The winner of the 2022 Marketer of the Year contest, Ryan Black of Jet Fresh Flower Distributors in Miami, is flanked by his brothers and his father, Mike Black, who started the company. Pictured are Connor Black, Mike Black, Ryan Black, Casey Black, and Mike Black Jr.
A clear challenge….a nimble strategy…and quantifiable results — that’s what judges will be looking for in the hunt to find a floral marketing strategy worthy of a $5,000 prize. Does your business have what it takes to win?
There are three weeks left to enter the Society of American Florists’ 29th annual Marketer of the Year contest, which recognizes an innovative and successful marketing campaign. The winner, revealed at SAF Phoenix 2023, receives a $5,000 cash prize sponsored by Design Master, a division of Smithers-Oasis, and a cover story in Floral Management magazine.
Last year’s winner, Jet Fresh Flower Distributors of Miami, used employee-first marketing to propel the business. Other past winners include “J Schwanke’s Life in Bloom,” a television show about cut flowers; Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers in Fallbrook, California, which brought proteas into the national spotlight; Arizona Family Florist, which created a new brand specifically for weddings; and Certified American Grown, for its farm to vase dinner tour.
What, exactly, are the judges looking for? Past judge Melanie Spilbeler of FreshPath Marketing, says she looked for innovation and success. She was impressed by marketers who were able to see what companies outside of the floral industry were doing and found a way to apply that to their business (especially by that leveraging technology) to meet or exceed the business’s goals.
“While it is very difficult to come up with a marketing campaign that has never been done before, some of the most compelling campaigns are those that may be new to or innovative specifically in floral,” she says.
Do you have a great marketing campaign to enter, but are worried about how to impress the judges? SAF NOW asked a few past Marketer of the Year judges to weigh in on what entrants can do to make their entry stand out and be easy to evaluate. (Instructions and materials for applying can be found here. The deadline to enter is May 31).
Make it Stand Out
Clearly state your marketing campaign and the success it brought at the beginning of your application. Even a few sentences that summarize the campaign and results before going in depth will help judges quickly understand your marketing effort so they can pay closer attention to the details. Past judge Dani Mackey, of Dani Mackey Communications, also encourages applicants to show how their campaign could be adopted by others. “Make it clear how what you did can help others within the floral industry learn and grow,” she says.
Clean it Up
Typos, bad grammar and sloppy presentation can dull a brilliant campaign. “This is very similar to how employers look at resumes,” Spilbeler says. “A candidate may look good on paper, but if their attention to detail is lacking, that can distract from the overall strength of the application.”
Show Your Cards
Write about the challenge that led to your marketing campaign. What deficiency did you need to correct, such as poor web traffic, low walk-in sales, few corporate accounts or little event business? “Campaigns are more impressive when the judges know that you identified a specific problem, then solved it,” says past judge Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI of Penny’s by Plaza Flowers in Philadelphia.
Map It Out
Lay out your plan, and then explain how you executed the plan. Did things go astray? Include that, too! “Good marketers are nimble and dynamic,” says Drummond. “Many factors can cause you to change your plan. As judges, we love that. Tell us what happened, even if your plan was flawed — those are some of the best stories!” Share your roadblocks and what you did to overcome them.
Get Visual
Visuals, including charts, photos, graphs, social media screen shots, web pages, print assets, video, etc., can go a long way to help the judges understand your campaign. Be sure to include descriptions of what’s happening in the visuals you provide, and how it fits into the campaign. Visuals “can help bring the entry to life,” Mackey says. One judge, however, warns against submitting a video application. “It’s too hard to go back and review and too much note taking to get the key points,” says Raya Ward of Nielsen’s Florist & Garden Shop in Darien, Connecticut, which won the award in 2013.
Boast the Results
Results matter. While many entrants share financial results (which are kept confidential), not all marketing success can be measured by dollars. Other examples might include metrics to show new social media followers, increased foot traffic or better brand awareness. Include before and after results if possible. “Definitely make sure your numbers are clear and correspond directly with the marketing campaign you are entering,” says Ward. And, more is better, says Spilbeler. “The more data that can be provided, the better, as quantifiable results will always tell a more powerful story than subjective or anecdotal comments,” she says.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF NOW.
