Tom Bowling 2010

With Halloween just a couple of weeks away, consumers are thinking parties, trick or treat, and home decorations. Halloween is the # 1 adult holiday and is second only to Christmas when it comes to home decorating and entertaining. With Halloween on the last weekend of the month, you can bet there will be lots of parties haunting your neighborhoods. All this celebration screams for flowers and decorations!
For a perfect container look to the fields for inspiration; the pumpkin fields that is. Cut an opening just large enough to drop in a block of floral foam that has been placed in a clear quart size storage baggie. This will help keep the pumpkin from decaying as quickly and allows the addition of water. For added strength to the mechanic insert several wooden picks through the pumpkin and into the floral foam close to the top. You can also use a couple of the wooden picks to help secure the lid of the pumpkin into the completed arrangement.
Think color and texture and you have the beginning for a great addition for the party season. Interesting form flowers such as Artichokes and Protea’s are perfect for creating focal areas with something unique and unusual. Textural grasses such as red Fountain Grass or Pampus Grass add much interest and help create impact. Traditional autumn additions of Wheat, Montbretia Pods, Safflower and Rose Hips are good staple seasonal favorites that will add both color and texture. Don’t forget the Chinese Lanterns for a big splash of color and form. All of theses florals combine well with more traditional flowers such as Liatris, Roses, and Marigolds. Kangaroo Paw, Safari Sunset Leucadendron, and Eucalyptus also combine well to create some pretty SPOOKTACULAR seasonal creations.
Halloween is about color as well. Whether you choose to create your holiday stylings in the traditional pallet of reds, golds, and oranges, or add excitement by colliding colors like lime green, violet, and orange together, either collection invokes the flavor of the season.
With so many creative ingredients for just the right frightful effect, there will be no stopping your creativity! Call your Florabundance account manager today to be ready for all the tricks and treats this holiday brings.

When we think of October, most of us think of Friday night football games, pumpkin patches and corn stalks, trees ablaze with color, and cool days and crisp nights. When we think of colors for autumn, again most would say the analogous colors of orange, red and yellow. This year why not do something different, THINK PINK!
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many groups and organizations are finding creative ways to raise funds for breast cancer research and you too can be a part of this nationwide project. Design a variety of featured bouquets throughout the month and donate a portion of the proceeds to cancer research. What a great way to support an excellent cause as well as let your customers honor someone in their lives in a way they may not have thought of. Nothing says I care as much as flowers do!
Flowers, like people, have different personalities so offer different types of floral styling’s throughout the month to be able to marry the right personality to the right recipient. Perhaps a beautiful vase or basket filled with Hydrangea, Garden Roses, Stock, Larkspur and Wax Flower accented with some trailing variegated Ivy might be one of your offerings. You could even let the sender write their sentiment on a strip of pink ribbon with a metallic marker and attach the ribbon to the arrangement.
A more contemporary styling might feature a collection of a hanging Heliconia with basing interest of Bombay Celosia, Anthuriums, and Protea all done in pink. Add a couple of Fatsia leaves or Monstera and you have a very upscale, contemporary styling that shouts attitude! Another contemporary styling idea is to drop a stem of pink Cymbidium into a tall glass cylinder, add a few stems of bear grass or lily grass, a few polished river rocks. Smaller mono-botanical collections in glass vases of Sweet Peas, short stem Roses, or Gerbera Daisies collared with Galax or Fatsia are the perfect accessory for an office or smaller living environment. A pink hydrangea cut short and placed on the top of a glass cube or vase serves as a perfect Hana Kubari or natural mechanic to insert stems of lilies, spray roses, wax flower or any light weight flower into. Just remember not to insert too many flowers as you want the hydrangea to show through.
Many of us know of someone who has had a connection with breast cancer in some way. This October let your community know that you too are joining the fight against breast cancer. Be sure to take some photos and put them on your web site so customers can see what you have to offer.
THINK PINK!

October is a busy month for most retail florists. With the weather finally breaking and cooling down in most parts of the country, October brings out the “Fall in All”! Many civic and religious organizations have pancake breakfast fund raisers, yard sales, and lots of craft fairs. Along with that the high schools play their traditional Homecoming football game. While the activities vary from school to school, many still maintain the Saturday night Homecoming Dance. Hopefully your market area still reaches out to those who are attending and stress the importance for personal flowers to be worn to the dance.

While they may not be quite as elaborate as spring prom dances, homecoming still is a great market to hang on to as it provides great cash infusion still in recovery from a long hot, slow summer. Most of the sales at this event are cash sales, so there is very little in house billing which helps keeps the cash flowing. Also, there is not as much outside competition such as photographers, limousines, and expensive restaurants. It is a more relaxed evening for everyone involved.

Keep in mind that personal flowers have evolved over the last 5 to 7 years in most areas. Gone are the 5 sweetheart roses and baby’s breath on an elastic wristband. While there is nothing wrong with any on those flowers, think GenY young! Fun and Funky are what many of today’s young generation are wearing for dresses and suits are being accompanied with wild and vibrant ties. Take a field trip to the mall where your customers shop to get the idea of what the young ladies are wearing. This will help your sales staff make upscale and more hip suggestions. While colors may have changed in your area, the one thing that is consistent from last year is the “bling” that makes each floral presentation more personal. Bracelets have replaced the elastic wristlets of yester-year. Cuffs, arm bands, floral jewelry have all become more in vogue as magazines are showing these more upscale presentations on their models. Keep in mind that more simple stylings do not necessarily mean less money. Often the opposite is true depending on the type of flowers and accessories that are chosen.

Keep a good selection of appropriate personal flowers in stock during this time of year so your younger clients can see them close up and personal. This may be the first time of making a floral purchase, so treat them wonderfully as they are your future clients for proms, weddings and lifetime customers.  A cooler of Red Bull or Monster Energy drinks to choose from makes the selection process a little more fun for them. Who knows, it may actually speed up the selection process! Be sure and get their E-mail address and Facebook information for future marketing promotions. One of the best things you can do is to take a photo of their finished floral design and send it to them on Facebook. Your work will be out all over to all their friends in a matter of minutes. Be ready for those last minute requests from all her envious friends!

With the autumn season knocking on our doors, lots of fall activities are happening in your community. From the craft shows tot the fall festivals, your customers are out and about and ready to make purchases, so it is important that your shop also have a presence to get the word out about what activities you have planned.

This is a great time for your Make-It Take-It workshops to be held in your store. It is quite easy to set these up and make them happen. Plan a series of projects – usually 4 to 6 projects so there is a 4 to 6 week series that can be attended; all for a fixed price or sold as individual classes for a slightly higher fee. Classes in wreath making, fresh centerpieces, topiaries, pumpkin arrangements, etc are just a few ideas that customers might be interested in. Let some of your regional festivals and influences help inspire you for additional ideas. Once you have the ideas in place, set a price for the workshop that will market well in your area. Most workshops are in the 25.00 to 30.00 dollar range and are generally well patronized. Next, define a list of materials that you will need to create the design. Most retailers who do these types of workshops feel that they can offer a lower mark-up on this type of product since it is really a part of their advertising budget, but you can set whatever mark-up you wish. Also, remember that you are not incurring any labor on this project, but you may want to deduct a fee from the registration to cover the instructor. An example of this might be: 25.00 minus 5.00 for the instructor leaves 20.00. Divide this by 2 which allows 10.00 dollars wholesale cost of materials assuming that you are working on a 2x mark-up for this project. Remember, the idea is to get people in your store to show them all the beautiful designs and future possibilities that are available. So, when it is workshop day, be sure to have all the seasons’ finest products on display and the store looking top notch. Hosting the workshop in your store also allows you to make available add on additions or upgrades for ribbons, containers, additional flowers, and foliages. Be sure and have a couple examples made in advance of the class project and the upgraded example to wet their appetite. Just as in retail sales, that extra 10.00 dollars on each order makes a huge difference to your bottom line. Your expenses are already being covered, so any additional sales get applied directly to your bottom line minus the cost of materials.

Having this activity in your store is similar to inviting guests to your house. Be sure to allow time for your guests to browse prior to the class starting and also take a break during the class to give time to secure add on sales. Pre-bagged fresh pumpkins and gourds, sleeved mixed packs of foliages, ribbons, birds, novelty seasonal decorations, branches and pods are just a few examples of additional upgrades.

Showcasing your weekly designs or future seasonal selections can transition to additional future sales as well. This is also a great time to announce any future workshops that might be planned, seasonal open houses, additional Make-It Take It workshops, or any other store promotions that are up and coming. Be sure to capture your participants e-mail address for future announcements and special promotions.

It is amazing the interest and mystique that customers have for floral design. Unlocking the “industry secrets” does not have a negative impact on future sales. Actually the opposite is true. The class participants gain a greater appreciation for all the skill and hard work that goes into floral designing and sharing a little knowledge goes a long way for positive support of your business!

There has been a movement over the past several years to simplify. Simplify your social calendar, your living environment, and your accessories, basically everything that you are a part of. There are now publications, television programs and web sites that give you suggestions and directions on how to accomplish these tasks and make them a part of your daily living experience.

As many consumers embrace this “less is more” lifestyle, it is important to recognize the impact that will have on your business. It does not mean that you will no longer have the opportunity to share the love of flowers with them, what it really means is that you will have the opportunity to share in a different approach to their needs for accessorizing their environment.

Clean simple lines, open living environments, and lots of neutral colors with splashes of color accessories are what we are seeing more and more consumers gravitating to. Think of how much fashion is neutral and able to shift from day wear to evening wear by the use of accessories. That is the same mental framework that people are using in their living environments. So, it gives us the opportunity to sell a more sophisticated, upscale presentation for floral stylings.

For this type of clientele, they are not going to be attracted to the round mounds of yesteryear. Think clean and sophisticated and that will help get a better understanding of their needs. To attract this customer base, you will need to offer stems and stylings that are clean, elegant and do not need massive amounts of product support. This is where “Dare to Bare” comes into play.

Bare branches, seeded eucalyptus without the foliage, china berries, steel grass, and umbrella papyrus all fit into this look. Simple form flowers such as Anthurium, birds of paradise, Callas, Gerbera daisies, and ginger all fit into this collection as well. Foliages such as Flax, Monstera leaves, Fatsia, and Anthurium foliage are all complimentary to this collection. Smaller flowers like Craspedia, Freesia, Gloriosa Lilies and mini Heliconia work in smaller spaces. Keeping floral stylings simple and clean is most challenging. Knowing when to say enough is enough is one of the hardest points to accomplish. Just remember the adage of K.I.S.S. Keep It Simply Stunning!

The idea is not to sell more fluff but more substance. While these customers may maintain an appreciation for traditional flowers, it is the presentation that is changing. The traditional 12 roses arranged in a vase with leather leaf and baby’s breath has given way to 12 roses cut short and presented in a cube with minimal foliage that is of interest. Florabundance has excellent products to help you make this look happen for your customers. Check out their website for products that will work for you and your customers.

Labor Day is celebrated the first Monday in September. It began in 1894 and had a different meaning than it does today. What once was a day of organized labor unions and political speeches, has turned into a day of picnics, firework displays and the official beginning of fall. Many schools use to begin class after Labor Day although now most have been in session several weeks so it becomes a break for teachers and students who often try to squeeze in one last short vacation. The NFL officially begins its season on the Thursday following Labor Day. With all this activity, let’s add one more activity to this official start of fall. Let’s take a look at Labor Costs as they impact your business.
Labor costs are one of the greatest percentages of most flower shop operations. Ideally, labor costs should be no more than 33% or business operations with an ideal goal being more like 28%. However, this is not the case in most retail flower shops. Labor costs can be as high as 40% – 50% making for a very unprofitable operation. While the business may be well patronized, the result is that there is minimal profit being generated.
Most laborers when ask will have the same response, “over worked; underpaid”, when really the truth of the matter is that the amount of work expands to fill the day. The same design that takes 40 minutes to complete can be accomplished in 20 minutes when a customer or transportation engineer is waiting. This is just human nature. Why rush if I don’t have to. Multiply this by the number of staff persons times the amount of daily orders and you can see this is a disaster waiting to happen. In most cases, the staff person does not even realize they are doing this and what impact good or bad it is having on the business model. While it is impossible to run a marathon every day, most operations can improve their daily output with a little help and guidance.
First thing to do is to have every designer record their production for a day. Have them do this for a week to get a pattern and also help identify the busier days and the less busy days. In general, each designer should be able to generate 10X their hourly salary for every hour they are on the design bench. Most designers have multiple tasks to perform such as waiting on the trade, answering phones, processing flowers, etc, so it would not be fair to evaluate their output based on an 8 hour day. This also might help the shop owner identify areas of needed staffing. Does there need to be a part time person who comes in at a lesser rate of pay to unpack and stock the shelves, process flowers, or any other job that requires the designer to be pulled away from production? Could one designer and one part time staff person accomplish the same amount of work that it is currently taking two designers to accomplish? The other pattern that you might see evolve is how many ‘generic’ or repetitive orders are being generated. If this is a pattern, which is good, then consider having the designers do a production of multiple designs at the same time. Instead of doing each vase as a “one of a kind”, consider making 6 to 10 of the same design knowing that they will all be sent out to different recipients. They can also be modified or upgraded with different additions – Lilies in one, Gerbera Daisies or Roses in another to give a more personalized look. What is amazing is just how many repetitive orders are actually being generated. On the other hand, it also makes one aware if the sales person is selling too specific which is often the case. While many customers do have favorite colors or flowers, many could be accommodated with the addition as we talked about previously.

When we look at a floral composition many of the principles and elements of design are clear and quite evident. Strong line, color impact, size, space, and even fragrance all play a role. However, often many of those principles play a less obvious role but are still equally as important. One of those is dominance. Dominance as defined by The AIFD Guide To Floral Design Terms, Techniques, and Traditions book is the visual organization within a design that emphasizes one or more aspects. When one element is emphasized, others are subordinate. A secondary principle of dominance is accent. Accent is detail added to a design to provide additional interest, affecting the total character of the composition. Just as in speech or cooking, accent adds a punch of interest. Accent can be something as simple as a piece of ribbon tied on to a handle of a basket or a bird’s nest added to a floral styling as an accessory. But accent can also be added by adding fresh flowers, foliage, branches or decorative grasses as well. This time of year provides many choices of accents to compliment the composition. As in cooking, it is important to remember to use accents with a light hand as you would spices keeping in mind that too many accents confuse the viewer and create a visual disharmony.
Love grass, Millet, Wheat, and Amaranthus are a few choices that can be added to an existing composition to spice up the presentation. While they may be less impactful in color, they contribute to the texture and can be used to enhance strong lines. Pumpkin Vine, Ornamental Peppers, and Pomegranates on a vine can add color impact as well as contrasting forms to a composition. Ornamental Kale which has a distinctive autumn flavor can also be an accent or used as a focal flower. Yarrow, with its golden yellow color and bumpy texture add color impact and form interest. Craspedia can also do the same although totally different in size and form. Echinacea Cones are an interest material that adds a subtle use of color, but adds textural interest similar to Scabiosa Pods. Cat Tails are a time honored harbinger of autumn and add strength when used as a line material. Safflower adds color as well as texture with its ‘Sussical’ form and vibrant orange color. Rosemary and Eucalyptus contribute to the fragrance of a floral composition.
With so many choices, it is sometimes difficult to show restraint and to use accents with a light and effective touch. Introduce your customers to some of this season’s finest Accents. Visit the Florabundance web site or call your Account Manager today to see what is available to spice up your designs!

C I P describes today’s sympathy business. For the retail florist who has been in business for longer than 10 years, they have seen a dramatic difference in the way the sympathy business has morphed and changed. For those shops that have been in business for longer, even more opportunities for change can be seen.
Today’s florist has many challenges serving the sympathy industry. In most areas of the country, there are no longer the multi-day visitations. Today we are seeing much shorter visitations such as the evening before or even two hour; same day visitations. These shorter visitations have had a negative effect on the amount of floral tributes that friends and families are sending. Expense is another consideration for consumers as well. We are now finding that several friends and family members often go in together to send a tribute versus everyone sending an individual expression. And one of the biggest challenges is one that the retail florist created for themselves by using the mindset that the flowers only had to last a day or two so quality did not matter. Consumers have rebelled against that and have stopped sending floral tributes. So what can be done to combat this negativity?
C I P stands for Creative, Individual, Personal Expressions. This is what today’s consumers are searching for. Creative design work that shows style and flair are hallmarks of consumer’s requests. Floral stylings that are distinctive, unique, and expressive are important attributes in the customer’s eye. Creativity can be expressed with almost any budget.
Individual means that when the customer goes to look for their floral tribute, they are not going to see 10 other designs that look identical. Your customers come to you because they like your style of design and presentation, but not every floral styling should have a cookie cutter presentation. While menus are often a good way to control costs, varying the presentation and choice of flowers will help eliminate ‘designed on the line’, they all look the same objection.
Personal expressions are being requested more and more. These would be tributes that reflect the deceased interests or hobbies. Less and less requests are being given by customers for generic expressions and more and more requests for something more personal are being asked for. A great example might be to send a standing wreath with a garden hose on a grapevine wreath with garden tools and flowers for the lady who was a gardener. Take the time to ask the customer a little about the deceased to be able to make some appropriate suggestions for personalizing the floral design.
The sympathy business is one that in many shops fills in between the holidays and keeps everyone employed on a yearlong basis. It also evens out cash flow from a business standpoint. It is a great way to have your design work seen and compared to or against other shops in your area. All of these can be beneficial for your business model, so it is important to remember to send designs that are using quality flowers that are designed securely and creatively. The sympathy business is one that is still primarily serviced by the local florist. Do your best to hold on to and grow that part of your business for continued success.

While recently attending AIFD’s National Symposium the attendees were exposed to many areas of design. One element that most are interested in is what are the ‘new colors’ that will guide our sales and be seen in the coming years. Color can be the easiest and most challenging element to deal with as customers have a very personal feel about color harmonies that they embrace or reject. Color refers to those combinations of light reflected pigments on a surface that transmit a psychological response to our brain. What one customer might find pleasing another might find distasteful. Color evokes emotions such as happiness, anger, warmth, pleasure, hunger, and comfort.
Color is used in most areas of retail flower shops. When a customer is sending a floral styling to someone, often the question is asked if the recipient has a favorite color. Same is true when sending sympathy flowers; did the deceased have a favorite color. The reason behind the question is to make the flowers more personal as most people have a favorite or preferred color. Again, this connects to the emotional impact of color.
Fashion and home décor are two areas that are directly tied to color harmonies that are in vogue. A good rule of thumb is to watch what women buy and wear in your market area. Generally what women wear this year, they will decorate with the following year. Not all color harmonies that are shown in fashion make it to mainstream home décor, however, often times an odd or strong color in fashion peaks its head up in home décor as an accent color. For instance, shrimp or coral is a pleasing color for many to wear, but few would be comfortable with a vibrant coral sofa. This does not mean however that coral throw pillows could not be added to wake up a sleepy neutral sofa.
New color harmonies are influenced by many factors. Economic influences and global events are probably the two most influential factors. At present, due to tight economic conditions, we are seeing very few radical changes in colors as manufacturers are skeptic about too many radical changes as there is not a wide range of clients who have the money to make substantial changes in their home. If you are wondering if a color is a fad color ( those who will be around for a year or two and then disappear) or a trend color ( those colors who have a 3 to 7 year life), look at the colors of larger ticket items such as cars, major appliances, and home décor furnishings. These items are a major investment and will have a longer presence.
Often we see the newer color harmonies introduced in Europe during Fashion Week. While you may look at the haute couture and wonder who would wear that, pay closer attention to the colors and combinations of textures and patterns that are being worn. Usually they hit both the East and the West coast first and then filter to Middle America. Some colors may never hit your market area for different reasons. But, it is important to know what is happening in the fashion world.
Whether your market embraces a casual shabby chic lifestyle that would embrace monobotanical designs of gerbera daisies or roses or would they prefer the influence of modern architecture and embrace clean, graphic designs of exotic and tropical flowers, being aware of the color trends is important. While not everyone in your market area may be able to rush out and make drastic changes in their home decor, many people do enjoy a little something new and trendy. As the economy improves, so will customers willingness to experiment with new and bolder color combinations.
The beauty of using fresh flowers adds the newness and freshness to an environment that may need a little perking up. Be sure to have an assortment of fun and full-on color stems and stylings ready for those customers who what to wake up a sleepy room!

How much time do you spend on securing the right mix of product that speaks of your shops image? Once the product has been secured there is another time element invested in processing the product and getting it ready for the sales floor/cooler and creating beautiful stylings for your customers to enjoy. But, the average retailer does not take the time to properly merchandise their displays to make the sale happen successfully.
There does not need to be a large investment of capitol to make visual merchandising happen successfully. With a few keys to visual merchandising, success can be made to happen more easily than you think.
First, get a yearly calender and make a plan of attack a year in advance. Sounds like you might need a crystal ball to predict what is going to be happening in your store 9 – 12 months ahead, but in reality when you plug in the major holiday that you want to promote, there is only a little more than half the year to plan for. Whether it be planning the show windows or for floor displays, having a ‘game plan’ allows you to prepare for what is coming up versus being reactionary to what was or should have been. It is really amazing how easy the plan starts to flow.
If the task is too overwhelming for one person to be responsible for, enlist the help of all your staff and assign them in teams to be responsible for the different areas in the store including the display windows and the cooler. By them working with different staff persons in different areas, new looks are created with each change of season. Make yourself available as a resource rather than a producer. Be ready to lend a helping hand to those who struggle. Having the calender allows you and the staff to prepare props in advance and take advantage of those unexpected ‘finds’ like old worn doors for displaying wall treatments on or worn to imperfection tables, shelves and chairs that are often found at garage sales and on occasion on neighborhood walks on trash night!
Areas that might be considered for displays are sidewalk displays( if it is allowed in your zoning or rental agreement), window displays, feature displays( key areas in your showroom), fresh flower displays ( in and out of the cooler) impulse displays ( usually close to the cash register), and close out or discontinued displays ( just because an collection or sku is no longer being carried, it should still be presented attractively).
A couple of tips to remember while setting displays.
- Clean the display area and merchandise before setting the next display.
- Create impact with one or two larger elements versus lots of ‘eye scatter’.
- Unite less important or smaller items together on a tray or shelf. No when to say when.
- Make a definitive color statement. Most shoppers react to color first and then explore.
- Signage should be simple and easy to read.
- Remember to price everything in the display. No playing the guessing game!
- The area between the shoulders and the knees is the ‘comfort zone’ no tip toes or stooping necessary to shop comfortably.
- Rotate the stock often. Move merchandise to different areas for a fresh new look.
- LIGHT IT UP!! Light enhances colors and textures and helps make sales happen faster.
Visual merchandising accomplishes many positive results including…
* Defines your image – Tells customers who you are
* Helps build or reinforce your Brand for your customers.
* Increases the perceived value of your floral stylings and gifts.
* Invites customers to interact with the merchandise and to make NOW purchases.
Remember once you have the area merchandised, shoot a picture and post them to your web site so everyone can see what a magnificent presentation has been created just for them!