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Let Our Days be Merry and Bright
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Beavercreek Florist | Tom Hamilton of Beavercreek Florist in Beavercreek, Ohio sent us this photo last week of his shop, decked in its holiday finery — made even finer by the snow. We'd love to see your holiday décor as well. Share your Christmas creativity with your fellow industry members, and gain some recognition for your store! E-mail vmachir@safnow.org pictures of your storefront holiday decorations and Christmas décor — we will run them in next week's E-Brief and post them on our Web site. Remember to include your name, as well as your company name and location.
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Headlines |
Midwest, New England Severe Weather Plagues Florists
Bad weather has impacted florists around the country, as an ice storm ripped through parts of Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, leaving hundreds of thousands without power the week of Dec. 10, and a major snowstorm left stretches of New England and the Midwest buried under almost a foot of snow this week, according to the Associated Press.
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Delays in the Holiday Home Stretch
Efforts by retailers to get holiday shoppers into the holiday spirit early have been unsuccessful, as consumers are waiting longer than ever to make their purchases.
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California Flower Market Stays Put
Local news and industry rumors of a move or closure prompted The California Flower Market (CFM), part owners of the historic San Francisco Flower Mart, to state in a press release that it will continue to do business, despite the impending sale of the western half of the Mart, owned by the San Francisco Flower Growers Association (SFFGA).
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SAF Combats Poinsettia Toxicity Myth
The holiday season often means increased poinsettia sales, but it also means increased negative publicity about the plant, due to the "poinsettia toxicity myth."
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Newsmakers |
A Rose for Rosa
There’s a new “Freedom Rose” in town, this one honoring Rosa Parks and her contribution to the Civil Rights movement.
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Big Floral Spender: Nancy Pelosi
Congress might not be too pleased with the 63 percent spending increase from the office of the Speaker since Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) assumed the post in January 2007 — but there’s one outfit that loves her spending choices: the floral industry.
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Life at Work |
Are You Part of the 15 Percent?
Retaining productive employees starts with good management, but according to a new study, about 15 percent of U.S. managers are rated ineffective.
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Holiday Help
Christmas is stressful enough for most people, but for florists it's 100 times worse. E-brief editors want to know — how do you manage a successful holiday season without sending your blood pressure through the roof? E-mail vmachir@safnow.org your no-fail holiday tips.
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Mark Your Calendars |
Get Your Business Counted
One piece of mail that shouldn’t get lost in the holiday shuffle: the 2007 Economic Census form from the U.S. Census Bureau. The forms are being delivered this week to more than 4 million American businesses, including 960,000 retailers.
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Regular Features |
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Florists Lax on Eating Policies
Almost 87 percent of readers responding to the previous week's e-poll said that they allow employees to eat at their workstations. Nine percent said they do not allow employees to eat at workstations and about four percent said they only allow employees to eat at workstations on special occasions.
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Top 10 Positive Factors
The 50 percent of retail florists reporting increased sales last Christmas attributed their good fortunes to a number of factors. Chief among their top 10 factors were increased shop reputation (56 percent), word-of-mouth buzz (46 percent) and store advertising (36 percent).
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