ALEXANDRIA, VA — Floral industry retailers, wholesalers and growers will learn how to set up a pay-per-click ad campaign, buy a floral shop, train newbies, go viral with video, pop more profit into their prices and sell with style during the Society of American Florists (SAF) Marco Island 2014, SAF’s 130th Annual Convention, Aug. 13-16 in Marco Island, Fla.
More than 25 interactive programs are designed to train brains and stimulate creativity through live demos, hands-on practice and audience participation. Topics focus on areas of interest to retailers, wholesalers and growers — marketing, merchandising and sales, décor and design trends, hiring and training, financial strategies, and big-picture industry and economic issues.
Register now at safnow.org/annual-convention. Meanwhile, here’s a taste of this year’s educational buffet:
Who Let the Dogs Out? The Art of Selling What You’ve Bought
Hate offering discounts? Mary Liz Curtin, owner of the popular shopping destination Leon & Lulu in Detroit, explains merchandising tactics that minimize markdowns and create sales designed to generate cash, not cut losses.
Fashion Forward: 2015 Décor and Design Trends
Schaffer Designs co-owners Kristine Kratt, AIFD, PFCI, and Bill Schaffer, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, show how they translate home décor and floral design trends into stunning floral displays and everyday designs that captivate customers and net a bigger bottom line.
The Price is Right (Or Is It?)
Floral shop financial expert Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, vice president of Crockett, Myers & Associates, Inc., delves deep into the structure of pricing formulas to help attendees find the strategy that will maximize their profits.
Unleash the Power of Online Advertising
Josh Glass with Peoples Flower Shops in Albuquerque explains how to execute a pay-per-click ad program to dominate search results, defend your brand, and target key markets.
Acquiring Minds Want to Know — When, Why and How to Buy a Shop
Two successful “empire builders” — Skip Paal, AAF, Rutland Beard Floral Group in Catonsville, Md., and Kyle Brown, Shirley Floral Company in San Angelo, Texas — explain the acquisition process step by step.
Create Bigger, Better Wholesale Sales (and Happier Customers, Too)
In this program for wholesalers, Tim Huckabee of FloralStrategies, LLC, takes a look at retail florist buying patterns and shares tips from WholesaleTraining, the new program launched in partnership with SAF, to help floral distributors build stronger relationships with retail customers.
Who’s Training Whatshisname Today
The first days and weeks on the job can make or break an employee’s experience. Dana Cook explains how the Julia’s Florist “passport” system keeps training consistent and acts as a safety net for all the little things. It’s an excellent model, for retailers, wholesalers and growers.
Test Your Care and Handling IQ
Growers, wholesalers and retailers test their expertise during this fun and fact-filled interactive event emceed by internationally known care and handling experts Terril Nell, Ph.D., AAF and John Dole, Ph.D.
Stylin’ for Profit
Floral design superstar René van Rems, AIFD, shows different style-focused retail displays and explains the elements that create each look, the types of customers they attract, and how to use consumer style preferences to boost sales and profits.
360° Marketing: Drive Sales from Every Angle
Art Conforti, PFCI, is one of the most prolific and successful marketing strategists in the floral industry — and one of the most generous about sharing what works. Learn the tactics this legendary salesman has used to keep Beneva Flowers growing (at 20 percent a year).
Lights! Camera! Video!
Video is a great way for florists to “go viral” by showcasing their talents. During this interactive workshop, SAF CIO Renato Sogueco explains what makes a video effective and how to create one without spending a bundle on fancy equipment or production.
Groovy! It’s That ’70s Premier Products Showcase!
Dig this flower people — The hip folks from Professional Floral Communicators-International are hustling cool tools, far-out fresh product and hot-looking hard goods in solid '70s style at this year’s Premier Products Showcase. Come check out the options — and the groovy threads on the presenters.
47th Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition
Watch as two dozen of the nation’s best floral designers are given the same flowers and foliage from the California Cut Flower Commission, design supplies from Smithers-Oasis – North American Operations, two hours and surprise challenge. During the last hour, the competition’s commentators and coordinators — possibly decked out in themed costumes — talk about the featured products and challenge. The winner receives the Sylvia Cup trophy, $3,000, and a complimentary registration to SAF’s 2015 Annual Convention. First Runner-Up wins $500; Second Runner-Up gets $250.
Cover Me: ACA Compliance Done Right
Corey Connors, SAF senior director of government relations, explains the points of compliance with the Affordable Care Act that employers need to understand. This critical update could help attendees save thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees!
Build the Perfect Sales Script
Learn a fresh approach to telephone sales in this brand new interactive workshop with Tim Huckabee, author of Floral Management’s CSI: Flower Shop column.
Oh Snap! Transform Your Floral Photography
A picture may be “worth a thousand words” but a bad one tells the wrong story. Learn how to take photos to make websites and social media pages pop at this hands-on workshop led by professional photographer Adam Donohue of Gallery D Photography.
Help Wanted. Lawsuits Need Not Apply
Connie Turner, Hortica’s vice president of human resources, covers all the danger zones in people management for businesses of all sizes.
Hiring for Result
Filling an organization with top performers can boost productivity and profit says HR expert Glenna Hecht of Humanistic Consulting, LLC. Learn the secret that transformed the hiring process for Dr. Delphinium Designs & Events in Dallas, and start putting more superstars on your team now.
Here’s the Plan…Now What?
You have a plan. You’ve picked your team. Keeping everybody (including yourself) on track and moving amid the daily whirlwind is another story. Barry Gottlieb, president of Coaching the Winners Edge, shows what it takes to turn a plan into action and see it through every step of the way.
Storefront ROI: Put Your Window to Work
Trendsetting floral designers Kristine Kratt, AIFD, PFCI, and Bill Schaffer, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, explore the fine art of high-impact window dressing to actively engage shoppers and attract more walk-in business.
Macrotrends and the Floral Supply Chain
Logistics expert Thomas Goldsby, Ph.D., professor at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, will put the world’s changing economic landscape into practical perspective to help distribution companies meet the many challenges and opportunities on the horizon.
Important Convention Deadlines
SAF’s 130th Annual Convention is in August — a month earlier than usual — and so are the deadlines.
July 1 Sylvia Cup Design Competition
July 1 Premier Products Showcase
July 15 Early Bird Registration – SAVE $75!
July 18 Outstanding Varieties Competition
July 21 Hotel Reservation
For SAF Marco 2014 details, visit safnow.org/annual-convention.
Source: Society of American Florists
