ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Retailers are headed to Austin, Texas, at the end of February to find out how to leverage technology trends so they can increase online business.
The Society of American Florists' (SAF's) Chief Information Officer and technology guru Renato Sogueco will bring his signature easy-to-follow tech education to the stage Saturday, Feb. 27, at SAF's 1-Day Profit Blast in Austin, Texas, sponsored by the Bill Doran Company.
During his session, one of four at the all-day event, Sogueco will talk about critical technology trends affecting florists' online business potential — and simple ways retailers can use them to their business's advantage.
"Technology moves at warp speed and, if you're not paying attention, you can miss something that has major repercussions on your business," Sogueco said.
Take, for instance, "Mobilegeddon," April 21, 2015, when Google changed its algorithm to drop websites that weren't mobile-ready from search results.
"That was a cataclysmic shift," Sogueco said. "Around 30 to 40 percent of consumers use their phones and tablets for their online searches. That's a huge amount of prospective flower buyers florists could be missing, if their websites aren't mobile ready."
Attendees will learn how to check if their websites fall into that category, as well as short- and long-term strategies to fix it. Sogueco will pepper his program, "Tech Strategies to Capture More Online Sales," with step-by-step instructions.
Another key focus will be building and protecting your brand with online advertising.
"National marketers are probably bidding on your shop name and you don't even know it," he said. "Why are they successful? Because you haven't secured the name of your business."
Sogueco will walk attendees through the process of using AdWords and other search engine optimization strategies.
In addition to Sogueco's technology tutorial, attendees will get practical event, sales and money management advice in three other programs:
- Successful Events: From Concept to Completion by Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Blumz…by JR Designs in Detroit and Ferndale, Michigan
- Treasure Hunt: Finding Your Hidden Profits by Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, of Crockett, Myers & Associates in Baltimore
- CSI Flower Shop: Live! by Tim Huckabee, AIFSE, president of FloralStrategies, LLC
For registration details and more logistical information, visit safnow.org/events-education/1-day-profit-blast.
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.
Source: The Society of American Florists
