July 2012

E X P R ES S I O N S O F F LOW E R S ®

BY THESTATS

CHRISTMAS SALESPOISED TO INCREASE

AGAIN THIS YEAR

ON THE EDGEPERSONALIZE HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTSWITH SIMPLE DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES

MARKETINGA PEEK AT HOLIDAY TRENDS FOR 2012

July 2012

E X P R ES S I O N S O F F LOW E R S ®

SPECIALCHRISTMASIN JULYISSUE

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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

Len Vermillion, Megan Sullivan

ART DIRECTOR

Shane Hickey

SENIOR DESIGNER

Bill Hamilton

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mike Pucci

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Ted MarloweJerry Rosalia

floriology is published monthly byBloomNet, Inc.

Printed in the United States, Copy-right 2012. 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 intend-ed to be accurate, neither floriologynor any other party will assume liabil-ity for loss or damage as a result ofreliance 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.

WHAT’S INSIDEV O L . 3 N O . 9 | J U L Y 2 0 1 2

>>>Cover image from theNapco holiday catalog.(PC# 44349 and 44350.)

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4 Industry InfoBloomNet introduces new onlinemarketing program; Supercharge businessgrowth at SAF annual convention.

5 By the StatsChristmas sales poised to increase again this year.

6 Out & AboutBloomNet’s market area consultants passed out awards to florists who exemplifiedquality achievement as part of the Florist Quality Care Program.

7 Open HousesTips for marketing and hosting a successful holiday open house.

8 DESIGN CENTER: On the EdgeNeville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI personalizes holiday arrangements with simple accessories.

10 Owner’s CornerJulie Markert plants neighborhood roots to nurture her business.

12 DESIGN CENTER: Back to BasicsJackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD, evokes the spirit of USA in imaginative designs.

14 MarketingHoliday trends 2012: a peek inside.

16 Neighborhood CornerWith the help of BloomNet professional florists, 1800Flowers.com has a goal ofdelivering a million smiles.

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UP FRONT

’TIS THESEASON (AGAIN)Can it really be Christmas again? As time rapidly marches on, the holi-days seem to eclipse each other even with summer thrown in the middlebetween Mother’s Day and the fall holidays. Seems we are just evaluatingone holiday and in a short amount of time, we are preparing for the next,or are we?

I have written a great deal about simple business acumens focusing ondiligently reviewing each holiday and in particular truly monitoring a retailflower shop’s three main expense categories: Cost of Goods, Labor, and Facility. There are somany more, but without knowing these key metrics, the others are less impactful.

As important as expense management is, growing retail sales is more important. As a well-documented saying goes, you can’t have a bottom line without a top line. Again, everywhereyou read (even here) the discussion centers on increasing local marketing efforts and the salesimpact of social media. Growing awareness of the wonderful experience of flowers on all levelshelps everyone, small and large, major and minor markets, nationally and locally, at holidaysand every day.

This past week, I had the opportunity to attend SAF’s Growth Solutions Conference in CherryHill, N.J. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised at the high attendance of retail florists from allaround the country (100+) and the quality of presentations. One in particular was Jim Dion withDion Inc., a Chicago based retail consulting and training firm (www.dionco.com).

Jim, who has an extensive background in retail, spoke in passionate terms about the state ofthe retail environment as well as the competition for retail dollars and he provided a number ofsalient points about what to expect now and into the future of traditional retail. One key noteI found very interesting was his presentation on “who is really setting customer’s expectationsin today’s brick and mortar environment?” My thoughts immediately ran to online retailers inour industry, but in fact, it is Amazon and Apple who are defining what flower buyers want andexpect when they walk through our doors or go online.

Focus appears to be the key. Being independent business people, you have the inalienableright and duty to do what’s right for you and your business, while at the same time taking allof the information provided to you to make the best decisions. This is not a one-size-fits-allmarket, nor does anyone or one group or business have the one right answer. The right answeris the one that is right for you.

Wishing you a profitable and joyous holiday season!

Mark Nance, AAF | President

THE COFFEE POT

WHAT’S ON TAP

● Floral Strategies WebinarProfessional CustomerService Skills*July 17

● Texas State Florists’ 98thAnnual ConventionJuly 21-22Fredricksburg, Texas

● BloomNet/NAPCOFresh Forum*July 28Jacksonville, Fla.

● South CarolinaAnnual ConventionJuly 27-29Columbia, S.C.

● Oklahoma StateFlorists Assoc.Summer ConferenceJuly 28-29Tulsa, Okla.

● Floriology Institute5-Day AdvancedWedding/Party & Events*July 30-Aug. 3Jacksonville, Fla.

● Tennessee StateAnnual ConventionAug. 3-5Franklin, Tenn.

● WesTexas New MexicoFlorist ConventionAug. 3-5Midland, Texas

● North Carolina StateFlorist ConventionAug. 10-12Greensboro, N.C.

● Arkansas Convention& Trade MarketAug. 16-19Hot Springs, Ark.

● Floral Strategies WebinarProfessional Sales Skills*Aug. 21

● Independent GardenCenter ShowAug. 21-23Chicago, Ill.

❋ Go to MyBloomnet.netfor more info!

Dear floriology reader,We value your opinions. What do you like about the magazine? How can we improve?We encourage all feedback—our goal remains to strengthen and build the communitywithin the floral industry. Please email your thoughts to us at floriology@bloomnet.net.

❋ The floriology team

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INDUSTRY INFO AWARDS, SHOWS, ADVOCACY

EDUCATION

SAFANNUALCONVENTIONSupercharge yourbusiness growth.

At the Society of Ameri-can Florists’ 128th annualconvention, which is beingheld at The Breakers in

Palm Beach, Fla., Sept. 19 through 22,attendees can tap into the brainpowerof progressive retailers, wholesalers,growers, designers and suppliers inthe floral industry.

The convention will feature hands-onworkshops and education programs,including sessions on expanding wed-ding and event business, boosting staffproductivity, maximizing holiday sales,using hot new colors, and more.

Highlights include the Outstand-ing Varieties Competition, which willbe open to attendees and the publicthroughout the convention. During thePremier Products Showcase on Sept.20, four PFCI experts will take attend-ees on a tour of the latest flowers,foliage and tools.

On Sept. 22, BloomNet will spon-sor the keynote breakfast and businesssession, during which customer servicetrainer Dennis Snow will speak aboutthe next generation of customer service.The 45th annual Sylvia Cup DesignCompetition also will be held this day.Participants include designers from theAmerican Institute of Floral Designers,winners of state and regional contests,and designers of the year.

To register, visit safnow.org/annual-convention-saf-palm-beach-2012, email meetingreg@safnow.orgor call 800-336-4743.

SALES

DRIVING ORDERSGENERATING TRAFFICInnovative Web marketing program createspowerful sales opportunities.

Did you know that according to a study by the BIA Kelsey ResearchGroup, more than 90 percent of consumers now use online mediawhen looking for products or services in their local area? But that’sonly part of the story. Sixty percent of today’s Web-savvy consumers

seek additional info besides simply the name, address and phone number of alocal business.

As a way of increasing sales and profit potential for retail florists, BloomNethas collaborated with a technology provider called SinglePlatform to introduce anew online marketing program. The program gives BloomNet florists the powerto connect with and influence consumers at the most crucial moment—whenthey’re researching what they want to buy.

“More and more consumers are utilizing their Web-capable digital devices tosearch for local retailers,” says Marc Grzeskowiak, vice president of technology,BloomNet. “But they want more than just contact information...they want details.BloomNet’s Web Marketing Program, powered by SinglePlatform, can turntoday’s consumers into customers and drive orders for retail florists online, viatelephone and through increased walk-in traffic.”

The new program offers benefits that go far beyond the capabilities of a typi-cal search engine. SinglePlatform enables local florists to publish content-richinformation throughout the Internet via multiple online channels including searchengines as well as local online review sites, business listing sites and social media.

Yet, what truly sets this technology apart is its ability to display not only theshop name and location, but also products, pricing and special events. What’smore, promotional offers can be highlighted in real time. For example, floristscan feature photos of their products, from fresh arrangements to gift baskets,and they can also highlight promotions on certain products, enticing a localcustomer to visit their store and make a purchase right away.

Florists’ SinglePlatform catalogs can be pre-populated with the best Florist Se-lection Guide products to help assure optimal selling possibilities. And, featuredproducts on BloomNet-hosted websites can also be featured through SinglePlat-form, creating a strong and unified marketing message.

SinglePlatform’s exclusive partners include many of the most successful com-panies in the online marketplace. BloomNet is working with SinglePlatform toprovide BloomNet florist listing details so that they can be easily found acrossthe Web, enabling SinglePlatform to publish this information among its part-ners— expanding florists’ digital storefront to an audience of millions.

“BloomNet is committed to continually seeking new and exciting ways to helpour member florists grow their businesses,” continues Marc. “The SinglePlatformprogram is yet another example of how we’re constantly adding to our suite ofrobust technology solutions, providing leading-edge innovations that can createvast marketing and advertising reach for BloomNet Florists and enhance theirsales opportunities.”

BloomNet is supplementing the cost for florists of participating in the pro-gram. To find out more, visit singleplatform.bloomnet.net.

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SALES BY THE STATS

by Mike Pucci

A Jolly Season?CHRISTMAS SALES POISED TOINCREASE AGAIN THIS YEAR

❋What are your feelings about the business pros-pects for this coming holiday season? E-mail us at

floriology@bloomnet.net.

❋ 80% of all consumers shopped at brick-and-mortar stores between Dec. 20-26 last year*

❋ From Nov. 1 to Dec. 26, 2011, consumersspent 35.3% billion online**

❋ 34% of consumers are expected to shop onthe day after Thanksgiving this year (ap-proximately 81 million people, 16 years andover)***

SOURCES: *NPD Group (www.npd.com), **ComScore (www.comscore.com),

***International Council of Shopping Centers (www.icsc.org)

Shopping Season

Since the recession began, it seems that each holiday season wenot only wait eagerly for Santa to slide down the chimney bearinggifts, but we also hope he brings good economic news with him.

Well, this year, perhaps he will. Certainly, with unemploymentstill hovering above 8 percent, the outlook is cautious...yet,consider the positive data that was released at the time thisissue of floriology went into production. The ConferenceBoard (www.conference-board.org) was reportingthat the proportion of consumers expecting anincrease in their incomes improved to 15.2percent from 13.9 percent, indicating thatconsumer spending may improve.

Furthermore, a Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Con-sumers (www.thomsonreuters.com)stated that as of May 2012, consumerconfidence improved in each of thepast nine monthly surveys, rising to itshighest level since October 2007.

Adding to that, a Gallup (www.gal-lup.com) poll released at the begin-ning of June 2012 revealed that U.S.consumers’ self-reported daily spend-ing averaged $73 in May. This marksthe third straight month that dailyspending has been at least $70, some-thing that has happened only oncesince the global economic collapse—during the 2011 holiday period.

POSITIVE RESULTS EXPECTED

When asked what she anticipates forthe 2012 Christmas holiday selling period, Pamela Monson says, “Iexpect it will be up this year. Last year was up from the year before,and this year should be better.”

Pamela, who with her husband, Stephen, owns San Marin Floristin Novato, Calif., adds this piece of advice: “Start early. Plan now,do whatever you can do ahead so it’s ready to go when it’s time.”

Leah Cox, owner of Snellville Florist in Snellville, Ga., is alsoanticipating that sales will climb during the Christmas periodthis year. “I look forward to it performing,” says Leah. “I expectincreases.”

PRODUCT CHOICES REMAIN TRIED AND TRUE

As in the past several years, holiday gift buyers are likely to gravi-tate toward familiarity. “Brands will continue to be important in thegift basket space,” says Nancy Hamlin, vice president of marketingfor 1-800-Baskets.com. “Branded products ground the gift in cred-ibility and acceptability as a recognizable gifting option and helpto focus the gift theme.”

Leah says shoppers will probably be seeking “traditional” itemsagain during the 2012 holidays. She adds that “compact

designs in keep-able containers” should be hot sellers.

METALLIC ACCENTSWILL BE PREVALENT

“The trends we are seeing this year include lotsof metallic looks with copper and gold at the fore-front,” continues Nancy. “The different variations

of copper look very fresh against the traditionalgold, silver, red and green. We are also seeinga resurgence of glitter as an accent design.”

“People like that little bit of bling,” Pamela says.

B2B GIFTING COULDPROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES

During the economic downturn, manycompanies have reduced their holidaygifting. This year, Pamela sees possi-bilities. “Businesses have cut back, butthat may be picking up,” she says.

Nancy suggests careful consider-ation in working with your customersto choose the ideal B2B gift. “Businessgifting is all about demonstrating abig thank you to your best customers.Businesses are not in the mood to takeany risks with these critical relation-ships,” she says. “What that meansfor gift baskets is an emphasis on the

traditional colors (red, green or silver and gold) and staying awayfrom gifts that scream Christmas or Hanukkah, meaning no overtlyreligious themes, which could be offensive to someone.” Bloom-Net florists have the competitive advantage of purchasing prod-ucts from Popcorn Factory, Harry London, and 1-800-Baskets.com.

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OUT AND ABOUT BLOOMNET TAKES TO THE ROAD

Jean Johnson, owner of Briar Rose inJackson Hole, Wyo., proudly accepts the

Quality Care Award from her Market AreaConsultant, Tom Weddel.

Kentucky Market Area ConsultantDavid Shipe visited Tim Ellis athis shop, Ellis Florist and Gifts inHarrodsburg, Ky.

David Blevins of Valdosta Green-houses in Valdosta, Ga., is the recipientof a Quality Care Award given by GeorgiaMarket Area Consultant Doug Cresci-manno. Read all about David in the Au-

gust issue of floriology in Owner’s Corner!

Holdingher son and theQuality Care Awardplaque is Monica Gotch,owner of Aurora’s FloristCountry Owl in Aurora,Ohio. Presenting is EasternOhio Market AreaConsultant Ken Vorie.

Last December, BloomNet introducedthe Florist Quality Care Program,which is the industry benchmark ofexcellence for fulfilling floral orders.The program was developed with wide-

spread input from a Florist Quality CareBoard made up of a dedicated group of professional retail florists rep-resenting more than 200 years of industry experience. It is BloomNet’scommitment to best-in-class quality and ensures 100 percent customersatisfaction for all florist transactions. BloomNet wants to thank each andevery florist for sharing the passion and building trust and confidencewithin the BloomNet family! Recently, the BloomNet market area consul-tants have been passing out the award to the 65 florists that exemplifiedquality achievement and signify the committment to the comprehensivestandards of the BloomNet Florist Quality Care Program!

s

FLORISTQUALITY

CAREAWARDS

BloomNet Market Area Consultant for ArizonaPerry Winslow presents the Quality Care Award toDelayne Whorley, owner of Fort Huachuca FlowerShop in Fort Huachuca, Ariz., which is located on anArmy base and was recently featured in floriology’sApril Neighborhood Corner.

Holdingher son and theQuality Care Awardplaque is Monica Gotch,

Karen Anderson, owner of Peterson Anderson Flowers inDuluth, Minn., has been a BloomNet florist since 1999 and wasawarded the Quality Care Award by David Book, market areaconsultant for Minnesota.

JeanJacks

QuC

mgu

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ent vignettes. During free time in the afternoons leading up tothe open house, his staff prepares silk arrangements. The fresharrangements are prepared the day before the event. To show

off the shop’s creativity, the arrangements are “noteveryday bread and butter” designs, Scott says.

Make sure to have a sign in book to collectcustomer information. At Dinsmore Florist,

guests are entered into a drawing to winfresh arrangements, such as a Christmas

centerpiece, when they sign in. “Wealso make sure that if we have newpeople that come along, they winsomething in a drawing,” Scott says,“and we deliver it to their housejust before Christmas.” During theevent, customers can place ordersand set a delivery date, or purchase

items on display in the store. After theevent is over, mail out thank you cards toeveryone who attended.

Scott says Jacksonville is starting tobuild up again, and a surprising number of

people walk in and say they didn’t realizethe shop was there. To gain exposure,Dinsmore Florist sends out postcards and

advertises in neighborhood newspapers, and sends out quarterlyemail campaigns to existing customers to keep them aware of thelatest store happenings.

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Holiday open houses are a popular way to buildrelationships with existing customers and attractnew clientele. Host a special evening or weekendafternoon for customers to come in andpreview this year’s holiday arrange-

ments, holiday items and gift selections. Treatthem to finger foods and refreshments and besure to display holiday arrangements andcreate a festive ambience in the shop.Mingle with the customers andmake sure to sell, sell, sell! You mayalso opt to raffle off door prizes,play festive music, and organize afun activity to engage customersand get them to stay longer.

Dinsmore Florist in Jackson-ville, Fla., has developed andrefined its recipe for a successfulChristmas open house during its 49years in business. Owner Scott Mc-Call shares his step-by-step approach.First, set the date and come up withan advertising strategy. Plan the layoutfor the store, including where and howyou will set up tables and props. Next, mail out invi-tations with event details, plan refreshments that will be served,line up a Santa Claus, and decide on a theme. Scott’s shop usu-ally picks one theme for throughout the store, or sets up differ-

OPEN HOUSE

HOLIDAY OPENHOUSES ENGAGECUSTOMERS AND LEADTO INCREASED SALES.MINGLE

and

Best Customers❋ Send out invitation note card announc-

ing the event.

❋ Call to personally invite your best cus-tomers.

❋ A week before the event, send them anemail as a reminder.

❋ If they stop into the shop, invite them inperson.

❋ Notice they place an order for delivery?Attach an invitation note card to theirdelivery.

General Public❋ Attach open house flyer or postcard to

outgoing orders.

❋ Send postcard to your best customersand the rest of your local mailing list ifyou choose.

❋ Have flyers on hand in the shop.

❋ Hang flyers on local community bulletinboards.

❋ Place flyers on counters at cooperatingneighborhood businesses.

❋ Place flyer on your shop door and inyour shop windows for walk-by traffic.

❋ Write up event details and place ona sandwich board or other outdoordisplay.

Local Marketing Ideas

PC #24041

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DESIGN CENTER ON THE EDGE

by Megan Sullivan

When it comes to traditional versusnon-traditional holiday designs, theline has become blurred. “It’s gettingmore and more difficult to define tradi-tional Christmas,” says Neville MacKay,CAFA, PFCI, owner of My Mother’s Bloom-ers in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Bright pink and lime green qualifyas Christmas colors, and solid whitesare gorgeous, Neville says. “Even withtraditional red and green, we’re seeingcherry red put in with lime green for abit of an upgrade in the designs.”

Mums, carnations, roses, andpoinsettias might come to mind, butNeville is seeing a lot of tulips, lilies,hydrangeas, and “all sorts of flowersnot necessarily known as Christmasflowers” being added to the mix.Holiday centerpieces have evolvedway beyond pine, fir, hemlock, big redbows and candles. Traditional lookscan be upgraded to a more modern

design and still have aChristmas feel.

This holiday season,personalization will bekey. Florists can custom-ize arrangements tothe individual client byadding simple decora-tive accessories. Beforecreating a design, Nevilleasks clients about theirhome décor and wherethe arrangement will bedisplayed. “The more wecan customize to suit anindividual, the better offI believe we’re going tobe,” he says. “It doesn’t

BreakingTRADITION

nflHwbc

have to cost a florist a lot of effort to do it either— that’s something thatis a very big concern for a lot of people. You have time.”

When selling feature design work, suggest a neutral arrangementif the customer isn’t sure about colors. If customers have multipleevents and they want to change their design around, “Add on tothe design or sell decorative accessories to add to the design after-ward as an upgrade to the arrangement,” Neville suggests.

Neville suggests adding pops of color with OASIS MEGAbeaded wire, adding visual movement and fluidity with OASISmidollino sticks, creating structures or building armatures with OA-SIS aluminum wire, or taking a fine OASIS bullion wire and caginga few flowers to embed them in a cloud of color.

As a design consultant for Smithers-Oasis, Neville created a varietyof holiday arrangements that steer away from traditional red andgreen and embrace use of embellishments. 1} Take, for instance,a simple arrangement like Neville’s design with cream roses, whitedendrobiums, and pillar candles wrapped in beaded wire. Addingan element like gold curls of aluminum wire can easily transform thearrangement. Or, it can be as simple as dropping a chartreuse greendiamante pin in the center of a cherry red gerber daisy. For a DellaRobbia-style arrangement, he suggests putting diamante pins in thepieces of fruit for an upgrade. “It’s amazing what a few little beads, alittle wire and just a little thought can do,” he says.

2} A more natural look is popular too, as seen in Neville’s whitelily design with lots of cones, foliage, and OASIS rustic wire. Ar-rangements with creams, whites, natural greens and cones canbe changed and added to. For example, florists can add popsof color, such as LOMEY diamante pins, to a formal, classic whitearrangement to change the entire look for their customer. OASISbeaded or MEGA beaded wire can also modify the tone and feel,“without added stress or worry,” Neville says.

3} Neville’s Biedermeier-style design consists of a ring of creamroses, cones, and hypernicum berries and greens in the center, allwrapped with a ring of beaded wire. “It’s something that is very spe-cifically a winter look,” he says. Many customers decorate their homefor the winter, and add Christmas elements later. “People are decorat-ing so much more for the season as opposed to the holiday itself.”

For holiday displays, a non-traditional approach will show cus-tomers that you aren’t afraid to try something different and willhighlight your creative prowess. “Flaunt your talents, flaunt yourknowledge, and flaunt your product,” Neville says.

Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI

looks beyond red and greenand personalizes holidayarrangements with simpledecorative accessories.

Designer:Neville

MacKay,CAFA, PFCI

Location:Halifax,

Nova Scotia

Exposure/Achievements:Owner/operator of My Mother’s

Bloomers; expert and entertainer onmany national and local TV and radio

shows across Canada; designs andpresents shows across North Americafor Smithers OASIS; He has designedfloral arrangements for Rod Stewart,

Glenn Close, Paul McCartney andmembers of the British Royal Family

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OJulie Markert plantsneighborhood roots

to nurture her business.

Of course, florists are used to seeing things blossom.And that’s exactly what is happening at Catherine’s Gar-dens—as talent, hard work and an unwavering commitmentto customer service combine to sprout new opportunitiesfor owner Julie Markert.

The shop, which opened in May 2005 and is located inOak Forest, Ill., is growing and one of the main factors driv-ing that growth is the loyalty of customers in the local area.“When we opened, the first thing I did was canvass thearea...I wanted to not just be a florist, but also be part of thecommunity,” says Julie.

When she started her business one of Julie’smain priorities was to make sure she wasin touch with the surrounding neigh-borhood, including the consumers,schools, churches, and other busi-nesses. “I wanted to get a feel forthe customers, what their needswere,” Julie explains. “I think it’svery important to take the time toknow the customer, and then putyour creativity to work for them.”

Seven years after the opening ofCatherine’s Gardens, that thinkingcontinues to pay off, as the shop hasbecome one of the most successfullocal florists in the Chicagoland region. Infact, the shop—which does 50 percent of itsbusiness in wedding work—has been named by TheKnot as a “best of” wedding florist in the Chicago area forfive years in a row. “We are the only florist to go more thanthree years in a row,” Julie proudly points out.

Although Julie has achieved impressive success withher shop, it might never have happened if not for a ca-reer change. She had her first taste of working in the floralindustry while in high school, when she took a job in a localflower shop right before Mother’s Day. Despite her baptismunder fire during such a hectic holiday period, she loved it.

Next, Julie went on to Illinois State University where she

studied architecture. Upon graduating, she went into corporateAmerica, working for years as an architect. However, during thattime she kept fulfilling her love of flowers by also working parttime in the same flower shop from her high school days.

Eventually, Julie realized that flowers and floral designwere her true passions and she made the decision to foregoher architectural career and pursue the dream of openingher own retail flower business. Her original plan was to buyan existing shop. “But I had this deep-down vision of whatI wanted...my own building...and for people to come here

because they felt like we were family.”So she found the perfect location and start-

ed from scratch by commencing construc-tion on what would become Catherine’s

Gardens. “Now, I wake up every dayand I love what I do,” exclaims Julie.

In addition to her strong weddingbusiness, Julie creates a wide rangeof arrangements for an array ofcustomers and events, all with theemphasis on meeting individualneeds. She credits her team of three

full-time and seven part-time staffmembers with providing much of what

makes Catherine’s Gardens tick. “Mystaff has so much energy and they always

have new ideas,” says Julie. “They understandwhere my customers are coming from and they are

able to make an immediate connection.”A large part of the excitement customers feel and the satis-

faction they enjoy when they visit Catherine’s Gardens centersaround the personalized attention they receive. Julie commentsthat many customers want a customized fresh arrangementthat represents a “signature” of who they are. “There’s nothingwe can’t make out of flowers...this is a motto we live by...we’recreative people and if you come to us and tell us what you want,we’re going to find a way to do it.”

Visit Catherine’s Gardens on Facebook!

Minded

OWNER’S CORNER INVOLVEMENT

by Mike Pucci

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Owner:Julie Markert

Shop:Catherine’s Gardens

Established: 2005

Employees: 10

FAST FACTS

PHOTO/WES CRAFT PHOTOGRAPHY

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DESIGN CENTER BACK TO BASICS

by Mike Pucci

“Flowers are used to tell stories or complementthe larger story such as a centerpiece for a celebra-tion, so let the flowers tell their own story by thedesign you do or the artful way you combine them,”says Jackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD, in explaining theinnovative thinking behind his latest floral creations.“This will make the emotion you evoke by the use ofthe design left up to the admirer and broaden thepower of that message.”

EXPRESSIVE THOUGHTS,BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYED

Jackie, who for more than 30 years has been push-ing the boundaries of floral design imagination, hascreated a new line that indeed tells a story...a storythat celebrates America. Jackie has been workingwith the BloomNet marketing team to create thenew line of products that are part of the Bloom-Net Essentials Collection. The “Made In The USA”collection features two thought provoking designapproaches that underscore the American spirit.

American Gypsy pays tribute to youthful exuber-ance, self expression and individualism while Sea toShining Sea symbolizes how bodies of water repre-sent a destination of escape for many Americans.

“The American Floral TrendsForecast really helped to

educate and put intowords what is being

seen in the marketright now and for

the next year or so,” saysJackie, when askedwhere the impetusfor the new designscame from. “Wedrew on the colortrends we hadalready seen andthen took inspirationfrom the report tocreate designs thatall levels of consumercould connect with. Intoday’s market you haveto appeal to the broader groupof consumers to keep your sales strongand have crossover lines that can be seenas necessary by many.”

THE ESSENCE OF WHIMSY

American Gypsy boasts energetic pinksand retro-inspired turquoise, combined witha full range of polychromatic mid- to full-val-ue hues. Key to the expressiveness of Ameri-can Gypsy are oversized and brightly coloredblossoms along with eclectic mixes of containersand unexpected pairings of floral varieties.

Also center-stage in the American Gypsy designapproach is a whimsical hodgepodge of graphicfloral motifs, dip dyes, tie-dyes, crochet, embroi-dery, witty animals, bold geometric patterns and

Designer: Jackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD Experience: 30 years

Exposure/Achievements: Formerly owned retail shops in Tennessee, Texas and SouthCarolina; Education Specialist for Floriology Institute and AIFD National Membership

Committee Co-Chair; Award winner in numerous competitive floral design competitions

“The AmeriForecast

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DreamerAmericanJackie Lacey evokes the spirit of USA in imaginative designs.

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black and white graphic treat-ments reminiscent of 1960s popart fantasy.

NAUTICAL THEMES,ARTFULLY CAPTURED

Sea to Shining Sea plays onthe fact that for many people,watery retreats offer a reprievefrom the stresses of our mod-ern, technologically chargedlives, providing a destinationfor rest and rejuvenation. Theseaside feeling portrayed inthis collection is reinforcedby colors that embrace theblue and green hues foundin both water and sky. A widerange of neutrals, from lightbrown to creamy sand,continue the nauticalcolor scheme and a blushof shell pink completesthe palette.

In addition to severaldifferent blossoms aswell as foliages, wispyfillers and flowing grasses,the design elements in Seato Shining Sea include drift-wood, coral, sun-bleached woodlanterns and boat wheels. Roundingout the seafaring look are canvas, sailcloth,linen, compasses, armillary spheres, fishermen’s nets,anchors, shells, starfish, sand dollars, ropes, nautical knots andgrommets.

INSPIRED BY CONSUMER DESIRES, AND NATURE

“In today’s market the consumer is looking for good design thatis clean, comfortable, affordable and traditional with a trendyflair,” continues Jackie in further describing his inspirations forAmerican Gypsy and Sea to Shining Sea. “Consumers are get-ting more comfortable with trendy design if it is on their level.I feel you have to be willing to stay on top of the market witheducation and try to stay one step ahead of the consumer byadapting as fast as the market can change.”

He goes on to state that the new “Made In The USA” designsare intended to focus on consumers’ re-energized interest inthe natural world around them. “Nature or a more natural lookis so hot right now...I have always appreciated all the wonderfulthings that nature can provide us and how they can be used inthe floral industry,” Jackie says.

(opposite page) American Gypsyboasts pinks and retro-inspiredturquoise, with a range of polychro-matic mid- to full-value hues.(left) Sea to Shining Sea embracesblue and green hues found in waterand sky, as well as a wide range ofnuetrals and a blush of shell pink.

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MARKETING HOLIDAY TRENDS

HOLIDAY TRENDS 2012: A PEEK INSIDE

“Christmas and Holiday 2012 willcontinue to find the consumerlooking to cling to colors andtextures that bring back fondmemories and create whimsi-

cal, childlike new ones,” states Jackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI,CFD, senior design, education and product develop-ment analyst for BloomNet and Napco. At the centerof those memories, for many people, are traditionalicons such as Santa Claus, snowmen, winter forestscenes featuring such Christmas favorites as deer andpine cones, and nativity scenes that convey peace onEarth with an emphasis on the natural look of burlap,wood and hand-carved accents.

“It is as though vintage is being reinvented onceagain,” states Jackie. The feeling is that due to animproving but still stubborn economy, iconic itemswill continue to be comfortable choices for many ofthis year’s holiday buyers. “Comfort still plays a bigpart of what will be hot and what will not. Althoughwe are seeing confidence in the business marketgrowing, we are still seeing the consumer and thecorporate world holding on to their cash and makingwell thought-out purchases,” Jackie says.

COLORS, CONTAINERS ANDOTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Napco, in its holiday 2012 trend report, pinpointedseveral areas of interest to retail florists who areplanning their purchasing, promotional and overallmarketing strategies for the coming Christmas giftbuying and decorating season. For example, holidayhome colors will be characterized by cranberry red,hunter/forest green, apple green, cream, pine conebrown, and gold accents. The in-demand containersare expected to be red foil designs along with red/green metal buckets and Santa buckets. The topfloral-related choices are anticipated to be berries,cranberries, pine and evergreen wreaths as well asholly green and, of course, poinsettias.

As mentioned above, the always popular snow-man will also be a focal point...with traditional redand green colors complemented by silver, snowyand iced accents. As for winter woods scenes, the

dominant colors will be antique red plaid with green and blackaccents and a touch of gold to add richness. Florals will includeevergreens, berries, twig branches and pine cones while contain-ers will feature such accents as acorn motifs, wooden sleighs, rustaccents, and distressed red finishes on metal.

Winter gardens will likely play a major role this season too, asthe popularity of bringing the garden inside continues to widen.Colors in this category will include sage green, sand, camel, brownand a “pop” color such as blue-green or burgundy. Figures willinvolve garden angels, birds and butterflies. And containers willinclude watering cans and metal pails with patina finish, and dis-tressed ceramics in green, beige, teal and brown.

With regard to Christmas Peace and nativity related products,the trending colors are expected to be camel, cream, champagne,antique white, brown, green tea, taupe and gold. Some of thepieces will have antique silver metallic accents on them. Contain-ers will include distressed finishes on pottery, metal and wood.

The Napco report identifies “holiday magic” as a key trend forthe 2012 season. Fun is the operative word here, with colors that

ChristmasUnwrapped

by Mike Pucci

This holiday season, emphasiswill be placed on traditionalicons and natural looks.

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include shocking pink, and bright and vivid teal, blue,apple, red and purple. Icons will include elves, Santas,snowmen and reindeer. And containers will featureglittered and foiled styles in bright colors.

WHAT ABOUT PRICE POINTS?

It seems as though nearly all consumers today have abudget, something that is expected to continue intothe Christmas 2012 shopping season, which is notsurprising when you consider that this will be the fifthholiday period since the recession began. The obviousresult of those many years of challenging economicconditions is that a focus on value has become virtuallyembedded in practically every shopper’s brain.

“Everyone is looking for a bargain,” Jackie states.Taking that kind of thinking into account, florists need toremain keenly aware of price points. One strategic ap-proach to keep in mind is to create tier pricing amongrelated groups of products, helping to entice numerouspurchases from a variety of different shoppers with dif-ferent budgets. “You have to have a bargain available tocatch the consumer’s eye and then items to add to andenhance those items for add-on sales,” explains Jackie.

MERCHANDISING ANDPROMOTIONAL SUGGESTIONS

First things first, the priority is to get customers in thedoor (or onto your website) and make them inter-ested in buying. One of the best ways to do that is bychanging up your product selection. “Offering onlythe things that you did not sell last year will only sendthem elsewhere. If you have previous stock to pushthen you have to make it look new and fresh withtrends of today,” comments Jackie.

Group merchandising can also be a vital factor inholiday success. “One of the most important thingsa florist can do from a visual perspective is to mer-chandise by theme, showing various products that go together,”says Jim Gosdin, director of purchasing services/non-floral for1800Flowers.com. “If purchasing a centerpiece for the table, therecould be a similar product that would look great in another roomto pull the themes together. This would be a great way to increasethe average customer sale.”

When merchandising their stores for the holiday 2012 season,florists should also look for creative ways to show the consumerthat products are distinctive. “Today’s consumer has a lot ofchoices for purchases; you have to stand out to be seen,” Jackiesays. Adds Jim: “In the end, what really makes any florist uniqueis how they creatively design, decorate, package and deliver theirproduct so that it exceeds expectations.”

And finally, as you know, the way you promote can set you apartand grow your sales exponentially...especially if your promotionalideas appeal to an extensive array of holiday shoppers. “Think ofunconventional promotions that will attract both the traditionalconsumer and the next generation,” Jackie advises.

Look for creative ways toshow the consumer that yourproducts are distinctive.

“You have to have abargain available tocatch the consumer’s eyeand then items to add toand enhance those itemsfor add-on sales.”

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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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This summer, with the help of BloomNet professional florists, 1800Flowers.com has a goal of delivering a million smiles.

“Making people smile is no small accomplishment,” says Chris McCann,president of 1800Flowers.com. “It’s not just how we run our business, it’s actu-ally how we view the world.”

As part of the “Summer of a Million Smiles” campaign, 1800Flowers.com has developed products atlower price points with a goal of attracting new customers, generating incremental order volume andencouraging recipients to pay it forward.

Three fun, fresh and easy to fulfill products—Summer of Smiles Sunflower, Summer Garden Topiary andBloomin’ Cupcake Daisy—are featured in the Summer and Everyday 2012 Design Resource Guide. Theseproducts, which are priced at $19.99, were developed to align with the campaign objectives. The goalof this campaign is to attract new customers who are not traditionally flower buyers in order to generateincremental order volume.

Florist participation in the program is opt-in only, and 1800Flowers.com will pay out at 100 percent tothe florist. 1800Flowers.com will not be collecting any service fee on these products.

The Summer of a Million Smiles campaign will be supported throughthe brand’s social media platform. With approximately 500,000 fans onFacebook reaching 100 million friends and family, 1800Flowers.com hasthe largest social reach in the floral industry. The program will also besupported in all marketing channels, including email, Web and onlineadvertising. 1800Flowers.com encourages its florists to join the cam-paign efforts by opting in to the program.

“Whatever method you choose, join us for the Summer of a MillionSmiles and let’s make the world a happier place together,” Chris says.“One smile at a time.”

Another opt-in campaign is the Sumer Roses Spectacular which le-verages reduced summer roses costs, provides additional sell throughfor codified containers and supports healthy margins for florists. Call1-866-BloomNet for more information!

Summerof Smiles

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