Headlines

States Successfully Battle Deceptive Listings

Two states have recently won victories in the battle against deceptive phone book listings:

In North Carolina, the Deceptive Advertising of Business bill (S. 514), was signed into law by Gov. Mike Easley on Aug. 31.

The bill prohibits "businesses that supply perishable products from misrepresenting the geographical locations of their businesses in telephone directories, directory assistance databases, on the Internet, and in print advertisements."

"It's a good thing -- at least all the work finally got something accomplished," says Billy Hardin, AAF, of Hardin's Wholesale in Liberty, N.C., who moderated a panel discussion in November on the subject of deceptive listings. He warns, however, that this legislation "will help, but won't save [florists'] business alone -- they still need to market their product ... and see how they can serve their customers better."

In California, A.B. 128, which bans floral or ornamental products or service companies from misrepresenting their geographic location, passed the state Senate and will be sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing.

"I am so excited," says Ann Quinn, executive vice president of the California State Floral Association, who encourages industry members in other states to "do whatever it takes to go through the process, because it is worth it. Our florists are worth it." She adds "congratulations to North Carolina on being the 23rd state [to pass deceptive listings legislation]. I am optimistic we will be the 24th."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Under the Florists' Microscope: Grandparents Day

"Make it a day they'll long remember with a fabulous flourish of festive flowers!" says Tony Medlock, AIFD, PFCI's Grandparents Day e-mail.

Started in 1973 by a West Virginia mother of 15, Grandparents Day, is right around the corner, Sept. 9.

Public awareness of the holiday, however, which honors the wisdom and guidance passed from generation to generation by senior family members, is relatively low. According to a 2006 SAF Membership Survey, 43 percent of 380 responding florists say that the public is completely unaware of Grandparents Day.

Forty percent of respondents expect the holiday will be become a less important floral holiday. In 2006, 80 percent said they did not promote Grandparents Day, and 70 percent did not offer any specials for it.

Paul Brockway, AAF, owner of Conklyn's Florist in Alexandria, Va., only promotes the holiday on the shop's Web site. 

"We tried for a number of years to promote it, but we just didn't get anything out of it," Brockway says. "So, we just stopped."

While he acknowledges the potential missed opportunity for sales, especially during the typically slow month of September, he says that employee vacations during August make it difficult to develop a promotion. 

Tony Medlock, AIFD, PFCI, owner of PJ's Flowers & Gifts in Phoenix, is seizing the opportunity to promote what he also sees as a little-recognized holiday. He has sent out an e-mail to his customers reminding them of the day, and has plans to promote it to the younger generation through his MySpace page and on his Web site.

"I don't think it's a popular holiday and I don't think a lot of people know about it," Medlock explains. "I think the floral industry has a wait-and-see attitude and we're trying to be proactive. We promote anything we can. If I can do something to promote a holiday as more of a floral holiday, I'll do it."

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

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"No-Match" Rule Delayed

Employers have been granted a short-term reprieve from the Department of Homeland Security's new "no-match" regulations.  A San Fransisco federal judge issued a ruling temporarily prohibiting the government from enforcing the new rules, originally scheduled to go into effect Sept. 14, reports the Associated Press (as posted on WashingtonPost.com).

The ruling on a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups, grants a temporary restraining order against no-match letters, which were scheduled to be sent starting the first week of September.

"While a temporary delay is welcome news, it should not be interpreted as a final decision at this point," says SAF's Lin Schmale, senior director of government relations. "Employers can use this delay as time to get their own compliance plans in order. However, even in the interim, growers must be careful to comply with existing law regarding documents that appear to be valid identification." 

SAF supported postponing the effective date by joining 59 business associations in signing an Essential Worker Immigration Coalition (EWIC) letter to Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Michael Chertoff and Commissioner of Social Security Administration (SSA) Michael Astrue. The letter detailed concerns about the Social Security no-match letter regulation and requested a delay of the rule for 180 days.

No-match letters are triggered when an employer has employees whose names and Social Security numbers do not match what is provided on the employer's W-2 form. Employers who receive a no-match letter for tax year 2006 would also receive a letter from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) informing them of the steps to take to avoid criminal and civil liability.

U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney, who presided over the case, told the AP the court needs "breathing room" before making any final decisions, but that the plaintiffs raised "serious questions" about the new law that needs the court's examination. The next hearing is set for Oct. 1.

The lawsuit claims the rules places excessive burden on employers and could lead to the unfair firing of workers, reports the AP.  According to a 2006 report by the SSA's Office of Inspector General, as noted in the lawsuit, more than 70 percent of the discrepancies in the SSA database involve native-born U.S. citizens and are often caused by clerical errors, name changes, or the use of multiple last names.

The U.S. government lawyers argued the SSA needs to start sending out letters this week to avoid inundating staffers with responses if the letters did go out all at once. Laura Keehner, a spokeswoman with the Department of Homeland Security, told the AP that the agency was disappointed but believes it will prevail once it presents its full arguments.

Read more about the new no-match rule in the Aug. 22 issue of E-Brief.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Michael Polychrones Passed Away

Michael Polychrones, AAF, AIFD, PFCI.

Award-winning designer, floral commentator and business owner Michael Polychrones, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Michael's Flowers in Springfield, Va., passed away Aug. 30, 2007. He was 72.

He opened Michael's Flowers in Springfield in 1963, and his son Christopher Polychrones opened another branch in Woodbridge, Va., in 1990. In 2001, Michael retired and the Springfield shop closed around the same time.

Polychrones won SAF's 1974 Sylvia Cup Design Competition and received the 1988 Tommy Bright Award, which signifies a lifetime commitment to commentating excellence in the floral industry.

He served various roles in his 40-year industry history, including commentator, lecturer, designer, consultant, teacher and columnist.

"He was all-inspiring, professional and organized. He came across impeccably,"
says Jeff Corbin, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Radford City Florist in Radford, Va., who took a design class taught by Polychrones in 1981. "Michael was a man of great character," says Lynn Lary McLean, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, TMF, of Lary's Florist, Inc., in Friendswood, Texas. "He had a loving ... heart and always looked for the best in people." 

Polychrones appeared as a principal designer at many international shows, and assisted in decorating the White House during the Nixon, Ford and Carter administrations. Over the course of his career, he also was president of six floral and community associations and a member of Teleflora's Education Specialist team.

He is survived by four children, Pamela Furr and Gregory, Christopher and Beth Polychrones; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

According to The Washington Post, memorial services were held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Saluda, Va. Memorial gifts may be made to the National Kidney Fund, 2601 Willard Rd., Suite 103 in Richmond, Va., 23294, or the Michael Polychrones Scholarship Fund, VPFA, PO Box 1150, Tappahannock, Va., 22560.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Newsmakers

Florist Promotes Flowers in the Workplace Concept

An Indiana florist is helping spread the word that flowers in a work environment improve employee efficiency and creativity.

Tiffany Wesseler of Eagledale Florist in Indianapolis posted SAF's Impact of Flowers & Plants on Workplace Productivity Study press release on Aug. 30 in the Indianapolis dBusiness News:  "The key to gaining the competitive edge in the modern economy is easy to understand -- a happy, productive workforce ...  a recent scientific study conducted at Texas A&M University finds that nature can hold the secret to business success. The research demonstrates that workers' idea generation, creative performance and problem solving skills improve substantially in workplace environments that include flowers and plants." (Download a PDF of the article).

"Sending a press release on the benefits of flowers to local news outlets and even to garden clubs and civics groups for their newsletters is a great way to get people thinking about buying flowers and more importantly buying from you," says Jennifer Sparks, SAF's vice president of marketing. "You'll establish yourself as the expert on flowers and the shop to turn to for flower purchases."

Sparks adds that members can also use research in their marketing and advertising campaigns to promote the benefits of flowers to potential customers. Joyce Gubata of Leaf & Petal in Medfield, Mass., for example, says she uses the Workplace Productivity Study to help increase her corporate business.

Conducted at Texas A&M University by Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., the study is a direct result of the SAF PR Fund, which has generated nearly 760 million consumer impressions since its 2001 inception. SAF is publicizing its positive findings to consumers and the business community through an ongoing strategic public relations campaign that launched in 2003.

Want to find out more ways to get media coverage? Attend Spark's "PR Boot Camp -- Get in Shape Now" during SAF Palm Springs 2007.

Download SAF's customizable press releases.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Flower Transfer Brokerage Now Transflora

Delaware Valley Floral Group wants to put the romance into its flower brokerage business: As of Sept. 1, Flower Transfer Brokerage is officially known as Transflora, a name the company says is more appealing and less confusing for customers.

Bill Schodowski, director of business development for Transflora, explains that there are two other "Flower Transfers" within Transflora's parent company, one a line-haul trucking company and the other a cold storage and handling company.

"As the brokerage side of our business grew, it became necessary to merit its own identity ... Transflora," Schodowski says. "In our eyes, Flower Transfer was a very 'unromantic' name for a company that takes pride in sourcing some of the most beautiful product from Colombia and Ecuador. Flower Transfer is a great name for a trucking company and cold storage company, which it is. However, it was not the name that we were looking to advance the growing brokerage side of our business."

Also, to keep the Transflora transition seamless, all of the company's old e-mails, telephone numbers and Web sites will continue to function by forwarding customers to the new e-mails, phone numbers and Web site, while they continue with the debut of Transflora.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 
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Design Champions to Compete in Sylvia Cup

Fresh with champion cups in hand, several recent regional design competition winners are putting their design skills to test at the national level at SAF's 2007 Sylvia Cup Design Competition. Among the 19 who've signed up for this year's competition, held Sept. 27 during SAF Palm Springs 2007, are the following state and regional champs, sponsored by their respective state floral associations:
 

	2007 Nebraska Heartland Premiere Competition winner Craig Boetger, NAFD, NMF, of Piccolos Florist & Gifts in Omaha, Neb. (Sponsored by: Nebraska Florists Society)
	2006 Mid America Invitational Cup Design Competition winner and 2005 Arkansas Designer of the Year Bradley "Shane" Cranford, AIFD, AMF, of Friday's Florist in Little Rock, Ark. (Sponsored by: Arkansas Florists Association)
	2007 Texas State Florists' Association Cup and Allied Florists of Houston Cup winner Donna Senter of The Senterpiece in Houston, Texas. (Sponsored by: Texas State Florists' Association)
	2006 first place winner of the California State Floral Association's Top Ten Competition Angelina Standerfer of Solana Beach Florist in Solana Beach, Calif. (Sponsored by: California State Floral Association)

See all contestants.

Are you a master of the principles and elements of design? Do you enjoy camaraderie and the thrill of competition? Participate in the Sylvia Cup Design Competition! The winner receives $2,500, an engraved silver trophy and complimentary registration to SAF Palm Beach 2008. Two runners-up will receive $250. Get more information and an entry form.

The Sylvia Cup is coordinated by SAF's Professional Floral Communicators - International (PFCI). Eufloria Flowers is sponsoring the event and providing all of the roses. The cash prizes are provided by Smithers Oasis.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Trends and Tips

Ohio Floods Trigger Insurance Questions

August's flooding across the Midwest, most notably in northern Ohio towns,  naturally makes many business owners think, "What would I do?" John Hodapp offers two words of advice: flood insurance.

Hodapp, a senior vice president at Hortica Insurance, says floral business owners are woefully unaware of the importance of flood insurance (as compared to basic insurance) -- and what it does and doesn't cover.

The basic insurance policies do not cover floods, rather they focus on things such as pipe leaks, as opposed to floods, which are specific to rising water, according to Hodapp.

"People think they only need to buy [flood insurance] because the lender requires it, and that's not the case," Hodapp says. "You need it even when you're not situated next to a river."

Those who have it, Hodapp says, often misunderstand what it covers. For instance, flood insurance for basements typically covers immobile equipment, like the furnace and water heater. "Anything that is mobile would not be covered," Hodapp says.

His advice: Anything in a basement, like merchandise, that can be moved should be transported to an area of higher elevation.

Hortica provides quotes nationally for both homes and businesses under the auspices of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). For more information visit the company's Web site, which features insurance quotes and numerous references for business owners.

--Cassandra P. Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

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High-Ticket Items Appeal to Consumers

High prices are not necessarily a hindrance to more sales, according to an article in The New York Times -- in fact, high-ticket items can induce some shoppers.

“Price certainly plays into a product’s allure ... For certain people, the higher the price, the more attractive the item becomes,” Robert Burke, a retail consultant in New York says in the article.

Customers will pay a higher price, according to the article, because the high-ticket item ensures exclusivity and conveys a higher “status” to their friends.

Hank Maarse of Jacob Maarse Florists in Pasadena, Calif., caters to a higher demographic (including providing flowers for Hollywood productions) and says that not all, “but a good percentage” of his customers, are attracted to buying higher-priced items.

While Maarse is skeptical about a trend toward higher-priced items, he says that if his customers find the floral design appealing and can see the value, often they don’t even look at the cost. “For [some customers] if they like it, then price isn’t an object.”

Before you hike up prices, Susan Sokol, president of Vera Wang, says in the article, gauge how much consumers are spending for similar items at a higher-end competitor’s store. If the prices are generally higher than yours, a higher mark-up might translate to success at your store, too.

Burke cites an additional incentive for considering a more hefty mark-up: “It’s much easier to sell five of something really expensive than 20 of something less expensive.”

To read about more about the connection between high prices and consumer perception, view the E-Brief about how Tiffany recaptured its glitzy image and its greatest sales growth.

Regular Features

Talk on the Forums

One member is considering interfacing Quick Books with any Teleflora point of sale system and would like more information and feedback on the subject. Weigh in.    

Also on the forums:

Manuals and policies   
Employee reviews

Start your own discussion.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight: MagnetMail

Do you like E-Brief? Would you like to send something similar to your customers? SAF makes it easy to start an e-mail newsletter, or marketing campaign, with MagnetMail. And it just got even better -- SAF has uploaded new ready-to-use articles to the online library. Just point and click to insert them into your newsletter, load your list of recipients and send! Choose from one of SAF's attractive customizable templates or let us create a special design just for you. It's all discounted for SAF members.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Florists Promote Designers to Customers

Sixty-five percent of readers responding to the previous week's e-poll say they do highlight individual desginers' experience to customers. Almost 35 percent do not.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Grandparents Day Sales Stay the Same

For about three-quarters of the retail florists who responded to SAF's 2006 Grandparents Day Survey, sales for the holiday were about the same as the year before (73 percent). Another quarter of the sample said sales had declined from 2005 (24 percent) while only a few (3 percent) reported an increase. On the other hand, only one in five shops (20 percent) indicated that they promoted Grandparents Day to their customers.

Grandparents Day Sales

Source: SAF 2006 Online Survey of Retail Florists with e-mail addresses.
Holiday survey covered Grandparents Day and Halloween. Based on 380
responses (9.9 percent response rate).

-- Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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