the florist category.WMBF, the NBC Television affiliate, sponsors thecontest each year and viewers have a month tovote on the best in local businesses. From leftto right: David Bryant, Master Designer,Bonnie Norket, Owner and Charles Haynie,Master Designer.

Marsha Hefferman ofRennie’s Flower Shop inNorth Andover, Mass. shows offher a-DOG-able™ arrangement!

NAPCO hosted another floriology Fresh Forum on Saturday,January 29th at the NAPCO Showroom in Jacksonville. There werea total of four seminars including a Care and Handling presentationfrom Gay Smith of Chrysal USA (above right) and a great MarketingProgram (left) from the mother, daughter duo of Shelby Shy andJo Buttram, AAF of Shirley’s Flowers & Gifts in Rogers, Ark.

This photo was taken at the AdvancedSympathy Design Trends and Techniques classin Jacksonville, Fla. To find out more about theclass please turn to page 4 for a recap.

FRESHFORUM

man ofShop in

Mass. shows off™ arrangement!


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WIRELESS SAFETY TECH TALKSHOP TRENDS

by Marc Grzeskowiakby Mike Pucci

Securing yourNetworkWIRELESS ACCESSIBILITY IS AMODERN CONVENIENCE, BUT ITALSO HAS ITS PITFALLS

Irecently experienced a severe security risk at a small businessthat highlights why security is so critical. Hopefully this will putinto context the risks that your business may be facing.

It was a late afternoon and I was taking my wife to a doctor’s ap-pointment pending the birth of our third child. Being a busy office,

I expected we would be waiting for at least an hour tosee the doctor and decided to bring my laptop

to get some work done. As we pulled up tothe office, I determined it was better for meto wait in the car and work, and let my wifewait inside with the rest of the expectingmoms until we were called! As I started mycomputer I realized I forgot my broadband

card (this simply provides internet accessover a cell phone signal). I decided to search

for any wireless networks that I could connectto and “borrow” their connection. First, there is no

special software to do this, as its standard on any wireless enabledcomputer. Secondly, I would only “borrow” someone’s connectionafter first receiving their permission!

Upon searching, I noticed my wife’s doctor’s name came up asone of the available networks, and there was no password requiredto access it. Keep in mind, I was parked on a busy public street,about 50 feet from the office! With a couple of clicks, I connectedto the network and was able to access the Internet through myweb browser. Curiosity led me to try a couple of more things tosee just how much access was available. In short, I was able to seeall the computers, iPhones, Blackberrys and IPads on the network.In addition, the “router” (in this case the device that acts as thetraffic cop for accessing the internet from the office) used thedefault password from the manufacturer and I happen to haveused the same brand in the past. With a couple of clicks, I now hadcomplete control of the network, Internet access, etc.

I walked into the office and notified the manager of the issue.Within 30 minutes I had secured the network, changed the defaultpasswords and secured the office computers. The scary thingabout this was that no one in the office was aware of the exposure.Most interesting of all, the whole reason why the wireless was ac-cessible was because the physician wanted to ensure his patientscould surf the web and stay occupied while waiting patiently tosee him! Clearly the most kind of intentions sometimes have themost unintended consequences.

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“Our economy is on an upswingand people should be willing tospend a little more money next

fall and holiday season,” says Mario Fernandez,a world-traveling member of the Smithers-OasisFloral Products Design Director team and ownerof Belle Fleur in Coral Cables, Fla. “They willwant quality and florists should invest in carry-ing lasting, top-notch floral products such ascymbidium orchids and protea—and then usingaccessories of wheat, grasses and fall leaves.”

Charlie Jordan, owner of Jordan House ofFlowers in Greensboro, N. C., concurs with theassessment that a renewed consumer desire forquality florist-designed looks will be a big factorin 2011’s fall and holiday trends. “The economyis coming back,” says Charlie. “We do a lot ofinterior decorating, and we saw an increaseduring the past year, and we think it will increasemore this year.”

For fall, Mario anticipates the hot colors tobe ones you already know, but with a twist.“Instead of bright red, I see a brick red—a littledeeper. Orange a little more muted. Yellow willbe like a mustard, a little more elegant.” He alsomentions that lime green is expected to be indemand, indicating a transition to somethingmore tropical. From another design standpoint,he stipulates that animal prints should be hot,providing a fashionable accentfor use in trimming. Fresh grapescan be incorporated too. And,cornucopia can be “suped up”with willow branches.

Holiday trends for 2011 willfeature jewel tone accessories,states Charlie. Examples are likelyto include “ornaments carryingcertain themes throughout thetree, encrusted in jewels,” heexplains. “A more sophisticatedChristmas” compared to previ-ous years is what Mario believes2011 will bring. Among the mostwanted items on people’s listscould be all-white glisteningChristmas arrangements andblack glittered eucalyptus invarious colors, he says.

Fall & Holiday2011IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALITY

BN45-11J


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DESIGN CENTER ON THE EDGE

by Mike Pucci

Differentiate your business usingthe latest ideas from abroad.

The imaginative side of your brain is alwayslooking to expand creative possibilities, while thebusiness side continually seeks ways to grow salesand gain new customers. Satisfy both sides withexciting, cutting-edge design innovationsdirect from Europe.

“Inspiration can come from anywhere,”says Donald Yim, AIFD, CreativeDirector at West Van Florist inVancouver, British Columbia. Andone of the best sources for designinspiration is the European continent.

Donald, whose career boasts many accolades– including first place at the People’s ChoiceAwards in 2001, 2002 and 2003 – will be teachinga course focusing on Euro design at the Floriology

Institute. The course, which will be offeredin March 2011, is titled “Every Day-Con-

temporary, High Style and EuropeanDesign, Trends and Techniques.”Donald has also worked on theBloomNet Design Team.

In addition to his awardachievements, Donald serves asan instructor for Design358, an

organization dedicated to sharingknowledge and growing floral design

awareness. Donald has also participat-ed in internationally renowned shows such

as the Philadelphia Flower Show and the AIFDNational Symposium.

Florists who attend the course will gain valuableinformation about both the design and businessaspects of European style. Among the areas ofinstruction are abstract, decorative, vegetativeand formalinear styles. Says Donald, emphasiswill be placed on “European designs executed inan efficient way, and an overall look into the ways

Designer:Donald Yim, AIFD

Location:Vancouver, B.C.

Exposure/Achievements:People’s Choice Awards,

2001, 2002, 2003

Flowers Canada IndustryChoice Award, 2001, 2002

one can achieve beautiful designs quickly withoutcompromising quality.”

Throughout the three-day course, key techniqueswill be shared. These include: basing, which is theprocess of finishing a piece with textural details;banding, the use of decorative materials to encase adesign; grouping, involving placing identical materi-als within a limited area; pinning, which as the termimplies, relates to securing materials in a design;stacking, referring to the placement of materialsupon or beside each other vertically or horizontally;terracing, which is the positioning of similar materi-als in a stair-like manner; and zoning, the processof segregating like materials to specific levels or tothree dimensional areas within a composition.

“Constantly changing is a key to success,” in thefloral business, says Donald. “Trends are alwayschanging because the lifestyles of people change.Designs should change to match, florists need to staya step ahead of what their customers are looking for.”

Most of all, Donald stresses that great designshould begin with the right attitude. “It’s all aboutfun,” he explains. “Like a little kid, when you’re havingfun you can learn more…and be more creative.”

Creativitywith a European Accent

Institute. Tin Ma

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“Constantly changing is akey to success. Trends arealways changing because

the lifestyles of peoplechange. Designs should

change to match; floristsneed to stay a step ahead

of what their customersare looking for.”


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VVince Butera differentiates his shop by stayingcontemporary in his designs and being known forthe largest selection of fresh floral in his area.

Vincenzo Butera, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, sayshis brand has been built upon artisticfloral design. And being different hasbeen his mantra since he first openedhis store over 30 years ago, ButeraThe Florist in York, Pa. Vince has beenin the business since he was 15 yearsold when he worked at a neighbor’sgarden center hauling plants from onegreenhouse to another. His interest infloral design led him to a horticulturedegree from Delaware Valley Collegejust north of Philadelphia. It was duringthese years as a student, Vince wasexposed to the artistic side of floraldesign and aspired to always stay ontop of the trends and on the forefrontof design.

“Over the years we have alwaysstrived for the best quality and we al-ways keep a wide selection and variet-ies of fresh cut flowers,” says Vince. Heknows that for sure because his sup-pliers tell him his inventory is so muchmore extensive than other shops in thearea. By being a high-style contempo-rary florist means it’s important to stayon top of the trends. “We attend a lotof the design shows and rely a lot onthe trade magazines,” says Vince. Onemagazine Vince recommends is FusionFlowers (fusionflowers.com), which

is published in England. “We alwayslook at what is going on in big citiesand in Europe, which really helps uskeep up with new design styles,” saysVince, which is something Butera’s isrenowned for in his region. Vince re-members one of his instructors sayingearly on, ‘“if you never show it, you’llnever sell it,”’ so you can’t be afraidto try something new. “As my wifeCarolyn says, ‘if you’re not willing to trysomething new you should get out ofthe business!’”

Vince says over the last six to eightmonths he and Carolyn have learnedto adapt to the new economy andthe competitive landscape that haschanged over the years. “We havelooked at what we have done in thepast and are strategically planning onwhere we need to be to stay ahead,”asserts Vince. As part of this strategy,Vince and Carolyn decided to goto the Atlanta Gift Show earlier thisyear. “It was a fantastic experience;there’s no way your local wholesalercould show you all the products there,so it was great to see everything!”says Vince who is both excited andinspired by what he saw.

By going to the show it gave themsome great ideas for their prom busi-

ness. Theywere ableto get asneak peakinto someof the hotitems forthis year, likeOasis andCreation byFitz productson display. Theywere excited aboutwhat they saw, so theyinvested in some of thoselines. “We plan on setting up awristlet bar station in our shop withdifferent add-ons to add to the basicdesign,” says Vince. It will be likegoing through the salad bar, acceptinstead of cucumbers and carrotsyou will have beads, gems, ribbons,pins, and much more. Each item willincrease the value and price of thedesign and Vince expects the averageorder to increase 20%.

By having your ears and eyes open,Vince and Carolyn stay one stepahead of the competition. “We’reexcited about the next year and areplanning new marketing ideas to sup-port our new products.”

StayingAheadONE

STEP

OWNER’S CORNER DIFFERENTIATION

by Fred Russell

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heyabout

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Owner:Vincenzo Butera,AAF, AIFD, PFCI

Shop:Butera, The FloristYork, PA

Established: 1980

Employees: 9

FAST FACTS

1

Interesting Tidbit❋

The last couple years Vince has been the de-signer for the Mid-Atlantic Garden Show

and does 12 to15 regional shows annually. Thisgives Vince an opportunity to teach consumers

who have the misconception that florists createdesigns using roses and carnations only. It is

allows him to preach the importance of going toyour local retail flower shop for more custom

arrangements and to promote the floral industry.

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DESIGN CENTER BACK TO BASICS

by Bill Taylor, aifd

Where color might play the lead in an arrangementthe sturdy and steady element of texture, lendssupport and complexity.

The most beautiful wedding I ever designedfor was made up entirely of foliages, 30 in to-tal. It was mostly monochromatic with varioustints, tones and shades of green with a hint ofcolor with berries, but the foliage was a playin size, shape, and texture.

There is a subtlety in texture that is notgoing to make it stand out like the color of adesign, but whereas color might grab some-one’s eye, the element of texture holds the eyeby showing there is more to a design achievedby adding complexity to it.

According to the definition of texture, it isthe perceived surface quality. In art, there aretwo types of texture: tactile and implied. Tac-tile texture (real texture) is the way the surfaceof an object actually feels. Examples of thisinclude leaves, flowers, or artificial products.Implied texture is the way the surface on anobject looks like it feels. The texture may lookrough, fizzy, gritty, but cannot actually be felt.

The following are three examples wherevarieties of texture are shown.

1} This first arrangement is titled, The Wreathin Love (BN109-211), and the piece displaysalternating textures. This design has manytextures going on and can be characterizedas complex, fuzzy, slick and shiny.

Part of the wreath’s uniqueness is that thereare sides each displaying a unique texture.

For example, one side of the wreath is quitebusy, and fluffy with the use of asparagus fern;one side is what I might call semi-glossy withshingled salal leaves. Side three is somewhatglossy, and at the same time deep and busywith layers of variegated pittosporum tobiraleaves. And the final side is very different withwrapped aspidistra leaves, making sleek,

shiny and flat. Most of the flowers in this de-sign are rather matte in texture, the exceptionbeing the spray of anthuriums and the callalilies. The anthuriums are very shiny, almostplastic-like. The callas-go-beyond matte-as-they-are-velvety, somewhat chalky in texture.A whole lot of texture is going on.

2} For the second design, the Santa’sSurprise (BN7-11J), blends mechanicaland organic reflective surfaces. In thedesign the holly leaves are or-ganically shiny, reflective; the glassmillimeter balls are mechanicallyshiny. The container plays a mattefloral pattern against a mirror-likebackground glaze. For contrast thecarnations and mums are matte.

3} And finally, Ode to Orchids (BN20-11J) is an example of contrasting textures.

Most of the ingredients here are flat, matte,rather earthy. The mud/clay surface of thecontainer, the design accents of raffia andother dried materials are very earthy in tex-ture. The pincushion protea, is a prickly andrough surface, and quite matte. The phale-nopsis spray has a soft and luxurious feel,and matte again. The lone contrasting shinytexture is the philodendron leaf.

We don’t often consciously think about tex-ture as we design, but soft versus hard, roughversus smooth, matte versus shiny is important.

Texture is not the design element that willstand out in a finished piece; however, it is abasic design element, and it along with shapeand size, will help the leading lady, color, towin over the customer, and thus shouldn’t beforgotten.

SUPPORTING ROLEPlaying the

Designer:Bill Taylor, AIFD

Experience:40 years

Exposure/Achievements:Fellow and past-president of AIFD

Member of Bloom-Net’s Design Council

Former owner ofretail shop, Taylor’sof Sonoma, Calif.

Presented designshows in 42 states,three Canadian prov-inces, and four AIFDNational Symposia.

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❋We don’t often consciouslythink about texture as wedesign, but soft versus hard,rough versus smooth, matteversus shiny is important.

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MARKETING DRIVING PROM BUSINESS

Why it Pays to go

Back to SchoolGAINING ENTRY INTO HIGH SCHOOLS IS THE KEYTO DRIVING PROM BUSINESS, AND COULD BERETURN BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE.

Sandwiched between Valentine’s and wedding seasons,prom season can be viewed as nice additional businessduring an already busy time of the year. But how many ofyou are taking full advantage of this often overlooked rev-

enue stream? Are you just viewing this as supplemental business?What about looking to increase your prom-related business?

Some may think why do it or even where do you begin if you areinterested? However, with some long-term thinking about teencustomers and a plan in place to reach them, you could be plant-ing the seeds for a long-term relationship. The first key is to gainentry into the market through the local high schools.

‘FUNDING’ THE WAY IN

Every school is in need of one thing: funding. Whether itbe fundraising drives for the band, athletic team, orany one of the other numerous extra curricular ac-tivities the school has going on. And it is throughfundraising that florists can find a way in. Initial-ly, look to find out what the school is looking tofund. Start by going to the school’s website tosee what might be happening. Afterwards, tryto set up a meeting with the school principal. Ifthe principal is reluctant to meet, explain to himor her your intentions as a local business leaderto get involved in one of the fund-raisers, and make an offer thatfor every corsage and bouton-nière you sell, you will donatea percentage to the school’sfund. Another possibility isfinding out who the fundraising committees are andsend them a letter. Be sureto send several letters assome will find the trashcan, but eventually onewill find its way throughto someone who likesthe idea.

MORE THAN MAKING A SALE

And when you do start to have students come into your shop, makeit fun and memorable. For example, for the young teen girl com-ing into your shop, this may be the very first time she has venturedout to make a floral purchase. It is important to make your shop afriendly atmosphere. Create a printed sign that has easy to un-derstand pricing of corsages. Also, you should have the youngestmember of your sales team—who the teen girl can relate to—assisther and answer any questions. This way, she feels she is having aconversation with more of a peer than an adult.

After her corsage is designed, then send her a text messagephoto of it with your shop name stamped on the photo. This photomay very likely be forwarded to her girlfriends via text and thenpossibly make its way to her Facebook page. And this way, wordspreads and you have created your own marketing campaign by

not doing much more than being nice to a young customer andstamping your photos.

And possibly best of all, this could be the startof a long-term relationship that could yield

great dividends. If you are able to connectwith this young person, your shop maybe the place where she comes for all herlife’s events including two proms, herwedding, anniversaries, birthdays, and

get well occasions. We estimate that thissame young person, over the course

of her lifetime, could be a personwho spends $34,500 in your

shop. All these events add upand who better than you to

be her florist for yearsto come.

❋To view some ofDaniel’s promarrangements, visitwww.creationsbyfitzdesign.com

by Daniel Fisher


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Need a boostin your PromBusiness?Try using

the high school studentsas walking billboards topromote your corsageand boutonnière de-signs! Just after Valen-tine’s Day, Debbie andConnie Waltz of GreenTurf Florist in Winterset,Iowa will select a juniorand senior male and female to model their corsage and bouton-nières for one full day of school a couple weeks before the bigdance. They also partner with their local tuxedo shop to get themen to wear the tuxedos for the day. “It’s a great way to show-case their tuxedos and our designs for the whole day. We alsogive corsages to the office assistants at the school to keep theminvolved and excited,” says Debbie.

“The students have as much fun with this as we do,” continuesDebbie. The four students pass out coupons to their classmatesfor a discount on their prom order. They have even gone one

step further and made a competition out of it. “Thestudent who passes out the most coupons that

were actually brought in and used is given agas card—they’re pretty competitive and

take the challenge seriously,” says Deb-bie. She calls the office at the school tofind outgoing students that would bestrepresent the school and her shop.

By being selected floriology’s Inno-vator of the Month, Debbie and Con-nie receive a $250 check, a recognitionplaque and are eligible for the Innova-

tor of the year and could win a LuxuryIncluded® vacation for two to a Sandals

Resort! Submit your ideas to [email protected] today!

February2011

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MARKETINGTIP OF THE MONTH

DifferentiateYOURSELF

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLERS MODELCORSAGES AND BOUTONNIÈRES.

INNOVATORFEBRUARY 2011

PROMBUSINESS

MODELING YOUR

BE UNIQUE BY CREATING AN“EVENT VENUE” IN YOUR SHOP.

When a nearby tuxedo shop ap-proached Sonal Kapidia of Conroy’sFlowers in Mission Viejo, Calif., about

doing some cross-promotion for prom season,Sonal thought it might be a good way to attractcustomers to the store and increase foot traffic.

The result was atuxedo display sec-tion. “The whole ideais a one-stop shop forordering both the tux-edos and a corsage,”explains Sonal. She says“parents and teens alikecome into the store,and she estimates 70% to 80% of customers whoorder tuxedo, order flowers as well”

The idea was further expanded to create an“Events Venue” set up with a canopy, sweet-heart table dressed with elegant silk linens,china, crystal and centerpiece. Chivari chairsaccentuated the décor with silk cushions andsash. Lounge furniture was added to display cur-rent trendy events. High-end design books anda flat-screen TV display the custom creations ofbeautiful floral designs. The set-up has createdinterest in the wedding business, which custom-ers did not know they offered.

In terms of the marketing, the people fromthe tuxedo shop pass out flyers at high schoolswith her shop name on them, and she offers a10% discount on flowers.

Sonal suggests approaching local tuxedoshops and offer them a display in the shop.They need to staff it during the dance season,which Sonal has them do for about six weeksfulltime. Another product she has included istheCreations by Fitz bracelets (www.creations-byfitz.com). She uses the John Henry Prom book(www.jhc.com) to promote high end corsages.Also, take a peak at the prom section underthe “Special Events Tab” in the New Bloom-Net Floral Selection Guide for more ideas. Theprogram was initiated in 2009 and has been verysuccessful. These additional items can increasethe average sale and convey a high-end image.“Kids just love this program and they keep com-ing back,” says Sonal.


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BLOOMNET IN THE COMMUNITY

PRESRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRIPON, WI

PERMIT NO. 100

One Old Country RoadSuite 500Carle Place, NY 11514

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Dignity Memorial, a large network of funeral and cemetery providers, has itsHomeless Veterans Burial Program, a nationwide effort dedicated to honoringthe indigent military veterans who have served their country, but do not havefriends or families they can rely on for a proper burial. Often these veterans mayend up in a Potter’s Field or somewhere less becoming the dignity that comeswith honoring a life lived. This program gives these vets a fitting burial, includinga ceremony and honor guard with a presentation of the folding of the U.S. flag.

Recently, when the Dignity Memorial program came to New York, 1-800-Flowers.com’s own Jerry Rosalia was invited to not only attend the memorial for the veterans, but alsobecame part of the ceremony by accepting a folded flag from the honor guard. Jerry, himselfa Korean War veteran, was deeply moved in becoming part of the ceremony that included notonly the honor guard, but the playing of taps, a rifle volley, and local politicians making remarks.

Jerry accepted one flag of 20 that were folded and presented to honor 20 local deceasedveterans. “It was memorable and an honor to be selected,” says Jerry. “We owe it to the veterans.”

And these types of activities and events are a good way to get involved with the community and strength-en their relationships with local funeral directors.

Jerry talks about the ability to help veterans, but that it doesn’t have to be just this one deserving group,rather it is an “opportunity to give back,” no matter the group in need.

Look for ways to help your community and af-fect a positive change, even if it means just doingone small thing that is a one-time event. Ultimate-ly, it is about serving others, which florists do anamazing job of doing by expressing for customerstheir feelings to others through the creativity andbeauty of flowers. Florists, unlike other retail-ers have the unique opportunity to connect andsupport their customers during special times ofneeds through the beauty of flowers. I know yousaid was too long, but need to fit. And by doingsuch deeds, it often reverberates to the giverin positive ways. “If you do something nice, itcomes back to you,” concludes Jerry.

If you are interested in finding out more aboutthe Dignity Memorial program, go to dignityme-morial.com for details.

CelebratingOur Country’s HEROES

>>>1-800-Flowers.comdonated 5 sympathywreaths representing eachbranch of the military.


2010INNOVATOROF THE YEARKATHY HARRIMANLENOX VILLAGE FLORISTNASHVILLE, TENN.

E X P R E S S I O N S O F F L O W E R S

Insert_BN0211.indd 1Insert_BN0211.indd 1 2/10/11 10:22:44 AM2/10/11 10:22:44 AM

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Throughout 2010 the floriol-ogy team was flooded withinnovative ideas coming infrom BloomNet florists allover North America. The“Innovator of the Year” started as an idea to engage BloomNet florists to share

ideas and provide the BloomNet community with original ideas that can be applied in theirshop and help strengthen their business and the floral industry. The first year was a rousingsuccess as hundred ideas filled the inbox of [email protected].

We are very excited to announce the first ever winner of floriology’s “Innovator of Year”for 2010 is Kathy Harriman of Lenox Village Flowers in Nashville, Tenn. Kathy submit-

ted her idea back in July which was published in the August issue of floriology.A technology pioneer herself, Kathy has been aggressive in her marketing

efforts and trying to keep up on the latest tools. Kathy considers herself anearly adaptor, “I look to use all aspects of technology to run my businessand any way I can take advantage to reduce costs, facilitate faster deliveriesor improve our marketing programs,” Kathy says.

By having an open mind and the willingness to take chances, when shewas presented with a texting application she can use to reach her customers

through text messages she jumped in with both feet. “We’ve used texting toregulate and manage our inventory. When we have a surplus of roses or tulips

for example we simply promote a great cash and carry offer” says Kathy.Winning BloomNet’s Innovator of the Year validates Kathy’s belief that the latest

technologies should be an integral part of a business plan, particularly for a small, local busi-ness that has large competitors. “It’s an affirmation,” she says. “You have to get on the techni-cal bandwagon if you are truly going to be successful. Our ability to use technology helps uscomplete to the points where we can offer specials that meet the price of the mass markets.”Kathy goes on to say, “we offer unique floral designs, we’re willing to work with customers onany budget, and we make everything personal”

Kathy opened Lenox Village Flowers just over two years ago, without any prior floral experi-ence. Kathy retired from the Electric Power Board for the city of Chattanooga as Vice Presidentof Communications and followed her dreams of owning her own business. “I always lovedflowers and had friends in the field, so I thought I would give it a whirl” says Kathy! She admitsrunning a flower shop is tough business and lots of hard work, which makes her previous jobbringing fiber optic technology to 187,000 homes, seems like a walk in the park!

As winner of BloomNet’s Innovator of the Year, Kathy will receive a Luxury Included®

vacation for two at a Sandals Resort, which will be well deserved after the chaos of theValentine’s Day holiday!

On behalf of everyone at floriology, congratulations to Kathy on a wonderful achievement!

2010InnovatorOF THE YEAROF THE YEAR

KATHY HARRIMANLENOX VILLAGE FLOWERS, NASHVILLE, TENN.

February 2011 | f loriology | Innovator of the Year

We are veryfor 2010

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Winning


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Kathy Harriman receives the Innovator of the Yearaward from David Shipe, BloomNet Market AreaConsultant for Tennessee and Kentucky. Pictured inthe back is Kathy’s Designer David Batson, who Kathydescribes as “invaluable”.


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February 2011 | f loriology | Innovator of the Year

{JANUARY} Ramona Christianson | Blossoms | Springfield, Mo.Passing out coupons in lieu of tips stirred up new business.

{FEBRUARY} Skip Paal | Rulatnd Beard Florist | Baltimore, Md.Giving $2 bills to employees that were able to up-sell customers during Valentine’s Day

{MARCH} Ramona Christianson | Bloomindays Flower Shop | Tampa, Fla.Partnered with 1-800-FLOWERS.COM on Warner Brother Sweepstakes Contest

{APRIL} Mark Jordan | Flowers Unlimited | Martinsburg, W.V.Very creative window displays to lure in pedestrians of the streets

{MAY} Tina Dalaba | Firefly Florist | Niskayuna, N.Y.Using Facebook to find High School Student for Prom Business

{JUNE} Rachael Martin | Ballard Blossom | Seattle, Wash.Using mobile devices to help their delivery services

{JULY} Jeannie Hinton | Flowers by Jeanie | Mankato, Minn.Hosts birthday parties for kids to keep busy and reach future customers

{SEPTEMBER} Meredith Grant | Enjoy Flowers | Laurel, Md.Increased sales with expanded balloon section

{OCTOBER} Alice Arcuri | Booth House of Flowers | Stratford, Conn.Implemented a “Business of the Week” program to engage other local businesses

{NOVEMBER} Sharon LaPier | LaPier’s Flowers & Gifts | Sarnia, Ont.Found a way to support local charities/fundraisers without opening up their wallets

{DECEMBER} Ruth Flores | My Angels Touch | Las Vegas, Nev.Opened kiosk at mall during Christmas to promote wire-out orders

Congratulations to all of our winners!To submit your innovative ideas please e-mail [email protected] to be

eligible for a Luxury Included® vacation for two to a Sandals Resort!All monthly winners will receive a $250 check, floriology award plaque and designers kit!

To view the full article of the previous Innovator winners, please visit MyBloomNet.net/floriology


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