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Headlines |
Danbury Mint Sings Same Negative Tune
Jewelry and collectibles company Danbury Mint once again has packed its Valentine's Day catalog from the outside envelope to the inside pages with harmful floral statements, such as: "A dozen roses can't compare to ... A DOZEN RUBIES" and "Flowers? Jewelry? Women love them both but flowers are quickly gone — while a fine piece of jewelry can last forever. So give the lasting gift of a fine piece of jewelry. It can cost little (if any) more than flowers!"
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SAF Member Testifies About Health Care at Hearing
On Wednesday morning SAF member Richard Lee, president of Lee's Flower & Card Shop in Washington, D.C., talked about the challenges of providing health insurance to workers at a hearing on Capitol Hill.
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Small Business Call for Tax Cuts
While some small business advocates doubt the effects President Bush's recently proposed temporary tax breaks will have on the economy, others are saying acting fast is just what we need.
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Newsmakers |
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She's a Winner; California Florist Wins 'Amazing Race'
Well, we know of at least one florist who isn't stressing about Valentine's Day. Rachel Rosales, co-owner of Costa Mesa Florist in Costa Mesa, Calif., and her teammate on The Amazing Race 12, TK Erwin, are taking a much-needed vacation after winning the $1 million prize in Sunday night's episode of the reality TV show.
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Believe It or Not |
How to Snag a Guy in 10 Minutes: Be a Florist
As a single woman, British journalist Tanya Gold has been wondering for the better part of her life what, exactly, it is that men want. After one fateful night in a Soho bar, chronicled recently in The Guardian, she may have found the answer: a florist.
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Valentine's Day Notebook |
Back to School Marketing
Florists near colleges and universities can take advantage of the treasure trove of potential marketers for Valentine's Day and year-round — right within the student body.
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Bring on the Reporters
Now's the time to plant the seeds for some free publicity in the days leading up to Valentine's Day.
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Talking Points for Valentine's Day
Reporters are working on Valentine's Day stories and could call you for answers to their flower questions. Take the time to talk to them, and you may generate some great publicity.
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Trends and Tips |
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Mark Your Calendar |
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Coming Up ...
• Deadline for SAF Awards nominations and PFCI and AAF applications: Feb. 1, 2008.
• Valentine's Day: Feb. 14, 2008 — prepare by visiting SAF's Valentine's Day Resource Center.
• SAF's Congressional Action Days: Feb. 25-26, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Register online.
• SAF's Pest Management Conference: Feb. 28-March 1, 2008, in Atlanta. Register online.
• SAF Palm Beach 2008: Sept. 17-20, 2008, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.
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Regular Features |
Product Spotlight: Retail Pricing Worksheet
The price can be right if you use SAF's handy Retail Pricing Worksheet. A retail florist needs to be able to take control of the cost of goods sold in order to be profitable in today's market. SAF takes you step-by-step through the process of setting up an Excel price sheet and how to effectively input the specific data relevant to your business. Just download the worksheet as well as the instructions onto your desktop and put the retail pricing worksheet to work for you.
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Voting Plans for Upcoming Presidential Election
When it comes to how our readers responding to last week's e-poll plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election, almost 86 percent plan on voting Republican, while only a little over 10 percent are siding with Democrats. Independants garnered close to 2 percent of the poll and nearly 3 percent fell into the unsure category.
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Florists Cite Timing for Valentine's Day Success
If timing isn't everything, it's certainly important, according to the 77 percent of florists who attributed, at least in part, their increased sales for Valentine's Day 2007 to the day of the week (Wednesday).
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