As of early October, florists in 48 states and Washington, D.C., had notified the Society of American Florists of their local Petal It Forward plans for Oct. 24. That leaves two states to go — Maine and Nevada — for industry participation in all 50 states. safnow.org/petalitforward
“The more florists participating on October 24, the better chance of news coverage and social media posts promoting flower power,” said SAF Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Sparks. “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 all across the country.”
Are you planning a Petal It Forward event in your community on Oct. 24? Is your shop listed on safnow.org/piflist? If not, get your Petal It Forward event listed by completing the Participation Form at safnow.org/PIFform by Oct. 10.
“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.”
SAF is leading the industry in the Petal It Forward concept for the fourth year in a row. 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 members Petal It Forward, including tips on where and when to stage an event, talking points, T-shirt and flower card templates and more at safnow.org/petalitforward.
Jenny Scala is the director of marketing and communications for the Society of American Florists.
