Three months from now, Cheryl Denham, CEO and owner of Arizona Family Florist in Phoenix and Heather Waits, owner of Bloomtastic Flowers & Events in Columbus, Ohio, will be participating SAF Palm Springs 2018 with hundreds of industry members for four days filled with 51 educational sessions and events led by 58 speakers and panelists.
A networking dinner that showcases American grown product, demos that connect florists with celebrated floral designers and mini-sessions that cover tech problems, social media questions, terrarium bar setup and more… These are just some of the additions to the lineup of the Society of American Florists’ upcoming convention that have members buzzing.
It’s been nearly two years since SAF Maui 2016, and nine months since Hurricane Irma forced the cancelation of SAF Palm Beach 2017, leaving many members clamoring to come together for four days of networking, education and inspiration at SAF Palm Springs 2018 — SAF’s 134th Annual Convention, Sept. 12-15 at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.
“It’s been way too long since I’ve seen some of my dearest friends and colleagues,” said Cheryl Denham, CEO and owner of Arizona Family Florist in Phoenix, who is looking forward to talking with manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors about products, consumer demands and what’s on the horizon. “I have left every convention a better and more empowered person, and the information I’ve learned is immeasurable.”
Heather Waits, owner of Bloomtastic Flowers & Events in Columbus, Ohio, echoed those sentiments: “SAF’s annual convention is an investment in myself — a great refresh button and a chance to learn what others are doing, and what I can do to better to support my team.”
The convention’s educational sessions will dive deep into key topics, including attracting talent, profitable design, digital marketing, trends and new products, and management. Annual events like the Outstanding Varieties Competition, Supplier Expo, Sylvia Cup Design Competition and Premier Products Showcase as well as the SAF President’s Welcome Party, Stars of the Industry Awards Dinner and Afterglow Party are on the convention schedule.
Denham and Waits are especially looking forward to participating in this year’s new convention events:
Field to Vase Networking Dinner: Dine, sip, and enjoy the serene scenery in Palm Springs at the event that fetched Floral Management’s 2017 Marketer of the Year Award. Thanks to Certified American Grown, SAF’s convention hosts a Field to Vase experience.
“I dreamed of going to one of these Field to Vase Dinners, so this is very exciting,” Waits said. “What a memorable experience for those who attend the SAF convention.”
Denham echoed those sentiments. “This is a great opportunity that no one should miss,” she said. “To be in the company of so many experts in our industry in one evening is so valuable to our businesses.”
Design Demos: Consider this speed dating meets design education. Convention participants will have one hour to rotate through five stations where an experienced designer demonstrates an advanced technique.
“I’ll be the first in line for this program,” Waits said. “This is a fabulous way to gain extra knowledge we can take back to our team at the store to better the experience we offer our customers.”
“Once we’ve gone thru the steps ourselves, it’s so much easier to remember them and take this back to our shops and train our staff,” Denham added. “This is another great opportunity to interact with other professionals in our industry because it’s fun, and when you create that type of open environment, there is a sense of relaxation and people become more comfortable because they are doing something that we all can relate to and are more willing to share ideas.”
Experience Zones: Like baseball’s seventh inning stretch, these mini demonstrations between sessions are where participants can learn quick tips on a variety of helpful topics, including:
- How to use Outstanding Varieties flowers in everyday designs
- How to up your engagement on Instagram
- Terrarium bars made easy
- Quick exercises to reduce fatigue and backaches
“These mini demos are genius,” Denham said. “To interact with experts is such a great way to literally learn ‘hands on.’ Plus you get to have one-on-one conversation with others in the industry and share ideas. I think creativity comes when you are simultaneously using your mind and your hands in unison.”
Additional new events at SAF Palm Springs 2018 include:
- Tech SOS: Ask the Pros: Laptop running slow? Got questions about your hardware, software or POS systems? The tech doctors are in. Bring your laptop, tablet or smartphone and get advice from the industry’s leading tech experts.
- Sunrise Yoga: Wake up with your industry friends and enjoy a good morning stretch before you begin your day of education.
- Next-Gen Reception: The industry’s Next-Gen members who are age 40 and under get some real face-time networking with each other at this special happy hour.
These programs are among the 51 educational sessions and events taking place at SAF Palm Springs 2018. Learn more and register now at safnow.org/annual-convention. Early-bird registration ends Aug. 17 and saves you $205.
