Faced with labor shortages and increased costs, more and more florists are turning to third-party delivery services to grow their business and save...
5 Question to Ask Your Team Post-Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day in the rearview mirror, it’s the perfect time to meet with your team to document what went right and what you learned. In this...
Five Minutes with Barry Gottlieb on Improving Mental Wellness
[mom_video type='vimeo' id='761898288' width='900' height='506'] [gap height="10"]The pandemic took a toll on workers, prompting a record number of...
SAF Launches Webinar Series on Mental Well-Being
At Arizona Family Florist, employees are challenged to perform random acts of kindness, treated to massage breaks during busy times and have monthly...
Four Ways to Plan Now for Profitable Summer Events
Being a successful event florist requires more than being able to design beautifully. With the inflationary pressures of today’s economy, business...
Communication Is Key To Avoid ‘Cringe Moments’
Every employee — from owner to the delivery driver — is an extension of a floral business, making clear communication both within and outside the...
‘The Sky is the Limit’ for Drones
Though federal guidelines currently limit their size and application, small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can enhance the safety and efficiency of...
Are You Making Money on Delivery?
If done correctly, delivering flowers offers customers a convenience and the business a competitive advantage and extra revenue. Is your business...
How to Earn the ‘Olympic Gold Medal’ of Customer Service
You already know that customer behavior and attitudes have changed in significant ways since the beginning of the pandemic. You’ve experienced the...
Are You Adapting to the Post-COVID Consumer?
COVID-19 has changed consumer behavior — and with it, the way retail florists sell flowers. Sales expert Tim Huckabee has observed how those changes...
SAF’s Idea Exchange Troubleshoots Supply Chain Troubles
Plan and order well in advance. Communicate throughout the supply chain. Update online inventory. Work with what you have. That was the advice from...
Forecast Your Valentine’s Day Sales to Predict Staffing Needs
Valentine's Day falls on a Monday this year, a slower sales day for what is typically one of the busiest holiday weeks for florists. With two years...
Webinar Addresses Questions, Concerns, About the Proposed U.S. Floral Board
If the proposal for a national floral promotion order, Floral Board, passes, who will stand to benefit? Will it raise the cost of flowers? What will...
New Study Offers Insights on Today’s Floral Consumer
How have the habits and preferences of flower-buying consumers changed over the past year — and what can florists do to make the most of those...
SAF Webinar Tackles Capitalizing on Today’s Floral Consumer
How do consumers plan to purchase flowers and plants in the next six months — and what is motivating their behavior? Has the pandemic permanently...
Fresh Product: Coping with the Supply Squeeze
Looking ahead to Mother’s Day, the biggest worry for many florists is, “How can I be sure I will be able to get the fresh flowers and plants I need,...
2 Last-Minute Language Tweaks to Boost V-Day Sales
As your team moves into the final crunch of Valentine’s Day this year, remember that messaging is everything. Remind your team that, especially...
Industry Financial Pro Details Holiday Tips
Valentine’s Day 2021 will be unprecedented — yes!— but there are still solid financial principles you can put in place to help your business stay on...
How to Grow Your Business with LinkedIn
With in-person networking events on hold for the foreseeable future, it’s more important than ever to connect with current and prospective clients...
How to Get the Most Out of New Customers
Social distancing guidelines created a lot of first-time flower buyers this spring, as consumers sought contact-free ways to deliver a virtual hug...
How to Host a Virtual Design Class
Like many florists, Heather Waits, AAF, has seen her wedding and event business plummet during the pandemic. To recover some of that lost revenue,...
Arkansas Florist to Talk Staff, Customer Safety
Should you be taking your staff’s temperature daily? What does a socially distant design room look like? How do florists — trained to be welcoming...
‘Leadership Exchange’ Explores ‘What’s Next?’
What do Mother’s Day results tell us about the floral industry’s “new normal”? How will our operations change? And, what will be the impact of...
‘Reignite’ Webinar Series Provides Summer Boost
As retail businesses continue to reopen around the country, make sure your operation is ready to hit the ground running or continues to build on...
3 Tips to Stay in Front of Customers Every Day
Now that the rush of this year’s unusual Mother’s Day is over, it’s time to think summer strategy. SAF has pulled together three tips from a recent...
5 Early Takeaways from Mother’s Day 2020
The run-up to one of the floral industry’s biggest holidays was chaotic and filled with uncertainty —especially for florists in states with strict...
Tips for Generating News Coverage
While most of the world has hit pause the past two months, one industry has plugged along, full steam ahead: the news. Knowing this, Jackie Levine,...
4 Low-Tech Ways to Get Customers’ Attention
To drive sales during this period of chaos and confusion, it’s key to embrace a variety of tactics — including those that occur offline. During a...
Florists Share Strategies for Reopening
In a recent Society of American Florists webinar, representatives from retail flower shops that have closed and reopened their businesses during the...
Putting Downtime to Good Use
The dot com bubble, 9/11, the Great Recession — there have been several crises in Nic Faitos’ 25-year career, and he’s survived them all. But the...
4 Quick Tech Fixes for a Smooth Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day (on a Friday, sigh, on a long weekend, double sigh) has plenty of variables you can’t control. One thing you can be in charge of:...
Federal Government Seeks Grower Input on Hemp Production Program
The federal government is seeking input from growers on hemp production in the United States — and the Society of American Florists is encouraging...
SAF Explains New Federal Overtime Pay Regulations
Starting January 1, 2020, a new Department of Labor rule will make 1.3 million American workers eligible for overtime pay. What does the rule mean...
In Tight Labor Market, HR Pro Stresses New Hire Processes
Historically low unemployment means that many floral industry business owners are struggling to find and keep workers. How do you get new hires to...
SEO Pro Dishes Tips on Mother’s Day Best Practices
As you and your team prep for Mother’s Day, you may be brainstorming ways to drive more traffic to your site. Should you hire an outside party to...
Free WebBlast: The Social Selling Mindset
Do you have what it takes to market your store online? Step No. 1 is getting in the right mindset for success. The Society of American Florists...
Free WebBlast on ‘The Economic Effects of Trumponomics’
What is going on with the economy, and how can I position my floral business accordingly? Is...
Free WebBlast: Pricing for a Bigger Piece of the Pie
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Florists who cater to a less affluent customer base envy uptown competitors with their...
Free Social Media Training for SAF Members
Social media is crucial to business success. That’s why the Society of American Florists has arranged a special social media training opportunity...
Watch Mother’s Day Mania WebBlast
Are you, your staff, your shop and website ready for Mother’s Day? Really? Find out by watching the 30-minute “Mother’s Day Mania,” a WebBlast...
Free WebBlast to Give Mother’s Day Marketing, Sales Pointers
The National Retail Federation is estimating that 69 percent of those celebrating Mother’s Day will buy mom flowers — so now is the time for...
Free WebBlast to Prep Retailers for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day requires all hands on deck. That’s why the Society of American Florists is bringing in four experts to address the hot spots flower...
Are You Leaving Money on the Design Bench?
Cost of goods sold and labor are two controllable expenses that can make or break your floral shop. Buying right and using the correct markup are...
Free WebBlast to Reveal 5 Steps to Profitable Weddings and Events
As a wedding and event florist, you're constantly bombarded with opportunities to make more revenue. But if your profits are not growing in tandem...
Free WebBlast on Fiscal Forecasting for a Fickle Economy
What is going on with the economy, and how can I position my floral business accordingly? Is now a good time to hire? Or buy a big ticket item for...
5 Questions to Ask Your Team the Week After Mother’s Day
Before you decompress from Mother’s Day and while you can still recall details, debrief with staff on what went right, what went wrong and simply...
Florists Ponder Pricing Strategies
How do you set prices? Do you offer “charm” prices (those ending in the number 9) or rounded prices? Do you charge for delivery and services...
CPA Doles Out Tips on Valuation
Considering selling your business in the next few years — or even few decades? The time to prepare is now. That was one of many takeaway lessons...