MyTeleflora News October 2013

October/November 2013

introducing The New Digital MyTeleflora news!

preparing for the holidays table of contents 2

President’s Letter

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Travels with Tom

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Design and Education

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Member Spotlight

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Technology

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Small Business Saturday

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Christmas 2013

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Valentine’s Day Sneak Peak

The lazy days of summer are behind us and your shops will soon see a flurry of excitement as they fill with holiday shoppers. Over the past few months the team at Teleflora headquarters has been hard at work finalizing our latest product assortment for the season.

Once again, the product design team has hit it out of the park with a lineup that will undoubtedly be a home run with your customers. Teleflora products feature exquisitely crafted pieces developed with versatility in mind – not just for this season, but also for many to come. From our beautiful hand-blown red glass bowl to our best-selling annual Kinkade keepsake, our containers offer a wide variety of options to suit every taste. As Don Hotton of Jory’s Flowers in Concord, Ca., ramps up for the holiday, he’s looking forward to featuring Teleflora’s Christmas products as the stars of his product lineup: “The Christmas container lineup from Teleflora is very well thought out this year, great quality and the versatility in the makeup of the assortment will surely help drive sales this December!”

When it comes to the holiday season, having a game plan is key, and it’s never too early to start thinking about your strategy. To help you plan for the season, we’ve put together a holiday toolkit on MyTeleflora.com with the goal of giving you the tools you need to be as successful as possible this holiday. In addition to all of the valuable content in our traditional holiday toolkit, we are featuring an exciting new social media kit that you can use to brand your Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages with images, sample posts and status updates.

These great tools will help you maximize your online activity leading up to Christmas.

By now, you should have received your Floral Selection Guide (FSG) update kits containing marketing tools to help you merchandise your shop for the holiday. Fun, festive displays help generate attention and sales, so make sure to hang those posters prominently in your window and around your shop! Tim Farrell of Farrell’s Florist in Drexel Hill, Pa., decorates eight windows every holiday, and is meticulous about the look and feel of the windows: “I limit the overall design style and focus instead on color scheme. In addition, I keep the lighting consistent. I always use white light, never color because I want the product to be the only color in the display.”

Another key component to great sales this holiday season: leveraging the power of our eFlorist Self Administration Tool (eSAT), the perfect tool to help you prepare your online storefront as you get your shop ready for the holidays. At Jory’s Flowers, Don also shared with us the importance of merchandising his site for the holidays and makes sure his site is ready: “eSAT gives me the ability to create a page just for Christmas that I merchandise with Teleflora’s holiday products along with custom products of my own.” Remember, you can log in anytime, day or night, to set up holiday pricing, exclude delivery dates, change your delivery fees for holiday periods, or set up entirely new categories, at no cost to you.

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

For eFlorist members unfamiliar with eSAT, we recommend checking out the free webinars offered through eFlorist University. Upcoming sessions will help you learn how to set up holiday pricing and customize your delivery dates and fees using eSAT. If you’re unable to attend live presentations, recordings of the webinars are available at eFloristUniversity.com anytime. You’ll also find a host of downloadable materials on the page to help you manage your eFlorist site more efficiently. If you’d prefer to have our eFlorist support staff update your site, please plan ahead, and submit your requests by early December to avoid missing any deadlines.

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Teleflora’s Winter Kisses Bouquet TWR12-1A

From our outstanding keepsake products to our customer-focused services, everything we do is to help make your business a success. I look forward to working together for another great holiday season.

Sincerely,

jeff bennett {president of teleflora}

TRAVELS WITH TOM

Travels with Tom

Arkansas State

You can always count on Arkansas to have a lively and well-attended state florist convention. This year’s was held in August in Hot Springs. I enjoyed seeing old friends like Kay and Wendell McCorkle of Hope Floral in Hope, AR, seen here with my wife Becky, Nate Carter of Hope Floral, and myself. Benjamin Lee, AIFD, CFD, KMF, of The Milan House flower shop in Frankford, KY won this year’s Mid America Invitational Design Cup Competition; congratulations to Benjamin!

A visit with Equiflor

Together with Dave Gaul of DWF, I had the pleasure of visiting Victor Giorgini and Oscar Fernadez at Equiflor—floral marketing innovators and creators of the Rio Roses brand—in Miami, FL.

T shirts for the teachers

When the tornado hit two elementary schools in Moore, OK last May, the teachers there did a heroic job of protecting the children in their care. This summer, a T shirt that expresses appreciation for those teachers was being used to raise funds to rebuild the classrooms. Teleflora’s Suzi Lawrence and I got to see it when we visited with supporters of the effort, Margie Cross and Stacey Sneed of Sunshine & Roses Flowers & Gifts in Moore, OK.

With Claussen Florist in Vermont

In July, I had the good fortune of a trip to the beautiful state of Vermont—and the beautiful flower shop owned by Chris Conant and Brenda Wheeler of Claussen Florist and Greenhouses in Colchester, VT.

Oklahoma State

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

Oklahoma has been my adopted home state for many years, so the Oklahoma State Florists Convention is always special to me—but this year was extra special. Much to her surprise, Teleflora’s own Marie Ackerman received the Herman Meinders Rosebud Award. This is the highest award the association can bestow. It is given for outstanding dedication to the floral industry—and I certainly know how well Marie deserves that recognition for her extraordinary service as Teleflora’s Vice President of Education. Marie was photographed holding the beautiful crystal award and surrounded by supporters including Teleflora TSM Suzi Lawrence and OSFA president Dennis Mueggenborg of Designs by Dennis in Kingfisher, OK. Also at Oklahoma State, Steve Snow of Howard Brothers Florist in Oklahoma City, OK won the OSFA Master Cup!

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Design and education

teleflora education center hosts

2013 Business Smarts Summit

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For the seventh consecutive year, the Teleflora Education Center in Oklahoma City hosted its annual Business Smarts Summit. Shop owners and managers from all over the United States attended this class to gain valuable insights into operating profitably in a challenging economy. The program was taught by a variety of industry professionals – including Paul Goodman PFCI AAF of Floral Finance, Marie Ackerman AIFD PFCI AAF, Danielle Ezell and Rocio Alvarez. Each presenter covered different topics related to the profitable operation of a modern flower shop.

Topics covered included: writing a practical, achievable marketing plan, managing creative people, daily shop operations, reading and understanding financial statements, controlling cost of goods sold, controlling payroll and staffing, pricing strategies, budgeting and business plans, growth targets and managing your online presence.

“I was really surprised at all the information covered in the amount of classroom time. Great! Not a single second was wasted,” said class member Carrie Seat, design manager of Rainbow Florist in Barstow, CA. She attended the class with her boss and shop owner, Mindy.

Tessa Alexander of Teboe Florist in Traverse City, MI said she “loved the financial help Paul Goodman provided. Usually financial information is kind of boring – this was lively and enjoyable. I was truly wowed!”

Beth Wilwol of The Gift Garden in Bennington, VT said, “I loved how everyone who attended was not just wanting to make their shop better – but my shop too! Many helpful suggestions from my classmates are things that will help me in the future.”

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

designer spotlight

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“I love the new European Bouquet holders from Oasis. The larger surface area allows for more intricate design options and having the choice of round or square is awesome! These holders are a great start for a custom-designed bouquet for the couture bride.”

- Tim Farrell AIFD AAF PFCI

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, PA

design and education

teleflora tip

employee spotlight

“Getting sticky black spots on your hands is unavoidable during the holiday season, when you’re handling materials like evergreens and pepperberry,” says Teleflora Education Specialist Gerry Toh AIFD. Soap alone isn’t strong enough to remove pine pitch or other kinds of sticky sap.

Name: Carlos Corral Office: Los Angeles, California Title: Assistant Manager, Florist Marketing Time with Teleflora: 2 years Department: Florist Marketing What do you like most about your job? I love connecting with florists and finding new ways to help them grow their business.

What do you do at Teleflora? At Teleflora, I work on marketing projects that connect Teleflora with its member florists. I also help develop products and services that help florists grow their businesses.

What are your hobbies? Cycling, drinking delicious coffee, automobiles, web development, and conquering Los Angeles one restaurant at a time.

What’s your favorite Teleflora Bouquet? Teleflora’s Peaceful Zen Garden

Many florists use Crisco vegetable shortening, followed by soap and hot water, to clean their hands during the season.

But Gerry has another idea: “Use a hand sanitizer, like Purell.

Since it is alcohol based, you only have to clean once, and without soap.”

TRY IT! For more great tips, from Teleflora’s Education Specialists and from fellow florists, attend one of our many educational programs sponsored by Teleflora throughout the year. To learn more, visit the Floral Event Calendar in the Design & Education section of MyTeleflora.com.

design ideas from Flowers& Magazine from the archives: november 2012

Curves and angles A little geometry goes a long way in making the most of your materials. Here they are few but long-lasting. A tall pine branch lends height and serves as a backdrop for red carnations, planted in a base of pine and hydrangea, with Christmas ornaments that include diamond-shaped ornaments from Kurt S. Adler. The final, whimsical touch: cotton batting used for snow.

For peat’s sake

Floral design by Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, PFCI, AZMF

Floral design by Jim Ganger AIFD

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

For a natural, woodsy holiday theme, start with inexpensive peat pots—used for planting, available from any garden center or home improvement store, and perfect for the look. Fill them all with the same materials, but in such a way that each design is slightly different from the others: white spray mums, green hypericum, variegated holly, chocolate-colored baubles (from Accent Décor), cedar sprays, and tufts of ribbon streamers on picks.

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member spotlight

you can trust their judgment It’s a real need in the floral industry: a certification that lets you know, “This person is well qualified to judge floral design with professional competence and impartiality.” It’s especially important for the Membership Committee of AIFD (the American Institute of Floral Designers). Now AIFD has announced the very first members to complete the organization’s new Certified Floral Evaluator/Judge program. Not surprisingly, members of Teleflora’s education team are on the list. They include Marie Ackerman AIFD, PFCI, Teleflora’s Vice President of Education; Rich Salvaggio AIFD, PFCI, Vice President of Publications and Industry Relations; and Education Specialists Tom Bowling AIFD, PFCI and Tim Farrell AIFD, PFCI. Special credit goes to Teleflora Education Specialist Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, PFCI, who was active in creating the program for AIFD.

looking smart

the youngest florist?

Did you look in your FSG Marketing Kit (the one that arrived this past summer) to find your new apron?

Chuck did, at Sarah’s Florist in Houston, TX. Teleflora’s Cathy Thrash happened to stop by just in time to snap a photo.

This photo from The Flower Merchant in Bradford, ON was too cute not to show! Four-year-old Martha loves helping out in the shop—and getting her picture taken, according to her mom, Heather Williamson. This shot was taken as the staff were preparing for Bradford’s Carrot Fest.

the governor says thank you This summer, Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma gave a thank-you reception at the state capitol for all the people who helped with the flowers for the prayer service that was given for victims of the disastrous tornado that struck the area of Moore, OK in May. She is pictured here with four staff members from Teleflora’s Oklahoma City office: David Graham, Marie Ackerman, Suzi Lawrence, and Danielle Ezell. “Of course we presented the governor with flowers,” says Marie. “She said of the flowers at the service that they were the prettiest flowers she had ever seen.”

in denver, the best times three Congratulations to Franklin Mera of Artistic Flowers and Gifts in Denver, CO, who received his third consecutive Best of the Best Florist award from Colorado Community Media (CCM). The winners are chosen by readers of the 19 CCM publications distributed throughout the Denver Metro area. Franklin has over 25 years experience in floral design, beginning in Venezuela. His owner-operated shop has been very successful in the Denver market for 14 years. In addition to his love of floral design, Frank is an instructor in traditional Japanese karate-do!

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

the creative edge

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Teleflora Education Specialist Hitomi Gilliam AIFD never fails to inspire her audiences with her innovative approach to floral design. Among other recent programs sponsored by Teleflora Units, Hitomi shared design ideas and business tips at events organized by the Arkansas Unit, where she demonstrated wedding bouquets and arrangements, and the Western Pennsylvania Unit, where the emphasis was on holiday designs.

member spotlight

A+ honors for teleflora educators at SAF Two members of Teleflora’s education team were honored at this year’s Society of American Florists convention in Phoenix: Jerome Raska AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, received the 2013 Tommy Bright Award, given to recognize lifetime achievement in the presentation of floral ideas, information, and design, from SAF’s Professional Floral Communicators – International (PFCI). With a reputation as one of the industry’s most entertaining and energetic speakers, Jerome has also served as chairman of PFCI and has been a tireless advocate for the speakers’ group. In addition, he has held leadership with other floral-industry organizations, including AIFD, Teleflora’s Michigan Unit, and the Michigan Floral Association. He co-owns Blumz…by JRDesigns in Detroit, MI. One of Jerome’s achievements as chairman of PFCI was to raise awareness of the Sylvia Cup Design Competition, which takes place annually during SAF’s annual convention. Instituted in 1967, the Sylvia Cup is the U.S. floral industry’s longest-running annual, live national floral design competition. This year’s winner?

Teleflora Education Specialist Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, PFCI, AZMF, of Tucson, AZ. Congratulations, Joyce and Jerome!

kudos to top teleflora members everywhere!

They include David Goodman, AMF, of Mary & Martha’s Florist in Arkadelphia, AR—the new president of the Arkansas Florists Association! Seen here with Teleflora TSM Marty Pulliam and Teleflora Chairman Tom Butler; Rakini Chinery, owner of Allan’s Flowers in Prescott, AZ, seen with Teleflora’s Cathy Reifschneider; Russ and Lisa Siegert of Crystal Springs Florist in Benton Harbor, MI; Janine Kreiter of Flowers of Edina in Edina, MN, seen with Dan Natalizio; Sandy Ferguson of Allen’s Flowers in Columbia, MO, with Terry Brueggeman; John Pelzer of Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse in Jefferson City, MO; Humberto Sanchez of Las Cruces Florist in Las Cruces, NM; Pat Lawson of Flowers by Pat in Warr Acres, OK, seen with Tom Butler and Teleflora TSM Suzi Lawrence; Richard Shumake of Morrison’s in Oklahoma City, OK; Marisa Guerrero AIFD and Sandra Blanco, TMF of Debbie’s Bloomers in El Paso, TX; Lennie, Irma and Rafael Delfin of Heaven Sent Florist in El Paso; Patti Deblass of Schmidt’s Flowers & Accessories in Williamsburg, VA, seen with Teleflora TSM Shawn Keith; Kathy Spear AIFD of Kathy & Co. in Burlington, VT, with Tom Butler; and Lacy O’Connell of Lakeview Floral in Menomonie, WI, with Teleflora’s Dan Natalizio.

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

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TECHNOLOGY

fall in love with the new eSAT The biggest news this season is the unveiling of a brand-new eFlorist Self Administration Tool (eSAT). The eFlorist team has been working on a new look for our website management tool for months, and we hope you like the results!

Your eFlorist website also has a number of marketing tools you can use to sell more.

Here are just some of the ways you can grow your business with eFlorist: Participate in the eFlorist Email Marketing Program (it’s FREE)

Send emails to your customers to promote your own products and promotions. The emails link directly back to your website, driving visits and orders.

Use eSAT to choose which products to feature and personalize your messages with a custom subject line.

Add a promo code to increase your email’s effectiveness. Our research suggests that conversion rates increase by 90% when an offer accompanies an email.

Activate your own Rewards Program Use your eFlorist website to reward loyal customers with points for every purchase.

Customers earn points towards a discount, which they can redeem online.

Once you turn it on, it manages itself! Points are accrued automatically and once a customer earns enough for a discount, they get an email congratulating them. It’s as easy as can be!

Set up a “Locals-Only” promotion

eSAT’s functions remain unchanged, giving you control over many of your website’s features, such as:

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

Editing prices on Teleflora products

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Include a discount with every local delivery to a new customer. You’ve already impressed them with your beautiful arrangement, so all they need is a nudge to turn those recipients into customers!

Use eSAT to set up a promotion code, then write the code on your enclosure cards. You can also add the code to your marketing emails and FindaFlorist listing to increase your effectiveness!

Creating custom products to showcase your artistry Changing the look of your website and how products are displayed Adding custom messages and images to any page on your website And much, much more!

No matter what you want to achieve, with eSAT and eFlorist, you can do it! Visit eFloristUniversity.com for a webinar covering the new eSAT on Thursday, October 17th, at 4 p.m.

(PST). Register by clicking here! You can also explore eSAT directly by logging in at esat.myteleflora.com.

technology

give your shop a gift this holidayStreamline Your Business with Dove POS The busy holiday season is upon us, and if you’re trying to run your shop without Dove POS, things may not feel so merry and bright.

Teleflora’s Dove POS is the industry’s most affordable, flexible and easy to use shop management software designed specifically for florist shops. With simplified order or ticket entry, effective integrated marketing tools, design and delivery management, automatic billing and sales analysis, product images and recipes, Dove POS is designed to help your business flourish while saving you time and money.

Dove POS makes entering orders easy, especially with useful shortcuts, such as autocapitalization, stored recipient data and shortcut codes for facilities and products.

Build a robust customer database, including all house account information and all of your other customers’ information while eliminating clutter around the shop. Dove POS Enterprise provides quick onscreen access to your customer history, their average purchases, balances and more. You’ll know every customer, what they bought, when they bought it and who it was for. Consider it a state of the art list of who’s been naughty, and who’s been nice!

Dove POS also contains the industry’s best marketing tools to help ensure that your busy holiday seasons stay busy. Directly market to your customer database through built in marketing emails, custom postcards and letter reminders for the major floral holidays and even create your own custom marketing campaigns. Dove POS Enterprise even lets you track your promotions to learn which ones are the most effective.

Florists from all over the continent agree that Dove POS is a must have tool for any florist shop. This year, send the paperwork and filing cabinets to the Island of Misfit Toys, and give yourself the gift of Dove POS.

out of the box ideas Saving money, pleasing customers, and doing the right thing

The best part is getting customers involved. “We don’t push it down people’s throats, but we find ways to share what we’re doing naturally, on Facebook or when people come into the shop. Now, some customers just bring their vases back and say, ‘I’m more than happy to give them to you.’ Others get excited about the chance to save some money.”

Mostly, customers respond to a sense of shared values. Patti likens it to other shop practices, like buying as many flowers as she can from local growers, or repurposing flowers that haven’t sold by the end of the week and taking them to folks in continuing care facilities. “Connection with the community is one of the reasons we’ve been around for 75 years. The zero waste program is one more way of offering customers a choice. It’s just part of who we are.”

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

Zero percent waste might seem like a challenging goal—but it’s mainly a matter of changing some old habits. Once you do, it’s easier than you thought—and the benefits are great, says Patti Deblass of Schmidt’s Flowers & Accessories in Williamsburg, VA. “We were already doing some recycling,” she notes. “But then it hit us like a ton of bricks that we could take it a lot further. We recycle the bottles we drink out of. Why don’t we encourage customers to recycle vases? Why aren’t we composting all the green stuff that we would otherwise put in the trash?” Patti and her staff took a hard look all around. “Anything we can’t reuse we recycle. We started shredding paper and using it in our gift baskets. We’ve even gotten the wholesalers to take back the boxes they bring. We do still have that little bit of waste—but we’ve gone from having two huge bags of trash a day to running down to the dumpster once a week.”

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small business saturday

sell sizzle on small business saturday This November, American Express will once again sponsor Small Business Saturday, a campaign to encourage people across America to support retailers in their community. Building off the hype of “Black Friday,” Small Business Saturday takes place the Saturday after U.S. Thanksgiving.

This is a great opportunity to share in the media spotlight that surrounds Black Friday. We all hear the stories of shoppers waiting for hours in the cold and dark just so they can be the first through the doors at their local superstore. With Small Business Saturday, you can show customers that they don’t have to suffer for a great product! Instead, then can enjoy their Friday with their families, and spend a leisurely Saturday exploring all of the homegrown retailers, like yourself.

Businesses can participate by registering with American Express online at https://www. americanexpress.com/us/small-business/ShopSmall/. Customers can then search for businesses in American Express’ directory. If you accept American Express as a payment option, you can also get a listing on the American Express “Shop Small Map.” Whether or not you register, you can download materials, like signs and fliers, which you can use to promote Small Business Saturday in your community.

American Express also rewards cardmembers with a refund for purchases made at participating shops. Imagine, you get the sale at full price, the customer gets a rebate on their card, and you don’t have to pay a thing! It’s a win-win, no matter how you slice it, so take advantage of it!

Make Small myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

Business

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Saturday

BIG

Black Friday marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Consider running a promotion for customers to get a jumpstart on their holiday shopping. You get the order well in advance, and the customer checks one gift (or more!) off their list.

You may see increased walk-in traffic as people make an effort to get to know the retailers in their community. Stock your cooler with specials for cash-and-carry business.

Put signs on your online storefront just like you would your physical storefront. Your website is your virtual shop window, so don’t forget to put a banner or message on it promoting your participation.

Share with friends. American Express provides sample images and posts you can use on your various social media accounts. Start building buzz now that’ll pay off later!

holiday

Your one-stop online^shop!

Get everything you need for the holidays online in no time. themarket.myteleflora.com > FLOWERS

> CONTAINERS

> SUPPLIES

CHRISTMAS 2013

Christmas {2013}

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

everything you need to make ch

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CHRISTMAS 2013

hristmas a success

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CHRISTMAS 2013

holiday toolkit To help you plan and succeed this Holiday season, we will begin to reduce our teleflora.com selection, giving premium placement to codified products, as we get closer to the Holiday. The goal is to give you as much flexibility as possible in filling orders as well as to assist you in selling through codified products.

Below is part of the planned Holiday assortment. The full starting line-up can be viewed online at

myteleflora.com/xmastoolbox.aspx.

For even more great resources to help you succeed this Holiday, visit the following links: Holiday Bouquet Lineup Holiday Container List Holiday Flower Planning Guide Holiday Social Media Kit

flower planning guide Knowing what flowers you need during the Holidays will help you prepare for incoming orders. We’ve created a breakdown of the flowers needed to fill the Holiday line up, including both codified and additional bouquets to be featured in the Holiday category.

Now is a good time to forecast your sales and prebook your flowers to ensure you get everything you need at the best possible price.

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

*Lilies include: asiatic and oriental. **Chrysanthemums include: daisy, cushion and button. ***Filler Flowers include: gypsophila (million star), statice sinuata and hypericum. ****Standard Greens include: bupleurum, huckleberry, leatherleaf fern, lemon leaf, oregonia, pitta negra, pittosporum (variegated), salal, seeded eucalyptus, english boxwood, ming fern and magnolia leaf. *****Holiday Greens include: white pine, noble fir, variegated holly, douglas fir and flat cedar.

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Need Flowers?

Shop our huge collection of farm-direct flowers online!

CHRISTMAS 2013

holiday calendar SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

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Include SBS marketing materials in all outgoing orders

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Prebook holiday flowers, hardgoods and supplies

Prepare for Small Business Saturday

Stock cooler with centerpieces and bouquets for last minute Thanksgiving orders

Markdown all leftover Fall inventory

Merchandise store for the holiday and post the Holiday posters from your FSG Update Kit

december 1

Clean shop

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Keep display close to checkout station stocked with hostess gifts for quick upsell opportunities

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Upload custom holiday SKUs on to your eFlorist site

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Facebook, Tweet, Blog behind the scenes holiday arrangement creation

Keep cooler stocked with readyto-go arrangements for those last minute shoppers!

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Clean shop

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Confirm holiday temps

Post holiday bouquet collection on Facebook

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Email coupon to first time Christmas customers for Valentine’s Day.

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Holiday prep staff meeting

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Start holiday social media outreach

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Send holiday direct mail

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Start holiday email campaign

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Project number of bouquets Order boxes, vases and supplies (don’t forget poinsettias) Format menu recipes for holiday designs Order holiday flowers Locate holiday labor (designers, drivers, etc.)

Make bows

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Short on flowers?

Check out last minute deals at flowerbuyer.com!

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Christmas Day!

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Fill water tubes Green containers

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Replace Christmas counter mat inserts with Valentine’s Day.

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Host post-holiday sale to close out holiday inventory.

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REST (Valentine’s Day is coming!)

make sure to remind them about valentine’s day too!

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holiday checklist

Don’t let them get away without giving you their email address and some ideas about what they’d like to see you stock for Valentine’s Day. To sweeten the deal, tell them you’ll send them a discount code good for their next visit to your website!

Train employees Process flowers Design samples for the cooler Assign order-entry staff Create delivery system

CHRISTMAS 2013

be social this holiday season Spending some time marketing your business on social networks this holiday season will be worth it – if it’s done right. With little to no investment needed, it’s a marketing opportunity you don’t want to miss out on.

To give you a helping hand this holiday season, we’ve put this handy social media guide together with tips, tricks and actual examples you can use to market your business the right way. In addition, make sure to download our 2013 Holiday Social Media Kit from MyTeleflora.com.

why use social media this holiday season?

Easily interact with your customers.

Put a human face on your business.

Connect with thousands of new customers. Establish your business as a thought leader, aka THE florist in town.

Create greater customer loyalty by building a relationship between your customers and your business.

Easily direct people to your eFlorist website for instant orders.

pick the social media network that works for you.

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+…Oh My!

share content that your customers will find helpful, informative, and entertaining.

Ever heard the phrase “Content is King”? These days, traditional advertising is becoming less and less effective.

Marketers are seeing customers engage with content that is less about flashing banners and buttons screaming, “Buy me!” but more about stories and relatable information. In it’s basic form, content marketing is the marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant content to attract and engage customers. The goal of content marketing is that if we are able to engage our customers in this way, our customers will reward us with their business and their loyalty – an outcome that can be extremely profitable in the long run. Below are type of posts we find work well with customers.

ideas for posts Current promotions Coupons

Testimonials from happy customers

Photos of your recent work. Impress people with before and after photos.

Hours of operations

Employee spotlights

Interesting flower facts

Reminders of events held at your shop Gift ideas

Interact with your customer by asking relatable questions.

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

With the amount of social networks demanding our attention, it can be overwhelming to feel that you have to use every single one of them. Our recommendation is to focus your efforts on one or two and do them well. Which do we recommend? We like Facebook and Pinterest. The highly visual nature of these social networks is conducive to showcasing your beautiful floral bouquets and arrangements. Plus, they are among the largest and most popular social networks available.

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Click here to download our Holiday Social Media Kit!

Want more? Visit MyTeleflora.com and download our 2013 Holiday Social Media Kit.

CHRISTMAS 2013

duck the halls this christmas Teleflora is excited to kick off our Christmas campaign featuring America’s favorite TV family, The Robertsons. This quirky Louisiana family is launching a holiday album entitled “Duck the Halls – A Robertson Family Christmas.”

The Robertsons will be featured on Teleflora.com and eFlorist sites with their three favorite Teleflora holiday bouquet picks. Customers who purchase a Robertson family fave will receive a free music download from the new album. This partnership is sure to drive more orders through Teleflora.com and member eFlorist websites.

robertson favorites Jep & Jessica’s Favorite

Willie & Korie’s Favorite

Teleflora’s Send a Hug® Cuddle Bears Bouquet T13X100A

Teleflora’s Holiday Flair Bouquet T13X200A

Jase & Missy’s Favorite

Teleflora’s Jeweled Ornament Bouquet T13X500A

free music download Customers who purchase a Robertson family favorite on Teleflora.com or eFlorist websites will receive a free music download from the new album. This partnership is sure to drive awareness of giving flowers and orders this holiday.

Want to leverage this promotion in your shop?

Download our free marketing materials!

DOWNLOAD NOW

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

free marketing materials

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CHRISTMAS 2013

merchandising {tips} 1

This cute holiday wreath was constructed using a Styrofoam wreath form wrapped in ribbon. For an extra special touch of holiday cheer, we glued candy canes and mini ornament balls to the wreath.

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Have glass cylinders in the storage room? Use them in your display by filling them with red or green mini ornament balls or holiday candy.

The height of these cylinders helps to bring the customers eye up through the display.

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Group multiples of products together to create a small holiday setting.

Here the jolly and cheerful Snowman Cookie Jar is the perfect gift for the holidays for kids young and old! This FDA-approved snowman delivers more than just cheer – he’s an adorable cookie jar to enjoy year after year!

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Be sure to establish a focal point in your display for easy viewing.

Since our theme for this display was centered on holiday treats, we used large letters to spell out holiday appropriate words such as “Sweets” and “Ho Ho Ho”. (You can purchase large wooden letters at your local craft store.)

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Placing products on risers is a quick way to add depth and dimension to your display. Create risers for your products by wrapping small boxes with on-theme holiday wrapping paper.

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Animate your display by featuring plush products! In this display we gave them items to hold like the red and white lollipops. This helps to add personality to your display as well as incorporate easy add-on items.

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The holidays don’t get any cuter than this! Teleflora’s irresistibly sweet limited edition Cuddle Bears container will be a guaranteed go-to Christmas essential for customers. Here we showcase these “beary” cute hand-painted collectables with fun focal flowers like gerberas and added peppermint candy canes.

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DON’T FORGET - This keepsake is perfect for those December 8

Teleflora’s Peppermint Sticks Vase is a great holiday gift choice for everyone on his or her list. Display the FDA-approved vase in your shop filled with candy canes for an irresistible treat your customers will love! This keepsake also makes a great base for a Christmas tree or planter for amaryllis or other holiday bulb favorites.

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

babies so be sure to incorporate a few Cuddle Bears in with your new baby items.

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CHRISTMAS 2013

Endless possibilies, all equall

Teleflora’s versatile containers pair and Everyday bouquets in a variet

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myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

Watch how it was designed!

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Use th arou

CHRISTMAS 2013

ly stunning!

r well with Holiday ty of design styles.

High-Style Elegance

Fake snow on the rim of the bowl transforms it into a truly stunning winter design perfect for corporate clients.

Centerpiece Luxe

w and Lush

of the Holiday Flair Bowl is perfect for nd lush bouquets.

he Holiday Flair Bowl as a planter for Amaryllis and arrange und the Amaryllis stems for an upscale classic arrangement.

Everyday Masterpiece

Not only is this bowl versatile for the Holiday, it’s also perfect for a stylish Everyday bouquet.

oct/nov 2013 | myteleflora news

Festive Chic

The low, wide design makes centerpiece arranging easy.

Finish it off with a gold metallic candle and shimmering ribbon for a luxurious centerpiece.

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CHRISTMAS 2013

myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

merchandising {tips}

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1

Create a visually striking holiday setting by using strong metallic colors. Choose from G Burgundy, Red, and Green; are options that are both festive and eye catching.

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Can’t paint a wall? Solid wrapping paper and tape will do the trick! Make sure you add piece tape at even intervals so the wrapping paper doesn’t come off the walls.

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Don’t be afraid to bring out design elements to the front of your store. Metallic decora branches like ting ting are great for adding a little sparkle to your display.

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Bring ribbon out from the backroom and incorporate it into your displays. Not only does it d things up but is also a great way for customers to mix and match as add-on options.

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Make sure all of your products are priced especially your containers.

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Merchandising displays are a great location to place pre-made bouquets for customers look for a grab-n-go option. Make sure you have at least one or two ready-made bouquets for th customers that are looking for a last-minute gift.

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Deck the halls in elegant holiday style with our Jeweled Ornament! This gorgeous collect sparkles in rich ruby red with gold accents and hand applied rhinestones. Merchandise th stuffed with chocolate treats as a quick cash and carry gift option.

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Capture the festive elegance of the season with Teleflora’s custom-crafted Holiday Flair Bo The rich red hue of the hand-blown glass of this graceful work of art will be the perfect addi to any holiday gathering. Add “holiday flair” to your shop by creating an unforgettable table display by filling the centerpiece bowl with different sized gold ornament balls and place a g pillar candle in the center, then finish with pinecones around the base of the bowl for a sim gorgeous display! While this bowl works well for traditional centerpieces, its elegant, mod shape lends itself to linear, corporate designs. Place it in the part of your store that catc sunlight and watch it take on a ruby-like character.

Don’t miss out on the Thomas Kinkade tradition, a Teleflora holiday bests year! The hand-sculpted, hand-painted Starry Night Keepsake chapel ce heartwarming reminder of the beauty and wonder of the season. Display exclusive in the middle of your holiday display as the featured item for max You can also create a Christmas scene using multiple Kinkade keepsakes. L with a white table cover and sprinkle fake snow for a beautiful landscape Kinkade Starry Night keepsake.

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myteleflora news | oct/nov 13

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