AUGUST 2019
Mercury Messenger
The FTD® Pretty & Poised™ Bouquet | D31
LETTER FROM
Tom
Dear Valued FTD Florist Partner, Hello everyone! As we enter the second half of the year, FTD is focused on supporting our florist network more than ever before and we are looking to build upon our positive momentum. As announced in June, we are restructuring the ProFlowers business by reducing the advertising of low priced box flowers and driving higher-value, florist-filled orders. We expect this to result in hundreds of thousands of incremental orders for FTD Florists and we’re already seeing recent increases of more than 100%! To take full advantage of this opportunity for orders, keep your quality in great shape and stay in stock of codified containers. In addition, we are also starting to see our FTD.com florist-filled orders grow yearover-year. This is driven by benefits from our new consumer website and our marketing partnership with Legacy.com, the global leader in online obituaries with over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world. As you are aware, Sympathy is an extremely important occasion for our industry and a tremendous opportunity to care for customers and their families while driving the business.
FTD.COM
Summer Marketing Focuses on New Gifting “Holidays” With a commitment to sending higher value orders into the florist network, FTD. com will be celebrating the summer season promoting traditional, and notso-traditional, holidays. This will engage consumers and illustrates that sending flowers to celebrate life’s most memorable moments is the most thoughtful gift. Kicking off with our more traditional holidays, Memorial Day to Father’s Day to Stars + Stripes for Independence Day: these holidays are when we typically promote floral and plant gifting. To attract new buyers, we will also celebrate Christmas in July (July 24-25), Friendship Day (August 4) and Women’s Equality Day (August 26). Everyday campaigns to promote floral gifting for birthdays and anniversaries, along with sympathy will be at the foundation of the summer marketing campaign. Birthday is the leading occasion during the summer months with nearly 30 percent of orders. Make sure you’re ready to help your customers celebrate!
We are also excited to support you by offering new florist technology solutions to help you manage and grow your local business, including mobile-ready, user-friendly florist websites that are available now! These new sites are highly-customizable and offer a lot of opportunity to easily add custom products and add-ons. Plus, the shopping experience is simple to navigate making it easy and quick to close a sale generating more revenue for your shop. Please contact your local Field Business Consultant or Member Services to learn more about FTD’s enhanced e-commerce services aimed to help you grow your local business.
The FTD® Hello Sunshine™ Bouquet | S1
A Focus on Fall
This summer we have been visiting florists and are especially proud to recognize the flower shops that are celebrating a 100-year anniversary with FTD! Check out the article on page 5 about Weber’s Florist and Gifts in Ironton, OH and learn more about the fifth generation owner operating the shop today. You can also read more about the shops celebrating 50 years or more as a member at blog.ftdi.com.
Coming on August 29
When developing the Fall 2019 Collection, the focus was on bringing nature indoors by adding a modern wood-finished vase (F6), a casual wooden box (F3), an updated version of terracotta (F5) and our popular basket finished off with a pumpkin pic and ribbon (F8). Many of the vases are shorter than in past seasons due to home décor trends identified by our industry-leading design team. The beautiful Fall Collection will be available on FTD.com starting August 29.
As always, we will continue to communicate openly and support you with our sales force and member services and support organizations to ensure that you’re able to continue to deliver an exceptional customer experience. We have a lot of positive momentum and it is an exciting time to be FTD! Thank you for your partnership and business! The FTD® Fall Harvest™ Bouquet | F6
Executive Vice President Florist Division
Order the Fall Collection now at www.FTDMarketplace.com or contact your sales representative at 800.767.4000.
The
New! FTD Florist Website
The eCommerce solution you have been asking for is here! The new website product from FTD is available now for florists who are ready to have a best-in-class website with custom products and add-ons, 100 percent secure to protect you and your customers’ data, and easy navigation for a speedier shopping and check-out experience. The new website was developed using the latest technology, and built to be agile to provide updates as new features and innovations come to market. This customizable site is to help you share your brand’s story and be the centerpiece of your shop’s marketing efforts to generate additional revenue to your business.
Learn more and take a tour of your new eCommerce solution at www.FTDi.com/Website.
YOUR MARKETING CENTERPIECE
How Do You Rate? Most consumers are pretty savvy when it comes to making online purchasing decisions and technology has made consumers’ voices very powerful. Studies show that over 80 percent of consumers do their own research and read online reviews. Needless to say, the value of a review is more and more important. Authentic online postings matter and can be your best marketing tool. While traditional marketing creates awareness, online comments can have a significant impact on sales. 1. You must allow reviews on your website and social accounts.
Most consumers want honest and authentic comments. Posting reviews and ratings gives shoppers confidence in your business. In addition, reviews posted by customers are more believable compared to edited testimonials. High ratings and successfully resolving negative views help to increase your conversion rate. 2. Acknowledge all reviews (positive or negative) on your website. If someone takes the time to rate your business, you should offer them the same courtesy and take the time to respond. Acknowledging every review shows that customers’ views are important to you. Most shoppers are impressed when an owner interacts with customers, proving that customer feedback is read and valued. 3. Responding to a negative review is your time to shine. If you receive an unfavorable review, thank
the person for taking the time to alert you, acknowledge the mistake and apologize, and then make it right. It’s imperative that your response is professional and that you don’t get involved in a public argument. Ask the customer to contact you directly so that you can personally resolve the issue and then be sure to see it through. Once there is a resolution, ask that customer to update the review, as most will do so if asked. The best story is when you take an unfavorable experience and turn it into a four or five-star rating.
Read more online ratings and review tips at blog.ftdi.com.
A. Bonnie Flower Shop Inc. owner Bruce Cohen proudly displays his Top Partner plaque from FTD. The shop, located in Chicago, IL, is filled with FTD® memorabilia. B. Nancy Alexander of Divine Designs by Nancy in Sanford, NC, receives a Top Partner plaque from FTD Field Business Consultant Brian Graser. C. Brandy Hardekopf of The Flower Basket in Aurora, IL, is presented with a Top 100 Partner plaque by FTD Vice President of National Accounts Ed Cronin. D. FTD Education Consultant J. Keith White AIFD presented a new wedding program at the Florida State Florists’ Association in June. E. Flowers with Passion owner Omar from Manassas, VA, receives a Top Partner plaque from FTD Regional Vice President Jim Weedon (left). F. Nikki Lemler (right) of Welke’s Florists in Milwaukee, WI is presented with 100 Year Anniversary and Top 100 Sender plaques by FTD Vice President of National Accounts Ed Cronin and FTD Communications Director Emily Bucholz (center). G. FTD was proud to be a sponsor of AIFD National Symposium in Las Vegas. FTD Quality Assurance Senior Manager Keith Harbison AIFD met up with Brent Leech AIFD of Town & Country Gardens in Geneva, IL at the annual convention. H.Former FTD Intern with Ian winner Rob Jennings AIFD of Jennings Florists in Victoria, British Columbia, stopped by the FTD booth at AIFD Symposium.
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FTD Boot Camp Intern with Industry-Leading Event and Wedding Guru We’re excited to present an encore opportunity for one lucky designer to intern with Ian – Ian Prosser AIFD, that is! The winner of the FTD “Intern with Ian” contest will work side-by-side with Ian as he brings his vision of a high-profile wedding to life. If you have dreams of elevating your event and wedding business, this is the contest for you.
Enter today at www.FTDi.com/InternwithIan.
There’s still time to register for the October 7-9 session of FTD Boot Camp and enjoy early bird savings. FTD Boot Camp is the perfect blend of business, design and quality training and is taught by AIFD designers in a small classroom setting to generate discussion. Come find out why it is consistently rated our top education course! When you register by August 7, you’ll receive $100 off registration.
Join Us! Learn more and register at www.FTDi.com/ftduniversity/bootcamp.
FLORIST SPOTLIGHT
WEBER’S FLORIST & GIFTS
Weber’s Florist & Gifts is a family heirloom. The 117-year-old business has been in the Weber family for five generations and is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a member of the FTD Florist network in 2019. Co-owner Sharee McDonald has worked alongside her husband, Shawn, for the past seven years, when they took over the business from his aunt, Bonnie. Located in the small town of Ironton, Ohio, the shop services many surrounding local towns and due to their location; their delivery expands into the tristate area (Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia). FTD sat down with Sharee to talk about the iconic flower shop.
Small Town Shop with Big Flare Celebrates 100 Years as FTD Member Florist How did you get started in this business? SM: Initially I was a caterer, but was asked to work at the shop for two months during a Christmas season. Shawn’s aunt and other long-time employees taught me everything I know. During that time, I discovered that I had an innate knack for floral design. Can you tell us more about your shop? SM: It’s a very busy place! We do a little bit of everything from weddings and proms to funerals and corporate events. Our shop is in the middle of a neighborhood, so we get a lot of foot traffic. Weber’s has an established, impeccable reputation with being the best in town. Our arrangements are often referred to as having the “Weber touch” or the “Weber flare.” No matter the price point, we always add a little something extra to make it stand out. Why do you think Weber’s has thrived for 117 years?
Bonnie Weber McDonald was the fourth generation owner and purchased the shop in 1995. She sold it to current owners Sharee and Shawn McDonald and is still active in the business as a designer.
Webers Greenhouse | Joseph Weber and his brother Frank Weber founded Weber’s Brother’s, Inc. in 1901. The greenhouse covered 14,000 square feet.
SM: We are mindful to keep up with current trends and learn from our customers’ requests, continuing to evolve and try new things. For example, we host events and hold workshops in our greenhouse during slower months. We want to keep the shop in the family, keep doing what we love and keep making people happy! Tell me about the makeover FTD completed for the shop in 2017. SM: FTD helped us with many things such as visual merchandising and ways to make our business more efficient. They remerchandised the front and back room, repositioned our workstations and redesigned our logo. We even learned ideal placement for our flowers and gifts, especially color placement in the displays. How has your shop benefited from the partnership with FTD? SM: FTD is well-focused on small-town florists, and has been there 100 percent of the time to help us network. They have done so much to help us grow and be successful. With some of the younger people having moved out of town, sending flowers is common practice by those who still live in town, and a large amount of that business is ordered through FTD.
Fifth generation and current owner Sharee McDonald
C E L E B R ATI NG
100 Years
W I TH TH E F TD NET WO RK 1 9 1 9 - 2 01 9 Cossiart Florist, LLC Shelbyville, IN DeMuth Florist Inc. Connellsville, PA Washington Florist, Inc. Newark, NJ Weber's Florist & Gifts Ironton, OH Welke's House of Roses & Flowers Milwaukee, WI
TAKE YOUR BUSINESS FURTHER
Delivering a
Quality Product
Consumer satisfaction is a top priority for FTD and as a small business owner, it is for you, too. Together, we are working to deliver an exceptional customer experience every time. FTD measures consumer satisfaction using Net Promoter Score (NPS), and now also measures a consumer’s satisfaction with an individual florist. FTD Florists who have received survey response will now be able to view their shop’s results in the Florist Scorecard.
What is a good score? Measured on an index ranging from -100 to 100. A score of 30 is considered good, while a score of 50+ is considered great. and a score of 70+ is considered excellent.
-100
0 30
What is Net Promoter Score?
50+ 70+ 100
Good
NPS is the world’s leading metric for measuring consumer satisfaction and loyalty. It goes beyond measuring how satisfied a consumer is with a company; NPS is designed to gauge their willingness to recommend it to others.
Great Excellent
How to achieve a good score?
How do you calculate NPS? Consumers are surveyed on one-single question. They are asked to rate on an 11-point scale the likelihood of recommending the company or brand to others. Based on that rating, consumers are classified into 3 categories: detractors, passives and promoters.
Detractors (Score 0-6)
Passive (Score 7-8)
Align your entire staff on what NPS is and why it’s important
Promoters (Score 9-10)
Ensure there is consistency across the board
Detractors: Unhappy consumer who is likely to spread negativity about your business. Passive: Satisfied, but unenthusiastic an may shop around with competitors. Promoters: Loyal enthusiasts, who will continue to buy and refer others
UPCOMING
Set goals on how to make unhappy customers happy
Encourage consumers to share good experiences on social media
Keep track of your score!
You can view your Florist Scorecard at www.FTDi.com/Quality If you have questions about your score, email QRS@FTDi.com
Free WEBINAR SERIES
Quality Matters – Improving Customer Satisfaction Presented by Keith Harbison AIFD, FTD Senior Manager of Quality Assurance September 17 at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT Hiring for Results Presented by Glenna Hecht, President of Humanistic Consulting November 12 at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT Missed a Webinar? All webinars are recorded and available for viewing at www.YouTube.com/FTDMercuryNetwork.
Register for webinars at www.FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.
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PHONE: 800.788.9000 | WEB: WWW.FTDI.COM