From left, veteran SAF convention participant Karen Fountain, AAF, always comes home with “loads of tips” from the event. First time attendees Chris and Rob Palliser plan to soak up advice as they prepare to take over the family’s business.
The countdown is on for the Society of American Florists’ 133rd annual convention, Sept. 6-9, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida — four days packed with educational sessions that tackle the most pressing challenges faced by floral industry business owners today: staffing, digital marketing, profitable and distinctive design and much more.
The diverse curriculum is what spoke to first-time attendees Chris and Robert Palliser, of Scott’s Flowers in New York City. The brothers are in the process of taking over the shop as their father transitions into retirement and want to soak up as much advice as possible.
“When we saw the convention included programs about floral trends, operational costs, profitability, social media, online advertising and more, we knew we needed to check it out,” said Rob Palliser, Jr. “We are determined to succeed and hungry to learn all these things.”
Among the speakers presenting at SAF Palm Beach 2017 are from top left: Jackie Lacey, AIFD, CFD, PFCI; Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD, PFCI, CAFA; Renato Sogueco; Art Conforti, PFCI; Crystal Vilkaitis; Kyle Brown; Mark Anderson; Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI. Karen Fountain, AAF, has participated in 15-plus SAF conventions.
Even after participating in 15-plus SAF conventions, Karen Fountain, AAF, knows she’ll pick up new ideas this year too. “When my daughter told me she wanted to get married in September, I actually contacted SAF to make sure her prospective wedding date didn’t conflict with convention,” said the owner of Flowers ‘n Ferns in Burke, Virginia. “I couldn’t stand to miss it — I always come home with loads of tips to improve all areas of my business. I probably drive my staff crazy with all the changes I want to implement afterwards.”
Here’s just a slice of what’s in store at SAF Palm Beach 2017:
Sublime Stems, Cool Containers and Dynamite Design
At the Outstanding Varieties Competition, Premier Products Showcase, and Supplier Expo, get up close and personal with the finest flowers, hard goods and accessories in the market — and the people responsible for them.
See how to fashion flowers to appeal to four different generations of consumers with Jackie Lacey, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, of Floriology.
Discover how décor packages increase holiday revenue and master some chic, ready-to-go Yuletide designs with Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD, PFCI, CAFA, of Smithers-Oasis.
Tech Tutorials
Brush up on emerging digital trends and ways to adapt your business to meet customers’ expectations with BloomNet’s Renato Sogueco.
Bloomerang’s Art Conforti, PFCI, uncovers the powerful data available through Google Analytics to sharpen your website’s performance and marketing efforts.
Acquire a plan for purchasing Google AdWords and responding to reviews to defend your brand online.
Crystal Vilkaitis of Crystal Media shows how to effectively use social media marketing to increase local exposure, foot traffic and sales.
Money Matters
Analyze financial reports to identify and correct mistakes for a stronger bottom line with Kyle Brown of Lone Star Bloom.
Mark Anderson of FloristWare and Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, of Crockett Myers team up to boost your profitability with selective discounting to win capture bargain hunters’ business without cannibalizing full-price sales.
Skip Paal, AAF, and his team at Rutland Beard Floral Group explain how to handle high volume efficiently and profitably.
Register for SAF Palm Beach 2017 by Aug. 9, and save $205. Get details and register at safnow.org/annual-convention.