SAF Launches Home Makeover PR Campaign

Consumers and the media are hungry for advice on how to organize and beautify their homes.

Vicki Norris, spokeswoman of "Home Makeover," SAF's new PR campaign.

SAF is capitalizing on this popular trend by putting the floral message in the context of everyday news stories, which keeps flowers and florists top-of-mind among consumers.
 
Called "Home Makeover," SAF's new strategic public relations campaign leverages the power of a celebrity spokeswoman and targeted pitching to key media to emphasize flowers, plants and florists as easy ways to create and maintain a beautiful home. SAF worked with organizational expert Vicki Norris, author of "Restoring Order™ to Your Home" and a regular contributor on HGTV's "Mission: Organization," to develop the campaign's tips and talking points. 
 
SAF launched Home Makeover with a nationwide satellite media tour last week. The tour featured Norris offering advice on TV and radio morning news programs in 16 cities, including Boston, Philadelphia and Portland, Ore. In these interviews, broadcast via satellite from a Washington, D.C., studio, Norris told viewers: "Once you've organized and personalized your space -- flowers or a plant are great ways to brighten a room and maintain your newfound order."
 
Additional broadcast packages featuring advice from Norris will be distributed to TV and radio stations nationwide in the coming weeks, reaching a potential audience of more than 6 million consumers. 
  
A press kit to national and local print media will be sent to key media outlets, and the PR campaign will get 24/7 coverage on SAF's consumer Web site.
 
SAF's Home Makeover PR campaign is a direct result of the SAF Fund for Nationwide Public Relations, an industry-wide, voluntary promotion effort designed to reach millions of consumers with positive floral messages. Since its inception in 2001, SAF PR Fund programs have generated more than 744 million consumer impressions.  The media opportunities are ongoing. Do your part to promote flowers and plants by supporting the Fund.
 
Generate Local Publicity
SAF members can use the "Home Makeover" campaign to generate local publicity for their shops and establish themselves as the local expert on flowers and plants. Get a customizable press release to send to local media outlets.

--Jennifer Sparks
jsparks@safnow.org

 
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Trend Watch: More Growers Going Green?

Home Depot has made it a priority, and lifestyle magazines from  Vanity Fair to Outside are devoting entire issues to the concept; so it should come as no suprise that "going green" is attracting interest within the floral industry.

In the past six months, six South American and U.S. growers have been certified by VeriFlora, an agriculture certification program for cut flower growers and ornamental plants that assures best practices -- including environmental sustainability, social responsibility and product quality.  Currently, several more growers are in the process of being certified.

"The pace of unsolicited calls and e-mails from interested growers and handlers has definately picked up ... over the course of the last two months, compared to any time previous," says Alexander Winslow, director of communications for Scientific Certification Systems, the independant, third-party auditing and certification company that administers VeriFlora's certification program. "There is simply no doubt that in terms of the North American market, consumer interest in environmental and social practices by growers ... is not a passing fad. It is a new and permanent phenomenon."

Another certification program, Florverde, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. It ensures that flowers grown and harvested in Colombia meet specific social and environmental standards and has 137 companies participating in its program, representing 167 farms. Of those, more than half are certified as of 2006, and the remaining are in the process of being certified.

Diana Roy of the Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers, which was recently certified by VeriFlora says she understands the consumer interest in environmentally sound practices: "We have a [wholesaler] customer who is very ecologically conscious ... [the customer] is encouraging all of its growers to [get certified]."

Read more about VeriFlora's certified growers, or view the press release.

Read SAF CEO Peter Moran's editorial on the growing importance of environmental sustainability in floriculture from the April issue of Floral Management magazine. Educate yourself about proactive sustainable practices in the floral industry with a fact sheet based on SAF visits to growing regions. 

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Bulb Supplier Tests Southern Varieties

One of the industry's largest suppliers of lily bulbs is putting top varieties from the southern

A test greenhouse at Onings.

hemisphere to the test -- and inviting the industry to see the results first-hand.

Onings Holland, which has offices in Poeldijk in the Netherlands and Paso Robles, Calif., and supplies lily bulbs to growers across the United States and Canada, recently organized a trial planting of 63 bulb varieties from the southern hemisphere, at the request of growers from Chile and New Zealand, says Henk Onings, the company's general manager.

"These trials of bulbs from the southern hemisphere offer a more honest and real view of the quality of all bulbs available," Onings says, adding that Dutch bulbs have been planted in the same test greenhouse. "For bulb or flower growers and sellers, it's more pleasurable to be able to judge the whole assortment for themselves."

Onings has been working with southern hemisphere bulbs and growers for more than 10 years, a partnership that allows the company to provide fresh bulbs all year. Currently, the Chilean bulbs are in bloom at the company's test greenhouse; Dutch bulbs will be blooming next, in May.

"While the trials are growing in our test house in Poeldijk, we invite each bulb grower to come and see their bulbs growing right next to other growers," Onings says. "This gives us a perfect indication [of] who the better grower is and, if a lot turns out to be below standard, it can be taken out of our inventory and destroyed... This will give a great view of how the total harvest results are, and how quality is improving."

Can't make it to Holland? Check out trial updates and results online.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

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Professional Secretaries Week is Almost Here!

Need to do some last-minute promotions to attract sales for Professional Secretaries Week (April 22-28)? Download SAF's Business-to-Business materials. The materials promote the findings of SAF's Impact of Flowers and Plants on Workplace Productivity Study, which proves flowers and plants in the workplace increase productivity and inspire better business ideas. SAF's downloadable and customizable B2B materials include: fliers, in color and black-and-white; consumer press releases; professional photography; and talking points on the study's findings.

--Jenny Stromann
jstromann@safnow.org

 
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Local Florist Recognized as "The Best"

Wedding season is barely underway, but a Virginia florist has already been singled out by three major publications as "the best."

Blooms Florist in Reston, Va., has recently been acknowledged as one of the best wedding florists by the January 2007 edition of the Washingtonian magazine, 2007 Best Florist in Fairfax County by The Fairfax Times newspaper, and was chosen as Best Wedding Florist for 2007 by The Knot Bridal Magazine.

 "It is wonderful to be endorsed by other professionals who work with you, and it is nice to be respected in the industry," says owner Gail Dobberfuhl, adding that Blooms has been included in the Washingtonian's annual wedding guide since 2004.

Although all of the recognition is based on nominations (Blooms was nominated for The Knot honor by brides, and by readers of the Fairfax Times for the newspaper's designation), she does not solicit them. "I have always looked for referrals," she says, "[but] I didn't set out to win any of these awards. I didn't even know I was up for any of them before I got them."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Possible Grant Money Scam

Be on the lookout: a company may be trying to scam retailers by offering grant money.

Retailer Lydia Church recently called SAF, reporting that she had received a call from someone offering government grant money for small businesses. They explained the grant program, said they would need $5,000 from her to apply for the grant, and left a number where they could be reached.
 
SAF editors have called the number and left a voice message. At press time we have received no response.

To find out more about telemarketing scams or to file a complaint, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Web site.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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PFCI Set to Present at AIFD Symposium

Release your inhibitions about computer technology for making presentations, increasing sales and improving training procedures at PFCI's Powerful Presentations with PowerPoint, which is set for 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., July 11, 2007 at The Desert Spring, A J.W. Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, Calif., held in conjunction with the AIFD National Symposium.

This workshop covers how to create and deliver high-impact, dynamic presentations. Tina Stoecker, AIFD, PFCI, of Designs of the Times Florist in Melbourne, Fla., and Gerhard Monheim of InTech Health Ventures in Tucson, Ariz., show how to format PowerPoint slides with pictures and color without the visual overload. In addition, they'll share the do's and don'ts of presenting with PowerPoint. Leave your "right brain" behind, pretend to be a "computer geek" and follow along with or without your laptop.

Arrive early on July 11 to hear Sharon McGukin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Designer's Touch in Carrollton, Ga., present PFCI Membership & Keys to Communication,  at 1:30 p.m.  Register for these events by June 21.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Internet Advertising Increases

The Internet is the advertising medium of choice for an increasing number of companies around the globe, according to a recent story in the Times of London.

Global spending on Internet advertising increased from $18.7 billion in 2005 to $24.9 billion last year, according to ZenithOptimedia, the media-buying agency, as reported by the Times. For the most part, the Middle East and Asia are driving the boom, spending more than "maturing" markets such as North America and Europe. (Advertising spending in the Middle East increased by 22.4 percent in 2006, compared to 5.2 percent in the United States and 4 percent in Western Europe.)

Guy Phillipson, the chief executive of the Internet Advertising Bureau, a British trade group, told the newspaper "the shift towards online advertising was likely to grow as companies come to regard it as less risky and more transparent. Most companies pay on a 'per click' basis for search-based advertising, which means that they pay only for the leads generated by the advertisement."

As for other popular advertising mediums, in the United States, experts are predicting a slight growth in movie theater advertising but no further growth in newspaper advertising this year.

The Small Business Administration has tips on advertising, including which medium to choose.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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'Brisk Walk' Curbs Cigarette Cravings

To help your employees kick the habit, encourage them to take a quick trip around the block once or twice throughout the day. According to new research from the University of Exeter in England, business owners and human resources personnel "could play a greater role in helping smoke-addicted workers get clean" by simply giving employees mini-breaks during the day to exercise, according to Workforce Week.

The study found that exercise "lasting as little as five minutes" helps curb cigarette cravings and that a brisk walk can "alleviate stress and anxiety while improving a person's concentration." Previous research from the University of Toronto "has suggested that workplace smoking bans may help employees kick the habit," according to Workforce.

Beyond helping employees lead healthier lives, florists have added incentives to keep smoke out of the workplace, says Gay Smith of Pokon-Chrysal International, a frequent contributor to Floral Management magazine.

"Smoking creates ethylene as a byproduct of combustion," she says. "In the flower shop or wholesale house, smoking releases ethylene in the air. Ethylene is deadly to flowers in minute amounts."

Find out more about the Exeter study.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Talk on the Forums

One florist is wondering if any of her fellow industry members have a rental agreement system that works well for weddings. Weigh in.

Also on the Forums:
Delivery vehicle graphics
Gerbera care

Start your own discussion.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Florists Split on Deceptive Phone Listing Effort

Fifty percent of readers responding to last week's e-poll said they have not been and are not currently active in their state's effort to combat deceptive telephone listings. Forty-eight percent said they are active, and two percent said the question was not applicable.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight: Flower Name Tags

According to SAF's Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors about Flower Purchasing Study, 60 percent of floral consumers consider the ability to see a range of gift options/prices as an important factor on choosing where to buy floral gifts. Use this statistic to your advantage with SAF's flower name tags. These eye-catching tags, available blank or printed, will help attract the customers' attention to your product. For more information, contact SAF member services at (800) 336-4743; memberinfo@safnow.org. Prices are subject to shipping and handling fees.

Member Price
Flower Name Tags - printed (28 printed with flower names and 8 blank): $12.95
Flower Name Tags - blank (20 blank): $9.95

Non-member Price
Flower Name Tags - printed (28 printed with flower names and 8 blank): $22.95
Flower Name Tags - blank (20 blank): $19.95

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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PSW Sales Mixed in 2006

Less than half of retail florists (44 percent) reported increased sales for Professional Secretaries Week in 2006 compared to 2005. About a third (35 percent) saw sales decline, while one in five (21 percent) saw sales about the same as the year before.

Increases in sales were attributed mostly to the shop's reputation, more corporate accounts, shop advertising, using Professional Secretaries Week in spite of the name change, economic factors and others. Declines were because of the economy, the name change, the public's lack of awareness of the holiday, insufficient industry promotion/advertising, a lack of support for the holiday by the business sector and confusion over the name, among other reasons. 

Source: SAF Online survey of retail florists with email addresses. Based
on 319 responses (response rate 8.5%).

--Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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