ALEXANDRIA, VA — The next stop on the Society of American Florists' 1-Day Profit Blast road show is less than a 25-minute drive from the Liberty Bell in the Philadelphia edge city of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.
"We're really excited to add the Philadelphia area as our next stop with the Profit Blast," said SAF CEO Peter Moran of the March 25 event. Since launching the conference in 2014, SAF has brought Profit Blast to Atlanta, Baltimore, Seattle, Des Moines, Austin, Cincinnati, Denver and Columbus.
Moran is quick to give credit to the underwriting wholesalers for the fact that the conference has been held in so many cities.
"We developed this event so we could give SAF members affordable and schedule-friendly access to the kind of high-quality education we offer at our annual convention," Moran said. "But in order to keep the registration rate low (between $99 and $139), we rely on wholesaler partners to help underwrite the costs."
Previous underwriters have included DWF Wholesale, Bill Doran Company, Frank Adams, Greenleaf and DVFlora. In addition, Syndicate Sales, Rio Roses and Design Master color tool, Inc. have sponsored the design program at several of the previous events.
On Saturday, March 25, SAF's 1-Day Profit Blast is underwritten by DVFlora, with Smithers-Oasis sponsoring the design program. The event packs design, sales, technology and management education into an 8-hour program, along with a Supplier Showcase where floral industry vendors share their newest products.
Design: During "Exceeding the Design Demands of Today's Gift Givers," fourth-generation floral designer Laura Daluga, AIFD, owner of Department of Floristry, applies her signature sculptural design style to five key consumer movements: sustainable design, co-creation, made for me, fighting for a cause and subscription-based products. Sponsored by Smithers-Oasis, Daluga will show attendees specific ways to design and promote sustainable floral arrangements, embrace the DYO (design your own) movement, interpret personal style in designs, attract millennials through cause-based design and much more.
Technology: More and more marketers are moving their presence on social media beyond mere posts and into paid advertising. Crystal Vilkaitis, of Crystal Media, and one of Floral Management's newest monthly contributors, shows how to do it strategically, in "ABCs of Social Media Advertising."
Sales: Guided by the philosophy "listen better and serve smarter," Tim Huckabee, president of FloralStrategies, LLC, will show attendees how to "Build the Perfect Sales Script." In this highly-interactive session, Huckabee walks attendees through his florist-tested method for ensuring happy customers and higher profits. He'll also make live test calls to illustrate how some typical, old-fashioned sales pitches used by floral shops can be transformed into a more modern and conversational dialogue.
Management. Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, president of Crockett, Myers & Associates, Inc., turns a topic most florists love to hate — financial management — into an entertaining and engaging workshop-style exercise in uncovering your true profit potential. In "Treasure Hunt: Finding Your Hidden Profits," Myers provides foolproof and easy-to-digest steps for managing the six main cost centers in a floral business: delivery, cost of goods sold, occupancy, wire service business, marketing and labor.
The cut-off date for guaranteeing the SAF room rate at the Profit Blast hotel is Feb. 20. Early registration ends March 8. For details and to register, visit safnow.org/1-day–profit–blast.
Save the Date: Another SAF 1-Day Profit Blast, underwritten by Jacobson Floral Supply, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 23 in Boston.
###
About SAF
The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services to its members, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organizations. The association was chartered by an act of Congress in 1884. To learn more about SAF or to join, visit safnow.org.
Source: The Society of American Florists
