As of late August, florists in 36 states and the District of Columbia had notified the Society of American Florists of plans to hold Petal It Forward events in their communities on Oct. 24. That leaves 14 states to go — Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming — for industry participation in all 50 states.
Support in every state, and as many cities as possible within each state, is critical to the success of Petal It Forward from a public relations standpoint, said the Society of American Florists Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Sparks.
“The more florists we have participating on October 24, the better chance of national news coverage and social media posts promoting flower power,” she explained. “We need to know where local events are happening so we can tell the media, and so you can tell your local media that you are part of an effort happening nationwide.”
To notify SAF of your event, complete the Petal It Forward Participation Form at safnow.org/PIFform.
“You can make your Petal It Forward event as big or small as you want,” Sparks said. “It’s a win-win for your business to participate. For little effort, you give consumers the opportunity to experience the scientifically proven happiness that occurs when you give and receive flowers. At the same time, you position your business as a positive force in your community. That makes consumers feel good about you, which goes a long way in establishing customer loyalty. And, you give a morale boost to employees who play a part.”
For the fourth year in a row, SAF is leading the industry in the Petal It Forward concept. During this “random acts of kindness” flower giveaway, consumers receive two flower bouquets (or flowers) — one to keep and one to share — to demonstrate the Rutgers University research that shows flowers make people happy and are encouraged to post on social media about their experience using the hashtag #petalitforward.
SAF provides resources to help member florists Petal It Forward, including planning timelines, tips on where and when to stage a giveaway, talking points, T-shirt and flower card templates and more at safnow.org/petalitforward.
